三国演义英文版-第187章

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f　the　nearness　of　the　army　of　Liu　Bei；　refused　battle　and　turned　sway　from　the　city。
Liu　Bei's　army　made　a　dash　for　two　stockades；　but　when　Zhang　Ren　came　along　the　by…road；　and　the　other　three　defenders　of　the　city　came　on；　the　stockades　could　not　be　held；　and　Liu　Bei's　army　had　to　retire。　Now　fighting　and　now　marching；　the　army　of　Liu　Bei　strove　hard　to　reach　River　Fu　Pass；　but　Zhang　Ren　pressed　close。　However；　Liu　Feng　and　Guan　Ping　came　up；　and　not　only　drove　back　the　pursuers　but　chased　them　some　seven　miles。　Finally；　Liu　Bei　and　his　troops　reached　the　Pass；　weary　and　dispirited。　His　son　and　nephew　returned　from　the　pursuit　with　many　horses　they　had　captured　from　the　flying　enemy。　However；　nothing　had　been　gained　and　the　victory　lay　rather　with　the　army　of　the　West　River　Land。
Liu　Bei　sent　to　inquire　about　Pang　Tong。　One　of　the　fugitives　from　the　army　finally　reached　River　Fu　Pass　and　told　Liu　Bei　of　the　sad　news………man　and　horse　wounded　to　death。　Liu　Bei　turned　his　face　to　the　west　and　mourned　bitterly。
Although　the　body　of　the　slain　leader　lay　far　away；　they　instituted　sacrifice　to　call　the　spirit；　and　all　the　generals　keened　for　him。
Then　said　Huang　Zhong；　〃Now　that　our　leader　is　no　more；　certainly　the　enemy　will　return　to　attack　the　Pass。　What　is　to　be　done？　I　think　we　had　better　send　to　Jingzhou　for　Zhuge　Liang　and　get　him　to　lay　plans　for　getting　possession　of　the　West　River　Land。〃
And　even　then　came　in　one　to　say　that　the　enemy　under　Zhang　Ren　had　e　and　were　now　offering　a　challenge　at　the　rampart。
Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　wished　to　go　forth　to　fight；　but　Liu　Bei　disapproved；　saying；　〃We　have　suffered　a　severe　check；　and　the　soldiers　are　low…spirited。　Let　us　rather　remain　on　the　defensive　until　the　Directing　Instructor　can　arrive。〃
Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　made　no　objection；　but　set　themselves　to　guard　the　Pass　most　vigilantly；　while　a　letter　was　written　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　sent　by　the　hand　of　Guan　Ping。　He　set　forth　at　once；　and　Liu　Bei　gave　himself　up　to　holding　the　Pass。
In　Jingzhou；　it　was　the　seventh　day　of　the　seventh　moon；　and　in　the　evening　Zhuge　Liang　invited　his　officers　to　a　banquet。　Conversation　turned　toward　the　enterprise　in　the　West　River　Land。　Suddenly　a　large　and　brilliant　meteor　appeared　falling　in　the　west；　illuminating　the　whole　sky。　It　so　disturbed　the　host　that　he　dashed　his　wine　cup　to　the　ground；　covered　his　face；　and　burst　into　tears。
〃Alas！　Alas！〃
The　guests　eagerly　asked　him　why　he　wept。
Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　knew　by　my　calculations　that　the　bowl　of　the　Dipper　would　be　in　the　west　at　this　season　and　that　the　auspices　would　be　unfavorable　to　leaders　of　armies；　and　lo！　the　Heavens　have　gone　against　our　army。　When　Venus　was　about　to　stand　over　Luocheng；　I　wrote　to　our　lord　warning　him　to　be　very　cautious。　I　never　contemplated　the　falling　of　the　star　this　evening。　Now　Pang　Tong　is　no　more。〃
Again　he　fell　to　weeping。　〃My　lord　has　lost　an　arm！〃　moaned　he。
The　guests　were　rather　disturbed；　but　they　only　half　believed　that　such　a　misfortune　had　happened。
〃We　shall　hear　the　sad　news　in　a　very　few　days；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
The　banquet　ended　sadly　enough；　and　the　guests　went　their　ways。　A　few　days　later；　while　Zhuge　Liang　was　sitting　with　Guan　Yu　and　a　few　others；　they　reported　the　arrival　of　Guan　Ping　with　letters　from　the　west。　When　the　letters　were　opened；　they　knew　that　Pang　Tong　had　fallen　the　same　evening　that　the　meteor　had　appeared。
Zhuge　Liang　wailed；　and　the　others　wept　with　him。
Then　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　must　go　to　help　our　lord。　He　is　hemmed　in　at　the　Pass　and　cannot　move。〃
〃If　you　go　away；　who　will　guard　this　region？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。　〃It　is　of　very　great　importance。〃
〃Our　lord　has　not　written　plainly；　but　I　know　what　was　in　his　mind。〃　Then　he　showed　the　letter　to　the　others　and　said；　〃Provision　for　the　defense　of　this　region　is　laid　upon　me；　and　I　am　to　find　one　equal　to　the　task。　I　read　the　letter　to　mean　that　he　desires　Guan　Yu　to　undertake　the　defense；　and　I　know　that　Guan　Yu　will　do　it　for　the　sake　of　the　pledge　taken　long　ago　in　the　Peach　Garden。　The　task　is　no　light　one。〃
Guan　Yu　accepted　without　hesitation　or　thought　of　excuse。　A　special　banquet　was　prepared　at　which　the　seal　was　to　be　handed　over　to　him。
〃All　the　future　rests　with　you；　General；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　as　he　raised　the　symbol　of　office　to　place　it　in　the　hands　of　the　mander。
〃When　a　person　of　honor　accepts　such　a　task；　he　is　only　released　by　death；〃　replied　Guan　Yu。
But　that　ill…omened　word　〃death〃　displeased　Zhuge　Liang；　and　even　then　he　would　have　retracted　but　that　Guan　Yu's　word　had　gone　forth。　Zhuge　Liang　went　on。
〃Now　if　Cao　Cao　attack　what　is　to　be　done？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
〃Repel　him　with　all　my　strength。〃
〃But　if　Cao　Cao　and　Sun　Quan　attack　you　together；　what　then？〃
〃Fight　both；　half　my　force　against　each。〃
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃In　that　case；　Jingzhou　would　be　in　danger。　I　will　give　you　my　advice　in　a　few　words；　and　if　you　remember　them　the　region　is　safe。〃
〃What　are　these　few　words？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。
〃North；　fight　Cao　Cao；　south；　ally　with　Sun　Quan。〃
〃These　words；　O　mander；　are　engraved　on　my　heart。〃
Thereupon　the　seal　was　placed　in　his　hands。　Zhuge　Liang　also　appointed　tried　and　worthy　people　to　assist　the　new　mander。　Guan　Yu's　civil　staff　included　Ma　Liang；　Mi　Zhu；　and　Yi　Ji；　and　on　military　side；　he　was　assisted　by　Mi　Fang；　Liao　Hua；　Guan　Ping；　and　Zhou　Cang。
This　done；　Zhuge　Liang　began　to　prepare　for　his　march　to　the　River　Lands。　Zhang　Fei；　with　ten　thousand　troops；　was　sent　to　fight　his　way　into　the　country　west　of　Bazhou　and　Luocheng；　and　he　was　to　go　with　all　speed。　The　earlier　he　got　through；　the　greater　merit　would　be　his。　Zhao　Yun　was　to　lead　a　force　up　the　Great　River　and　make　a　junction　at　Luocheng。　Zhuge　Liang；　with　his　own　body　of　fifteen　thousand　troops；　would　follow。
Among　those　who　followed　Zhuge　Liang　were　Jian　Yong　and　one　Jiang　Wan。　Jiang　Wan　was　a　noted　scholar　from　Lingling；　and　he　held　the　office　of　Secretary。
Zhuge　Liang　and　Zhang　Fei　set　out　the　same　day。
Just　before　leaving；　the　Directing　Instructor　said　to　Zhang　Fei；　〃Do　not　think　lightly　of　the　soldiers　of　Yizhou；　for　there　are　many　mighty　warriors　among　them。　On　the　march　restrain　your　soldiers　from　plunder　and　license　lest　the　ordinary　people　be　against　us。　Wherever　you　halt；　be　passionate　and　kindly　and　do　not　give　way　to　anger　and　flog　your　soldiers。　I　shall　expect　you　to　reach　Luocheng　very　soon。〃
Zhang　Fei　joyously　mounted　and　left。　He　marched　rapidly；　and　on　the　way　all　places　that　surrendered　suffered　nothing　whatever。
When　they　drew　near　the　county　of　Bazhou；　the　scouts　of　West　River　Land　sent　out　by　the　Governor　of　that　place　informed　their　master；　Yan　Yan。　This　Yan　Yan　was　one　of　the　famous　generals　of　Yizhou；　and　even　then；　although　he　was　rather　old；　he　had　lost　none　of　his　boldness　and　could　still　pull　the　stiffest　bow　and　wield　the　heaviest　sword。
Being　so　famous；　Yan　Yan　was　not　the　man　to　surrender　at　the　first　approach　of　an　enemy。　So　when　Zhang　Fei　came　near；　he　cautiously　encamped　about　three　miles　from　the　city。　Thence　he　sent　a　messenger　to　summon　the　Governor　to　surrender。
Zhang　Fei　said；　〃Tell　the　old　fool　to　give　in；　or　I　will　trample　down　his　walls　and　leave　no　soul　alive。〃
Yan　Yan　had　never　favored　inviting　Liu　Bei　into　Yizhou。
When　he　had　first　heard　of　the　Imperial　Protector's　intention；　he　said；　〃This　is　like　calling　a　tiger　to　protect　a　person　when　that　person　is　alone　on　a　bare　hill　side。〃
When　he　heard　of　the　seizure　of　River　Fu　Pass；　he　was　very　angry　and　offered　again　and　again　to　lead　an　army　and　drive　out　the　aggressors。　He　had　feared　that　his　city　would　be　attacked　along　this　very　road；　so　he　had　prepared　his　army；　and　when　Zhang　Fei's　message　came；　he　mustered　them；　five　thousand　or　so；　to　oppose　him。
Then　a　certain　person　said　to　Yan　Yan；　〃You　must　be　careful　how　you　oppose　a　man　who　by　the　mere　sound　of　his　voice　scared　the　many　legions　of　Cao　Cao　at　Long　Slope　Bridge。　Even　Cao　Cao　himself　was　careful　to　keep　out　of　his　way。　Your　safety　is　in　defense；　lying　behind　your　ramparts　and　within　your　deep　moats　till　hunger　shall　have　vanquished　your　enemies。　This　Zhang　Fei　has　a　very　violent　temper。　If　he　is　provoked；　he　vents　his　anger　in　flogging　his　soldiers。　If　you　avoid　battle；　he　will　be　irritated；　and　his　cruelty　to　his　soldiers　will　cause　them　to　mutiny。　Then　you　can　attack　and　will　succeed。〃
Yan　Yan　thought　the　advice　good。　He　therefore　resolved　only　to　defend；　and　he　set　all　his　soldiers　on　the　walls。　When　one　of　Zhang　Fei's　soldiers　came　up　to　the　gate　and　shouted　for　them　to　open；　Yan　Yan　gave　orders　to　open　the　gate　and　admit　the　man。　When　the　soldier　had　e　within；　he　gave　the　submission　demand　as　has　been　related　before。
But　the　Governor　was　exceedingly　angry　and　said；　〃Fool　that　you　are！　How　dare　you　speak　thus　to　me？　Think　you　that　I；　General　Yan　Yan；　will　surrender　to　such　as　him。　By　your　mouth　indeed　will　I　send　a　message。〃
Then　Yan　Yan　bade　the　executioner　cut　off　the　man's　ears　and　nose。　And　thus　mutilated　he　returned　to　Zhang　Fei。　When　Zhang　Fei　heard　of　it；　his　wrath　boiled　up　and　he　cursed　the　defender　of　the　city。　Grinding　his　teeth　and　glaring　with　rage；　he　put　on　his　armor；　mounted　his　steed；　and　went　up　close　to　the　walls　with　a　few　mounted　follo