北斗星小说网

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第101部分（第1页）

ossible。　Zhang　Fei　was　in　charge　of　the　rear　guard；　and　Zhao　Yun　was　to　protect　his　lords　family。　Guan　Yu　had　been　sent　to　Jiangxia。

One　day　Zhuge　Liang　came　in　and　said；　〃There　is　as　yet　no　news　from　Jiangxia。　There　must　be　some　difficulties。〃

〃I　wish　that　you　yourself　would　go　there；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Liu　Qi　would　remember　your　former　kindness　to　him　and　consent　to　anything　you　proposed。〃

Zhuge　Liang　said　he　would　go　and　set　out　with　Liu　Feng；　the　adopted　son　of　Liu　Bei；　taking　an　escort　of　five　hundred　troops。

A　few　days　after；　while　on　the　march　in　pany　with　three　of　his　manders………Jian　Yong；　Mi　Zhu；　and　Mi　Fang………a　sudden　whirlwind　rose　just　in　front　of　Liu　Bei；　and　a　huge　column　of　dust　shot　up　into　the　air　hiding　the　face　of　the　sun。

Liu　Bei　was　frightened　and　asked；　〃What　might　that　portend？〃

Jian　Yong；　who　knew　something　of　the　mysteries　of　nature；　took　the　auspices　by　counting　secretly　on　his　fingers。

Pale　and　trembling；　he　announced；　〃A　calamity　is　threatening　this　very　night。　My　lord　must　leave　the　people　to　their　fate　and　flee　quickly。〃

〃I　cannot　do　that；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃If　you　allow　your　pity　to　overe　your　judgment；　then　misfortune　is　very　near；〃　said　Jian　Yong。

Thus　spoke　Jian　Yong　to　his　lord；　who　then　asked　what　place　was　near。

His　people　replied；　〃Dangyang　is　quite　close；　and　there　is　a　very　famous　mountain　near　it　called　Prospect　Mountain。〃

Then　Liu　Bei　bade　them　lead　the　way　thither。

The　season　was　late　autumn；　just　changing　to　winter；　and　the　icy　wind　penetrated　to　the　very　bones。　As　evening　fell；　long…drawn　howls　of　misery　were　heard　on　every　side。　At　the　middle　of　the　fourth　watch；　two　hours　after　midnight；　they　heard　a　rumbling　sound　in　the　northwest。　Liu　Bei　halted　and　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　own　guard　of　two　thousand　soldiers　to　meet　whatever　might　e。

Presently　Cao　Caos　men　appeared　and　made　fierce　onslaught。　Defense　was　impossible；　though　Liu　Bei　fought　desperately。　By　good　fortune　just　at　the　crisis　Zhang　Fei　came　up；　cut　an　alley　through；　rescued　his　brother；　and　got　him　away　to　the　east。　Presently　they　were　stopped　by　Wen　Ping。

〃Turncoat！　Can　you　still　look　humans　in　the　face？〃　cried　Liu　Bei。

Wen　Ping　was　overwhelmed　with　shame　and　led　his　troops　away。　Zhang　Fei；　now　fighting；　protected　his　brother　till　dawn。

By　that　time　Liu　Bei　had　got　beyond　the　sound　of　battle；　and　there　was　time　to　rest。　Only　a　few　of　his　followers　had　been　able　to　keep　near　him。　He　knew　nothing　of　the　fate　of　his　officers　or　the　people。

He　lifted　up　his　voice　in　lamentation；　saying；　〃Myriads　of　living　souls　are　suffering　from　love　of　me；　and　my　officers　and　my　loved　ones　are　lost。　One　would　be　a　graven　image　not　to　weep　at　such　loss！〃

Still　plunged　in　sadness；　presently　he　saw　hurrying　toward　him　Mi　Fang；　with　an　enemys　arrow　still　sticking　in　his　face。

Mi　Fang　exclaimed；　〃Zhao　Yun　has　gone　over　to　Cao　Cao！〃

Liu　Bei　angrily　bade　him　be　silent；　crying；　〃Do　you　think　I　can　believe　that　of　my　old　friend？〃

〃Perhaps　he　has　gone　over；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃He　must　see　that　we　are　nearly　lost　and　there　are　riches　and　honors　on　the　other　side。〃

〃He　has　followed　me　faithfully　through　all　my　misfortunes。　His　heart　is　firm　as　a　rock。　No　riches　or　honors　would　move　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃I　saw　him　go　away　northwest；〃　said　Mi　Fang。

〃Wait　till　I　meet　him；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃If　I　run　against　him；　I　will　kill　him！〃

〃Beware　how　you　doubt　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Have　you　forgotten　the　circumstances　under　which　your　brother　Guan　Yu　had　to　slay　Cai　Yang　to　ease　your　doubts　of　him？　Zhao　Yuns　absence　is　due　to　good　reason　wherever　he　has　gone；　and　he　would　never　abandon　me。〃

But　Zhang　Fei　was　not　convinced。　Then　he；　with　a　score　of　his　men；　rode　to　the　Long　Slope　Bridge。　Seeing　a　wood　near　the　bridge；　an　idea　suddenly　struck　him。　He　bade　his　followers　cut　branches　from　the　trees；　tie　them　to　the　tails　of　the　horses；　and　ride　to　and　fro　so　as　to　raise　a　great　dust　as　though　an　army　were　concealed　in　the　wood。　He　himself　took　up　his　station　on　the　bridge　facing　the　west　with　spear　set　ready　for　action。　So　he　kept　watch。

Now　Zhao　Yun；　after　fighting　with　the　enemy　from　the　fourth　watch　till　daylight；　could　see　no　sign　of　his　lord　and；　moreover；　had　lost　his　lords　family。

He　thought　bitterly　within　himself；　〃My　master　confided　to　me　his　family　and　the　child　lord　Liu　Shan；　and　I　have　lost　them。　How　can　I　look　him　in　the　face？　I　can　only　go　now　and　fight　to　the　death。　Whatever　happen；　I　must　go　to　seek　the　women　and　my　lords　son。〃

Turning　about　he　found　he　had　but　some　forty　followers　left。　He　rode　quickly　to　and　fro　among　the　scattered　soldiers　seeking　the　lost　women。　The　lamentations　of　the　people　about　him　were　enough　to　make　heaven　and　earth　weep。　Some　had　been　wounded　by　arrows；　others　by　spears；　they　had　thrown　away　their　children；　abandoned　their　wives；　and　were　flying　they　knew　not　whither　in　crowds。

Presently　Zhao　Yun　saw　a　man　lying　in　the　grass　and　recognized　him　as　Jian　Yong。

〃Have　you　seen　the　two　mothers？〃　cried　he。

Jian　Yong　replied；　〃They　left　their　carriage　and　ran　away　taking　the　child　lord　Liu　Shan　in　their　arms。　I　followed　but　on　the　slope　of　the　hill　I　was　wounded　and　fell　from　my　horse。　The　horse　was　stolen。　I　could　fight　no　longer；　and　I　lay　down　here。〃

Zhao　Yun　put　his　colleague　on　the　horse　of　one　of　his　followers；　told　off　two　soldiers　to　support　Jian　Yong；　and　bade　Jian　Yong　ride　to　their　lord　and　tell　him　of　the　loss。

〃Say；〃　said　Zhao　Yun；　〃that　I　will　seek　the　lost　ones　in　heaven　or　hell；　through　good　or　evil。　And　if　I　find　them　not；　I　will　die　in　the　battlefield。〃

Then　Zhao　Yun　rode　off　toward　the　Long　Slope　Bridge。

As　he　went；　a　voice　called　out；　〃General　Zhao　Yun；　where　are　you　going？〃

〃Who　are　you？〃　said　Zhao　Yun；　pulling　up。

〃One　of　the　Princely　Ones　carriage　guards。　I　am　wounded。〃