第一小说网

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第155部分（第1页）

were　left　to　give　the　besieged　a　chance　to　escape　if　they　would。

Now；　outside　the　south　gate　of　Luocheng　the　country　was　rough　and　hilly；　while　the　swift　River　Fu　ran　past　the　north。　For　this　reason　the　city　could　not　be　surrounded。　From　the　city　wall；　Zhang　Ren　watched　the　progress　of　the　attack　and　saw　Liu　Bei　the　whole　day　indefatigably　going　to　and　fro　directing　the　assault。　He　also　saw　that　as　the　sun　dropped　toward　the　west；　the　attacking　force　showed　signs　of　weariness。　Wherefore　he　sent　his　two　generals；　Wu　Lan　and　Lei　Tong；　out　of　the　city　by　the　north　gate　with　orders　to　make　their　way　around　and　attack　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan。　Zhang　Ren　set　himself　to　go　out　by　the　south　gate　and　steal　around　to　attack　Liu　Bei。　Lest　the　withdrawal　of　troops　from　the　ramparts　should　discover　his　plans；　he　sent　the　populace　up　on　the　walls　to　make　a　show　and　bade　them　shout　loudly　to　reinforce　the　rolling　of　the　drums。

At　sundown　Liu　Bei　ordered　the　retirement　of　his　army；　and　the　rearmost　pany　turned　about　to　march　back　to　camp。　At　this　moment　arose　still　louder　shouting　from　the　ramparts；　and　out　at　the　south　gate　burst　Zhang　Ren　and　his　force。　Zhang　Ren　made　straight　for　Liu　Bei；　who　was　in　the　middle　of　his　army。　Liu　Beis　soldiers　were　thrown　into　confusion。　As　his　two　generals　on　the　east　side　were　also　attacked；　they　could　render　no　help；　and　Liu　Bei　fled　to　the　hills。　Zhang　Ren　followed　and　soon　got　very　near。　They　were　a　whole　pany　pursuing　one　solitary　man；　and　as　Liu　Bei　plied　his　whip　he　felt　that　the　odds　were　much　against　him。　Just　then　he　saw　another　pany　of　soldiers　ahead；　emerging　from　a　hill　path。

〃An　ambush　in　front；　pursuers　in　rear！　Surely　Heaven　wishes　to　destroy　me！〃　cried　Liu　Bei。

But　all　was　not　lost。　As　they　drew　nearer；　he　recognized　his　own　troops；　and　the　leader　who　dashed　to　meet　him　was　his　brother　Zhang　Fei。

Zhang　Fei　and　Yan　Yan　had　happened　to　take　that　road；　and　Zhang　Fei　had　hastened　forward　when　he　saw　the　dust　of　conflict。

Zhang　Fei　and　Zhang　Ren　soon　came　up　with　each　other；　and　they　fought　ten　bouts。　By　this　time　Yan　Yan　with　the　main　body　had　e　up；　and　Zhang　Ren　turned　and　fled。　Zhang　Fei　followed　and　chased　him　as　far　as　the　city　wall。　The　gate　was　opened　to　allow　Zhang　Ren　to　enter　and　at　once　shut。　The　drawbridge　was　raised。

Then　Zhang　Fei　returned　to　his　elder　brother　to　report　his　arrival　and　the　incidents　of　the　way。

Hearing　that　Zhuge　Liang　had　not　yet　arrived；　Zhang　Fei　rejoiced；　saying；　〃So　I　have　the　credit　of　first　arrival；　although　he　is　traveling　by　river。〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃But　how　is　it　you　have　e　so　quickly　seeing　the　precipitous　road　you　had　to　travel？　Did　you　meet　no　opposition？〃

Zhang　Fei　replied；　〃The　fact　is　I　have　taken　the　forty…five　garrisons　on　the　way　by　making　use　of　General　Yan　Yan；　whom　I　captured。　It　was　not　my　own　merit　at　all。　I　have　e　all　the　way　without　the　least　effort。〃

Zhang　Fei　told　the　story　of　Yan　Yans　capture　and　services　from　beginning　to　end；　and　then　presented　the　man　himself。

Liu　Bei　said；　〃General；　my　brothers　speedy　arrival　is　certainly　owing　to　your　help。〃

Whereupon　Liu　Bei　took　off　the　golden　chain　mantle　he　was　wearing　and　gave　it　to　his　new　ally。

Orders　were　given　for　a　banquet。

While　it　was　being　prepared；　a　messenger　came　to　report；　saying；　〃Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　had　been　fighting　with　Wu　Lan　and　Lei　Tong　and　had　held　their　own；　till　enemy　reinforcements　led　by　Wu　Yi　and　Liu　Gui　arrived。　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　then　fled　eastward。〃

Zhang　Fei　at　once　asked　his　brother　to　go　with　him　to　rescue　them。　Both　went。　When　Wu　Yi　and　Liu　Gui　saw　the　army　of　Jingzhou　ing；　they　retired　into　the　city。

Wu　Lan　and　Lei　Tong　continued　the　pursuit。　The　ing　of　Liu　Bei　and　Zhang　Fei　threatened　their　rear；　and　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　turned　and　remenced　the　battle。　Wu　Lan　and　Lei　Tong　were　thus　between　two　fires　and　helpless。　They　offered　to　surrender　and　were　received。　Liu　Bei　returned　to　his　own　camp　near　the　city。

The　loss　of　his　two　generals　grieved　Zhang　Ren　sorely。　He　called　his　remaining　two　and　asked　advice。

Wu　Yi　and　Liu　Gui　proposed；　saying；　〃This　situation　calls　for　one　desperate　battle；　where　we　can　hope　to　repel　the　enemy。　Meanwhile　you　should　send　to　Chengdu　to　tell　our　master　of　our　current　plight。〃

Zhang　Ren　agreed。　Said　he；　〃Tomorrow　I　will　go　and　challenge　them。　If　they　accept　and　e　out　to　fight；　I　will　feign　retreat　and　inveigle　them　round　to　the　north　side　of　the　city。　As　they　follow　me；　a　sortie　must　be　made　when　they　pass　the　gate　so　as　to　cut　their　army　in　two。　We　ought　to　overe　them　in　this　way。〃

〃Let　me　lead　the　sortie；〃　said　Wu　Yi。　〃General　Liu　Gui　can　stay　to　help　our　lords　son　Liu　Xun　guard　the　city。〃

This　also　was　agreed　to。　Next　morning　Zhang　Ren　went　out　to　offer　the　challenge；　his　troops　waving　flags　and　shouting　lustily。　At　once　Zhang　Fei　took　up　the　challenge　and　rode　out。　He　stayed　not　to　parley；　but　galloped　up　to　Zhang　Ren　and　engaged　him。　After　about　ten　bouts　Zhang　Ren　seemed　to　be　getting　worsted；　so　he　turned　and　fled；　taking　the　way　around　the　north　of　the　city。　Zhang　Fei　pursued　him　with　all　speed。　Then　as　he　passed　the　gate；　Wu　Yi　made　a　sortie　so　that　Zhang　Fei　was　between　two　forces　and　unable　to　get　clear。　Zhang　Ren　turned　back　to　attack。

Zhang　Fei　seemed　in　a　parlous　state。　But　at　this　very　moment　a　body　of　soldiers　came　up　from　the　riverside　and　a　fierce　warrior　rode　straight　for　Wu　Yi；　and　in　the　first　bout　made　him　prisoner；　his　troops　were　then　forced　back；　and　Zhang　Fei　was　free。　It　was　Zhao　Yun　who　had　so　opportunely　appeared。

〃Where　is　the　Directing　Instructor？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。

〃He　has　arrived。　I　think　he　has　already　seen　our　lord；〃　replied　Zhao　Yun。

The　prisoner　was　carried　to　the　camp　where　Zhuge　Liang　was。　Zhang　Fei　dismounted　and　went　in　to　greet　him。

Zhuge　Liang　was　surprised；　and　said；　〃How　es　it　that　you　arrived　before　me？〃

Liu　Bei　told　the　story　of　Zhang　Feis　prudence　and　sagacity　in　dealing　with　Yan　Yan。

Zhuge　Liang　congratulated　Zhang　Fei　and　said；　〃When　Zhang　Fei　behaves　with　such　skill；　my　lords　good　fortune　is　indeed　ample。〃

When　the　prisoner　was　taken　in；　Liu　Bei　asked　him　if　he　would　surrender。