第一小说网

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第176部分（第2页）

The　officers　in　charge　of　the　transport　were　very　glad　to　receive　a　general　of　such　renown。

〃Except　for　you；　O　General；　the　grain　could　never　reach　Yangping　Pass。〃

They　entertained　Xu　Chu　with　the　wine　and　food　on　the　carts；　and　he　ate　and　drank　copiously；　so　that　he　became　very　intoxicated。　And　in　that　state　he　insisted　on　marching；　urging　the　convoy　to　start　at　once。

〃The　sun　has　nearly　set；〃　said　the　transport　officers；　〃and　the　road　near　Baozhou　is　bad　and　dangerous；　so　that　we　cannot　pass　there　at　night。〃

〃I　can　face　any　danger；〃　boasted　the　drunken　general。　〃I　am　brave　as　a　myriad　men　put　together。　What　do　you　think　I　fear？　Beside；　there　is　a　good　moon　tonight；　just　the　sort　of　thing　to　take　grain　carts　along　by。〃

Xu　Chu　took　the　lead；　sword　in　hand。　By　the　second　watch　they　were　passing　Baozhou。　About　half　the　train　had　passed　when　the　rolling　drums　and　the　blare　of　horns　came　down　to　them　through　a　rift　in　the　hills。　It　was　soon　followed　by　the　appearance　of　a　cohort　led　by　Zhang　Fei。　With　spear　ready；　he　came　racing　down　straight　for　Xu　Chu；　who；　whirling　his　sword；　dashed　to　the　front　to　meet　the　enemy。

But　Xu　Chu　was　too　drunk　to　stand　against　such　a　warrior。　After　a　few　bouts　he　received　a　spear　thrust　in　the　shoulder；　turned　round　in　his　saddle；　and　fell　from　his　horse。　His　men　rushed　to　his　help；　and　they　carried　him　away　as　they　retreated；　while　Zhang　Fei　took　the　whole　transport　train　of　fodder　and　forage　away　to　his　own　camp。

The　defeated　escort　carried　their　wounded　leader　back　to　Cao　Caos　camp；　where　he　was　placed　in　the　care　of　physicians。　Then　Cao　Cao　himself　led　out　his　army　to　fight　a　decisive　battle　with　the　army　of　Shu。　Liu　Bei　went　out　to　meet　him；　and；　when　both　sides　were　arrayed；　Liu　Feng　went　out　to　challenge。　Cao　Cao　at　once　let　loose　a　torrent　of　taunts　and　reproaches。

〃Seller　of　shoes；　you　are　always　sending　out　this　pretended　son　of　yours　to　fight　for　you。　If　I　only　call　my　golden…bearded　son　Cao　Zhang；　your　so…called　son　will　be　chopped　to　mincemeat！〃

These　words　enraged　Liu　Feng；　who　raised　his　spear　and　galloped　toward　Cao　Cao。　Cao　Cao　bade　Xu　Huang　do　battle　with　the　young　man；　and　Liu　Feng　at　once　ran　away。　Cao　Cao　led　on　his　legions；　but　he　was　harassed　by　the　explosion　of　bombs；　the　beating　of　drums；　and　the　blare　of　trumpets　that　came　from　every　side。　He　concluded　that　he　was　being　led　into　an　ambush；　and　he　hastened　to　retire。　The　retreat　was　unfortunate；　for　the　soldiers　trampled　upon　each　other　and　many　were　killed。　Anon　they　all　ran　off　to　Yangping　Pass　as　quickly　as　they　could。

But　the　soldiers　of　Shu　came　right　up　to　the　walls　of　the　Pass；　and　some　burned　the　east　gate　while　others　shouted　at　the　west。　Others；　again；　burned　the　north　gate　while　drums　rolled　at　the　south。　Leaders　and　led　were　alike　harassed　and　frightened；　and　presently　they　left　the　Pass　and　ran　away。　They　were　pursued　and　sore　smitten。

The　road　to　safety　was　not　easy。　In　one　direction　Zhang　Fei　barred　the　way；　while　Zhao　Yun　attacked　the　rear。　Then　Huang　Zhong　came　from　Baozhou　and　pressed　a　slaughter　on　the　flank。　Cao　Caos　army　lost　many　troops；　and　he　was　severely　defeated　in　this　triple　attack。　His　manders　gathered　about　him　and　took　him　off　toward　the　Xie　Valley。　Here　a　great　cloud　of　dust　was　seen　in　the　distance。

〃If　that　is　an　ambush；　it　is　the　last　of　me；〃　sighed　Cao　Cao。

The　soldiers　came　nearer；　and　then　Cao　Cao　recognized　not　a　enemy　but　his　second　son；　Cao　Zhang。　As　a　lad　Cao　Zhang　was　a　good　horseman　and　an　expert　archer。　He　was　more　powerful　than　most　men　and　could　overe　a　wild　beast　with　his　bare　hands。　Cao　Cao　did　not　approve　of　the　young　mans　bent；　and　often　warned　him　to　study　instead。

〃You　do　not　study；　but　only　love　your　bow　and　your　horse；　this　is　the　courage　of　a　mere　person。　Think　you　that　this　makes　for　an　honorable　career？〃

＇e＇　Wei　Qing　a　grand　general　during　Han　Emperor　Wu。　Wei　Qing　had　made　several　large…scale　campaigns　against　the　Xiongnu　countries。　Though　those　campaigns　were　successful；　he　also　suffered　great　casualties。　Further；　he　was　accused　of　being　extravagant。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Huo　Qubing　（BC　177…140）　a　brave　general　of　Han　Emperor　Wu。　Huo　Qubing　was　a　relative　of　Wei　Qing；　and　he　also　led　expeditions　against　the　Xiongnu　countries。　But　he　died　young；　and　the　emperor　built　him　a　large　tomb　in　his　memory。　。。。。。

But　Cao　Zhang　replied；　〃The　really　noble　person　ought　to　imitate　such　grand　men　as　Wei　Qing*　and　Huo　Qubing*。　They　won　their　reputation　in　the　Gobi　Desert；　where　they　led　a　mighty　host　of　hundred　thousand；　able　to　overrun　the　whole　world　and　go　anywhere。　What　have　I　to　do　with　scholarship？〃

Cao　Cao　used　to　ask　his　sons　what　career　they　found　admirable；　and　Cao　Zhang　always　replied　that　he　would　be　a　leader　of　armies。

〃But　what　should　a　leader　be　like？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃He　should　be　endued　with　firmness　and　courage；　never　turn　aside　from　a　difficulty；　but　be　in　the　van　of　his　officers　and　troops。　Rewards　should　be　certain；　and　so　should　punishments。〃

Cao　Cao　smiled　with　pleasure。

In　the　twenty…third　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　218）；　the　Wuhuan　Peoples　revolted　in　Daichun；　and　Cao　Cao　sent　this　son　with　fifty　thousand　troops　to　suppress　them。　Just　as　Cao　Zhang　was　leaving；　his　father　read　him　a　homily　on　his　duty。

〃At　home　we　are　father　and　son；　but　when　a　task　is　given　you；　you　have　to　consider　your　duty　as　a　servant　of　your　ruler。　The　law　knows　no　kindness；　and　you　must　beware。〃

When　the　expedition　reached　the　north　of　Daichun；　Cao　Zhang　led　the　array　and　smote　as　far　as　Sanggan　in　the　Gobi　Dese