三国演义英文版-第174章

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nt；　an　army　came　in　from　the　northwest　and　rescued　him。　Pang　De　and　Ma　Dai　had　e　up　in　the　very　nick　of　time。
Thus　Ma　Chao　was　rescued；　and　they　set　him　on　one　of　the　soldiers'　horses；　and　he　again　took　up　the　battle。　Leaving　a　trail　of　blood　in　his　rear；　he　got　away　northwest。
Hearing　that　his　enemy　had　got　away；　Cao　Cao　gave　order　to　his　generals；　〃Pursue　him　day　and　night；　and　rich　rewards　are　for　him　dead　or　alive。　For　his　head　the　rewards　are　a　thousand　ounces　of　gold　and　the　lordship　of　a　fief　of　ten　thousand　families。　If　anyone　captures　Ma　Chao；　the　reward　is　the　rank　of　general。〃
Consequently　the　pursuit　was　hot　as　everyone　was　anxious　to　win　renown　and　reward。　Meanwhile　careless　of　all　but　flight；　Ma　Chao　galloped　on；　and　one　by　one　his　followers　dropped　by　the　way。　The　footmen　who　were　unable　to　keep　up　were　captured　till　very　few　remained；　and　only　some　scores　of　riders　were　left。　They　traveled　toward　Lintao；　a　city　in　West　Valley　Land。
Cao　Cao　in　person　joined　the　pursuit　and　got　to　Anding；　but　there　Ma　Chao　was　still　far　in　advance；　so　he　gave　up　and　returned。　Gradually　the　generals　did　the　same；　all　ing　back　to　Changan。　Poor　Han　Sui；　with　the　loss　of　his　left　hand；　was　an　invalid；　but　he　was　rewarded　with　the　Lordship　of　Xiliang。　Yang　Qiu　and　Hou　Xuan　were　given　noble　ranks　and　offices　in　Weikou。
Then　orders　were　given　to　lead　the　whole　army　back　to　the　capital。　Yang　Fu；　a　military　adviser　from　Liangzhou；　came　to　Changan　to　point　out　the　danger　of　withdrawal。
〃Ma　Chao　has　the　boldness　of　Lu　Bu　and　the　heart　of　a　barbarian。　Unless　you　destroy　him　this　time；　he　will　e　again　and　he　will　be　both　bolder　and　stronger；　and　the　whole　west　will　be　lost。　Wherefore　you　should　not　withdraw　your　army。〃
Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　would　be　quite　willing　to　finish　the　subjugation。　But　there　is　much　to　do　in　the　capital；　and　the　south　is　still　to　conquer。　So　I　cannot　remain。　But　you；　Sir；　might　secure　this　region　for　me。　Do　you　consent？〃
Yang　Fu　did　consent。　And　he　brought　to　Cao　Cao's　notice　Wei　Kang；　who　was　made　Imperial　Protector　of　Liangzhou；　with　joint　military　powers。
Just　before　Yang　Fu　left；　he　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃A　strong　force　ought　to　be　left　in　Changan；　as　a　reserve　in　case　they　be　required。〃
〃That　has　been　already　dealt　with；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。
Contentedly　enough　Yang　Fu　took　leave　and　went　away。
Cao　Cao's　generals　asked　him　to　explain　his　recent　policy；　saying；　〃Since　the　first　outbreak　at　Tong　Pass；　O　Prime　Minister；　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei　was　undefended。　Why　did　you　not　cross　to　the　north　bank　from　the　east　of　the　Yellow　River？　But　instead　you　engaged　in　the　attack　of　the　Pass　for　many　days　before　crossing　to　the　north　bank。〃
And　he　replied；　〃The　rebels　first　held　the　Pass。　Had　I　forthwith　taken　the　east　side　of　the　Yellow　River；　the　rebels　would　have　defended　the　camps　one　by　one　and　mustered　at　all　the　ferries；　and　I　should　never　have　got　across　to　the　west　side　（which　was　also　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei）。　So　I　massed　troops　against　Tong　Pass　and　made　the　rebels　guard　the　south　bank　of　River　Wei；　so　that　the　north　bank　was　left　open。　Thus　Xu　Huang　and　Zhu　Ling　could　move　there；　and　I　was　able　later　to　cross　over　to　join　them。　Then　I　made　the　raised　road　and　the　mud　rampart　to　deceive　the　enemy　and　cause　them　to　think　I　was　weak　and　thus　embolden　them　up　to　the　point　of　attacking　without　proper　preparation。　Then　I　used　the　clever　device　of　causing　dissension　in　their　ranks　and　was　able　in　one　day　to　destroy　the　stored　up　energy　of　all　their　forces。　'It　was　a　thunder　clap　before　you　could　cover　your　ears。'　Yes；　indeed；　the　mutations　of　the　art　of　war　can　be　called　infinite。〃
〃But　one　thing　more　puzzled　us；〃　said　the　officers；　〃and　we　ask　you　to　explain　it。　When　you　heard　the　enemy　was　reinforced；　you　seemed　to　grow　happier。　Why　was　that？〃
〃Because　Tong　Pass　is　distant　from　Xuchang。　If　the　rebels　had　taken　advantage　of　all　defensible　points　and　held　them；　they　could　not　have　been　quelled　in　less　than　a　couple　of　years。　When　they　came　on　altogether；　they　made　a　multitude　but　they　were　not　unanimous。　They　easily　quarreled　and；　disunited；　were　easily　overe。　So　I　had　reason　to　rejoice　that　they　came　on　altogether。〃
〃Indeed　no　one　can　equal　you　in　strategy；〃　said　his　officers；　bowing　low　before　him。
〃Still；　remember　that　I　rely　on　you；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Then　he　issued　substantial　rewards　to　the　army　and　appointed　Xiahou　Yuan　to　the　mand　at　Changan。　The　soldiers　who　had　surrendered　were　distributed　among　the　various　troops。　Xiahou　Yuan　remended　Zhang　Jia　of　Gaoling；　as　his　aids。
So　the　army　returned　to　Capital　Xuchang　where　it　was　weled　by　the　Emperor　in　state　chariot。　As　a　reward　for　his　service；　Cao　Cao　was　given　the　court　privileges　of　omitting　his　distinctive　name　when　he　was　received　in　audience　and　of　proceeding　toward　the　court　without　assuming　the　appearance　of　frantic　haste。　Further　he　might　go　to　court　armed　and　booted；　as　did　the　Han　Founding　Minister　Xiao　He　of　old。　Whence　his　prestige　and　importance　waxed　mightily。

＇e＇　Pei　was　a　small　ancient　state；　homeland　of　Liu　Bang。
＇e＇　East　River　Land　corresponded　to　the　mountainous　region　of　Hanzhong；　which　means　〃Within　Han〃；　or　the　land　of　the　ancient　state　of　Han。
The　fame　of　these　doings　penetrated　west　into　Hanzhong；　and　one　of　the　first　to　be　moved　to　indignation　was　Zhang　Lu；　Governor　of　Hanning。　This　Zhang　Lu　was　a　native　of　Pei*。　He　was　a　grandson　of　Zhang　Ling　who　retired　to　Mount　Humming；　in　the　East　River　Land*；　where　he　had　posed　a　work　on　Taoism　for　the　purpose　of　deluding　the　multitude。
Yet　all　the　people　respected　Zhang　Ling；　and　when　he　died　his　son；　Zhang　Heng；　carried　on　his　work；　and　taught　the　same　doctrines。　Disciples　had　to　pay　a　fee　in　rice；　five　carts。　The　people　of　his　day　called　him　the　Rice　Thief。
After　Zhang　Heng　passed　away；　his　son　Zhang　Lu　followed　his　step。　Zhang　Lu　styled　himself　Master　Superior；　and　his　disciples　were　called　monly　Devil　Soldiers。　A　headman　was　called　Libationer；　and　those　who　made　many　converts　were　called　Chief　Libationers。　Perfect　sincerity　was　the　ruling　tenet　of　the　cult；　and　no　deceit　was　permitted。　When　anyone　fell　ill；　an　altar　was　set　up　and　the　invalid　was　taken　into　the　Room　of　Silence　where　he　could　reflect　upon　his　sins　and　confess　openly。　Then　he　was　prayed　for。　The　director　of　prayers　was　called　Superintending　Libationer。
When　praying　for　a　person；　they　wrote　his　name　and　his　confession　on　a　slip　and　made　three　copies　thereof；　called　〃The　Writing　of　the　Three　Gods〃。　One　copy　was　burned　on　the　mountain　top　as　a　means　of　informing　Heaven；　another　was　burned　to　inform　Earth；　and　the　third　was　sunk　in　water　to　tell　the　Controller　of　the　Waters。　If　the　sick　person　recovered；　he　paid　as　fee　five　carts　of　rice。
They　had　Public　Houses　of　Charity　wherein　the　poor　found　rice　and　flesh　and　means　of　cooking。　Any　wayfarer　was　allowed　to　take　of　these　according　to　the　measure　of　his　appetite。　Those　who　took　in　excess　would　invite　punishment　from　on　high。　Offenses　were　pardoned　thrice；　afterwards　offenders　were　punished。　They　had　no　officials　but　all　were　subject　to　the　control　of　the　Libationers。
This　sort　of　cult　had　been　spreading　in　Hanzhong　for　some　thirty　years　and　had　escaped　repression　so　far　because　of　the　remoteness　of　the　region。　All　the　Government　did　was　to　give　Zhang　Lu　the　title　of　General　Who　Guards　the　South　and　the　post　of　Governor　of　Hanning　and　take　means　to　secure　from　him　a　full　quota　of　local　tribute。
When　the　reports　of　Cao　Cao's　success　against　the　west；　and　his　prestige　and　influence；　reached　the　Hanzhong　people；　Zhang　Lu　met　with　his　counselors　to　discuss　the　matter。
Said　Zhang　Lu；　〃Ma　Teng　has　died；　and　Ma　Chao　defeated；　thus　the　northwest　has　fallen。　Cao　Cao's　next　ambition　will　be　the　southwest；　and　Hanzhong　will　be　his　first　attack。　I　should　act　first　by　assuming　the　title　of　Prince　of　Hanzhong　and　superintending　the　defense。〃
In　reply　one　Yan　Pu　said；　〃The　army　of　this　region　counts　one　hundred　thousand；　and　there　are　ample　supplies　of　everything。　East　River　Land　is　a　natural　stronghold　with　its　mountains　and　rivers。　Now　Ma　Chao's　soldiers　are　newly　defeated；　and　the　fugitives　from　the　Ziwu　Valley　are　very　numerous。　We　can　add　them　to　our　army　by　several　ten…thousands　more。　My　advice　is　that　as　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou　is　weak；　we　should　take　possession　of　the　forty…one　counties　of　West　River　Land；　and　then　you　may　set　up　your　sovereign　as　soon　as　you　like。〃
This　speech　greatly　pleased　Zhang　Lu；　who　then　began　to　concert　measures　with　his　brother；　Zhang　Wei；　to　raise　an　army。

＇e＇　Liu　Yan　had　been　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Youzhou；　where　Liu　Bei　and　his　brother　first　fought　the　Yellow　Scarves。
Stories　of　the　movement　reached　Yizhou；　whose　Imperial　Protector　was　Liu　Zhang。　A　son　of　Liu　Yan*；　a　descendant　from　Prince　Gong　of　the　Imperial　House。　Prince　Gong　had　been　moved　out　to　Jingling　several　generations　ago；　and　the　family　had　settled　there。　Later；　Liu　Yan　became　Imperial　Protector　of　Yizhou；　and　when　he　died　in　due　course　in　the　first　year　of　Prosperous　Stability　（AD　194）；　his　son　was　remended　for　the　vacant　Protectorship。
There　was　enmity　between　Liu　Zhang　and　Zhang　Lu；　for　Liu　Zhang　had　put　to　death　Zhang　Lu's　mother　and　brother。　After　that　Liu　Zhang　dispatched　Pang　Xi　as