三国演义英文版-第173章

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Then　he　gave　the　soldiers　wine　and　said；　〃Those　who　wanted　to　harm　me　are　your　leaders　and　not　you。　If　you　do　as　I　tell　you；　you　shall　be　well　rewarded。〃
The　soldiers　threw　themselves　to　the　ground　and　promised　obedience。　Thereupon　the　two　leaders………Chen　Ying　and　Bao　Long………were　beheaded。　Their　five　hundred　troops　were　made　to　lead　the　way　and　act　as　screen　for　a　whole　thousand　of　horsemen；　and　the　party　set　out　at　full　speed　for　Guiyang。　When　they　got　there；　they　summoned　the　gate　and　said　that　they　had　slain　Zhao　Yun　and　had　got　back。　And　they　wished　to　speak　with　the　Governor。
Those　on　the　wall　lighted　flares　and　inspected　those　at　the　gate。　Surely　enough　they　wore　the　uniforms　of　their　own　people；　and　Zhao　Fan　went　out　to　them。　He　was　immediately　seized　and　made　prisoner。　Then　Zhao　Yun　entered　the　city；　restored　order；　and　sent　off　swift　messengers　to　Liu　Bei　who　at　once；　with　his　adviser；　came　to　Guiyang。
When　they　had　taken　their　seats；　the　late　Governor　was　brought　in　and　placed　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　In　response　to　Zhuge　Liang's　questions；　Zhao　Fan　related　the　story　of　the　proposed　marriage。
Said　Zhuge　Liang　to　Zhao　Yun；　〃But　this　seems　a　fine　project。　Why　did　you　receive　the　proposal　so　roughly？〃
Zhao　Yun　said；　〃Zhao　Fan　and　I　had　just　sworn　brotherhood；　and　so　marriage　with　his　sister…in…law　would　have　called　down　on　my　head　universal　blame。　That　is　one　reason。　Another　is　that　I　should　have　made　his　sister　fail　to　keep　her　dutiful　chastity。　And　thirdly；　I　did　not　know　whether　I　might　trust　such　a　proposal　from　one　who　had　just　yielded　to　force。　My　lord；　your　position　as　a　recent　victor　was　one　of　danger；　and　could　I　risk　the　failure　of　your　plans　for　my　sake？〃
Liu　Bei　said；　〃But　now　that　the　plan　has　been　carried　out；　and　we　are　victors；　would　you　care　to　marry　her？〃
〃All　my　fear　is　for　the　building　of　a　reputation。　Family　can　e　later。〃
〃You　are　indeed　right　honorable；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
Zhao　Fan　was　released　and　restored　to　the　governorship。　Zhao　Yun　was　conspicuously　rewarded。
But　Zhang　Fei　was　angry　and　disappointed。
〃So　Zhao　Yun　gets　all　the　praise；　and　I　am　worth　nothing；〃　cried　he。　〃Just　give　me　three　thousand　soldiers；　and　I　will　take　Wuling　and　bring　you　the　Governor。〃
This　pleased　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said；　〃There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　go；　but　I　will　only　require　one　condition　of　you。〃

Wondrous；　the　plans　of　the　general；　so　doth　he　conquer　in　battle；
Soldiers　keenly　peting　gain　renown　in　the　fighting。

The　condition　that　Zhuge　Liang　made　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　53　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　53
　Chapter　53
Guan　Yu　Releases　Huang　Zhong；
Sun　Quan　Fights　With　Zhang　Liao。
What　Zhuge　Liang　required　from　Zhang　Fei　was　a　formal　recognition　of　responsibility　for　success。
Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃When　Zhao　Yun　went　on　his　expedition；　he　gave　written　guarantee　of　being　responsible　for　success。　You　ought　to　do　the　same　now　that　you　are　starting　for　Wuling。　In　that　case　you　may　have　men　and　start。〃
So　Zhang　Fei　gave　the　required　document　and　received　joyfully　the　three　thousand　of　soldiers　he　had　demanded。　He　set　out　at　once　and　traveled　without　rest　till　he　reached　Wuling。
When　the　Governor　of　Wuling；　Jin　Xuan　by　name；　heard　that　an　expedition　against　him　was　afoot；　he　mustered　his　officers　and　recruited　brave　soldiers　and　put　his　weapons　in　order　ready　for　the　struggle。　And　his　army　moved　out　of　the　city。
A　certain　secretary；　Gong　Zhi；　remonstrated　with　his　chief　for　opposing　a　scion　of　the　imperial　house；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　of　the　Hans；　and　recognized　as　an　uncle　of　the　Emperor。　All　the　world　knows　he　is　kindly　and　righteous。　Added　to　that　his　brother　Zhang　Fei　is　extraordinarily　bold。　We　cannot　face　them　in　battle　with　hope　of　success。　Our　best　course　is　to　give　in。〃
But　his　master　angrily　replied；　〃Do　you　want　to　play　the　traitor　and　take　the　side　of　the　rebels　and　help　them？〃
Jin　Xuan　called　in　the　lictors　and　told　them　to　put　Gong　Zhi　to　death。
The　other　officers　interceded　for　Gong　Zhi；　saying；　〃It　augers　ill　to　start　an　expedition　by　slaying　your　own　officer。〃
So　the　Governor　merely　sent　Gong　Zhi　sway。　He　himself　led　the　army　out　of　the　city。　After　marching　seven　miles；　he　met　with　Zhang　Fei's　army。
Zhang　Fei　at　once　rode　to　the　front；　spear　ready　to　thrust；　and　opened　with　a　shout。　Jin　Xuan　turned　to　his　officers　and　asked　who　would　go　out　to　fight　him；　but　no　one　replied。　They　were　too　afraid。
So　the　Governor　himself　galloped　out；　flourishing　his　sword。　Seeing　him　advance；　Zhang　Fei　shouted　in　a　voice　of　thunder。　Poor　Jin　Xuan　was　seized　with　panic；　turned　pale　and　could　not　go　on。　He　turned　his　steed　and　fled。　Then　Zhang　Fei　and　his　army　went　in　pursuit　and　smote　the　fugitives；　chasing　them　to　the　city　wall。
Here　the　fugitives　were　greeted　by　a　flight　of　arrows　from　their　own　wall。　Greatly　frightened；　Jin　Xuan　looked　up　to　see　what　this　meant；　and　there　was　Gong　Zhi；　who　had　opposed　him；　standing　on　the　wall。
〃You　brought　defeat　upon　yourself　because　you　opposed　the　will　of　God；〃　cried　the　traitor。　〃The　people　and　I　are　determined　to　yield　to　Liu　Bei。〃
Just　as　Gong　Zhi　finished　speaking；　an　arrow　wounded　Jin　Xuan　in　the　face　and　he　fell　to　the　ground。　Thereupon　his　own　troops　cut　off　his　head；　which　they　forthwith　presented　to　Zhang　Fei。　Gong　Zhi　then　went　out　and　made　formal　submission；　and　Zhang　Fei　bade　him　take　his　letter　and　the　seal　to　Guiyang　to　Liu　Bei；　who　was　pleased　to　hear　of　Zhang　Fei's　success　and　gave　the　governorship　to　Gong　Zhi。　Soon　after　Liu　Bei　came　to　Wuling　in　person　and　soothed　the　people。
This　done　he　wrote　to　Guan　Yu　telling　him　Zhao　Yun　and　Zhang　Fei　had　gained　a　territory　each。
Guan　Yu　at　once　wrote　back　and　said；　〃Changsha　is　yet　to　be　taken。　If　I　am　not　thought　too　feeble；　I　would　like　to　be　sent　to　attack　it。〃
Liu　Bei　agreed　and　sent　Zhang　Fei　to　relieved　his　brother；　whom　Liu　Bei　ordered　to　return　and　prepare　for　an　expedition　to　Changsha。　Guan　Yu　came　and　went　in　to　see　his　elder　brother　and　Zhuge　Liang。
At　this　interview　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Zhao　Yun　has　taken　Guiyang；　and　Zhang　Fei　Wuling。　Both　successful　warriors　have　done　their　work　with　three　thousand　troops。　The　Governor　of　Changsha；　Han　Xuan；　was　not　worth　mentioning；　but　there　was　a　certain　general　with　him；　named　Huang　Zhong；　who　had　to　be　reckoned　with。
〃Huang　Zhong　is　a　native　of　Nanyang。　He　used　to　be　in　the　service　of　Liu　Biao　and　was　a　colleague　Liu　Biao's　nephew；　Liu　Pan；　when　he　was　in　mand　of　Changsha。　After　Liu　Biao's　death；　he　joined　Han　Xuan　when　he　took　mand　of　the　city。　Now；　although　he　is　nearly　sixty；　he　is　a　man　to　be　feared　and　a　warrior　of　a　thousand。　You　ought　to　take　a　larger　number　of　troops。〃
Guan　Yu　replied；　〃Instructor；　what　makes　you　damp　another　man's　ardor　to　fight　and　do　away　with　your　own　dignity？　I　do　not　think　the　old　leader　need　be　discussed；　and　I　do　not　think　I　require　three　panies　of　soldiers。　Give　me　my　own　five　hundred　of　swordsmen；　and　I　will　have　the　heads　of　both　Han　Xuan　and　Huang　Zhong　to　sacrifice　to　our　standard。〃
Liu　Bei　resisted　this　decision　of　Guan　Yu；　but　Guan　Yu　would　not　give　way。　He　just　took　his　five　hundred　and　set　out。
〃If　he　is　not　careful　how　he　attacks　Huang　Zhong；　there　will　be　a　mishap；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃You　must　go　to　support　him。〃
Liu　Bei　accordingly；　at　the　head　of　another　and　larger　party；　set　out　toward　Changsha。
Governor　Han　Xuan　of　Changsha　was　of　hasty　temperament　with　small　punction　in　matters　of　life　and　death　and　was　universally　hated。　When　he　heard　of　the　army　ing　against　him；　he　called　his　veteran　leader；　Huang　Zhong；　to　ask　advice。
The　latter　said；　〃Do　not　be　distressed。　This　sword　of　mine　and　my　bow　are　equal　to　the　slaughter　of　all　who　may　e。〃
Huang　Zhong　had　been　very　strong　and　could　bend　the　three…hundred…pound　bow　and　was　a　most　perfect　archer。
When　Huang　Zhong　referred　to　his　prowess；　a　certain　man　spoke　up　and　said；　〃Let　not　the　Veteran　General　go　out　to　battle。　Trust　to　my　right　arm；　and　you　shall　have　this　Guan　Yu　a　prisoner　in　your　hands。〃
The　speaker　was　General　Yang　Lin。　The　Governor　accepted　his　offer　and　told　off　a　thousand　troops　to　go　with　him；　and　they　quickly　rode　out　of　the　city。　About　fifteen　miles　from　the　city；　they