第一小说网

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第126部分（第2页）

But　his　master　angrily　replied；　〃Do　you　want　to　play　the　traitor　and　take　the　side　of　the　rebels　and　help　them？〃

Jin　Xuan　called　in　the　lictors　and　told　them　to　put　Gong　Zhi　to　death。

The　other　officers　interceded　for　Gong　Zhi；　saying；　〃It　augers　ill　to　start　an　expedition　by　slaying　your　own　officer。〃

So　the　Governor　merely　sent　Gong　Zhi　sway。　He　himself　led　the　army　out　of　the　city。　After　marching　seven　miles；　he　met　with　Zhang　Feis　army。

Zhang　Fei　at　once　rode　to　the　front；　spear　ready　to　thrust；　and　opened　with　a　shout。　Jin　Xuan　turned　to　his　officers　and　asked　who　would　go　out　to　fight　him；　but　no　one　replied。　They　were　too　afraid。

So　the　Governor　himself　galloped　out；　flourishing　his　sword。　Seeing　him　advance；　Zhang　Fei　shouted　in　a　voice　of　thunder。　Poor　Jin　Xuan　was　seized　with　panic；　turned　pale　and　could　not　go　on。　He　turned　his　steed　and　fled。　Then　Zhang　Fei　and　his　army　went　in　pursuit　and　smote　the　fugitives；　chasing　them　to　the　city　wall。

Here　the　fugitives　were　greeted　by　a　flight　of　arrows　from　their　own　wall。　Greatly　frightened；　Jin　Xuan　looked　up　to　see　what　this　meant；　and　there　was　Gong　Zhi；　who　had　opposed　him；　standing　on　the　wall。

〃You　brought　defeat　upon　yourself　because　you　opposed　the　will　of　God；〃　cried　the　traitor。　〃The　people　and　I　are　determined　to　yield　to　Liu　Bei。〃

Just　as　Gong　Zhi　finished　speaking；　an　arrow　wounded　Jin　Xuan　in　the　face　and　he　fell　to　the　ground。　Thereupon　his　own　troops　cut　off　his　head；　which　they　forthwith　presented　to　Zhang　Fei。　Gong　Zhi　then　went　out　and　made　formal　submission；　and　Zhang　Fei　bade　him　take　his　letter　and　the　seal　to　Guiyang　to　Liu　Bei；　who　was　pleased　to　hear　of　Zhang　Feis　success　and　gave　the　governorship　to　Gong　Zhi。　Soon　after　Liu　Bei　came　to　Wuling　in　person　and　soothed　the　people。

This　done　he　wrote　to　Guan　Yu　telling　him　Zhao　Yun　and　Zhang　Fei　had　gained　a　territory　each。

Guan　Yu　at　once　wrote　back　and　said；　〃Changsha　is　yet　to　be　taken。　If　I　am　not　thought　too　feeble；　I　would　like　to　be　sent　to　attack　it。〃

Liu　Bei　agreed　and　sent　Zhang　Fei　to　relieved　his　brother；　whom　Liu　Bei　ordered　to　return　and　prepare　for　an　expedition　to　Changsha。　Guan　Yu　came　and　went　in　to　see　his　elder　brother　and　Zhuge　Liang。

At　this　interview　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Zhao　Yun　has　taken　Guiyang；　and　Zhang　Fei　Wuling。　Both　successful　warriors　have　done　their　work　with　three　thousand　troops。　The　Governor　of　Changsha；　Han　Xuan；　was　not　worth　mentioning；　but　there　was　a　certain　general　with　him；　named　Huang　Zhong；　who　had　to　be　reckoned　with。

〃Huang　Zhong　is　a　native　of　Nanyang。　He　used　to　be　in　the　service　of　Liu　Biao　and　was　a　colleague　Liu　Biaos　nephew；　Liu　Pan；　when　he　was　in　mand　of　Changsha。　After　Liu　Biaos　death；　he　joined　Han　Xuan　when　he　took　mand　of　the　city。　Now；　although　he　is　nearly　sixty；　he　is　a　man　to　be　feared　and　a　warrior　of　a　thousand。　You　ought　to　take　a　larger　number　of　troops。〃

Guan　Yu　replied；　〃Instructor；　what　makes　you　damp　another　mans　ardor　to　fight　and　do　away　with　your　own　dignity？　I　do　not　think　the　old　leader　need　be　discussed；　and　I　do　not　think　I　require　three　panies　of　soldiers。　Give　me　my　own　five　hundred　of　swordsmen；　and　I　will　have　the　heads　of　both　Han　Xuan　and　Huang　Zhong　to　sacrifice　to　our　standard。〃

Liu　Bei　resisted　this　decision　of　Guan　Yu；　but　Guan　Yu　would　not　give　way。　He　just　took　his　five　hundred　and　set　out。

〃If　he　is　not　careful　how　he　attacks　Huang　Zhong；　there　will　be　a　mishap；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃You　must　go　to　support　him。〃

Liu　Bei　accordingly；　at　the　head　of　another　and　larger　party；　set　out　toward　Changsha。

Governor　Han　Xuan　of　Changsha　was　of　hasty　temperament　with　small　punction　in　matters　of　life　and　death　and　was　universally　hated。　When　he　heard　of　the　army　ing　against　him；　he　called　his　veteran　leader；　Huang　Zhong；　to　ask　advice。

The　latter　said；　〃Do　not　be　distressed。　This　sword　of　mine　and　my　bow　are　equal　to　the　slaughter　of　all　who　may　e。〃

Huang　Zhong　had　been　very　strong　and　could　bend　the　three…hundred…pound　bow　and　was　a　most　perfect　archer。

When　Huang　Zhong　referred　to　his　prowess；　a　certain　man　spoke　up　and　said；　〃Let　not　the　Veteran　General　go　out　to　battle。　Trust　to　my　right　arm；　and　you　shall　have　this　Guan　Yu　a　prisoner　in　your　hands。〃

The　speaker　was　General　Yang　Lin。　The　Governor　accepted　his　offer　and　told　off　a　thousand　troops　to　go　with　him；　and　they　quickly　rode　out　of　the　city。　About　fifteen　miles　from　the　city；　they　observed　a　great　cloud　of　dust　approaching　and　soon　distinguished　the　invaders。　Yang　Lin　set　his　spear　and　rode　to　the　front　to　abuse　and　fight。　Guan　Yu　made　no　reply　to　the　abuse；　but　rode　forward　flourishing　his　sword。　The　warriors　soon　met；　and　in　the　third　encounter　Yang　Lin　was　cut　down。　Guan　Yus　army　dashed　forward　and　pursued　the　defeated　force　to　the　city　wall。

When　the　Governor　heard　of　this　reverse；　he　ordered　the　veteran　Huang　Zhong　to　go　out　while　he　went　up　on　the　city　wall　to　watch　the　fight。

Huang　Zhong　took　his　sword　and　crossed　the　drawbridge　of　Changsha　at　the　head　of　his　force。　Guan　Yu；　seeing　an　old　leader　riding　out；　knew　it　must　be　Huang　Zhong。　Guan　Yu　halted　his　troops　and　placed　them　in　line　with　their　swords　at　the　point。

Then　sitting　there　on　horseback；　he　said；　〃He　who　es　is　surely　Huang　Zhong；　eh？〃

〃Since　you　know　me；　how　dare　you　e　within　my　boundaries？〃　replied　the　veteran。

〃I　have　e　expressly　to　get　your　head！〃

Then　the　bat　began。　They　fought　a　hundred　and　more　bouts；　and　neither　seemed　nearer　victory。　At　this　point　the　Governor；　fearing　some　mishap　to　his　veteran　general；　beat　the　gong　to　retreat　and　the　battle　ceased；　one　side　going　into　the　city　of　Changsha　and　the　other　camping　three　miles　away　to　the　rear。

Guan　Yu　thought　in　his　heart　that　the　fame　of　the　veteran　opposed　to　him　was　well　merited。　He　had　fought　a　hundred　bouts　and　discovered　never　a　weak　spot。　He　determined　that　in　the　next　encounter　he　would　use　a　〃swinging…horse　stab〃　and　so　overe　Huang　Zhong。

Next　day；　the　early　meal　eaten；　Guan　Yu　came　to　the　city　wall　and　offered　his　challenge。　The　Governor　seated　himself　on　the　city　wall　and　bade　his　veteran　warrior　go　out　to　accept　it。　At　the　head　of　a　few　horsemen；　Huang　Zhong　dashed　across　the　drawbridge。　The　two　champions　engaged；　and　at　the　end　of　half　a　hundred　bouts　neither　had　the　advantage。　On　both　sides　the　soldiers　cheered　lustily。

When　the　drums　were　beating　most　furiously；　suddenly　Guan　Yu　wheeled　round　his　horse　and　fled。　Of　co