第一小说网

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第140部分（第2页）

〃Worthy　nephew；　keep　guard　here　while　I　go　along　the　bank　of　the　river　and　fight　Cao　Cao。〃

〃If　you　will　take　Pang　De　as　your　Van　Leader；　I　am　content；〃　said　Ma　Chao。

So　Han　Sui　and　Pang　De；　with　fifty　thousand　troops；　went　away　down　to　the　River　Wei；　while　Cao　Cao　again　warned　his　generals　to　entice　the　enemy。　Pang　De　was　in　advance　with　a　goodly　squadron　of　iron…clad　horsemen；　and　they　burst　along　at　full　speed。　Then　there　arose　a　confused　shouting　as　they　all　went　plunging　into　the　ditches　prepared　for　them。　Pang　De　soon　leaped　out；　gained　the　level　ground；　and　laid　about　him　with　all　his　might。　He　slew　many　Cao　Caos　soldiers　and　presently　got　out　of　the　thick　of　the　fight。

But　Han　Sui　had　also　been　involved；　and　Pang　De　went　afoot　to　try　to　aid　him。　On　the　way　he　met　Cao　Yong；　a　general　of　Cao　Ren。　Pang　De　cut　Cao　Yong　down。　Then　mounting　the　dead　mans　steed；　he　rode　forward　fiercely；　slaying　as　he　passed。　He　reached　his　leader　whom　he　led　away　southeast。　The　troops　of　Cao　Cao　pursued　him；　but　Ma　Chao　came　with　reinforcements　and　drove　them　off。　Ma　Chao　rescued　a　great　number；　and　they　continued　fighting　till　evening　when　they　withdrew　and　mustered　their　troops。　Two　manders；　Cheng　Yin　and　Zhang　Han；　were　missing；　and　a　couple　of　hundred　soldiers　had　been　killed　when　they　fell　into　the　pits。

Ma　Chao　and　Han　Sui　discussed　what　should　next　be　done。

〃If　we　give　the　enemy　time；　he　will　make　himself　strong　on　the　north　bank。　I　think　we　can　do　no　better　than　to　raid　his　camp　tonight；〃　said　Ma　Chao。

〃We　must　have　a　force　and　supports　for　it；〃　said　Han　Sui。

So　it　was　decided　that　Ma　Chao　should　lead　the　striking　force　with　Pang　De　and　Ma　Dai　as　supports。　They　would　start　at　nightfall。

Now　Cao　Caos　troops　were　on　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei；　and　he　gave　his　generals　orders；　saying；　〃The　rebels　will　try　to　surprise　us　as　they　are　deceived　by　my　not　having　set　up　stockades。　You　will　place　your　soldiers　in　ambush。　At　the　bomb　signal；　you　will　rush　out　from　four　directions　to　capture　them。〃

At　nightfall　Ma　Chao　sent　out　a　small　scouting　party　headed　by　Cheng　Yi。　Seeing　nothing；　Cheng　Yi　penetrated　deep　into　the　enemys　lines。　Presently；　a　bomb　was　exploded。　Out　leapt　the　hidden　troops；　and　in　a　few　moments　the　whole　scouting　party　were　killed。　Cheng　Yi　was　cut　down　by　the　blade　of　Xiahou　Yuan。

But　close　at　hand　came　the　main　army　led　by　Ma　Chao；　Ma　Dai；　and　Pang　De　that　rushed　into　the　ambush　forces。

Wait　for　the　foe　all　undismayed。

Place　your　men　in　ambuscade。

Generals　striving　to　outvie

Are　not　beaten　easily。

Who　got　the　advantage　will　presently　be　told。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　59　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　59

Chapter　59

Xu　Chu　Strips　For　A　Fight　With　Ma　Chao；

Cao　Cao　Writes　A　Letter　To　Sow　Dissension。

The　fight　narrated　in　the　last　chapter　lasted　till　morn　when　each　side　drew　off；　Ma　Chao　camping　on　the　River　Wei；　whence　he　kept　up　harassing　attacks　both　day　and　night。　Cao　Cao；　also　camped　in　the　bed　of　the　same　river；　began　to　construct　three　floating　bridges　out　of　his　rafts　and　boats　so　as　to　facilitate　munication　with　the　south　bank。　Cao　Ren　established　a　stockade　near　the　camp；　which　he　barricaded　with　his　carts　and　wagons。

Ma　Chao　determined　to　destroy　this　stockade；　so　his　troops　collected　straw　and　each　man　marched　with　a　bundle　and　took　fire　with　him。　Han　Suis　forces　were　to　fight。　While　one　party　attacked；　the　other　party　piled　up　the　straw；　which　they　lit；　and　soon　there　was　a　fierce　fire　all　around。　The　defenders　could　do　nothing　against　it；　so　they　abandoned　the　stockade　and　ran　away。　All　the　transport　and　bridges　were　destroyed。　It　was　a　great　victory　for　the　Xiliang　army　and　gave　them　the　mand　of　the　River　Wei。

Cao　Cao　was　sad　at　the　failure　to　make　good　his　strong　camp　and　fearful　of　his　defenselessness。　Then　Xun　You　proposed　a　mud　wall。　So　three　thousand　soldiers　were　set　to　build　a　mud　rampart。　The　enemy　seeing　this　harassed　the　workmen　with　perpetual　attacks　at　different　points　so　that　the　work　went　slowly。　Beside；　the　soil　was　very　sandy；　and　the　wall　would　not　stand　but　collapsed　as　fast　as　it　was　built。　Cao　Cao　felt　helpless。

It　was　the　ninth　month　of　the　sixteenth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　211）；　and　the　fierce　cold　of　winter　was　just　ing　on。　Ominous　clouds　covered　the　sky　day　after　day　with　never　a　break。　One　day　as　Cao　Cao　sat　in　his　tent；　very　disheartened；　a　stranger　was　announced　and　was　led　in。　He　was　an　old　man　who　said　he　had　a　suggestion　to　offer。　He　was　tall；　as　delicate　as　a　crane　and　as　refined　as　a　pine　tree。　He　gave　his　name　as　Lou　Zibo　and　said　he　came　from　Jingzhao。　He　was　a　recluse　and　a　Taoist；　his　religious　name　being　Plum…Blossom　Dreamer。

Cao　Cao　received　him　with　great　courtesy；　and　presently　the　venerable　one　began；　saying；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　you　have　long　been　striving　to　make　a　camp　on　the　river。　Now　is　your　opportunity。　Why　not　begin？〃

〃The　soil　is　too　sandy　to　stand；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃But　if　you　have　some　other　plan　to　propose；　pray　tell　me　what　it　is；　O　Hermit。〃

〃You　are　more　than　human；　O　Prime　Minister；　in　the　art　of　war；　and　you　surely　know　the　times　and　seasons。　It　has　been　overcast　for　many　days；　and　these　cl