第一小说网

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第218部分（第2页）

At　once　out　came　the　hidden　men；　and　every　two　of　them　laid　hands　upon　a　prisoner　and　bound　him。

〃Did　you　think　your　paltry　ruse　would　deceive　me？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Here　you　are　a　second　time　captured　by　your　own　people　and　brought　before　me　that　you　might　surrender。　The　first　time　I　did　not　hurt　you。　But　now　I　firmly　believe　this　surrender　is　part　of　a　plot　to　kill　me。〃

Then　he　called　out　to　his　guards　to　search　the　prisoners。　They　did　so；　and　on　every　man　they　found　a　sharp　knife。

〃Did　you　not　say　that　if　your　family　were　taken　prisoners　you　would　yield？　How　now？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃We　have　e　of　our　own　will　and　at　the　risk　of　our　lives。　The　credit　is　not　yours。　Still　I　refuse　to　yield；〃　replied　Meng　Huo。

〃This　is　the　sixth　time　I　have　captured　you；　and　yet　you　are　obstinate。　What　do　you　expect？〃

〃If　you　take　me　a　seventh　time；　then　I　will　turn　to　you　and　never　rebel　again。〃

〃Well；　your　stronghold　is　now　destroyed。　What　have　I　to　fear？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

He　ordered　the　bonds　to　be　loosed；　saying；　〃If　you　are　caught　again　and　lie　to　me　once　more；　I　shall　certainly　not　be　inclined　to　let　you　off。〃

Meng　Huo　and　his　people　put　their　hands　over　their　heads　and　ran　off　like　rats。

The　defeated　Mangs　who　had　fled　were　of　thousands；　and　more　than　half　of　them　were　wounded。　They　fell　in　with　their　King；　who　restored　what　order　was　possible　and　felt　glad　that　he　had　still　some　leaders　left。　Then　he　and　the　Chief　Dai　Lai　took　counsel　together。

〃Whither　can　we　go？〃　said　Meng　Huo。　〃Our　stronghold　is　in　the　hands　of　the　enemy。〃

Dai　Lai　replied；　〃There　is　but　one　country　that　can　overe　these　troops。　That　is　the　Wuguo　Kingdom。　It　lies　two　hundred　miles　to　the　southeast。　The　King　of　that　state　is　named　Wutu　Gu。　He　is　a　giant　of　twelve　spans。　He　does　not　eat　grain；　but　lives　on　serpents　and　venomous　beasts。　He　wears　scaly　armor；　which　is　impenetrable　to　swords　and　arrows。　His　warriors　wear　rattan　armor。　This　rattan　grows　in　gullies；　climbing　over　rocks　and　walls。　The　inhabitants　cut　the　rattans　and　steep　them　in　oil　for　half　a　year。　Then　they　are　dried　in　the　sun。　When　dry　they　are　steeped　again；　and　so　on　many　times。　Then　they　are　plaited　into　helmets　and　armor。　Clad　in　this；　the　men　float　across　rivers；　and　it　does　not　get　wet。　No　weapon　can　penetrate　it。　The　soldiers　are　called　the　Rattan　Army。　You　may　seek　aid　from　this　king；　and　with　his　help　you　can　take　Zhuge　Liang　as　easily　as　a　sharp　knife　cleaves　a　bamboo。〃

Meng　Huo　went　to　the　Wuguo　Kingdom　and　saw　the　King。　The　people　of　this　country　do　not　live　in　houses；　but　dwell　in　caves。　Meng　Huo　told　the　story　of　his　woes。

And　King　Wutu　Gu　said；　〃I　shall　muster　all　my　men　to　avenge　you。〃

Meng　Huo　bowed　low　and　expressed　great　gratitude。

Wutu　Gu　called　up　two　generals　named　Xi　Ni　and　Tu　An　and　gave　them　thirty　thousand　of　the　rattan…armored　soldiers　and　bade　them　march　northeast。

They　came　to　a　river　called　the　River　of　Peach　Flowers；　on　both　banks　of　which　grow　many　peach　trees。　Year　after　year　the　leaves　of　these　trees　fall　into　the　river　and　render　it　poisonous　to　all　but　the　natives。　But　to　the　natives　it　is　a　stimulant　which　doubles　their　vigor。　They　camped　on　the　bank　of　this　river　to　await　the　ing　of　the　army　of　Shu。

Now　Zhuge　Liang　was　informed　of　the　journey　of　Meng　Huo　and　its　results；　and　he　knew　when　the　rattan…clad　army　camped　at　the　ford。　He　also　knew　that　Meng　Huo　had　collected　all　the　soldiers　of　his　own　that　he　could　help。　Zhuge　Liang　at　once　marched　to　the　ford。　He　questioned　the　natives；　and　they　told　him　that　the　peach　leaves　were　falling　and　the　water　of　the　river　was　undrinkable。　So　he　retired　two　miles　and　camped。　Only　Wei　Yan　was　left　to　hold　the　bank　of　the　River　of　Peach　Flowers。

Next　day　Wutu　Gu　led　the　Wuguo　warriors　across　the　stream；　and；　with　a　rolling　of　drums；　Wei　Yan　went　out　to　meet　them。　The　Wuguo　men　poured　forth。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　shot　at　them；　but　neither　arrows　nor　bolts　penetrated　their　armors；　they　rolled　off　harmless。　Nor　could　swords　cut　or　spears　enter。　The　enemy；　thus　protected　and　armed　with　big　swords　and　prongs；　were　too　much　for　the　troops　of　Shu；　who　had　to　run　away。　However；　they　were　not　pursued。　When；　on　the　retreat；　they　came　to　the　Peach　Flowers　Ford；　they　saw　the　Mangs　crossing　as　if　walking　on　the　water。　Some　of　them　were　tired；　so　they　took　off　their　rattan　breastplates；　sat　upon　them　and　floated　to　the　other　side。

When　Zhuge　Liang　heard　the　report　of　his　general；　he　summoned　Lu　Kai　and　called　in　some　natives。

Lu　Kai　said；　〃I　have　heard　of　the　Wuguo　Kingdom　as　perfectly　tribal　among　the　Mang　nations。　I　hav