第一小说网

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第232部分（第2页）

Sima　Yi　turned　to　his　sons；　saying；　〃If　we　do　not　retire；　we　shall　yet　somehow　fall　victims　to　this　Zhuge　Liang。〃

Then　appeared　a　force　advancing　rapidly；　the　main　banner　displaying　Tiger　General　of　the　Right　Guard；　Zhang　Bao　。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　seized　with　sudden　panic　and　ran；　flinging　off　their　armors　and　throwing　away　their　weapons。　But　before　they　had　fled　very　far；　they　heard　other　terrible　sounds　in　the　valley　and　soon　saw　another　force；　with　the　main　banner　Dragon　General　of　the　Left　Guard；　Guan　Xing　。　The　roar　of　armed　troops　echoing　up　and　down　the　valley　was　terrifying。　As　no　one　could　tell　how　many　men　there　were　bearing　down　on　them；　the　panic　increased。　The　Wei　army　abandoned　all　the　baggage　and　took　to　flight。　But　having　orders　not　to　pursue；　Zhang　Bao　and　Guan　Xing　let　their　enemies　run　in　peace；　while　they　gathered　up　the　spoils。　Then　they　returned。

Seeing　the　valley　apparently　full　of　Shu　soldiers；　Sima　Yi　dared　not　marched　by　the　main　road。　He　hurried　back　to　Jieting。

At　this　time　Cao　Zhen；　hearing　that　the　army　of　Shu　was　retreating；　went　in　pursuit。　But　at　a　certain　point　he　encountered　a　strong　force　under　Ma　Dai　and　Jiang　Wei。　Valleys　and　hills　seemed　to　swarm　with　enemies；　and　Cao　Zhen　became　alarmed。　Then　Chen　Zao；　his　Van　Leader；　was　slain　by　Ma　Dai；　and　the　soldiers　were　panic…stricken　and　fled　in　disorder。　And　the　soldiers　of　Shu　were　hastening　night　and　day　along　the　road　into　Hanzhong。

Zhao　Yun　and　Deng　Zhi；　who　had　been　lying　in　ambush　in　Gu　Valley；　heard　that　their　rades　were　retreating。

Then　said　Zhao　Yun；　〃The　army　of　Wei　will　surely　e　to　smite　us　while　we　are　retreating。　Wherefore　let　me　first　take　up　a　position　in　their　rear；　and　then　you　lead　off　your　troops　and　part　of　mine；　showing　my　ensigns。　I　will　follow；　keeping　at　the　same　distance　behind　you；　and　thus　I　shall　be　able　to　protect　the　retreat。〃

Now　Guo　Huai　was　leading　his　army　through　the　Gu　Valley。

He　called　up　his　Van　Leader；　Su　Yong；　and　said　to　him；　〃Zhao　Yun　is　a　warrior　whom　no　one　can　withstand。　You　must　keep　a　most　careful　guard　lest　you　fall　into　some　trap　while　they　are　retreating。〃

Su　Yong　replied；　smiling；　〃If　you　will　help　me；　O　mander；　we　shall　be　able　to　capture　this　Zhao　Yun。〃

So　Su　Yong；　with　three　thousand　troops；　hastened　on　ahead　and　entered　the　valley　in　the　wake　of　the　Shu　army。　He　saw　upon　a　slope　in　the　distance　a　large　red　banner　bearing　the　name　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan　。　This　frightened　him；　and　he　retired。

But　before　he　had　gone　far　a　great　uproar　arose　about　him；　and　a　mighty　warrior　came　bounding　forth　on　a　swift　steed；　crying；　〃Do　you　recognize　Zhao　Yun？〃

Su　Yong　was　terrified。

〃Whence　came　you？〃　he　cried。　〃Is　there　another　Zhao　Yun　here？〃

But　Su　Yong　could　make　no　stand；　and　soon　fell　victim　to　the　spear　of　the　veteran。　His　troops　scattered；　and　Zhao　Yun　marched　on　after　the　main　body。

But　soon　another　pany　came　in　pursuit；　this　time　led　by　a　general　of　Guo　Huai；　named　Wan　Zheng。　As　they　came　along　Zhao　Yun　halted　in　the　middle　of　the　road　to　wait　for　the　enemy。　By　the　time　Wan　Zheng　had　e　close；　the　other　Shu　soldiers　had　gone　about　ten　miles　along　the　road。　However；　when　Wan　Zheng　drew　nearer　still　and　saw　who　it　was　standing　in　his　path；　he　hesitated　and　finally　halted。　Zhao　Yun　guarded　the　road　until　the　sunset；　when　he　he　turned　back　and　retired　slowly。

Guo　Huai　and　his　army　came　up　and　met　Wan　Zheng；　who　said；　〃Zhao　Yun　is　as　terrible　as　ever。　He　guards　the　rear　carefully；　and　I　dare　not　be　reckless。〃

However；　Guo　Huai　was　not　content　and　ordered　Wan　Zheng　to　return　to　the　pursuit　of　the　retreating　army。　This　time　Wan　Zheng　led　a　pany　of　several　hundred　horsemen。

Presently　they　came　to　a　wood；　and；　as　they　entered；　a　loud　shout　arose　in　the　rear；　〃Zhao　Yun　is　here！〃

Terror　seized　upon　the　pursuers；　and　many　fell　from　their　horses。　The　others　scattered　among　the　hills。　Wan　Zheng　braced　himself　for　the　encounter　and　went　on。　Zhao　Yun　shot　an　arrow　which　struck　the　plume　on　his　helmet。　Startled；　Wan　Zheng　tumbled　into　a　water　stream。

Then　Zhao　Yun　pointed　his　spear　at　him　and　said；　〃Be　off！　I　will　not　kill　you。　Go　and　tell　Guo　Huai　to　e　quickly；　if　he　is　ing。〃

Wan　Zheng　fled　for　his　life；　while　Zhao　Yun　continued　his　march　as　rear　guard；　and　the　retreat　into　Hanzhong　steadily　continued。　There　were　no　other　episodes　by　the　way。

Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　took　to　themselves　all　the　credit　of　having　recovered　the　three　counties………Nanan；　Tianshui；　and　Anding。

Before　the　cautious　Sima　Yi　was　ready　to　pursue　the　army　of　Shu；　it　had　already　reached　Hanzhong。　He　took　a　troop　of　horse　and　rode　to　Xicheng　and　there　heard　from　the　few　people　who　had　formerly　sought　refuge　in　the　hills；　and　now　returned；　that　Zhuge　Liang　really　had　had　no　men　in　the　city；　with　the　exception　of　the　two　thousand　five　hundred　soldiers；　that　he　had　not　a　single　military　mander；　but　only　a　few　civil　officers。　Sima　Yi　also　heard　that　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　had　had　only　a　few　troops　whom　they　led　about　among　the　hills　making　as　much　noise　as　they　could。

Sima　Yi　felt　sad　at　having　been　tricked。

〃Zhuge　Liang　is　a　cleverer　man　than　I　am；〃　said　he　with　a　sigh　of　resignation。

He　set　about　restoring　order；　and　presently　marched　back　to　Changan。

He　saw　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　who　was　pleased　with　his　success　and　said；　〃It　is　by　your　good　service　that　all　counties　of　West　Valley　Land　is　again　mine。〃

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃But　the　army　of　Shu　is　in　Hanzhong　undestroyed。　Therefore；　I　pray　for　authority　to　go　against　them　that　you　may　recover　the　West　River　Land　also。〃

Cao　Rui　rejoiced　and　approved；　and　authorized　the　raising　of　an　army。

But　then　one　of　the　courtiers　suddenly　said；　〃Your　servant　can　pro