第一小说网

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第174部分（第2页）

The　white　sword　gleams。

The　sound　of　his　voice　is　as　the　roar　of　a　tiger；

His　steed　is　fleet　as　a　dragon　in　flight。

Victory　is　his　and　its　rich　rewards；

For　he　extends　the　domain　of　his　lord。

At　the　death　of　their　general；　the　soldiers　of　Wei　fled　for　their　lives；　and　Huang　Zhong　attacked　Dingjun　Mountain。　Zhang　He　came　out　to　oppose　the　army　of　Shu；　but；　attacked　at　two　points　by　Huang　Zhong　and　Chen　Shi；　he　could　not　stand。　He　lost　the　day　and　fled。　However；　before　he　had　gone　far；　another　cohort　flashed　out　from　the　hills　and　barred　his　way。

And　the　leader　cried　out；　〃Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan　is　here！〃

Confused　and　uncertain　what　to　do；　Zhang　He　led　his　troops　toward　Dingjun　Mountain。　But　a　body　of　soldiers　came　out　to　stop　him。

The　leader　was　Du　Xi；　who　said；　〃The　mountain　is　in　the　hands　of　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da！〃

So　Zhang　He　and　Du　Xi　joined　their　forces　and　went　to　River　Han；　where　they　camped。　Thence　they　sent　to　tell　Cao　Cao　of　their　defeat。

At　the　news　of　the　death　of　Xiahou　Yuan；　Cao　Cao　uttered　a　great　cry　and　then　he　understood　the　prediction　of　the　soothsayer；　Guan　Lu；　that　the　cast　showed　opposition：　It　was　the　twenty…fourth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（three　and　eight　cross）；　the　yellow　boar　（the　month　Xiahou　Yuan　died）　had　met　the　tiger；　the　expedition　had　suffered　a　loss　indeed　by　the　death　of　a　general；　and　the　death　had　taken　place　at　the　mount　known　as　〃Army　Halt〃　（Dingjun）。　The　affection　between　Cao　Cao　and　his　general　had　been　very　close；　for　he　considered　Xiahou　Yuan　as　his　limb。

Cao　Cao　sent　to　inquire　the　whereabouts　of　Guan　Lu；　but　no　one　knew。

Cao　Cao　nourished　feelings　of　resentment　against　the　slayer　of　his　friend；　and　he　led　his　army　out　against　Dingjun　Mountain　to　avenge　Xiahou　Yuans　death。　Xu　Huang　led　the　van。　When　the　army　reached　River　Han；　Zhang　He　and　Du　Xi　joined　them。

They　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃Dingjun　Mountain　is　lost。　Before　marching　farther；　the　stores　in　Micang　Mountain　should　be　moved　to　the　Northern　Mountain。〃

And　Cao　Cao　agreed。

Huang　Zhong　cut　off　the　head　of　Xiahou　Yuan　and　took　it　to　Liu　Bei　when　he　reported　his　victory。　For　these　services；　Liu　Bei　conferred　upon　him　the　title　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　and　great　banquets　were　given　in　his　honor。

While　these　were　going　on；　General　Zhang　Zhu　brought　the　news：　〃Cao　Caos　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops　is　on　the　way　to　avenge　Xiahou　Yuans　loss；　and　the　supplies　on　Micang　Mountain　are　being　moved　to　the　Northern　Mountain。〃

Then　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃Cao　Cao　is　certainly　short　of　supplies。　If　we　can　burn　what　he　has　and　destroy　his　baggage　train；　he　will　have　but　little　spirit　left　to　fight。〃

〃I　am　willing　to　undertake　the　task；〃　said　Huang　Zhong。

〃Remember　Cao　Cao　is　a　different　sort　of　man　from　Xiahou　Yuan。〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Zhang　He　is　the　Escort　Leader　of　the　train。　Though　Xiahou　Yuan　was　the　Mountain　mander；　after　all　he　was　but　a　bold　warrior。　It　would　have　been　ten　times　better　to　have　killed　Zhang　He。〃

〃I　will　go　and　kill　him；〃　said　the　aged　general；　firing　up。

〃Then　go　with　Zhao　Yun；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Act　in　concert　and　see　who　can　do　best。〃

Huang　Zhong　agreed　to　this　condition；　and　Zhang　Zhu　was　sent　with　him　as　Marching　General。

Soon　after　the　army　had　marched　out；　Zhao　Yun　asked　of　his　colleague；　〃What　plan　have　you　prepared　against　Cao　Caos　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　in　their　ten　camps；　and　how　are　the　stores　of　grain　and　forage　to　be　destroyed？〃

〃I　am　going　to　lead；〃　said　Huang　Zhong。

〃No　wait。　I　am　going　first；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。

〃But　I　am　the　senior　leader。　You　are　only　my　second；〃　said　Huang　Zhong。

〃No；　you　and　I　are　equal　in　responsibility　and　both　anxious　to　render　good　service。　We　are　no　rivals。　Let　us　cast　lots　for　who　is　to　lead　the　way。〃

They　did　so；　and　the　Veteran　General　gained　precedence。

〃Since　you　have　won　the　right　to　make　the　first　attempt；　you　must　let　me　help　you；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃Now　let　us　decide　upon　a　fixed　time；　and　if　you　have　returned　by　that　time；　I　shall　not　need　to　stir。　But　if　at　that　time　you　have　not　e　back；　then　I　shall　e　to　reinforce　you。〃

〃That　suits　me　admirably；〃　said　Huang　Zhong。

So　they　decided　upon　noon　as　the　time。

Zhao　Yun　went　back　to　his　own　camp；　where　he　called　in　his　Deputy　General；　Zhang　Yi；　and　said；　〃My　friend　Huang　Zhong　is　going　to　try　to　burn　the　stores　tomorrow。　If　he　has　not　returned　at　noon；　I　am　to　go　to　aid　him。　You　are　to　guard　our　camp；　which　is　in　a　dangerous　place　by　the　river；　but