第一小说网

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第224部分（第1页）

a　mans　head　hanging　at　his　bridle。

Soon　Zhang　Bao　reached　the　veteran　generals　side　and　cried；　〃The　Prime　Minister　feared　some　misfortune　had　befallen　you；　so　he　sent　me　to　your　help！　I　have　five　thousand　troops　here。　We　heard　that　you　were　surrounded。　On　the　way　I　met　Xue　Ze　and　slew　him。〃

Zhao　Yuns　courage　revived；　and　he　and　the　young　general　went　on　toward　the　southwest；　driving　the　soldiers　of　Wei　before　them　in　disorder。　Soon　another　cohort　came　in　from　the　side；　the　leader　wielding　the　green…dragon　saber。

This　was　Guan　Xing；　and　he　cried；　〃The　Prime　Minister　sent　me　with　five　thousand　troops　to　your　aid。　On　the　way　I　encountered　Dong　Xin　and　slain　him。　Here　is　his　head。　The　Prime　Minister　is　ing　up　too！〃

〃But　why　not　press　on　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao　since　you　have　had　such　wonderful　success？〃　cried　Zhao　Yun。

Zhang　Bao　took　the　hint　and　went　forward。　Guan　Xing　followed。

〃They　are　as　my　own　children；〃　said　Zhao　Yun　to　those　who　stood　near。　〃And　they　press　on　wherever　there　is　merit　to　be　won。　I　am　an　old　leader　and　high　in　rank；　but　I　am　not　worth　so　much　as　these　two　youths。　Yet　will　I　risk　my　life　once　more　for　the　sake　of　my　old　lord　the　First　Ruler。〃

So　he　led　the　remnant　of　his　troops　to　try　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao。

During　that　night　the　army　of　Wei　was　smitten　till　corpses　covered　the　earth　and　gore　ran　in　rivers。　Xiahou　Mao　was　unskillful；　and　young；　and　inexperienced　in　battle。　His　army　was　in　utter　rout；　and　he　could　not　think　but　only　flee。　At　the　head　of　a　hundred　cavalries；　he　made　for　Nanan。　His　army；　leaderless；　scattered　like　rats。

Zhang　Bao　and　Guan　Xing　set　out　for　Nanan。　At　the　news　of　their　ing；　Xiahou　Mao　closed　the　city　gates　and　urged　his　soldiers　to　defend。　Zhao　Yun　soon　joined　the　generals；　and　they　attacked　on　three　sides。　Deng　Zhi　arrived　also；　and　the　city　was　quite　surrounded。

After　vain　efforts　for　ten　days；　they　heard　the　news：　〃The　Prime　Minister　has　stationed　the　rear　army　in　Mianyang；　the　left　army　in　Yangping　Pass；　the　right　army　in　Shicheng。　He　himself　is　leading　the　center　army　toward　Nanan。〃

The　four　generals　went　to　visit　Zhuge　Liang　and　told　him　their　failure　at　the　city。　He　got　into　his　light　chariot　and　rode　out　to　view　the　city；　after　which　he　returned　and　summoned　the　officers　to　his　tent。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃The　moat　is　deep；　the　walls　are　steep。　Wherefore　the　city　is　well　defended　and　difficult　to　take。　My　present　plan　omits　this　place。　If　you　persist　in　the　attack　and　the　Wei　armies　march　to　try　for　Hanzhong；　our　army　will　be　in　danger。〃

〃Consider　what　the　capture　of　Xiahou　Mao　would　mean；〃　said　Deng　Zhi。　〃He　is　an　Imperial　Son…in…Law；　and　worth　more　than　slaying　a　hundred　ordinary　leaders。　We　have　begun　the　siege；　and　we　should　not　raise　it。〃

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　have　other　plans。　West　of　this　lies　Tianshui　and　north　Anding。　Does　anyone　know　the　governors　of　these　two　places？〃

〃Ma　Zun　is　the　Governor　of　Tianshui；　Cui　Liang　that　of　Anding；〃　replied　a　scout。

Zhuge　Liang　then　called　to　him　one　by　one………Wei　Yan；　Zhang　Bao；　Guan　Xing；　and　two　trusted　subordinates………and　gave　each　certain　instructions。　They　left　to　carry　out　their　orders。

Next　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　soldiers　to　pile　up　beneath　the　walls　heaps　of　firewood　and　straw；　saying　he　was　going　to　burn　the　city。　The　defenders　on　the　wall　derided　him。

Cui　Liang；　the　Governor　of　Anding；　was　much　frightened　when　he　heard　that　Xiahou　Mao　was　besieged；　and　began　to　see　to　his　own　defenses。　He　mustered　his　four　thousand　soldiers；　resolved　to　defend　his　city　as　long　as　possible。　Then　there　came　a　man　from　the　south　direction；　who　said　he　had　secret　letters。

Cui　Liang　had　him　brought　into　the　city；　and；　when　questioned；　the　man　said；　〃I　am　one　of　Xiahou　Maos　trusted　soldiers　and　named　Pei　Xu。　I　was　sent　to　beg　for　help　from　Tianshui　and　Anding。　The　city　of　Nanan　is　hard　pressed。　Every　day　we　have　raised　fires　to　call　the　attention　of　your　cities　to　our　plight；　but　our　signals　have　all　failed。　No　one　has　e。　I　was　ordered　to　fight　my　way　through　the　besiegers　and　e　to　tell　you。　You　are　to　give　assistance　immediately；　and　our　General　will　open　the　gates　to　help　you。〃

〃Have　you　a　letter　from　the　General？〃　asked　Cui　Liang。

A　letter　was　produced　from　inside　the　mans　dress；　all　moist　with　perspiration。　After　the　Governor　had　read　it；　the　soldier　took　it　back　and　went　on　to　the　direction　of　Tianshui。

Two　days　later　a　mounted　messenger　came　to　Anding　and　said　to　Cui　Liang：　〃Governor　Ma　Zun　of　Tianshui　with　his　troops　have　already　started　for　Nanan。　The　troops　of　Anding　should　march　at　once　to　their　aid。〃

Cui　Liang　took　the　advice　of　his　officers。　Most　of　them　said；　〃If　you　do　not　go；　and　Nanan　is　taken；　we　shall　he　blamed　for　giving　up　the　Imperial　Son…in…Law。　He　must　be　rescued。〃

Thereupon　Cui　Liang　marched。　The　civil　officers　were　left　in　charge　of　the　city。　The　army　took　the　high　road　to　Nanan。　They　saw　flames　shooting　up　to　the　sky　all　the　time；　and　the　Governor　urged　the　army　to　march　faster。　When　fifteen　miles　from　the　city；　there　was　heard　the　drums　of　an　attacking　force；　and　the　scouts　came　to　say　that　the　road　ahead　was　held　by　Guan　Xing；　while　Zhang　Bao　was　ing　up　quickly　in　their　rear。

At　this　news　the　soldiers　scattered　in　all　directions。　Cui　Liang　had　a　hundred　men　left　with　whom　he　tried　to　cut　his　way　out　that　he　might　return　to　his　own　city。　He　got　through。

But　when　he　came　to　his　own　city；　a　flight　of　arrows　greeted　him　from　the　wall；　and　Wei　Yan　shouted　to　him；　saying；　〃I　have　taken　the　city。　You　had　better　yield！〃

This　was　what　had　happened。　Wei　Yan　and　his　soldiers；　disguised　as　an　Anding　soldiers；　in　the　darkness　of　the　night　had　beguiled　the　wardens　of　the　gate　into　opening　it；　and　the　men　of　Shu　had　got　in。

Cui　Liang　set　off　for　Tianshui。　But　one　march　away　a　cohort　came　out；　and　beneath　the　great　flag　he　saw　a　light　chariot。　In　the　chariot　sat　a　man　in　Taoist　robe　with　a　feather　fan　in　his　hand。　Cui　Liang　at　once　recognized　Zhuge　Liang；　but　as　he　turned；　up　came　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　who　summoned　him　to　surrender。　As　he　was　entirely　surrounded；　no　other　course　was　open　to　him；　so　he　gave　in。　He　went　to　the　great　camp　with　Zhuge　Liang；　who　treated　him　with　courtesy。

After　a　time　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Is　the　Govenor　of　Nanan　a　friend　of　yours？〃