第一小说网

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第222部分（第2页）

Center　Army　Rear　General………Hu　Ban

Center　Army　Left　Generals………Wu　Yi；　Ding　Xian

Center　Army　Right　Generals………Gao　Xiang；　Guan　Yong；　Liu　Min

Center　Army　Center　Generals………Du　Qi；　Sheng　Bo；　Fan　Qi

Advisers………Ma　Su；　Yang　Yi；　Cuan　Xi；　Du　Yi

Secretaries………Fan　Jian；　Dong　Jue

Left　Guard………Guan　Xing

Right　Guard………Zhang　Bao

Inspector………Yan　Yan

Li　Yan　was　given　the　task　of　guarding　the　passes　against　Wu　from　the　southeast。

Zhuge　Liang　was　the　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Northern　Expedition。

All　being　ready；　a　day　was　chosen　for　the　start：　The　fifth　year；　the　third　month；　on　the　day　of　〃tiger〃。

After　the　appointments　had　all　been　made；　there　came　forward　a　veteran　who　had　listened　in　vain　for　the　duty　assigned　him。

＇e＇　Lian　Po　mander…in…chief　of　Zhao　in　the　Warring　States　period；　who　made　Zhao　a　powerful　state。　Liu　Xiangru；　the　Prime　Minister　of　Zhao；　was　his　good　friend。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Ma　Yuan　（BC　14…AD　49）　a　general　who　first　served　Wang　Mang；　then　join　Liu　Xiu　in　restoring　Han　Dynasty。　In　his　life　of　career；　Ma　Yuan　contributed　much　to　Liu　Xius　success　by　putting　down　rebellions　throughout　the　empire　and　abroad。　。。。。。

〃Old　I　may　be；〃　said　he；　〃yet　have　I　still　the　valor　of　Lian　Po*　and　the　heroism　of　Ma　Yuan*。　Why　am　I　thought　useless　any　more　than　these　two　who　refused　to　acknowledge　old　age？〃

It　was　Zhao　Yun。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　have　lost　my　friend　Ma　Chao　by　illness　since　I　returned　from　the　Southern　Expedition；　and　I　feel　as　I　had　lost　an　arm。　Now；　General；　you　must　own　that　the　years　are　mounting　up。　Any　slight　lapse　would　not　only　shake　the　life…long　reputation　of　yourself；　but　might　have　a　bad　effect　on　the　whole　army。〃

Zhao　Yun　replied　bitterly；　〃I　have　never　quailed　in　the　presence　of　the　enemy　from　the　day　I　first　joined　the　First　Ruler。　I　have　ever　pressed　to　the　front。　It　is　a　happy　ending　for　a　person　of　valor　to　die　on　the　frontier。　Think　you　that　I　should　resent　it？　Let　me　lead　the　van；　I　pray。〃

Zhuge　Liang　used　all　his　skill　to　dissuade　the　veteran；　but　in　vain。

Zhao　Yun　was　set　on　it；　saying；　〃If　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　do　not　let　me　lead　the　van；　I　will　smash　my　head　on　the　floor　and　die　at　your　feet。〃

At　last　Zhuge　Liang　yielded；　saying；　〃General；　you　can　have　the　post　of　Van　Leader；　but　you　must　choose　a　colleague　to　support　you。〃

〃I　will　go　to　help　the　Veteran　Leader！〃　cried　Deng　Zhi；　without　a　moments　hesitation。　〃I　am　not　worth　much；　but　I　will　help　lead　the　attack　on　the　enemy。〃

Accordingly　five　thousand　of　veterans　were　chosen　for　the　advanced　guard；　and　with　them；　to　assist　Zhao　Yun；　went　Deng　Zhi　and　ten　other　generals。

After　the　vanguard　had　set　out；　the　main　body　marched　by　the　north　gate；　the　Latter　Ruler　himself　going　to　see　his　minister　start。　The　farewell　was　taken　three　miles　from　the　gate；　in　the　face　of　the　grand　army　with　its　banners　and　pennons　flaunting　in　the　wind；　and　spears　and　swords　gleaming　in　the　sun。

Then　they　took　the　road　leading　to　Hanzhong。

Naturally；　this　movement　was　duly　reported　in　Luoyang　at　a　court　held　by　Cao　Rui；　when　a　minister　said；　〃A　report　from　the　border　stations　says　that　Zhuge　Liang　has　marched　three　hundred　thousand　troops　into　Hanzhong。　Zhao　Yun　and　Deng　Zhi　are　leading　the　advanced　guard。〃

The　report　alarmed　Cao　Rui；　and　he　asked；　〃Who　can　lead　an　army　to　repel　the　advance？〃

At　once　out　spoke　one；　saying；　〃My　father　died　in　Hanzhong；　and　to　my　bitter　resentment　his　death　is　unavenged。　Now　I　desire　to　lead　the　army　against　Shu；　and　I　pray　that　the　armies　west　of　the　Pass　may　be　given　me　for　this　purpose。　I　shall　render　a　service　to　the　state；　as　well　as　taking　vengeance　for　my　father。　I　care　not　what　fate　may　befall　me。〃

The　speaker　was　Xiahou　Yuans　son；　Xiahou　Mao。　He　was　by　nature　very　impulsive　and　also　very　miserly。　When　young　he　had　been　adopted　by　Xiahou　Dun。　When　Xiahou　Yuan　was　killed　by　Huang　Zhong；　Cao　Cao　was　moved　and　married　Xiahou　Mao　to　one　of　his　daughters；　Princess　Qinghe；　so　that　he　was　an　Imperial　Son…in…Law。　As