第一小说网

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第141部分（第1页）

s。　It　has　been　overcast　for　many　days；　and　these　clouds　foretell　a　north　wind　and　intense　cold。　When　the　wind　begins　to　blow；　you　should　hurry　your　army　to　carry　up　the　earth　and　sprinkle　it　with　water。　By　dawn　your　wall　will　be　plete。〃

Cao　Cao　seized　upon　the　suggestion。　He　offered　his　aged　visitor　a　reward；　but　the　venerable　one　would　receive　nothing。

That　night　the　wind　came　down　in　full　force。　Every　man　possible　was　set　to　earth…carrying　and　wetting。　As　they　had　no　other　means　of　carrying　water；　they　made　stuff　bags　which　they　filled　with　water　and　let　out　the　water　over　the　earth。　And　so　as　they　piled　the　earth；　they　froze　it　solid　with　water；　and　by　dawn　the　wall　was　finished　and　stood　firm。

When　his　scouts　told　Ma　Chao　that　the　enemy　had　built　a　wall；　he　rode　out　and　saw　it。　Ma　Chao　was　greatly　perplexed　and　began　to　suspect　help　from　the　gods。

However；　very　soon　after；　he　got　his　whole　army　together　and　sounded　an　attack。　Cao　Cao　himself　rode　out　of　the　camp；　with　only　the　redoubtable　Xu　Chu　in　attendance；　and　advanced　toward　the　enemy。

Flourishing　his　whip　he　called　out；　〃I；　Cao　Cao；　am　here　alone；　and　I　beg　Ma　Chao　to　e　out　to　parley　with　me。〃

Thereupon　Ma　Chao　rode　out；　his　spear　set　ready　to　thrust。

〃You　despised　me　because　I　had　no　wall　to　my　camp；　but　lo！　in　one　single　night；　God　has　made　me　a　wall。　Do　you　not　think　it　time　to　give　in？〃

Ma　Chao　was　so　enraged　that　he　almost　rushed　at　Cao　Cao；　but　he　was　not　too　angry　to　notice　the　henchman　behind　him；　glaring　in　angry　fashion；　who　held　a　gleaming　sword　in　his　grip。　Ma　Chao　thought　this　man　could　be　no　other　than　Xu　Chu；　so　he　determined　to　find　out。

With　a　flourish　of　his　whip；　he　said；　〃Where　is　the　noble　Marquis　Tiger　that　I　hear　you　have　in　your　camp？〃

At　this　Xu　Chu　lifted　his　sword　and　roared；　〃I　am　Xu　Chu　of　Qiao！〃

From　Xu　Chus　eyes　shot　gleams　of　supernatural　light　and　his　attitude　was　so　terror…striking　that　Ma　Chao　dared　not　move。　He　turned　his　steed　and　retired。

Cao　Cao　and　his　doughty　follower　returned　to　their　camp。　As　they　two　passed　between　the　armies；　not　a　man　there　but　felt　a　quiver　of　fear。

〃They　know　our　friend　Xu　Chu　over　there　as　Marquis　Tiger；〃　said　Cao　Cao　when　he　returned。

And　thereafter　the　soldiers　all　called　Xu　Chu　by　that　name。

〃I　will　capture　that　fellow　Ma　Chao　tomorrow；〃　said　Xu　Chu。

〃Ma　Chao　is　very　bold；〃　said　his　master。　〃Be　careful！〃

〃I　swear　to　fight　him　to　the　death；〃　said　Xu　Chu。

Then　Xu　Chu　sent　a　written　challenge　to　his　enemy　saying　that　the　Marquis　Tiger　challenged　Ma　Chao　to　a　decisive　duel　on　the　morrow。

Ma　Chao　was　very　angry　when　he　received　the　letter。

〃Dare　he　insult　me　so？〃　cried　he。　Then　he　wrote　his　pledge　to　slay　Tiger　Lust　on　the　morrow。

Next　day　both　armies　moved　out　and　arrayed　in　order　of　battle。　Ma　Chao　gave　Pang　De　and　Ma　Dai　mand　of　the　two　wings；　while　Han　Sui　took　the　center。

Ma　Chao　took　up　his　station　in　front　of　the　center　and　shouted；　〃Where　is　the　Tiger　Lust？〃

Cao　Cao；　who　was　on　horseback　by　the　standard；　turned　and　said；　〃Ma　Chao　is　no　less　bold　than　Lu　Bu！〃

As　he　spoke；　Xu　Chu　rode　forth　whirling　his　sword　and　the　duel　began。　They　fought　over　a　hundred　bouts；　and　neither　had　the　advantage。　But　then；　their　steeds　being　spent　with　galloping　to　and　fro；　each　retired　within　his　own　lines　and　obtained　a　fresh　mount。　The　contest　was　renewed；　and　a　hundred　more　encounters　took　place；　still　without　victory　to　either。

Suddenly　Xu　Chu　galloped　back　to　his　own　side；　stripped　off　his　armor；　showing　his　magnificent　muscles　and；　naked　as　he　was；　leaped　again　into　the　saddle　and　rode　out　to　continue　the　battle。

Again　the　champions　engaged；　while　both　armies　stood　aghast。　Thirty　bouts　more；　and　Xu　Chu；　summoning　up　all　his　force；　plunged　toward　Ma　Chao　with　his　sword　held　high　to　strike。　But　Ma　Chao　avoided　the　stroke　and　rode　in　with　his　spear　pointing　directly　at　his　opponents　heart。　Throwing　down　his　sword；　Xu　Chu　dashed　aside　the　spear；　which　passed　underneath　his　arm。

Then　ensued　a　struggle　for　the　spear；　and　Xu　Chu　by　a　mighty　effort　snapped　the　shaft　so　that　each　held　one　half。　Then　the　duel　was　continued；　each　be　laboring　the　other　with　the　pieces　of　the　broken　spear。

At　this　point　Cao　Cao　began　to　fear　for　his　champion　and　so　ordered　two　of　his　generals；　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Cao　Hong；　to　go　out　and　take　a　hand。　At　this　Pang　De　and　Ma　Dai　gave　the　signal　to　their　armored　horsemen　to　attack。　They　rode　in；　and　a　melee　began　in　which　Cao　Caos　troops　were　worsted；　and　the　great　champion　Xu　Chu　received　two　arrow　wounds　in　the　shoulder。　So　the　troops　of　Cao　Cao　retreated　to　their　stockade；　Ma　Chao　following　them　to　the　river。　Cao　Caos　army　lost　more　than　half　their　number。

Cao　Cao　barred　his　gates　and　allowed　none　to　go　out。

Ma　Chao　went　down　to　the　river。　When　he　saw　Han　Sui；　he　said；　〃I　have　seen　some　wicked　fighters；　but　none　to　match　that　Xu　Chu。　He　is　aptly　nicknamed　Tiger　Lust〃

Thinking　that　by　strategy　he　might　get　the　better　of　Ma　Chao；　Cao　Cao　secretly　sent　two　bodies　of　troops　across　the　river　to　the　south　bank　to　take　up　position　so　that　he　might　attack　in　front　and　rear。

One　day　from　his　ramparts；　Cao　Cao　saw　Ma　Chao　and　a　few　horsemen　ride　close　up　to　the　walls　and　then　gallop　to　and　fro　like　the　wind。

After　gazing　at　them　for　a　long　time；　Cao　Cao　tore　off　his　helmet　and　dashed　it　on　the　ground；　saying；　〃If　that　Ma　Chao　is　not　killed；　may　I　never　know　my　place　of　burial！〃

Xiahou　Yuan　heard　his　master；　and　his　heart　burned　within　him。　He　cried；　〃May　I　die　here　at　once　if　I　do　not　destroy　that　rebel！〃

Without　more　ado；　Xiahou　Yuan　flung　open　the　gates　and　rode　out　with　his　pany。　Cao　Cao　tried　to　stop　this　mad　rush；　but　it　was　no　good。　So；　fearing　Xiahou　Yuan　might　e　to　grief；　Cao　Cao　rode　out　after　him。　At　sight　of　the　soldiers　of　Cao　Cao；　Ma　Chao　faced　his　troops　about；　extended　them　in　line　and；　as　the　enemy　approached；　dashed　forward　to　the　attack。　Then　noticing　Cao　Cao　himself　among　them；　Ma　Chao　left　Xiahou　Yuan　and　rode　straight　for　Cao　Cao。　Panic　seized　Cao　Cao　and　he　rode　for　his　life；　while　his　troops　were　thrown　into　confusion。

It　was　during　the　pursuit　of　this　portion　of　the　Cao　Caos　army　that　Ma　Chao　was　told　of　a　force　of　the　enemy　on　the　south　of　River　Wei。　Realizing　the　danger；　he　abandoned　the　pursuit；　called　in　his　forces；　and　went　to　his　own　camp；　there　to　consult　with　Han　Sui。