三国演义英文版-第189章

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sions。　The　only　way　for　me　to　prove　my　gratitude　is　to　make　them　all　yield；　as　I　myself　have　done。　Let　me　lead　the　advance；　and　I　will　summon　them　one　by　one　to　surrender。〃
Zhang　Fei　thanked　him　again　and　again；　and　the　march　on　this　plan　began。　Whenever　the　army　arrived　at　a　post；　Yan　Yan　summoned　the　mander；　and　there　it　ended。　Occasionally；　one　would　hesitate；　when　Yan　Yan　would　say；　〃You　see　I　have　submitted。　How　much　more　ought　you　to　do　so？〃
These　bloodless　victories　followed　each　other　day　after　day；　supporters　rallying　to　the　invaders　without　question。　They　simply　came。
In　the　meantime；　Zhuge　Liang　was　preparing。　Having　decided　upon　the　date　of　departure；　he　wrote　to　inform　Liu　Bei　and　made　Luocheng　the　rendezvous　for　the　various　armies。　On　receipt　of　this　letter；　Liu　Bei　assembled　his　officers　and　explained　to　them　its　purport。　He　bade　them　be　ready　to　march　on　the　twenty…second　day　of　the　seventh　month。　Both　river　and　land　forces　were　to　set　out　the　same　day。
But　the　fiery　old　man　Huang　Zhong　was　dissatisfied　that　there　should　be　no　local　victory　in　the　River　Fu　Pass。
He　said；　〃Day　after　day　the　enemy　has　e　to　challenge　us；　and　day　after　day　we　have　refused。　They　must　have　grown　lax；　and　I　propose　a　night　raid　on　their　camp。　We　shall　catch　them　unprepared　and　shall　score　a　victory。〃
Liu　Bei　agreed　to　try。　He　arranged　for　a　night　raid；　Huang　Zhong　on　the　right；　Wei　Yan　on　the　left；　and　the　center　force　under　his　own　mand。　They　set　out　at　the　second　watch　and　soon　arrived。　They　found　Zhang　Ren's　troops　unprepared；　rushed　the　camp；　and　set　it　on　fire。　The　flames　were　very　fierce；　and　the　troops　of　Yizhou　fled　in　confusion　and　sought　shelter　in　Luocheng。　They　were　admitted。　After　pursuing　them　for　some　distance；　Liu　Bei　made　a　camp。
Next　day　Liu　Bei　marched　right　up　to　the　city　to　besiege　it。　Zhang　Ren　kept　quiet　within　and　made　no　attempt　to　beat　off　the　besiegers。　On　the　fourth　day　Liu　Bei　led　an　attack　on　the　west　gate；　sending　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　to　attack　the　east。　The　north　and　south　gates　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　Bei's　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　Yan's　capture　and　services　from　beginning　to　end；　and　then　presented　the　man　himself。
Liu　Bei　said；　〃General；　my　brother's　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　lord's　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　Fei's　prudence　and　sagacity　in　dealing　with　Yan　Yan。
Zhuge　Liang　congratulated　Zhang　Fei　and　said；　〃When　Zhang　Fei　behaves　with　such　skill；　my　lord's　good　fortune　is　indeed　ample。〃
When　the　prisoner　was　taken　in；　Liu　Bei　asked　him　if　he　would　surrender。
Wu　Yi　replied；　〃Why　not；　seeing　I　am　a　prisoner？〃
Thereupon　Liu　Bei　himself　loosed　his　bonds。　Zhuge　Liang　began　to　question　him　upon　the　defense。
Wu　Yi　told　him　the　names　of　the　officers；　saying；　〃The　son　of　the　Imperial　Protector；　Liu　Xun；　and　his　generals　Liu　Gui　and　Zhang　Ren　are　the　defenders。　Liu　Gui　does　not　count　for　much；　but　Zhang　Ren　is　a　man　to　be　avoided。〃
〃Then　before　we　can　get　the　city；　we　must　capture　Zhang　Ren；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃There　is　a　bridge　on　the　east。　What　is　it　called？〃
〃It　is　known　as　'Golden　Goose　Bridge'。〃
Zhuge　Liang　rode　over　to　the　bridge　and　scrutinized　the　neighborhood。
After　his　return　to　camp；　he　summoned　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　for　orders。
To　them　he　said；　〃On　the　east　of　the　city　is　a　bridge　called　Golden　Goose　Bridge；　and　about　two　miles　south　of　this　I　saw　a　dense　growth　of　reed　and　sedge　which　would　afford　excellent　shelter。　Wei　Yan　is　to　lead　a　thousand　spearmen　to　the　left　and　attack；　but　only　attack　horsemen。　Huang　Zhong　will　lead　a　thousand　swordsmen　who　are　to　cut　the　horses。　When　Zhang　Ren　has　lost　most　of　his　troops　a