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第199部分（第1页）

〃Tonight　Feng　Xi　is　going　to　make　an　attack　upon　General　Sun　Huans　camp。　He　thinks　it　is　a　good　chance。　They　are　going　to　raise　a　fire　as　a　signal。〃

Zhu　Ran　saw　no　reason　to　doubt　the　men；　and　he　sent　off　at　once　to　tell　Sun　Huan。　But　the　messenger　never　arrived；　as　Guan　Xing　intercepted　and　slew　him。

Then　Zhu　Ran　deliberated　upon　going　to　help。

〃You　cannot　trust　what　those　soldiers　said；〃　said　Cui　Yu；　one　of　the　manders。　〃Both　army　and　navy　will　be　lost　if　anything　goes　wrong。　No；　General；　rather　keep　careful　watch　and　let　me　go。〃

Zhu　Ran　saw　this　was　the　wiser　plan；　so　he　gave　Cui　Yu　ten　thousand　troops；　and　Cui　Yu　left。

That　night　Hu　Ban；　Zhang　Nan；　and　Feng　Xi　made　an　attack　on　Sun　Huans　camp　from　three　directions；　and　the　soldiers　were　scattered　and　fled。　Then　the　three　generals　set　the　whole　camp　on　fire。　Cui　Yu　saw　the　flames　as　he　marched　and　pressed　on。　Then　just　as　he　was　passing　some　hills；　he　came　upon　the　ambush；　and　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　poured　out　from　left　and　right。　Taken　by　surprise；　Cui　Yu　could　only　try　to　flee；　but　he　met　Zhang　Bao；　who　made　him　prisoner。

When　Zhu　Ran　heard　the　news；　he　was　panic…stricken　and　dropped　down…river　twenty　miles。　The　remnant　of　Sun　Huans　troops　ran　away；　following　their　leader。

As　they　fled；　Sun　Huan　inquired；　〃Is　there　any　city　ahead　that　has　good　defense　and　granary？〃

They　told　him；　saying；　〃To　the　north　is　Yiling；　where　we　can　camp。〃

So　they　went　thither。

Just　as　they　reached　the　wall；　their　pursuers　came　up　and　the　city　was　besieged　in　all　four　sides。

Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　brought　the　captive　Cui　Yu　back　to　Zigui　and　saw　the　First　Ruler；　who　rejoiced　at　their　success。　The　prisoner　was　put　to　death；　and　the　soldiers　were　rewarded。　The　effect　of　these　victories　spread　far；　so　that　the　leaders　in　Wu　had　no　inclination　to　fight。

When　the　Prince　of　Wu　received　Sun　Huans　call　for　help；　he　was　frightened　and　knew　not　what　to　do。

So　he　called　a　great　council；　and　he　said；　〃Sun　Huan　is　besieged　in　Yiling；　and　Zhu　Ran　has　been　defeated　on　the　river。　What　can　be　done？〃

Then　Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃Though　several　of　your　manders　are　dead；　yet　have　you　many　left。　Half　a　score　is　enough　to　relieve　your　anxiety。　Send　Han　Dang　as　mander；　with　Zhou　Tai　as　his　second；　Pan　Zhang　as　Van　Leader；　Ling　Tong　as　Rear　Guard；　Gan　Ning　in　reserve。　You　want　one　hundred　thousand　troops。〃

Sun　Quan　made　the　appointments　as　proposed。　Gan　Ning　was　very　seriously　ill　just　then；　but　he　accepted　the　task。

Now　the　First　Ruler　had　made　a　line　of　forty　camps　from　Wukou　and　Jianping　to　Yiling；　spreading　twenty…five　miles　of　distance。

He　was　exceedingly　pleased　with　his　two　nephews；　who　had　distinguished　themselves　again　and　again；　and　he　said；　〃The　generals　that　have　followed　me　since　the　early　days　have　got　aged；　and　thus　no　longer　a　big　use。　But　now　that　I　have　such　two　valorous　nephews；　I　have　no　fear　for　Sun　Quan。〃

Then　he　heard　of　the　ing　of　Sun　Quans　army　under　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai；　and　he　wished　to　select　a　mander　to　oppose　the　Wu　army。

But　those　near　him　reported：　〃Huang　Zhong　and　a　half　dozen　other　officers　have　run　off　to　Wu！〃

〃Huang　Zhong　is　no　traitor；〃　said　the　First　Ruler；　smiling。　〃It　is　only　that　he　heard　what　I　happened　to　say　about　old　and　useless　leaders。　He　will　not　accept　he　is　useless　and　wants　to　prove　he　is　not。〃

Then　he　called　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　and　said　to　them；　〃Huang　Zhong　may　fail　in　this　enterprise　of　his；　so　I　hope　you　two　will　not　mind　going　to　his　assistance。　As　soon　as　there　is　some　success　to　report；　get　him　to　return　and　do　not　let　him　e　to　grief。〃

So　the　two　got　their　troops　together　and　went　off　to　assist　the　aged　warrior。

When　young；　success　is　easy；　thine　at　will；

The　aged　servant　fails；　though　willing　still。

The　next　chapter　will　relate　the　oute　of　Huang　Zhongs　expedition。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　83　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　83

Chapter　83

Fighting　At　Xiaoting；　The　First　Ruler　Captures　An　Enemy；

Defending　The　Three　Gorges；　A　Student　Takes　Supreme　mand。

In　spring；　the　first　month　of　the　second　year　of　Manifest　Might　（AD　221）；　the　veteran　warrior　Huang　Zhong　was　among　the　officers　who　followed　the　First　Ruler　to　war　against　Wu。　When　he　heard　his　master　talk　of　old　and　incapable　leaders；　he　girded　on　his　sword　and　with　a　few　faithful　followers　made　his　way　to　the　camps　at　Yiling。　He　was　weled　by　Hu　Ban；　the　mander　in　charge　of　the　siege　there。

〃For　what　reason　do　you　e；　O　Veteran　General？〃　asked　he。