三国演义英文版-第171章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　him　to　suggest　a　plan。　This　man　was　Yi　Ji　and；　remembering　the　kindly　feeling　of　other　days；　Liu　Bei　received　him　most　graciously。
When　Yi　Ji　was　seated；　and　his　host　had　asked　what　he　proposed；　he　said；　〃You　wish　for　a　plan　to　acplish　yet　greater　deeds。　Why　not　seek　wise　people　and　ask　them？〃
〃Where　are　these　wise　people　to　be　found？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。
Yi　Ji　replied；　〃In　this　region　there　is　a　certain　family　named　Ma；　five　brothers；　all　of　whom　are　known　as　men　of　ability。　The　youngest　is　called　Ma　Su。　The　ablest　is　Ma　Liang；　who　has　white　hairs　in　his　eyebrows；　and　the　villagers　have　a　little　rhyming　couplet　that　means　'There　are　five　sons　in　the　family　Ma；　but　white　eyebrows　is　the　best　of　them。'　You　should　get　this　man　to　draw　up　a　plan　for　you。〃
So　Liu　Bei　told　them　to　request　his　presence。　Ma　Liang　came　and　was　received　with　great　respect。
He　was　asked　to　suggest　a　plan　for　the　security　of　the　newly　acquired　region；　and　he　said；　〃Attacked　as　it　is　on　all　sides；　this　region　is　not　one　in　which　one　is　permanently　secure。　You　should　let　Liu　Qi　remain　here　till　he　is　recovered　from　his　present　illness；　but　the　actual　protection　of　the　place　is　to　be　placed　in　the　hands　of　trusty　friends。　Obtain　an　edict　appointing　him　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou；　and　the　people　will　be　content。　Then　conquer　Wuling；　Changsha；　Guiyang；　and　Lingling。　And　with　the　resources　you　will　thus　acquire；　you　will　have　the　means　for　further　plans。　That　should　be　your　policy。〃
〃Which　of　the　four　territories　should　be　first　taken？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。
〃The　nearest；　Lingling；　which　lies　in　the　west　of　River　Xiang。　The　next　is　Wuling；　and　after　these　the　other　two。〃
Ma　Liang　was　given　an　appointment　as　Imperial　Protector　Assistant；　with　Yi　Ji　as　his　second。　Then　Liu　Bei　consulted　Zhuge　Liang　about　sending　Liu　Qi　to　Xiangyang；　so　that　Guan　Yu　could　be　free　to　return。　Next　they　made　preparations　to　attack　Lingling；　and　Zhang　Fei　was　to　lead　the　van。　Zhao　Yun　was　to　guard　the　rear；　while　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　were　to　mand　the　main　body。　A　fifteen　thousand　troops　were　left　to　hold　Jingzhou。　Mi　Zhu　and　Liu　Feng　were　left　to　guard　Jiangling。
The　Governor　of　Lingling　was　Liu　Du。　When　danger　thus　threatened；　he　called　in　his　son　Liu　Xiang；　and　they　discussed　the　case。
The　son　was　very　self…confident　and　said　to　his　father；　〃Have　no　anxiety。　They　may　have　the　known　and　famous　warriors；　Zhang　Fei　and　Zhao　Yun；　but　we　have　our　leader；　Xing　Darong；　who　is　match　for　any　number　of　men。　He　can　withstand　them。〃
So　Liu　Xiang；　with　the　famous　leader；　was　entrusted　with　the　defense。　At　the　head　of　a　full　ten　thousand　troops；　they　made　a　camp　about　ten　miles　from　the　city；　with　the　shelter　of　hills　and　a　river。　Their　scouts　brought　news　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　close　at　hand　with　one　army。　Xing　Darong　decided　to　check　his　advance　and　went　forth　to　oppose　him。　When　both　sides　were　arrayed；　Xing　Darong　rode　to　the　front。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　battle…ax　called　Cleaver　of　Mountains。
In　a　mighty　voice　he　cried；　〃Rebels；　how　es　it　that　you　have　dared　to　enter　our　territory？〃
From　the　center　of　the　opposing　army；　where　appeared　a　cluster　of　yellow　flags；　there　came　out　a　small　four…wheeled　carriage　in　which　sat；　very　erect；　a　certain　man　dressed　in　white；　with　a　turban　on　his　head。　In　one　hand　he　held　a　feather　fan；　with　which　he　signed　to　the　warrior　to　approach。
At　the　same　time　he　said；　〃I　am　Zhuge　Liang　of　Nanyang；　whose　plans　broke　up　the　countless　legions　of　Cao　Cao　so　that　nothing　of　them　returned　whence　they　started。　How　then　can　you　hope　to　oppose　me？　I　now　offer　you　peace；　and　it　will　be　well　for　you　to　surrender。〃
Xing　Darong　laughed　derisively；　saying；　〃Their　defeat　was　owing　to　the　plan　of　Zhou　Yu。　You　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　How　dare　you　try　to　deceive　me？〃
So　saying　he　swung　up　his　battle…ax　and　came　running　toward　Zhuge　Liang。　But　Zhuge　Liang　turned　his　carriage　and　retired　within　the　lines　which　closed　up　behind　him。　Xing　Darong　came　rushing　on。　As　he　reached　the　array；　the　troops　fell　away　on　both　sides　and　let　him　enter。　Well　within　he　looked　round　for　his　chief　opponent。　Seeing　a　yellow　flag　moving　along　quietly；　he　concluded　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　with　it　and　so　followed　it。　When　the　flag　had　gone　over　the　shoulder　of　a　hill　it　stopped。　Then　suddenly　as　if　the　earth　had　opened　and　swallowed　it　up；　the　four…wheeled　carriage　disappeared；　while　in　its　place　came　a　ferocious　warrior；　with　a　long　serpent　halberd　in　his　hand　and　mounted　on　a　curvetting　steed。　It　was　Zhang　Fei；　who　dashed　at　Xing　Darong　with　a　tremendous　roar。
Nothing　daunted；　Xing　Darong　whirled　up　his　battle…ax　and　went　to　meet　Zhang　Fei。　But　after　four　or　five　bouts；　Xing　Darong　saw　that　there　was　no　chance　of　victory　for　him；　so　he　turned　his　horse　and　ran。　Zhang　Fei　pursued；　the　air　shaking　with　the　thunder　of　his　voice。　Then　the　ambushing　troops　appeared。　Xing　Darong；　nothing　daunted；　rushed　into　their　midst。
But　in　front　appeared　another　warrior　barring　the　way；　who　called　out；　〃Do　you　know　me？　I　am　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan。〃
Xing　Darong　knew　that　all　was　over。　He　could　neither　fight　nor　fly。　So　he　dismounted　and　gave　in。　He　was　fettered　and　taken　to　camp；　where　were　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang。　Liu　Bei　ordered　him　out　to　execution；　but　Zhuge　Liang　hastily　checked　him。
〃We　will　accept　your　submission　if　you　capture　Liu　Xiang　for　us；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
The　captive　accepted　the　offer　without　the　least　hesitation。
When　Zhuge　Liang　asked　how　he　intended　to　do　it；　he　replied；　〃If　you　will　set　me　free；　I　shall　be　cunning　of　speech。　If　you　raid　the　camp　this　evening；　you　will　find　me　your　helper　on　the　inside。　I　will　make　Liu　Xiang　a　prisoner　and　will　hand　him　over　to　you。　He　being　captured；　his　father　will　surrender　at　once。〃
Liu　Bei　doubted　the　good　faith　of　the　man；　but　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Xing　Darong　is　not　deceiving。〃
Wherefore　Xing　Darong　was　set　free　and　went　back　to　camp；　where　he　related　all　that　had　occurred。
〃What　can　we　do？〃　asked　Liu　Xiang。
〃We　can　meet　trick　with　trick。　Put　soldiers　in　ambush　tonight　outside　our　camp　while　within　everything　will　appear　as　usual。　When　Zhuge　Liang　es　we　shall　capture　him。〃
The　ambush　was　prepared。　At　the　second　watch　an　army　came　out　of　the　darkness　and　appeared　in　the　gate。　Each　carried　a　torch　and　they　began　to　set　fire　to　all　about　them。　Out　dashed　Liu　Xiang　and　Xing　Darong；　and　the　incendiaries　forthwith　fled。　The　two　warriors　pursued　them；　but　the　fugitives　ran　and　then　suddenly　disappeared　at　about　three　miles　from　the　camp。
Much　surprised　the　two　turned　to　wend　their　way　back　to　their　own　camp。　It　was　still　burning　for　no　one　had　extinguished　the　flames。　Soon　from　behind　them　came　out　Zhang　Fei。
Liu　Xiang　called　out　to　his　panion；　saying；　〃Do　not　enter　the　burning　camp；　but　to　go　to　attack　Zhuge　Liang's　stockade。〃
Thereupon　they　turned　again；　but　at　a　distance　of　three　miles　Zhao　Yun　and　an　army　suddenly　debouched　upon　their　road。　Zhao　Yun　attacked　and　slew　Xing　Darong　by　a　spear　thrust。　Liu　Xiang　turned　to　flee；　but　Zhang　Fei　was　close　upon　him　and　made　him　prisoner。　He　was　thrown　across　a　horse；　bound；　and　taken　to　camp。
When　he　saw　Zhuge　Liang；　Liu　Xiang　said；　〃The　ruse　was　Xing　Darong's　evil　counsel。　I　was　forced　to　follow。〃
Zhuge　Liang　ordered　them　to　loose　his　bonds；　had　him　properly　dressed；　and　gave　him　wine　to　cheer　him　and　help　him　forget　his　troubles。　When　he　was　recovered；　he　was　told　to　go　to　his　father　and　persuade　him　to　yield。
〃And　if　he　does　not；　the　city　shall　be　destroyed　and　everyone　put　to　death；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　as　Liu　Xiang　left。
The　son　returned　to　the　city　and　told　his　father　these　things。　Liu　Du　at　once　decided　to　yield　and　forthwith　hoisted　the　flag　of　surrender；　opened　the　gates；　and　went　out　taking　his　seal　of　office　with　him。　He　was　reappointed　to　his　governorship；　but　his　son　was　sent　to　Jingzhou　for　service　with　the　army。
The　people　of　Lingling　all　rejoiced　greatly　at　the　change　of　rulers。　Liu　Bei　entered　the　city；　calmed　and　reassured　the　people；　and　rewarded　his　army。
But　he　at　once　began　to　think　of　the　next　move　and　asked　for　an　officer　to　volunteer　to　take　Guiyang。　Zhao　Yun　offered；　but　Zhang　Fei　vehemently　proposed　himself　for　the　mand　of　the　expedition。　So　they　wrangled　and　contended。
Then　said