三国演义英文版-第5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!
e ground; black masses of vapor filled the sky; and rolling masses of foot and horse descended from on high。 Liu Bei turned; as before; to flee and the rebels rushed on。 But as they pressed through the hills; the trumpets blared; and the hidden soldiers exploded bombs; threw down filth and spattered blood。 The masses of soldiers and horses in the air fluttered to the earth as fragments of torn paper; the wind ceased to blow; the thunder subsided; the sand sank; and the pebbles lay still upon the ground。
Zhang Ba quickly saw his magic had been countered and turned to retire。 Then he was attacked on the flanks by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei; and in rear by Liu Bei and Zhu Jun。 The rebels were routed。 Liu Bei; seeing from afar the banner of Zhang Ba The Lord of Earth ; galloped toward it but only succeeded in wounding Zhang Ba with an arrow in the left arm。 Wounded though he was; Zhang Ba got away into the city of Yangcheng; where he fortified himself and was besieged by Zhu Jun。
'e' General of the Flying Chariots was the second highest military office; just below Regent Marshal。
'e' Imperial Protector was the highest office in an administrative region or zhou 。 Ancient China was divided into nine regions。 Each region had a capital city; often of the same name。 The nine regions were Bingzhou; Jingzhou; Jizhou; Liangzhou; Qingzhou; Xuzhou; Yizhou; Youzhou; and Yuzhou。 Over the time more regions were created。 During the Three Kingdoms period; there were already more than nine regions。 A few of the new regions were Xizhou; Yangzhou; and Yongzhou。 (see map )
Scouts; sent out to get news of Huangfu Song; reported: 〃mander Huangfu Song had been very successful; and Dong Zhuo had suffered many reverses。 Therefore the court put Huangfu Song in the latter's place。 Zhang Jue had died before Huangfu Song's arrival。 Zhang Lian had added his brother's army to his own; but no headway could be made against Huangfu Song; whose army gained seven successive victories。 And Zhang Lian was slain at Quyang。 Beside this; Zhang Jue's coffin was exhumed; the corpse beheaded; and the head; after exposure; was sent to Capital Luoyang。 The mon crowd had surrendered。 For these services Huangfu Song was promoted to General of the Flying Chariots* and the Imperial Protector of Jizhou*。
〃Huangfu Song did not forget his friends。 His first act after he had attained to power was to memorialize the Throne concerning the case of Lu Zhi; who was then restored to his former rank for his meritorious conducts。 Cao Cao also received advancement for his services and is preparing to go to Jinan to his new post。〃
Hearing these things Zhu Jun pressed harder yet upon Yangcheng; and the approaching break…up of the rebellion became evident。 Then one of Zhang Ba's officers; Yan Zheng; killed his leader and brought the head in token of submission。 Thus rebellion in that part of the country was stamped out; and Zhu Jun made his report to the government。
However; the embers of the Yellow Scarves still smoldered。 Three other rebels; Zhao Hong; Han Zhong; and Sun Zhong; gathered some thirty thousand rebels and began to murder and rob and burn; calling themselves the avengers of Master Zhang Jue。
The court manded the successful Zhu Jun to lead his veteran and successful troops to destroy the rebels。 He at once marched toward the city of Wancheng which the rebels were holding。 When Zhu Jun arrived; Han Zhong went to oppose him。 Zhu Jun sent Liu Bei and his brothers to attack the southwest corner of the city。 Han Zhong at once led the best of his troops to defend the city。 Meanwhile Zhu Jun himself led two thousand of armored horsemen to attack the opposite corner。 The rebels; thinking the city being lost; abandoned the southwest and turned back into the city to help the defenders。 Liu Bei pressed hotly in their rear; and they were utterly routed。 They took refuge in the city which was then invested。 When famine pressed upon the besieged; they sent a messenger to offer to surrender; but Zhu Jun refused the offer。
Said Liu Bei to Zhu Jun; 〃Seeing that the founder of the Han Dynasty; Liu Bang the Supreme Ancestor; could wele the submissive and receive the favorable; why reject these?〃
'e' At the end of Qin Dynasty; anarchy ruled the empire。 Uprisings were everywhere; and Liu Bang was one of the rebel leaders。 。。。。。
〃The conditions are different;〃 replied Zhu Jun。 〃In those old days disorder was universal and the people had no fixed lord*。 Wherefore submission was weled and support rewarded to encourage people to e over。 Now the empire is united; and the Yellow Scarves are the only malcontents。 To receive their surrender is not to encourage the good。 To allow brigands; when successful; is to give way to every license; and to let them surrender when they fail is to encourage brigandage。 Your plan is not a good one。〃
Liu Bei replied; 〃Not to let brigands surrender is well。 But the city is surrounded as by an iron barrel。 If the rebels' request be refused; they will be desperate and fight to the death; and we can hardly withstood a myriad of such men。 Moreover; in the city there are many times that number; all doomed to death。 Let us withdraw from one corner and only attack the opposite。 They will all assuredly flee and have no desire to fight。 We shall take them。〃
Zhu Jun saw that the advice was good and followed it。 As predicted the rebels ran out; led by Han Zhong。 The besiegers fell upon them as they fled; and Han Zhong was slain。 The rebels scattered in all directions。 But the other two rebel chieftains; Zhao Hong and Sun Zhong; came with large reinforcements; and as they appeared very strong; the imperial soldiers retired; and the new body of rebels reentered Wancheng。
'e' Sun Zi (aka Sun Wu; Suntzu; Sun…tzu; Sun tzu) the author of the famed treatise The Art of War。 A general of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period; Sun Zi made her the mightiest state during his lifetime by defeating Chu and conquering Yue。 His treatise the Art of War is still avidly read today by many。 。。。。。
Zhu Jun encamped three miles from the city and prepared to attack。 Just then there arrived a body of horse and foot from the east。 At the lead was one general with a broad open face; a body as an alert tiger's; and a torso as a lofty bear's。 His name was Sun Jian。 He was a native of Fuchun in the old state of Wu; a descendant of the famous Sun Zi the Strategist*。
When he was seventeen; Sun Jian was with his father on the River Qiantang and saw a party of pirates; who had been plundering a merchant; dividing their booty on the river bank。
〃We can capture these!〃 said he to his father。
So; gripping his sword; he ran boldly up the bank and cried out to this side and that as if he was calling his men to e on。 This made the pirates believe the soldiers were on them and they fled; leaving their booty behind them。 He actually killed one of the pirates。 In this way be became known and was remended for office。
Then; in collaboration with the local officials; he raised a band of one thousand and helped to quell the rebellion of one Xu Chang; who called himself the Sun Emperor and had ten thousand supporters。 The rebel's son Xu Hao was also slain with his father。 For this Sun Jian was mended by Imperial Protector Zang Min in a memorial to the Throne; and he received further promotion to the post of magistrate of Yandu; then of Xuyi; and then of Xiapi。
When the Yellow Scarves rebellion began; Sun Jian gathered together the youths of his village; some of the merchant class; got a troop of one thousand five hundred of veteran soldiers and took the field。 Now he had reached the fighting area。
Zhu Jun weled Sun Jian gladly and ordered him to attack the south gate of Wancheng。 The north and the west gates were simultaneously attacked by Liu Bei and Zhu Jun; but the east gate was left free to give the rebels a chance of exit。 Sun Jian was the first to mount the wall and cut down more than twenty rebels with his own sword。 The rebels ran; but the leader Zhao Hong rode directly at Sun Jian with his spear ready to thrust。 Sun Jian leaped down from the wall; snatched away the spear and with it knocked Zhao Hong from the horse。 Then Sun Jian; mounting Zhao Hong's horse; rode hither and thither; slaying as he went。
The rebels