三国演义英文版-第211章

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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　followers；　and　challenged　those　on　the　ramparts　to　fight　him。　But　the　defenders　on　the　walls　only　replied　with　shameful　abuse；　and　none　accepted　the　challenge。　Zhang　Fei　galloped　again　and　again　to　the　drawbridge；　only　to　be　driven　off　each　time　with　flights　of　arrows。　But　not　a　man　came　outside　the　walls。　As　the　day　closed　in；　the　warrior；　still　fuming　with　wrath；　returned　to　his　own　camp。
Next　day　Zhang　Fei　again　led　his　troops　to　the　foot　of　the　wall　and　challenged。　Again　the　challenge　was　refused。　But　Yan　Yan　shot　an　arrow　from　the　tower　that　struck　Zhang　Fei's　helmet。　This　angered　him　still　more。
Pointing　the　finger　of　disdain　at　his　enemy；　Zhang　Fei　cried；　〃I　will　capture　you　yet；　you　old　fool；　and　then　I　will　devour　your　flesh！〃
So　again　at　eventide　the　troops　of　Jingzhou　returned　to　camp　bucking　their　desire。　On　the　third　day　Zhang　Fei　and　his　troops　made　the　circuit　of　the　city　along　the　edge　of　the　moat；　hurling　insults　at　their　enemies。
It　so　happened　that　the　city　was　set　on　a　hill　with　rugged　heights　all　round；　so　that　going　around　it　the　assailants　were　sometimes　on　hill　tops　and　sometimes　on　the　level。　While　standing　on　one　of　the　hills；　Zhang　Fei　noticed　that　he　could　see　clear　down　into　the　city。　There　stood　the　defenders　in　their　ranks；　all　ready　for　battle　although　none　of　them　came　out。　And　the　mon　people　went　to　and　fro　carrying　bricks　and　bringing　stones　to　strengthen　the　defenses。　Then　Zhang　Fei　ordered　his　horsemen　to　dismount　and　his　footmen　to　sit　down　so　that　they　could　not　be　seen　from　the　city。　He　hoped　thus　to　cheat　the　defenders　into　thinking　that　there　were　none　to　attack　and　so　induce　them　to　e　out。　But　this　also　was　vain；　for　still　the　defenders　declined　battle；　and　another　day　was　lost。　The　army　once　more　returned　to　camp。
That　night　Zhang　Fei　sat　in　his　tent　trying　to　think　out　some　means　to　overe　an　enemy　that　steadily　refused　to　e　out　from　behind　the　walls。　Presently；　however；　the　brain　behind　the　knitted　brows　conceived　a　plan。　So　next　day；　instead　of　sending　all　the　troops　to　offer　a　challenge　from　the　foot　of　the　wall；　Zhang　Fei　kept　most　of　them　in　camp　and　sent　only　a　few　to　howl　insults　and　hurl　abuse。　He　hoped　by　this　means　to　inveigle　Yan　Yan　out　to　attack　the　small　number　of　troops。　But　this　also　failed；　and　he　was　left　all　day　rubbing　hid　hands　with　impatience。　Never　a　man　appeared　without　the　wall。
Foiled　again；　another　ruse　grew　up　behind　his　bushy　eyebrows。　He　set　his　troops　to　cut　firewood　and　seek　out　and　explore　the　tracks　that　lay　about　the　city。　No　longer　did　they　challenge　the　wall。　After　some　days　of　this；　Yan　Yan　began　to　wonder　what　mischief　was　brewing；　and　he　sent　out　spies；　dressed　as　were　the　firewood　cutters；　to　mingle　with　them　and　try　to　discover　what　was　afoot。
That　day；　when　the　troops　returned　to　camp；　Zhang　Fei　sat　in　his　tent　stamping　his　foot　with　rage　and　execrating　his　enemy。
〃The　old　fool！　Assuredly　I　shall　die　of　disappointed　wrath；〃　cried　he。
Just　then　he　noticed　three　or　four　soldiers　lurking　about　his　tent　door　as　if　they　wished　to　speak　with　him。
And　one　of　them　said；　〃General；　do　not　let　your　heart　be　hot　within　you。　These　last　few　days　we　have　discovered　a　narrow　road　by　which　we　can　sneak　past　this　city。〃
〃Why　did　you　not　e　and　tell　me　before？〃　cried　he。
〃Because　we　have　only　lately　discovered　it；〃　said　they。
〃I　will　lose　no　time　then；〃　said　he。　〃This　very　night　let　food　be　ready　at　the　second　watch；　and　we　will　break　camp　and　steal　away　as　silently　as　possible。　I　will　lead　the　way；　and　you　shall　go　with　me　as　guides。〃
The　requisite　orders　were　given。
Having　made　sure　that　the　preparations　for　the　march　were　really　being　made；　the　spies　of　the　Governor　returned　into　the　city。
〃I　guessed　right　then；〃　said　Yan　Yan　gleefully　when　the　spies　reported　their　success。　〃I　cannot　bear　the　fool。　He　will　now　try　to　sneak　past　with　his　missariat　following；　and　I　will　cut　off　his　rear。　How　can　he　get　through？　He　is　very　stupid　to　fall　thus　into　my　trap。　All　are　to　prepare　for　battle。　The　food　is　to　be　ready　at　the　second　watch；　and　the　army　is　to　move　out　at　the　third。　We　will　hide　in　the　woods　and　thickets；　till　the　greater　part　of　the　enemy's　army　has　passed　and　Zhang　Fei　has　arrived　in　the　very　throat　of　the　road。　Then　the　blow　will　be　struck。〃
They　waited　till　night　had　fallen。　In　due　time　the　late　meal　was　taken；　the　soldiers　donned　their　armor；　stole　silently　out　of　the　city；　and　hid　as　they　had　been　told。　The　Governor　himself。　with　a　few　of　his　generals；　went　out　also；　dismounted　and　hid　in　a　wood。　They　waited　till　after　the　third　watch。　Then　Zhang　Fei　came　along；　urging　his　troops　to　the　top　of　their　speed。　His　spear　lay　ready　to　thrust。　He　looked　very　handsome　as　he　rode　at　the　head　of　his　army。　The　carts　were　one　or　two　miles　in　the　rear。
When　the　soldiers　had　got　well　past；　Yan　Yan　gave　the　signal。　The　drums　rolled　out；　up　sprang　the　hidden　troops　and　fell　on　the　baggage　train。
The　western　troops　began　to　plunder。　But　suddenly　a　gong　clanged　and　along　came　a　pany　of　soldiers　Yan　Yan　had　not　seen。
At　the　same　time　a　voice　was　heard