三国演义英文版-第212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！


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　shouting；　〃Old　rebel；　do　not　flee！　I　have　been　waiting　for　this　chance　a　long　time！〃
Yan　Yan　turned　his　head。　The　leader　of　this　band　was　a　tall　man　with　a　leopard…like　bullet　head；　round　eyes；　a　sharp　chin；　and　bristling　tiger　mustache。　He　was　armed　with　a　long　serpent　halberd　and　rode　a　black　steed。　In　a　word；　it　was　Zhang　Fei。
All　around　the　gongs　were　clanging；　and　many　troops　of　Jingzhou　were　rushing　toward　Yan　Yan；　already　too　frightened　to　be　able　to　defend　himself。　However；　the　two　leaders　engaged。　Very　soon　Zhang　Fei　purposely　gave　his　opponent　an　opening；　and　Yan　Yan　rushed　in　to　cut　down　his　enemy　with　his　sword。　But　Zhang　Fei　evaded　the　blow；　made　a　sudden　rush；　seized　Yan　Yan　by　the　lace　of　his　armor；　and　flung　him　on　the　ground。　Yan　Yan　was　a　prisoner；　and　in　a　moment　was　fast　bound　with　cords。
The　handsome　leader　who　had　passed　first　had　not　been　Zhang　Fei　at　all；　but　someone　dressed　and　made　up　to　resemble　him。　To　add　to　the　confusion；　Zhang　Fei　had　exchanged　the　signals；　making　the　gong　the　signal　for　his　troops　to　fall　on　instead　of　the　usual　drum。
As　the　gongs　clanged；　more　and　more　of　the　troops　of　Jingzhou　came　into　the　fray。　The　troops　of　Yizhou　could　make　no　fight；　and　most　of　them　dropped　their　weapons　and　surrendered。　To　reach　the　walls　of　the　city　was　now　easy。　After　entering　the　gates；　the　leader　ordered　his　soldiers　not　to　hurt　the　people；　and　he　put　out　proclamations　to　pacify　the　citizens。
By　and　by　a　party　of　executioners　brought　in　the　prisoner。
Zhang　Fei　took　his　seat　in　the　great　hall；　and　the　late　mander　of　the　city　was　brought　before　him　by　a　party　of　executioners。　Yan　Yan　refused　to　kneel　before　his　captor。
〃Why　did　you　not　surrender　at　first？〃　cried　Zhang　Fei；　angrily　grinding　his　teeth。　〃How　dared　you　try　to　oppose　me？〃
〃Because　you　are　a　lot　of　unrighteous　and　lawless　invaders！〃　replied　Yan　Yan　without　the　least　sign　of　fear。　〃You　may　behead　me　as　you　will；　but　I　will　not　surrender　to　you。〃
Zhang　Fei　angrily　gave　the　order　for　his　execution。
〃Strike；　if　you　want　to；　fool。　Why　so　angry？〃　said　Yan　Yan。
This　bold　defiance　was　not　lost　upon　Zhang　Fei。　Rising　from　his　seat；　he　went　down　the　steps；　put　aside　the　lictors；　and　began　to　loosen　the　prisoner's　bonds。　Then　he　dressed　Yan　Yan　in　new　garments　and　led　him　to　the　high　place。
When　Yan　Yan　was　seated；　Zhang　Fei　made　a　low　bow；　saying；　〃I　have　always　known　you　were　a　hero。　Now　I　pray　you　not　remember　against　me　the　roughness　of　my　speech。〃
Yan　Yan　was　overe　with　this　kindness　and　forthwith　surrendered。

A　graybeard　ruled　in　western　Shu；
Clear　fame　is　his　the　whole　world　through；
As　radiant　sun　his　loyalty。
Unmatched　his　soul's　nobility。
When　captive　taken　rather　he
Would　suffer　death　than　crook　his　knee。
Bazhou　he　ruled　for　many　a　year；
The　world　cannot　produce　his　peer。

A　poet　has　also　written　concerning　Zhang　Fei：

Yan　Yan　made　prisoner；　then　the　matchless　one
Exchanged　the　sword　for　reason；　and　so　won
The　place　he　holds　among　the　sacred　ones
Of　the　west；　to　whom　they　sacrifice　today。

Then　Zhang　Fei　asked　Yan　Yan　to　suggest　the　means　of　overing　the　West　River　Land。
Yan　Yan　replied；　〃I　am　but　the　defeated　leader　of　a　defeated　force；　indebted　to　the　victor　for　my　life。　I　have　nothing　but　my　humble　services　to　offer；　but　I　can　tell　you　how　to　get　possession　of　Chengdu　without　drawing　a　bow　or　shooting　an　arrow。〃

Cities　yield　in　quick　succession
Because　of　one　old　man's　secession。

The　proposal　will　be　unfolded　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　64　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　64
　Chapter　64
Zhuge　Liang　Plans　For　The　Capture　Of　Zhang　Ren；
Yang　Fu　Borrows　Soldiers　To　Destroy　Ma　Chao。
As　stated　in　the　last　chapter；　Zhang　Fei　asked　Yan　Yan　to　tell　him　how　he　might　conquer　the　whole　of　the　West　River　Land。
This　was　the　reply：　〃All　the　fortified　posts　between　this　and　Luocheng　are　under　my　control；　and　the　manders　of　all　the　garrisons　owe　to　me　their　missions。　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　Y