三国演义英文版-第239章

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〃Do　not　trouble　yourself　to　move；　O　General；〃　said　Chen　Shi；　〃for　I　will　go　out　to　fight　them。〃
Huang　Zhong　consented；　and　placed　three　thousand　troops　under　Chen　Shi；　who　went　out　of　the　valley　and　set　his　army　in　array。　And　when　Xiahou　Shang　came　up　and；　as　arranged；　merely　fought　a　few　bouts　and　ran　away。　Chen　Shi　followed　to　take　advantage　of　his　success。　But　he　was　soon　brought　to　a　standstill　by　the　rolling　of　logs　and　hurling　of　stones　on　the　part　of　his　opponents。　As　he　turned　to　retire；　Xiahou　Yuan　brought　out　his　troops　and　attacked。　Chen　Shi　had　no　chance　against　them　and　was　quickly　made　prisoner。　Many　of　his　soldiers　joined　the　enemy；　but　a　few　escaped　to　their　own　side　and　told　Huang　Zhong　of　the　misfortune。
Huang　Zhong　at　once　asked　advice　from　Fa　Zheng；　who　said；　〃This　Xiahou　Yuan　is　easily　provoked　to　anger；　and　being　angry　he　is　bold　without　discretion。　Your　way　now　is　to　work　up　the　enthusiasm　of　your　soldiers；　then　break　camp　and　advance。　Do　this　in　a　series　of　marches；　and　you　will　excite　him　up　to　the　point　of　giving　battle；　when　you　can　capture　him。　They　call　this　the　'Ruse　of　the　Interchange　of　Host　and　Guest'。〃
So　Huang　Zhong　collected　all　the　things　his　soldiers　liked；　and　made　them　presents；　till　the　sound　of　rejoicing　filled　the　whole　valley　and　the　men　were　hot　to　fight。　Then　camp　was　broken；　and　the　army　marched　forward　a　certain　distance。　Then　they　encamped。　After　some　days'　rest　the　march　was　repeated；　and　then　again。
When　tidings　of　the　advance　reached　Xiahou　Yuan；　he　proposed　to　go　out　and　fight。
〃No；　no；〃　said　the　prudent　Zhang　He。　〃This　is　a　well　known　ruse；　and　you　should　remain　on　the　defensive。　You　will　lose　if　you　fight。〃
Xiahou　Yuan　was　not　the　man　to　stomach　this　moderate　advice；　so　he　sent　out　Xiahou　Shang　to　give　battle。　As　soon　as　this　force　reached　the　camp　of　Huang　Zhong；　the　Veteran　General　mounted　and　rode　out　to　fight。　In　the　very　first　bout　he　captured　Xiahou　Shang。　Those　who　escaped　told　how　their　leader　had　been　captured；　and　Xiahou　Yuan　at　once　sent　to　offer　an　exchange　of　prisoners。　This　was　agreed　to；　to　be　effected　the　following　day　in　front　of　both　armies。
So　next　day　both　sides　were　arrayed　in　a　spot　where　the　valley　widened；　the　two　leaders　on　horseback　beneath　their　respective　standards。　Beside　each　stood　his　prisoner。　Neither　was　encumbered　with　robe　or　helmet；　but　each　wore　thin；　simple　dress。　At　the　first　beat　of　the　drum　each　started　to　race　over　to　his　own　side。　Just　as　Xiahou　Shang　reached　the　ranks　of　his　own　side；　Huang　Zhong　shot　an　arrow　and　wounded　him　in　the　back。　The　wounded　man　did　not　fall；　but　went　on。
But　Xiahou　Yuan；　mad　with　rage；　could　contain　himself　no　longer。　He　galloped　straight　at　Huang　Zhong；　which　was　exactly　what　the　latter　wanted　to　irritate　him　into　doing。　The　fight　that　then　ensued　went　on　for　twenty　bouts；　when　suddenly　the　gongs　clanged　out　from　Xiahou　Yuan's　side　and　he　drew　off。　Huang　Zhong　pressed　on　and　shattered　the　army　of　Wei。
When　Xiahou　Yuan　reached　his　own　side；　he　asked　why　the　gong　had　sounded。
〃Because　we　saw　the　banners　of　Shu　through　openings　in　the　mountains　in　several　places；　and　we　feared　an　ambush；〃　said　Zhang　He。
Xiahou　Yuan　believed　him　and　did　not　return　to　the　battlefield。　He　simply　remained　defensive。
Before　long；　Huang　Zhong　had　got　quite　near　to　Xiahou　Yuan's　camp；　and　then　he　asked　further　advice　from　his　colleague。
Fa　Zheng　pointed　over　to　the　hills　and　said；　〃There　rises　a　steep　hill　on　the　west　of　Dingjun　Mountain；　difficult　of　access；　but　from　its　summit　one　has　a　plete　view　of　the　defenses　of　the　enemy。　If　you　can　take　this　hill；　the　mountain　lies　in　the　hollow　of　your　hand。〃
Huang　Zhong　looked　up　and　saw　the　top　of　the　hill　was　a　small　tableland　and　there　were　very　few　defenders　there。　So　that　evening　he　left　his　camp；　dashed　up　the　hill；　drove　out　the　small　host　of　one　hundred　under　Xiahou　Yuan's　General　Du　Xi　and　took　it。　It　was　just　opposite　to　Dingjun　Mountain。
Then　said　Fa　Zheng；　〃Now　take　up　position　half　way　up　the　hill；　while　I　go　to　the　top。　When　the　enemy　appears；　I　will　show　a　white　flag。　But　you　will　remain　quiet　till　the　enemy　bee　tired　and　remiss；　when　I　will　hoist　a　red　flag。　That　will　be　the　signal　for　attack。〃
Huang　Zhong　cheerfully　prepared　to　act　on　this　plan。　In　the　meantime　Du　Xi；　who　had　been　driven　from　the　hill…top；　had　run　back　and　reported　the　loss　of　the　hill　to　Xiahou　Yuan。
〃With　Huang　Zhong　in　occupation　of　that　hill；　I　simply　must　give　battle；〃　said　Xiahou　Yuan。
Zhang　He　strongly　dissuaded　him；　saying；　〃The　whole　thing　is　but　a　ruse　of　Fa　Zheng。　General；　you　had　better　defend　our　position。〃
But　Xiahou　Yuan　was　obstinate。
〃From　the　top　of　that　hill　the　whole　of　our　position　is　visible；　our　strength　and　our　weakness。　I　must　fight。〃
In　vain　were　the　remonstrances　repeated。　Xiahou　Yuan　set　out　his　troops　to　surround　the　opposite　hill　and　then　began　to　vent　his　rage　at　his　enemy　so　as　to　incite　Huang　Zhong　to　give　battle。
Then　the　white　flag　was　hoisted。　However；　Xiahou　Yuan　was　allowed　to　fume　and　rage　in　vain。　He　tried　every　form　of　insult；　but　no　one　appeared。　In　the　afternoon　the　soldiers　became　weary　and　dispirited。　Plainly　their　eagerness　had　gone；　and　Fa　Zheng　unfurled　the　red　flag。
Then　the　drums　rolled　out；　and　the　men　of　Shu　shouted　till　the　earth　seemed　to　shake　as　the　hoary　old　leader　rode　out　and　led　his　force　down　the　slope　with　a　roar　as　of　an　earthquake。　Xiahou　Yuan　was　too　surprised　to　defend　himself。　His　chief　enemy　rushed　straight　to　his　standard。　With　a　thundering　shout；　Huang　Zhong　raised　his　sword　and　cleft　Xiahou　Yuan　through　between　the　head　and　shoulders　so　that　he　fell　in　two　pieces。

Hoary　headed　is　he；　but　he　goes　up　to　battle；
Gray　haired；　yet　recklessly　mighty；
With　his　strong　arms　he　bends　the　bow；
The　arrows　fly。
With　the　swiftness　of　the　wind　he　rides；
The　white　sword　gleams。
The　sound　of　his　voice　is　as　the　roar　of　a　tiger；
His　steed　is　fleet　as　a　dragon　in　flight。
Victory　is　his　and　its　rich　rewards；
For　he　extends　the　domain　of　his　lord。

At　the　death　of　their　general；　the　soldiers　of　Wei　fled　for　their　lives；　and　Huang　Zhong　attacked　Dingjun　Mountain。　Zhang　He　came　out　to　oppose　the　army　of　Shu；　but；　attacked　at　two　points　by　Huang　Zhong　and　Chen　Shi；　he　could　not　stand。　He　lost　the　day　and　fled。　However；　before　he　had　gone　far；　another　cohort　flashed　out　from　the　hills　and　barred　his　way。
And　the　leader　cried　out；　〃Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan　is　here！〃
Confused　and　uncertain　what　to　do；　Zhang　He　led　his　troops　toward　Dingjun　Mountain。　But　a　body　of　soldiers　came　out　to　stop　him。
The　leader　was　Du　Xi；　who　said；　〃The　mountain　is　in　the　hands　of　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da！〃
So　Zhang　He　and　Du　Xi　joined　their　forces　and　went　to　River　Han；　where　they　camped。　Thence　they　sent　to　tell　Cao　Cao　of　their　defeat。
At　the　news　of　the　death　of　Xiahou　Yuan；　Cao　Cao　uttered　a　great　cry　and　then　he　understood　the　prediction　of　the　soothsayer；　Guan　Lu；　that　the　cast　showed　opposition：　It　was　the　twenty…fourth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（three　and　eight　cross）；　the　yellow　boar　（the　month　Xiahou　Yuan　died）　had　met　the　tiger；　the　expedition　had　suffered　a　loss　indeed　by　the　death　of　a　general；　and　the　death　had　taken　place　at　the　mount　known　as　〃Army　Halt〃　（Dingjun）。　The　affection　between　Cao　Cao　and　his　general　had　been　very　close；　for　he　considered　Xiahou　Yuan　as　his　limb。
Cao　Cao　sent　to　inquire　the　whereabouts　of　Guan　Lu；　but　no　one　knew。
Cao　Cao　nourished　feelings　of　resentment　against　the　slayer　of　his　friend；　and　he　led　his　army　out　against　Dingjun　Mountain　to　avenge　Xiahou　Yuan's　death。　Xu　Huang　led　the　van。　When　the　army　reached　River　Han；　Zhang　He　and　Du　Xi　joined　them。
They　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃Dingjun　Mountain　is　lost。　Before　marching　farther；　the　stores　in　Micang　Mountain　should　be　moved　to　the　Northern　Mountain。〃
And　Cao　Cao　agreed。
Huang　Zhong　cut　off　the　head　of　Xiahou　Yuan　and　took　it　to　Liu　Bei　when　he　reported　his　victory。　For　these　services；　Liu　Bei　conferred　upon　him　the　title　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　and　great　banquets　were　given　in　his　honor。
While　these　were　going　on；　General　Zhang　Zhu　brought　the　news：　〃Cao　Cao's　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops　is　on　the　way　to　avenge　Xiahou　Yuan's　loss；　and　the　suppl