第一小说网

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第99部分（第1页）

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃My　lord　should　not　worry。　We　have　burned　the　army　of　Cao　Cao　at　Bowang　Slope；　so　we　will　see　them　fallen　into　another　ruse　in　Xinye。　This　is　no　place　to　live　in。　We　will　move　over　to　Fancheng。〃

Then　notices　were　posted　at　all　the　gates　that　all　the　people；　without　any　exception；　were　to　follow　their　ruler　at　once　to　the　new　city　to　escape　danger。　Boats　were　prepared　and　the　people　sent　away　under　the　direction　of　Sun　Qian。　Mi　Zhu　saw　to　the　safe　conveyance　of　the　families　of　the　officials。

Then　the　officers　assembled　for　orders。

Zhuge　Liang　gave　directions；　〃Guan　Yu　is　to　go　to　the　upper　of　the　White　River　with　one　thousand　troops。　His　men　are　to　carry　bags　to　fill　with　sand　and　earth　to　dam　the　river　till　the　enemy　shall　be　heard；　about　the　third　watch　next　day。　Then　the　waters　are　to　be　freed　to　drown　one　of　the　armies。　He　is　then　to　march　down　river。

〃Zhang　Fei　is　to　go　to　the　Boling　Ferry；　where　the　current　is　slow。　After　the　waters　of　the　White　River　have　been　let　loose　on　Cao　Caos　soldiers；　they　will　try　to　get　over　the　river　at　the　ferry。　They　are　to　be　attacked　by　Zhang　Fei　and　his　one　thousand　troops。

〃Zhao　Yun　is　to　divide　three　thousand　troops　into　four　parties　and　take　one　to　the　east　gate。　The　other　three　are　for　the　other　gates。　The　roofs　of　the　houses　within　the　city　walls　are　piled　with　sulfur；　saltpeter；　and　other　bustibles。　The　intention　is　to　set　fire　to　the　city　when　the　army　of　the　enemy　has　entered　it　for　shelter。　There　will　be　a　strong　breeze　next　day　in　the　evening　which　will　fan　the　flames。　When　this　wind　begins　to　blow；　fire　arrows　are　to　be　shot　into　the　city　from　all　sides。　When　the　flames　are　high；　there　is　to　be　a　great　shouting　outside　to　add　to　the　general　terror。　The　east　gate　is　to　be　left　free　for　escape；　but　the　flying　men　are　to　be　smitten　after　passing　the　gate。

〃Mi　Fang　and　Liu　Feng　are　to　take　mand　of　two　thousand　troops；　one　half　with　red　flags　and　the　other　half　with　blue。　They　are　to　go　to　Magpie　Tail　Slope；　about　ten　miles　from　the　city　and　camp。　When　they　see　Cao　Caos　army　ing　along；　the　red　flags　are　to　move　left　and　the　blue　right　to　confuse　the　enemy　so　that　they　shall　be　afraid　to　advance　further。　Then　an　ambush　is　to　be　laid　to　smite　the　enemy　when　the　fire　in　Xinye　starts。　After　that　Mi　Fang　and　Liu　Feng　are　to　go　to　the　river　to　meet　us。

〃After　the　battle；　all　generals　shall　gather　at　Fancheng。〃

All　the　orders　given；　the　various　leaders　went　their　way　to　take　up　their　positions　and　await　the　burning　of　the　city。　Zhuge　Liang　and　Liu　Bei　went　away　to　an　eminence　whence　they　could　watch　what　happened　and　where　they　would　await　the　reports　of　victory。

Cao　Hong　and　Cao　Ren；　with　their　one　hundred　thousand　troops；　preceded　by　Xu　Chu　leading　three　thousand　of　mailed　men；　marched　toward　Xinye。　They　formed　a　mighty　host　and　reached　Magpie　Tail　Slope　about　noon。　Looking　ahead；　they　saw　what　seemed　a　goodly　army　with　many　blue　and　red　flags。　Xu　Chu　pressed　forward。　As　he　neared；　the　flags　moved　from　side　to　side；　and　he　hesitated。

He　began　to　think；　〃It　could　be　an　ambush。　It　is　unwise　to　advance。〃

Finally　Xu　Chu　decided　to　go　no　farther　and　called　a　halt；　and　he　rode　back　to　the　main　body　to　see　Cao　Ren。

〃Those　troops　are　only　make…believe；〃　said　Cao　Ren。　〃Advance；　there　is　no　ambush。　I　will　hasten　up　the　supports。〃

So　Xu　Chu　rode　to　his　own　mand　again　and　advanced。　When　he　reached　the　wood　where　he　had　seen　the　flags；　he　saw　no　one　at　all。　It　was　then　late　in　the　afternoon　but　he　decided　to　move　on。　Then　he　heard　from　the　hills　the　sound　of　musical　instruments　and；　looking　up；　saw　on　the　hill　top　two　umbrellas　surrounded　by　many　banners。　There　sat　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　quietly　drinking。

Angry　at　their　coolness；　Xu　Chu　sought　for　a　way　up；　but　logs　of　wood　and　great　stones　were　thrown　down；　and　he　was　driven　back。　Further；　from　the　rear　of　the　hills　came　a　confused　roar。　He　could　find　no　way　to　attack；　and　the　sun　began　to　set。

Then　Cao　Ren　and　Cao　Hong　arrived　and　ordered　an　attack　on　Xinye　that　he　might　have　a　place　to　rest　in。　They　marched　to　the　walls　and　found　the　gates　wide　open。　They　entered　and　found　a　deserted　city。　No　one　was　visible。

〃This　shows　they　are　done；〃　said　Cao　Hong。　〃They　have　all　run　away；　people　and　all。　We　may　as　well　occupy　the　city　and　rest　our　soldiers　ready　for　tomorrow。〃

The　soldiers　were　fatigued　with　marching　and　hungry　as　well；　so　they　lost　no　time　in　scattering　among　the　houses　and　setting　about　preparing　food　in　the　deserted　kitchens。　The　leaders　took　up　their　quarters　in　the　state　residence　to　rest。

After　the　first　watch　the　wind　began　to　blow。　Soon　after　the　gate　guards　reported　that　a　fire　had　started。

〃The　careless　men　have　let　sparks　fly　about；〃　said　Cao　Ren。

He　thought　no　more　about　it　just　then；　but　along　came　other　reports　of　like　nature；　and　soon　he　realized　that　fires　breaking　out　in　all　quarters　were　not　due　to　accident。　So　he　gave　orders　to　evacuate　the　city。　Soon　the　whole　city　seemed　on　fire；　and　a　red　glow　hung　in　the　sky。　The　army　was　beset　with　fire　fiercer　than　what　Xiahou　Dun　had　experienced　at　Bowang　Slope。

Thrice　wicked　was　Cao　Cao；　but　he　was　bold；

Though　all　in　the　capital　he　controlled；

Yet　with　this　he　was　not　content；

So　southward　his　ravaging　army　went。

But；　the　autumn　wind　aiding；　the　Spirit　of　Fire

Wrought　to　his　army　destruction　dire。

Officers　and　troops　dashing　through　the　smoke　and　fire　in　utter　confusion　sought　some　way　of　escape；　and　hearing　that　the　east　gate　was　free；　they　made　for　that　quarter。　Out　they　rushed　pell…mell；　many　being　trodden　down　and　trampled　to　death。　Those　who　got　through　took　the　road　to　the　east。

But　presently　there　was　a　shouting　behind　them；　and　Zhao　Yuns　pany　came　up　and　attacked。　Then　Cao　Caos　troops　scattered；　each　fleeing　for　his　life。　No　stand　was　made。　A　little　later　Mi　Fang　and　Liu　Feng　came　to　take　another　toll。　The　fleeing　Cao　Ren　then　had　very　few　followers；　and　those　left　him　were　scorched　and　burned。

They　directed　their　way　to　the　White　River；　joyfully　remembering　that　the　river　was　shallow　and　fordable。　And　they　went　down　into　the　stream　and　drank　their　fill；　humans　shouting　and　horses　neighing。

Meantime　Guan　Yu；　higher　up　its　course；　had　dammed　the　river　with　sandbags　so　that　its　waters　were　collected　in　a　lake。　Toward　evening　he　had　seen　the　red　glow　of　the　burning　city　and　began　to　look　out　for　his　signal。　About　the　fourth　watch；　he　heard　down　stream　the　sounds　of　soldiers　and　horse　and　at　once　ordered　the　breaking　of　the　dam。　The　water　rushed　down　in　a　torrent　and　overwhelmed　the　men　just　then　in　the　bed　of　the　river。　Many　were　swept　away　and　drowned。　Those　who　escaped　made　their　way　to　where　the　stream　ran　gently　and　got　away。