第一小说网

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第32部分（第2页）

〃Out　of　the　wolfs　den　into　the　tigers　mouth！〃　said　he。

No　one　knew　what　to　do；　they　were　all　too　frightened。　But　when　the　rebel　army　was　just　upon　them；　they　heard　the　beating　of　drums　and　from　behind　some　hills　came　into　the　open　a　cohort　of　one　thousand　soldiers　preceded　by　a　great　flag　bearing　the　name　Han　General　Yang　Feng　。

Having　defeated　by　Li　Jue；　Yang　Feng　fled　to　the　foothills　of　the　Xian；　and　he　came　up　to　offer　his　services　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　Emperors　journey。　Seeing　it　was　necessary　to　fight　now；　he　drew　up　his　line　of　battle。

Guo　Sis　general；　Cui　Yong；　rode　out　and　began　a　volley　of　abuse。

Yang　Feng　turned　and　said；　〃Where　is　Xu　Huang？〃

In　response　out　came　a　valiant　warrior　gripping　a　heavy　battle…ax。　He　galloped　up　on　his　fleet　bay；　making　directly　for　Cui　Yong；　whom　he　felled　at　the　first　blow。　At　this　the　whole　force　dashed　forward　and　routed　Guo　Si。　The　defeated　army　went　back　some　seven　miles。

Yang　Feng　rode　forward　to　see　the　Emperor　who　graciously　said；　〃It　is　a　great　service　you　have　rendered：　You　have　saved　my　life。〃

Yang　Feng　bowed　and　thanked　him；　and　the　Emperor　asked　to　see　the　actual　slayer　of　the　rebel　leader。　So　Xu　Huang　was　led　to　the　chariot　where　he　bowed　and　was　presented　as　Xu　Huang　of　Hedong。

The　Emperor　recognized　the　achievement　of　the　warrior。

Then　the　cavalcade　went　forward；　Yang　Feng　acting　as　escort　as　far　as　the　city　of　Huaying；　the　halting　place　for　the　night。　The　mander　of　the　place；　Duan　Wei；　supplied　them　with　clothing　and　food。　And　the　Emperor　passed　the　night　in　Yang　Fengs　camp。

Next　day　Guo　Si；　having　mustered　his　troops；　appeared　in　front　of　the　camp；　and　Xu　Huang　rode　out　to　engage。　But　Guo　Si　threw　his　army　out　so　that　they　entirely　surrounded　the　camp；　and　the　Emperor　was　in　the　middle。　The　position　was　very　critical；　when　help　appeared　in　the　person　of　a　galloping　general　from　the　southeast；　and　the　rebels　fell　away　at　his　assault。　Then　Xu　Huang　smote　them　and　so　scored　a　victory。

When　they　had　time　to　see　their　helper；　they　found　him　to　be　Dong　Cheng；　the　uncle　of　the　Emperor　or　the　〃State　Uncle〃。　The　Emperor　wept　as　he　related　his　sorrows　and　dangers。

Said　Dong　Cheng；　〃Be　of　good　courage；　Sire。　General　Yang　Feng　and　I　have　pledged　ourselves　to　kill　both　the　rebels　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　and　so　purify　the　world。〃

The　Emperor　bade　them　travel　east　as　soon　as　possible；　and　so　they　went　on　night　and　day　till　they　reached　their　destination　Hongnong。

Guo　Si　led　his　defeated　army　back。　Meeting　Li　Jue；　he　told　Li　Jue　of　the　rescue　of　the　Emperor　and　whither　they　was　going。

〃If　they　reach　the　Huashang　Mountains　and　get　settled　in　the　east；　they　will　send　out　proclamations　to　the　whole　country；　calling　up　the　nobles　to　attack　us；　and　we　and　our　families　will　be　in　danger；〃　said　Guo　Si。

〃Zhang　Ji　is　holding　Changan；　and　we　must　be　careful。　There　is　nothing　to　prevent　a　joint　attack　on　Hongnong；　when　we　can　kill　the　Emperor　and　divide　the　empire　between　us；〃　said　Li　Jue。

Guo　Si　found　this　a　suitable　scheme；　so　their　armies　came　together　again　in　one　place　and　united　in　plundering　the　countryside。　As　they　proceeded　to　Hongnong；　they　left　destruction　behind　them。

Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　heard　of　the　rebels　approach　when　they　were　yet　a　long　way　off；　so　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　turned　back　and　decided　to　meet　them　at　Dongjian。

Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　had　previously　made　their　plan。　Since　the　loyal　troops　were　few　as　pared　with　their　own　horde；　they　would　overwhelm　the　loyal　troops　like　a　flood。　So　when　the　day　of　battle　came；　they　poured　out　covering　the　hills　and　filling　the　plains。　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　devoted　themselves　solely　to　the　protection　of　the　Emperor　and　Empress。　The　officials；　the　attendants；　the　archives　and　records；　and　all　the　paraphernalia　of　the　court　were　left　to　care　for　themselves。　The　rebels　ravaged　Hongnong；　but　the　two　protectors　got　the　Emperor　safely　away　into　Shanbei。

When　the　rebel　generals　showed　signs　of　pursuit；　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　had　to　play　a　double…edged　sword。　They　sent　to　offer　to　discuss　terms　of　peace　with　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　at　the　same　time　they　sent　a　secret　edict　to　enlist　the　help　from　the　leaders　of　the　White　Wave　rebels………Han　Xian；　Li　Yue；　and　Hu　Cai。　The　White　Wave　was　a　branch　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　and　Li　Yue　was　actually　a　brigand　and　had　inspired　rebels　throughout　the　country。　But　the　need　for　help　was　so　desperate。

These　three；　being　promised　pardon　for　their　faults　and　crimes　and　a　grant　of　official　rank；　naturally　responded　to　the　call；　and　thus　the　loyal　side　was　strengthened　so　that　Hongnong　was　recaptured。　But　meanwhile　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　laid　waste　whatever　place　they　reached；　slaying　the　aged　and　weakly；　forcing　the　strong　to　join　their　ranks。　When　going　into　a　fight　they　forced　these　people…soldiers　to　the　front；　and　they　called　them　the　〃Dare…to…Die〃　soldiers。

Li　Jue　and　Guo　Sis　force　was　overwhelming。　When　Li　Yue；　the　White　Wave　leader；　approached　with　his　army；　Guo　Si　bade　his　soldiers　scatter　clothing　and　valuables　along　the　road。　The　late　robbers　could　not　resist　the　temptation；　so　a　scramble　began。　Then　Guo　Sis　soldiers　fell　upon　the　disordered　ranks　and　did　much　damage。　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　had　to　take　the　Emperor　away　to　the　north。

Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　pursued。

Li　Yue　said；　〃The　danger　is　grave。　I　pray　Your　Majesty　mount　a　horse　and　go　in　advance。〃

The　Emperor　replied；　〃I　cannot　bear　to　abandon　my　officers。〃

They　wept　and　struggled　on　as　best　they　could。　The　White　Wave　leader　Hu　Cai　was　killed　in　one　attack。

The　enemy　came　very　near；　and　the　Emperor　left　his　carriage　and　went　on　foot。　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　escorted　him　to　the　bank　of　the　Yellow　River。　Li　Yue　sought　a　boat　to　ferry　him　to　the　other　side。　The　weather　was　very　cold　and　the　Emperor　and　Empress　cuddled　up　close　to　each　other　shivering。　They　reached　the　river　but　the　banks　were　too　high；　and　they　could　not　get　down　into　the　boat。　So　Yang　Feng　proposed　to　fasten　together　the　horses　bridles　and　lower　down　the　Emperor　slung　by　the　waist。　However；　the　Empress　brother；　Fu　De；　found　some　rolls　of　white　silk　from　dead　soldiers；　and　they　rolled　up　the　two　imperial　personages　in　the　silk；　and　thus　they　lowered　them　down　near　the　boat。　Then　Li　Yue　took　up　h