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第249部分（第2页）

〃Exactly　as　I　thought；〃　said　be。

Calling　Wang　Ping；　he　said；　〃Dress　up　a　thousand　soldiers　as　those　of　Wei；　and　find　your　way　quickly　and　secretly　to　Beiyuan。　Tell　them　that　you　are　escort　for　the　convoy；　and　mingle　with　the　real　escort。　Then　suddenly　turn　on　them　so　that　they　scatter。　Next　you　will　turn　the　herd　this　way。　By　and　by　you　will　be　pursued。　When　that　occurs；　you　will　give　a　turn　to　the　tongues　of　the　wooden　animals；　and　they　will　be　locked　from　movement。　Leave　them　where　they　are　and　run　away。　When　the　soldiers　of　Wei　e　up；　they　will　be　unable　to　drag　the　creatures　and　equally　unable　to　carry　them。　I　shall　have　soldiers　ready；　and　you　will　go　back　with　them；　give　the　tongues　a　backward　turn　and　bring　the　convoy　here；　The　enemy　will　be　greatly　astonished。〃

Next　he　called　Zhang　Ni　and　said；　〃Dress　up　five　hundred　soldiers　in　the　costume　of　the　Deities　of　the　Six　Layers　so　that　they　appear　supernatural。　Fit　them　with　demon　heads　and　wild　beast　shapes；　and　let　them　stain　their　faces　various　colors　so　as　to　look　as　strange　as　possible。　Give　them　flags　and　swords　and　bottle…gourds　with　smoke　issuing　from　bustibles　inside。　Let　these　soldiers　hide　among　the　hills　till　the　convoy　approaches；　when　they　will　start　the　smoke；　rush　out　suddenly　and　drive　off　the　wooden　animals。　No　one　will　dare　pursue　such　uncanny　pany。〃

When　Zhang　Ni　had　left；　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Wei　were　called。

〃You　will　take　ten　thousand　troops；　go　to　the　border　of　Beiyuan　to　receive　the　wooden　transport　creatures　and　defend　them　against　attack。〃

Then　another　five　thousand　under　Zhang　Yi　and　Liao　Hua　was　sent　to　check　Sima　Yi　if　he　should　e；　while　a　small　force　under　Ma　Dai　and　Ma　Zheng　was　sent　to　bid　defiance　to　the　enemy　near　their　camp　on　the　south　bank。

So　one　day　when　a　convoy　was　on　its　way　from　the　West　Valley　Land；　the　scouts　in　front　suddenly　reported　some　soldiers　ahead　who　said　they　were　escort　for　the　grain。　mander　Cen　Wei　halted　and　sent　to　inquire。　It　appeared　the　newers　were　really　the　soldiers　of　Wei；　however；　and　so　he　started　once　more。

The　newers　joined　up　with　his　own　troops。　But　before　they　had　gone　much　farther；　there　was　a　yell；　and　the　men　of　Shu　began　to　kill；　while　a　voice　shouted；　〃Wang　Ping　is　here！〃

The　convoy　guard　were　taken　aback。　Many　were　killed；　but　the　others　rallied　round　Cen　Wei　and　made　some　defense。　However；　Wang　Ping　slew　Cen　Wei；　and　the　others　ran　this　way　and　that；　while　the　convoy　was　turned　toward　the　Shu　camp。

The　fugitives　ran　off　to　Beiyuan　and　reported　the　mishap　to　Guo　Huai；　who　set　out　hot　foot　to　rescue　the　convoy。　When　he　appeared；　Wang　Ping　gave　the　order　to　turn　tongues；　left　the　wooden　animals　in　the　road；　and　ran　away。　Guo　Huai　made　no　attempt　to　pursue；　but　tried　to　put　the　wooden　animals　in　motion　toward　their　proper　destination。　But　he　could　not　move　them。

He　was　greatly　perplexed。　Then　suddenly　there　arose　the　roll　of　drums　all　round；　and　out　burst　two　parties　of　soldiers。　These　were　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Weis　troops；　and　when　they　appeared　Wang　Pings　soldiers　faced　about　and　came　to　the　attack　as　well。　These　three　being　too　much　for　Guo　Huai；　he　retreated　before　them。　Thereupon　the　tongues　were　turned　back　again　and　the　wooden　herd　set　in　motion。

Seeing　this；　Guo　Huai　came　on　again。　But　just　then　he　saw　smoke　curling　up　among　the　hills　and　a　lot　of　extraordinary　creatures　burst　out　upon　him。　Some　held　swords　and　some　flags；　and　all　were　terrible　to　look　at。　They　rushed　at　the　wooden　animals　and　urged　them　away。

〃Truly　these　are　supernatural　helpers；〃　cried　Guo　Huai；　quite　frightened。

The　soldiers　also　were　terror…stricken　and　stood　still。

Hearing　that　his　Beiyuan　troops　had　been　driven　off；　Sima　Yi　came　out　to　the　rescue。　Midway　along　the　road；　just　where　it　was　most　precipitous；　a　cohort　burst　out　upon　him　with　fierce　yells　and　bursting　bombs。　Upon　the　leading　banners　he　read　Han　General　Zhang　Yi　and　Han　General　Liao　Hua　。

Panic　seized　upon　his　army；　and　they　ran　like　winds。

In　the　field　the　craftier　leader　on　the　convoy　makes　a　raid；

And　his　rivals　life　endangers　by　an　ambush　subtly　laid。

If　you　would　know　the　upshot；　read　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　103　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　103

Chapter　103

In　Gourd　Valley；　Sima　Yi　Is　Trapped；

In　Wuzhang　Hills；　Zhuge　Liang　Invokes　The　Stars。

Heavily　smitten　in　the　battle；　Sima　Yi　fled　from　the　field　a　lonely　horseman。　Seeing　a　thick　wood　in　the　distance；　he　made　for　its　shelter。

Zhang　Yi　halted　the　rear　division　while　Liao　Hua　pressed　forward　after　the　fugitive；　whom　he　could　see　threading　his　way　among　the　trees。　And　Sima　Yi　indeed　was　soon　in　fear　of　his　life；　dodging　from　tree　to　tree　as　his　pursuer　neared。　Once　Liao　Hua　was　actually　close　enough　to　slash　at　his　enemy；　but　Liao　Hua　missed　the　blow　and　his　sword　struck　a　tree；　and　before　he　could　pull　his　sword　out　of　the　wood；　Sima　Yi　had　got　clear　away。　When　Liao　Hua　got　through　into　the　open　country；　he　did　not　know　which　way　to　go。　Presently　he　noticed　a　golden　helmet　lying　on　the　ground　to　the　east；　just　lately　thrown　aside。　He　picked　it　up；　hung　it　on　his　saddle；　and　went　away　eastward。

But　the　crafty　fugitive；　having　flung　away　his　helmet　thus　on　the　east　side　of　the　wood；　had　gone　away　west；　so　that　Liao　Hua　was　going　away　from　his　quarry。　After　some　time　Liao　Hua　fell　in　with　Jiang　Wei；　when　he　abandoned　the　pursuit　and　rode　with　Jiang　Wei　back　to　camp。

The　wooden　oxen　and　running　horses　having　been　driven　into　camp；　their　loads　were　put　into　the　storehouse。　The　grain　that　fell　to　the　victors　amounted　to　ten　thousand　carts　or　more。

Liao　Hua　presented　the　enemys　helmet　as　proof　of　his　prowess　in　the　field；　and　received　a　reward　of　the　fir