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第171部分（第1页）

〃My　lord；　is　it　that　you　do　not　understand　your　brother　even　after　all　these　years？　He　is　brave　and　steady；　yet　when　we　first　invaded　West　River　Land；　he　released　Yan　Yan；　which　was　not　what　a　mere　brave　would　have　done。　He　is　face　to　face　with　Zhang　He；　and　has　been　for　nearly　two　months；　and　day　after　day　he　drinks　and　rages　and　insults　his　enemy　openly。　He　treats　Zhang　He　with　most　perfect　contempt。　But　this　is　not　only　the　wine　cup；　it　is　a　deep　plan　to　get　the　better　of　Zhang　He。〃

〃This　may　be　so；〃　replied　Liu　Bei；　〃but　let　us　not　rely　upon　it　too　much。　Let　Wei　Yan　go　to　help　him。〃

Zhuge　Liang　sent　Wei　Yan　with　the　wine；　and　the　carts　set　out；　each　flying　a　yellow　flag　with　a　writing　in　large　characters：　Fine　Wine　for　the　Frontier　Army　。

When　Wei　Yan　reached　the　army；　he　handed　over　the　wine；　which　he　said　was　a　gift　from　the　Lord　of　Shu。　And　Zhang　Fei　received　it　with　due　respect。

Zhang　Fei　told　Wei　Yan　and　Lei　Tong　each　to　take　a　thousand　troops　and　move　out　on　the　two　wings；　ready　to　act　when　they　saw　a　red　flag　displayed。　And　then　he　had　the　wine　laid　out　and　called　up　some　soldiers　to　drink　with　a　great　display　of　flags　and　a　rolling　of　drums。

The　spies　reported　all　these　doings　on　the　hill…top；　and　Zhang　He　came　out　to　look　for　himself。　There　he　saw　his　opponent　drinking；　and　two　of　the　soldiers　were　boxing　before　Zhang　Fei　for　his　amusement。

〃He　despises　me　too　much；〃　said　Zhang　He。

And　Zhang　He　gave　orders　to　prepare　for　a　night　attack　on　the　enemy　camp。　His　own　troops　in　Camp　Dangqu　should　do　the　raiding；　and　those　from　Camp　Mengtou　and　Camp　Dangshi　were　to　support　them。

There　was　little　moon　that　night；　and　Zhang　He　took　advantage　of　the　obscurity　to　steal　down　the　side　of　the　hill。　He　got　quite　close　to　the　enemy　camp　and　stood　for　a　time　looking　at　Zhang　Fei　sitting　amid　a　blaze　of　lamps　and　drinking。　Suddenly　Zhang　He　dashed　forward　with　a　yell；　and　at　the　same　moment　his　drums　on　the　hill…top　rolled　out　their　defiance。　Zhang　Fei　never　stirred。　Zhang　He　rushed　at　him　and　delivered　a　mighty　thrust　with　his　spear。　Zhang　Fei　toppled　over………it　was　a　Zhang　Fei　of　straw。　Zhang　He　checked　and　turned　his　steed。　At　that　moment　he　heard　a　string　of　detonations；　and　a　warrior　appeared　before　him　barring　his　way。　It　was　the　real　Zhang　Fei；　as　the　round　head　and　thundering　voice　speedily　made　manifest。

With　the　serpent　halberd　set；　Zhang　Fei　rode　toward　Zhang　He。　The　two　warriors　fought　many　bouts　under　the　gleaming　lights。　No　help　came　to　Zhang　He。　In　vain　he　yearned　for　the　assistance；　which　the　two　camps　were　to　bring　him。　He　did　not　know　that　his　reinforcements　had　been　driven　back　by　Wei　Yan　and　Lei　Tong；　and　that　the　two　camps；　Mengtou　and　Dangshi；　were　now　in　possession　of　his　enemies。　As　the　help　did　not　e；　Zhang　He　was　powerless；　and；　to　add　to　his　disfiture；　the　glare　of　fire　out　in　the　moutains　of　Dangqu　told　him　of　the　seizure　of　his　third　camp　by　Zhang　Feis　rear　force。　Nothing　could　be　done；　and　Zhang　He　cut　an　alley；　forced　out　of　the　press；　and　fled　to　Wakou　Pass。　The　victory　was　all　to　Zhang　Fei。

The　news　of　the　success　delighted　Liu　Bei；　and　he　knew　then　that　Zhang　Feis　drinking　had　been　part　of　a　stratagem　to　entice　his　enemy　into　the　open　and　defeat　them。

Zhang　He　reached　Wakou　Pass；　but　with　the　loss　of　two…thirds　of　his　army　of　thirty　thousand　troops。　He　stood　on　defense　and　sent　urgent　messages　to　Cao　Hong　to　e　to　his　rescue。

Cao　Hong　angrily　replied；　〃He　disobeyed　my　orders　and　marched。　He　has　lost　an　important　point　and　now　he　sends　to　me　for　help！〃

While　refusing　aid；　Cao　Hong　sent　to　urge　his　colleague　to　go　out　and　fight。　But　Zhang　He　too　greatly　feared。

At　length　Zhang　He　decided　upon　a　plan　of　action。　He　sent　out　two　parties　into　ambush　and　said　to　them；　〃I　will　pretend　defeat　and　fly。　They　will　follow；　and　you　can　cut　off　their　retreat。〃

When　he　did　march　out；　he　met　Lei　Tong。　The　two　engaged　in　battle；　and　Zhang　He　presently　ran　away。　Lei　Tong　pursued　and　fell　into　the　ambush。　Then　Zhang　He　returned　and　slew　Lei　Tong。　His　troops　went　back　and　told　Zhang　Fei；　who　came　up　to　provoke　another　fight。　Zhang　He　again　tried　his　stratagem；　but　Zhang　Fei　did　not　pursue。　Again　and　again　the　ruse　was　tried；　but　Zhang　Fei　knew　it　was　only　a　ruse　and　simply　retired　to　his　own　camp。

He　said　to　Wei　Yan；　〃Zhang　He　has　passed　the　death　of　Lei　Tong　by　leading　him　into　an　ambush；　and　he　wants　to　inveigle　me　into　another。　What　say　you　to　meeting　trick　with　trick？〃

〃But　how？〃　said　Wei　Yan。

〃Tomorrow　I　will　lead　the　army　forward；　you　following　me　with　some　reliable　soldiers。　When　his　army　e　out　from　their　ambush；　you　can　smite　them；　sending　half　your　men　against　each　party。　We　will　secretly　fill　the　by…roads　with　loads　of　bustibles；　entice　the　enemy　among　them　and　start　a　fire。　In　the　confusion；　I　shall　try　to　capture　Zhang　He。　So　will　we　avenge　our　rades　death。〃

So　Zhang　Fei　went　out；　and　Zhang　Hes　troops　came　and　began　to　fight。　After　a　half　score　bouts；　Zhang　He　ran　away；　and　this　time　Zhang　Fei　pursued。　Zhang　He；　now　fleeing；　now　stopping　to　exchange　a　blow　or　two；　led　Zhang　Fei　through　the　hills　to　a　valley。　Here；　suddenly　changing　front　to　rear　and　rear　to　front；　Zhang　He　halted；　made　a　camp；　and　offered　battle。

It　was　now　the　time　when　Zhang　He　expected　his　hidden　troops　to　appear　and　surround　Zhang　Fei。　But　none　appeared。　He　knew　not　that　his　ambush　had　been　broken　up　by　Wei　Yans　army　and　driven　into　the　valley　where　the　road　was　filled　with　cartloads　of　bustibles；　and　that　the　valley　even　then　was　all　aflame。

Then　Zhang　Fei　came　to　the　attack；　and　the　rout　was　plete。　Zhang　He；　fighting　desperately；　got　through　to　the　Wakou　Pass　and　there　mustered　the　remnant　of　his　force。　He　strengthened　the　position　and　remained　behind　his　ramparts。

Zhang　Fei　and　Wei　Yan　then　tried　to　take　the　Pass；　but　day　after　day　they　failed。　Zhang　Fei；　seeing　no　hope　of　success；　retired　seven　miles　and　bivouacked。　From　this　point　he　sent　out　scouts　under　Wei　Yan　to　explore　the　country。　While　going　along；　they　observed　some　burden…bearers；　men　and　women；　going　up　a　very　retired　path；　pulling　down　the　creepers；　and　pushing　aside　the　grasses。

〃That　is　the　way　to　take　Wakou　Pass；〃　cried　Zhang　Fei；　pointing　with　his　whip　to　the　wayfarers。

He　ordered　his　soldiers　not　to　scare　the　people；　but　to　call　a　few　gently　and　bring　them　to　him。　They　soon　had　several　standing　before　their　leader；　who　spoke　to　them　kindly　and　put　them　at　ease。

〃Whence　e　you？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。

〃We　belong　to　Hanzhong　and　are　going　home。　We　heard　that　you　were　out　fighting　and　the　high　road　to　Langzhong　was　blockaded；　and　so　we　have　e　across　the　Mist　Torrent　and　Zitong　Mountains　and　down　River　Guijin。　We　are　going　to　our　homes　in　Hanzhong。〃

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