第一小说网

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第157部分（第2页）

This　news　caused　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　great　anxiety；　for　it　would　be　a　grave　danger　to　them。　However；　Fa　Zheng　was　more　sanguine。

〃Do　not　be　anxious；〃　said　he；　〃the　plan　would　be　extremely　harmful；　but　it　will　not　be　carried　out。　Liu　Zhang　will　not　do　that。〃

Surely　enough；　very　soon　they　heard　that　Liu　Zhang　had　not　adopted　the　suggestion；　he　would　not　remove　the　people。　It　was　a　great　relief　to　Liu　Bei

Then　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃Now　let　us　capture　Mianzhu　quickly；　for；　that　done；　Chengdu　is　as　good　as　ours。〃

Liu　Bei　therefore　told　off　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　to　advance　first。　When　mander　of　Mianzhu；　Fei　Guan；　heard　of　their　advance；　he　ordered　Li　Yan　to　go　out　to　stop　them；　and　Li　Yan　led　out　three　thousand　troops。　The　two　sides　being　arrayed；　Huang　Zhong　rode　out　and　fought　some　half　hundred　bouts　with　Li　Yan。　Neither　was　able　to　claim　a　victory；　and　so　Zhuge　Liang　from　the　midst　of　the　host　ordered　them　to　beat　the　gongs　to　cease　from　battle。

When　Huang　Zhong　had　got　back　to　his　side　again；　he　said；　〃O　Instructor；　why　did　you　sound　the　retirement　just　as　I　was　getting　the　better　of　my　opponent？〃

〃Because　I　saw　that　Li　Yan　was　not　to　be　overe　by　mere　force。　Tomorrow　you　shall　fight　again；　and　then　you　shall　lead　him　into　the　hills　by　the　ruse　of　pretended　defeat。　There　will　be　a　surprise　awaiting　him。〃

Huang　Zhong　agreed　to　try　this　plan；　and　so　on　the　morrow　accepted　Li　Yans　challenge　when　it　was　offered。　After　about　the　tenth　bout；　Huang　Zhong　and　his　troops　pretended　to　be　worsted　and　ran。　Li　Yan　pursued　and　was　quickly　lured　into　the　mountains。　Suddenly　his　danger　flashed　into　his　mind；　and　he　turned　to　go　back。

But　he　found　Wei　Yans　troops　drawn　up　across　his　path。

From　a　hill　top　near　by；　Zhuge　Liang　cried；　〃You　had　better　yield！　If　not；　there　are　bows　and　crossbows　on　both　sides　of　you………all　ready　to　avenge　the　death　of　our　Pang　Tong。〃

Li　Yan　dropped　off　his　horse；　threw　aside　his　armor；　and　offered　submission。　Not　a　soldier　of　his　had　been　hurt。　The　prisoner　was　conducted　to　Liu　Bei；　who　was　very　affable　and　so　won　Li　Yans　heart　that　Li　Yan　offered　to　try　to　seduce　Fei　Guan　from　his　allegiance。

〃Though　he　is　related　to　Liu　Zhang；　yet　Fei　Guan　and　I　are　very　close　friends。　Let　me　go　and　persuade　him。〃

Wherefore　Li　Yan　was　sent　back　to　the　city　to　induce　his　chief　to　e　over　to　Liu　Beis　side。　Li　Yan　talked　to　such　effect　of　the　kindness　and　virtues　of　Liu　Bei　that　Fei　Guan　was　won　over；　opened　the　city　gates；　and　admitted　the　invaders。

As　soon　as　Liu　Bei　had　entered　Mianzhu；　he　set　out　his　forces　to　take　the　capital。

While　thus　engaged；　a　hasty　messenger　came　to　tell　of　the　doings　at　Jiameng　Pass：　〃There　suddenly　appeared　an　army　from　the　east　under　Ma　Chao；　Ma　Dai；　and　Yang　Bo。　They　are　attacking；　and　the　Pass　will　certainly　be　lost　if　help　is　not　sent　quickly。〃

〃We　need　both　Zhang　Fei　and　Zhao　Yun　for　this；〃　remarked　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Then　we　could　oppose　successfully。〃

〃But　Zhao　Yun　is　away；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃However；　Zhang　Fei　is　here。　Let　us　send　him　quickly。〃

〃Do　not　say　anything；　my　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Let　me　stir　him　to　fight　his　noblest。〃

But　as　soon　as　Zhang　Fei　heard　of　the　danger；　he　came　rushing　in；　shouting；　〃I　must　say　farewell；　brother！　I　am　off　to　fight　Ma　Chao。〃

However；　Zhuge　Liang　made　as　if　he　heard　not　and　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃That　Ma　Chao　has　invaded　Jiameng　Pass；　and　we　have　no　one　to　drive　him　back。　Nobody　can　stand　up　to　him；　unless　we　can　get　Guan　Yu　from　Jingzhou。　Guan　Yu　could　do　it。〃

〃Why　do　you　despise　me；　O　Instructor？〃　cried　Zhang　Fei。　〃Did　I　not　once　drive　back　a　whole　army　with　my　mere　voice？　Think　you　that　I　mind　a　stupid　fool　like　Ma　Chao？〃

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Yes；　General；　but　when　you　forced　back　the　waters　and　broke　the　bridge　in　the　Long　Slope；　you　succeeded　because　your　enemies　were　doubtful。　If　they　had　known；　you　would　not　have　e　off　so　easily。　Now；　all　the　world　knows　this　Ma　Chao　and　has　heard　about　his　six　battles　at　River　Wei；　and　how　he　made　Cao　Cao　cut　off　his　beard　and　throw　away　his　robe。　Ma　Chao　very　nearly　slew　Cao　Cao　too。　This　is　no　lightsome　task　like　that；　and　even　Guan　Yu　might　fail。〃

〃All　I　care　for　is　to　go；　and　if　I　do　not　overe　this　fellow；　I　will　take　the　consequences。〃

〃Well；　if　you　will　put　that　in　writing；　you　may　lead　the　attack。　And　I　will　ask　our　lord　to　lead　another　army　to　back　you　up　this　time。　He　can　leave　the　defense　of　this　town　to　me　till　Zhao　Yun　returns。〃

〃I　also　want　to　go；〃　said　Wei　Yan。

Wei　Yan　was　allowed　to　go　with　five　hundred　of　light　horse　in　advance　of　Zhang　Fei。　Liu　Bei　marched　third。　Wei　Yan　and　his　scouts　soon　arrived　at　Jiameng　Pass　and　there　fell　in　with　Yang　Bo。　They　engaged；　but　after　a　few　bouts　Yang　Bo　fled。

At　this　success　Wei　Yan　was　seized　with　ambition　to　rival　it　and　try　to　snatch　the　credit　that　would　fall　to　Zhang　Fei。　So　he　pursued。　But　he　presently　came　across　a　line　of　battle　all　drawn　up；　the　mander　being　Ma　Dai。　Wei　Yan；　thinking　it　was　the　redoubtable　Ma　Chao；　rode　toward　him　whirling　his　sword。　Soon　Ma　Dai　turned　and　ran　away；　and　Wei　Yan　followed　him。　However；　Ma　Dai　presently　turned　back　and　shot　an　arrow；　which　wounded　Wei　Yan　in　the　left　arm；　so　that　he　left　the　pursuit　and　turned　his　face　the　other　way。　Then　Ma　Dai　came　after　him　and　chased　Wei　Yan　nearly　up　to　the　Pass。

Here　Ma　Dai　was　suddenly　confronted　by　a　fierce　thunder…roaring　leader　who　dashed　down　from　the　Pass　as　on　a　flying　steed。

It　was　Zhang　Fei；　who　had　just　arrived。　Hearing　the　n