三国演义英文版-第236章

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〃General；　you　are　nearly　seventy。　Can　you　still　hold　you　are　not　aged？〃
Huang　Zhong　tore　down　the　hall。　Seizing　one　of　the　great　swords　off　the　rack；　he　whirled　it　as　if　it　flew。　And　the　stiffest　bow　that　hung　on　the　wall；　he　pulled　till　it　snapped。
〃Well；　if　you　will　go；　who　will　second　you？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
〃I　would　prefer　Veteran　General　Yan　Yan。　And　if　there　is　the　least　anxiety；　well；　here　is　this　hoary　head。〃
Liu　Bei　was　pleased　to　let　these　two　go　to　fight　Zhang　He。　However；　Zhao　Yun　put　in　a　protest。
〃Zhang　He　has　already　got　through　Jiameng　Pass；　so　that　the　fighting　will　be　no　child's　play；　and　the　loss　of　that　Pass　endangers　the　whole　of　Yizhou。　It　is　no　task　to　set　to　a　couple　of　old　men。〃
Replied　Zhuge　Liang；　〃You　regard　the　two　as　too　old　to　succeed；　but　I　think　the　attainment　of　Hanzhong　depends　upon　these　two。〃
Zhao　Yun　and　many　others　sniggered　as　they　went　from　the　hall。　They　did　not　agree　with　Zhuge　Liang。
In　due　course　the　two　Veteran　Generals　arrived　at　the　Pass。
At　sight　of　them；　Meng　Da　and　Huo　Jun；　the　defenders　of　the　Pass；　laughed　in　their　hearts；　thinking：　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　slipped　up　in　his　calculations　in　sending　such　a　pair　of　dotards　on　such　an　important　mission。〃
Huang　Zhong　said　to　Yan　Yan；　〃You　see　the　behavior　of　these　people？　They　are　laughing　at　us　because　we　are　old。　Now　we　will　do　something　that　will　win　admiration　from　all　the　world。〃
〃I　should　be　glad　to　hear　your　orders；〃　replied　Yan　Yan。
The　two　generals　came　to　a　decision　how　to　act。　Huang　Zhong　led　his　army　down　below　to　meet　Zhang　He　in　the　open　plain。　Both　drew　up　their　array。　When　Zhang　He　rode　out　and　saw　his　venerable　opponent；　he　laughed　in　his　face。
〃You　must　be　very　old；　and　yet　you　are　unashamed　to　go　into　the　battle；　eh？〃　said　Zhang　He。
〃You　menial！〃　replied　the　veteran。　〃Do　you　despise　me　for　my　age？　You　will　find　my　good　sword；　however；　keen　enough。〃
So　he　urged　forward　his　steed　and　rode　at　Zhang　He。　The　two　chargers　met　and　a　score　of　bouts　were　fought。　Then　suddenly　a　great　shouting　came　from　the　rear。　Yan　Yan　had　e　up　and　fallen　upon　the　rear　portion　of　Zhang　He's　army。　Thus　attacked　on　two　sides；　Zhang　He　was　defeated。　The　pursuit　did　not　cease　with　nightfall；　and　Zhang　He　was　driven　back　near　thirty　miles。　Contented　with　this　success；　Huang　Zhong　and　Yan　Yan　went　into　their　camp；　where　they　rested　their　soldiers　for　a　time。
When　Cao　Hong　heard　of　Zhang　He's　new　defeat；　he　was　going　to　exact　the　penalty。　But　Guo　Huai　persuaded　him　to　forbear。
〃If　he　is　pressed　too　hard；　he　may　take　refuge　in　Shu；〃　said　Guo　Huai。　〃Rather　send　him　help。　You　will　thus　keep　a　hold　over　him　and　prevent　his　desertion。〃
Wherefore　Xiahou　Shang　and　Han　Hao　were　sent　with　reinforcements。　Xiahou　Shang　was　a　nephew　of　Xiahou　Dun；　and　Han　Hao　was　the　brother　of　Han　Xuan；　the　late　Governor　of　Changsha。　They　had　five　thousand　troops。
The　two　generals　soon　reached　Zhang　He；　and　asked　how　now　the　situation　was　going。
〃That　old　man　Huang　Zhong　is　really　a　hero；〃　said　Zhang　He；　〃and　with　Yan　Yan's　help　he　is　very　formidable。〃
〃When　I　was　at　Changsha；　I　heard　the　old　man　was　very　fierce。　He　and　Wei　Yan　yielded　the　city　to　Liu　Bei　and　killed　my　own　brother。　Now　that　I　shall　meet　him；　I　can　have　my　revenge；〃　said　Han　Hao。
So　he　and　Xiahou　Shang　led　out　the　new　army。
Now；　by　means　of　spies　Huang　Zhong　had　got　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　country。
Yan　Yan　said；　〃Hereabout　there　is　a　mountain　named　Tiandang　Mountain　wherein　Cao　Hong　has　stored　his　supplies。　If　we　can　gain　its　possession；　we　shall　reduce　the　enemy　to　want　and　we　shall　get　Hanzhong。〃
Huang　Zhong　replied；　〃I　think　so；　too；　and　so　let　us　do　so　and　so。〃
Yan　Yan　agreed　with　him　and　marched　off　with　a　body　of　troops　to　carry　out　his　part　in　the　stratagem。
At　news　of　the　ing　of　new　armies；　Huang　Zhong　marched　out　to　meet　them。　He　found　Han　Hao　in　front　of　his　array；　and　Han　Hao　began　to　abuse　the　veteran；　shouting　out；　〃Disgraceful　old　ruffian！〃
Then　Han　Hao　whipped　up　his　steed　and　set　his　spear　at　Huang　Zhong。　Xiahou　Shang　also　rode　out　and　took　part　in　the　bat。　The　veteran　held　them　both　at　bay　for　some　half　score　bouts　and　then　fled。　They　pursued　him　for　seven　miles；　when　they　reached　and　seized　his　camp。　Huang　Zhong；　however；　quickly　made　another　defense　of　brushwood。　Next　day　Xiahou　Shang　and　Han　Hao　renewed　the　pursuit；　which　ended　with　the　capture　of　the　temporary　camp　of　the　day　before。　And　they　had　advanced　seven　miles　further。　Then　they　called　upon　Zhang　He　to　protect　the　rear　camp。　When　Zhang　He　came　up；　he　dissuaded　them　from　continuing。
〃Huang　Zhong　has　retreated　before　you　for　two　days。　There　is　some　deep　stratagem　behind　this；〃　said　Zhang　He。
Xiahou　Shang　scoffed　at　him；　saying；　〃You　are　such　a　coward　that　you　have　been　defeated　many　times。　Now　say　no　more；　but　let　us　acplish　something。〃
Zhang　He　retired　much　mortified　and　shamed。　Next　day　the　two　generals　again　went　out　to　battle；　and　again　Huang　Zhong　fled　from　them　for　seven　miles。　The　two　generals　pursued　as　quickly　as　they　could。　The　day　after；　Huang　Zhong　fled　without　any　pretense　of　showing　fight；　except　at　short　intervals。　He　got　to　Jiameng　Pass　and　went　on　the　defensive。　The　pursuers　knocked　at　the　very　gate　of　the　Pass　and　made　a　camp　close　by。
Then　Meng　Da　secretly　wrote　to　Liu　Bei　that　Huang　Zhong　had　been　repeatedly　defeated　and　now　was　in　the　Pass　and　unable　to　go　out。
Liu　Bei　became　alarmed　and　consulted　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said；　〃The　old　general　is　making　the　enemy　over…confident………to　their　ultimate　destruction。〃
But　Zhao　Yun　did　not　share　this　opinion；　nor　did　many　others；　and　Liu　Bei　decided　to　send　Liu　Feng　to　reinforce　his　aged　general。
The　young　man　came　to　the　Pass　and　saw　Huang　Zhong；　who　asked　him；　〃General；　what　makes　you　e　here？〃
〃My　father　heard　that　you　have　sustained　several　defeats；　and　he　has　sent　me；〃　said　Liu　Feng。
〃But　I　am　only　employing　the　ruse　of　leading　on　the　enemy；〃　said　Huang　Zhong；　smiling。　〃You　will　see　tonight　that　in　one　battle　I　shall　regain　all　the　camps　and　capture　their　supplies　and　many　horses。　I　have　only　lent　the　camps　to　them　to　store　their　supplies。　Tonight　I　shall　leave　Huo　Jun　to　guard　the　Pass；　while　General　Meng　Da　will　gather　up　the　spoils　for　us。　Now；　young　Sir；　you　shall　see　the　destruction　of　the　enemy。〃
That　same　night；　at　the　second　watch；　Huang　Zhong　left　the　Pass　with　five　thousand　troops。　But　now　Xiahou　Shang　and　Han　Hao；　seeing　no　move　from　the　Pass　for　many　days；　had　bee　careless　and　so　their　camps　were　unable　to　resist。　Their　troops　had　no　time　to　don　their　armors　or　to　saddle　their　horses。　All　the　leaders　did　was　to　flee　for　their　lives；　while　their　troops　trampled　each　other　down　and　were　killed　in　great　numbers。　All　three　camps　were　recovered　by　dawn；　and　in　them　were　found　all　sorts　of　military　equipment。　Horses　and　their　caparisons　also　fell　to　the　victors；　and　all　the　booty　was　carried　off　by　Meng　Da　and　stored　in　the　Pass。
Huang　Zhong　pressed　on　his　victory。　Liu　Feng　ventured　to　say；　〃Our　soldiers　need　repose。〃
〃Can　you　seize　the　tiger's　whelps　without　going　into　the　tiger's　den？〃　cried　Huang　Zhong。　And　he　urged　on　his　steed。　The　soldiers　also　were　eager。
Zhang　He's　own　army　was　thrown　into　confusion　by　the　flying　men　from　the　defeated　armies；　and　he　could　not　maintain　his　station；　but　was　forced　to　retreat。　They　abandoned　all　their　stockades　and　rushed　to　the　bank　of　River　Han。
Then　Zhang　He　sought　the　two　generals　who　had　brought　about　the　misfortune　and　said　to　them；　〃This　is　Tiandang　Mountain；　where　our　stores　are。　Close　by　is　Micang　Mountain。　The　two　mountains　are　the　very　source　of　life　of　the　Hanzhong　army。　Lose　them；　and　Hanzhong　is　gone　too。　We　must　see　to　their　security。〃
Xiahou　Shang　said；　〃My　uncle；　Xiahou　Yuan；　will　look　out　for　the　defense　of　Micang　Mountain；　which　is　next　to　his　station　at　Dingjun　Mountain；　there　need　be　no　anxiety　about　that。　And　my　brother；　Xiahou　De；　guards　Tiandang　Mountain。　Let　us　go　to　him　and　help　to　protect　that。〃
Zhang　He　and　the　two　generals　set　out　at　once。　They　reached　the　mountain　and　told　Xiahou　De　all　that　had　happened。
〃I　have　one　hundred　thousand　troops　in　camp　here；〃　replied　he。　〃You　may　take　some　of　them　and　recover　your　lost　camps。〃
〃No；〃　replied　Zhang　He。　〃The　only　pro