三国演义英文版-第136章

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army　ing　along；　the　red　flags　are　to　move　left　and　the　blue　right　to　confuse　the　enemy　so　that　they　shall　be　afraid　to　advance　further。　Then　an　ambush　is　to　be　laid　to　smite　the　enemy　when　the　fire　in　Xinye　starts。　After　that　Mi　Fang　and　Liu　Feng　are　to　go　to　the　river　to　meet　us。
〃After　the　battle；　all　generals　shall　gather　at　Fancheng。〃
All　the　orders　given；　the　various　leaders　went　their　way　to　take　up　their　positions　and　await　the　burning　of　the　city。　Zhuge　Liang　and　Liu　Bei　went　away　to　an　eminence　whence　they　could　watch　what　happened　and　where　they　would　await　the　reports　of　victory。
Cao　Hong　and　Cao　Ren；　with　their　one　hundred　thousand　troops；　preceded　by　Xu　Chu　leading　three　thousand　of　mailed　men；　marched　toward　Xinye。　They　formed　a　mighty　host　and　reached　Magpie　Tail　Slope　about　noon。　Looking　ahead；　they　saw　what　seemed　a　goodly　army　with　many　blue　and　red　flags。　Xu　Chu　pressed　forward。　As　he　neared；　the　flags　moved　from　side　to　side；　and　he　hesitated。
He　began　to　think；　〃It　could　be　an　ambush。　It　is　unwise　to　advance。〃
Finally　Xu　Chu　decided　to　go　no　farther　and　called　a　halt；　and　he　rode　back　to　the　main　body　to　see　Cao　Ren。
〃Those　troops　are　only　make…believe；〃　said　Cao　Ren。　〃Advance；　there　is　no　ambush。　I　will　hasten　up　the　supports。〃
So　Xu　Chu　rode　to　his　own　mand　again　and　advanced。　When　he　reached　the　wood　where　he　had　seen　the　flags；　he　saw　no　one　at　all。　It　was　then　late　in　the　afternoon　but　he　decided　to　move　on。　Then　he　heard　from　the　hills　the　sound　of　musical　instruments　and；　looking　up；　saw　on　the　hill　top　two　umbrellas　surrounded　by　many　banners。　There　sat　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　quietly　drinking。
Angry　at　their　coolness；　Xu　Chu　sought　for　a　way　up；　but　logs　of　wood　and　great　stones　were　thrown　down；　and　he　was　driven　back。　Further；　from　the　rear　of　the　hills　came　a　confused　roar。　He　could　find　no　way　to　attack；　and　the　sun　began　to　set。
Then　Cao　Ren　and　Cao　Hong　arrived　and　ordered　an　attack　on　Xinye　that　he　might　have　a　place　to　rest　in。　They　marched　to　the　walls　and　found　the　gates　wide　open。　They　entered　and　found　a　deserted　city。　No　one　was　visible。
〃This　shows　they　are　done；〃　said　Cao　Hong。　〃They　have　all　run　away；　people　and　all。　We　may　as　well　occupy　the　city　and　rest　our　soldiers　ready　for　tomorrow。〃
The　soldiers　were　fatigued　with　marching　and　hungry　as　well；　so　they　lost　no　time　in　scattering　among　the　houses　and　setting　about　preparing　food　in　the　deserted　kitchens。　The　leaders　took　up　their　quarters　in　the　state　residence　to　rest。
After　the　first　watch　the　wind　began　to　blow。　Soon　after　the　gate　guards　reported　that　a　fire　had　started。
〃The　careless　men　have　let　sparks　fly　about；〃　said　Cao　Ren。
He　thought　no　more　about　it　just　then；　but　along　came　other　reports　of　like　nature；　and　soon　he　realized　that　fires　breaking　out　in　all　quarters　were　not　due　to　accident。　So　he　gave　orders　to　evacuate　the　city。　Soon　the　whole　city　seemed　on　fire；　and　a　red　glow　hung　in　the　sky。　The　army　was　beset　with　fire　fiercer　than　what　Xiahou　Dun　had　experienced　at　Bowang　Slope。

Thrice　wicked　was　Cao　Cao；　but　he　was　bold；
Though　all　in　the　capital　he　controlled；
Yet　with　this　he　was　not　content；
So　southward　his　ravaging　army　went。
But；　the　autumn　wind　aiding；　the　Spirit　of　Fire
Wrought　to　his　army　destruction　dire。

Officers　and　troops　dashing　through　the　smoke　and　fire　in　utter　confusion　sought　some　way　of　escape；　and　hearing　that　the　east　gate　was　free；　they　made　for　that　quarter。　Out　they　rushed　pell…mell；　many　being　trodden　down　and　trampled　to　death。　Those　who　got　through　took　the　road　to　the　east。
But　presently　there　was　a　shouting　behind　them；　and　Zhao　Yun's　pany　came　up　and　attacked。　Then　Cao　Cao's　troops　scattered；　each　fleeing　for　his　life。　No　stand　was　made。　A　little　later　Mi　Fang　and　Liu　Feng　came　to　take　another　toll。　The　fleeing　Cao　Ren　then　had　very　few　followers；　and　those　left　him　were　scorched　and　burned。
They　directed　their　way　to　the　White　River；　joyfully　remembering　that　the　river　was　shallow　and　fordable。　And　they　went　down　into　the　stream　and　drank　their　fill；　humans　shouting　and　horses　neighing。
Meantime　Guan　Yu；　higher　up　its　course；　had　dammed　the　river　with　sandbags　so　that　its　waters　were　collected　in　a　lake。　Toward　evening　he　had　seen　the　red　glow　of　the　burning　city　and　began　to　look　out　for　his　signal。　About　the　fourth　watch；　he　heard　down　stream　the　sounds　of　soldiers　and　horse　and　at　once　ordered　the　breaking　of　the　dam。　The　water　rushed　down　in　a　torrent　and　overwhelmed　the　men　just　then　in　the　bed　of　the　river。　Many　were　swept　away　and　drowned。　Those　who　escaped　made　their　way　to　where　the　stream　ran　gently　and　got　away。
Presently　Cao　Ren　and　his　troops　reached　the　Boling　Ferry。　Here；　where　they　thought　there　would　be　safety；　they　found　the　road　barred。
〃You　Cao　Cao　brigands！〃　shouted　Zhang　Fei。　〃e　and　receive　your　fate！〃

Within　the　city　the　red　flame　leaps　out；
On　the　river　bank　burning　anger　is　met。

What　happened　will　appear　in　later　chapters。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　41　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　41
　Chapter　41
Liu　Bei　Leads　His　People　Over　The　River；
Zhao　Yun　Rescues　The　Child　Lord　At　Dangyang。
The　last　chapter　closed　with　the　attack　made　by　Zhang　Fei　as　soon　as　his　brother　had　let　loose　the　waters　on　the　doomed　army。　He　met　with　Xu　Chu　and　a　bat　began；　but　a　fight　with　such　a　warrior　was　not　to　Xu　Chu's　taste　and　he　ran　away。　Zhang　Fei　followed　till　he　came　upon　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang；　and　the　three　went　upstream　till　they　came　to　the　boats　that　had　been　prepared　by　Liu　Feng　and　Mi　Fang；　when　they　all　crossed　over　and　marched　toward　Fancheng。　As　soon　as　they　disembarked；　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　boats　and　rafts　to　be　burned。
Cao　Ren　gathered　in　the　remnants　of　his　army　and　camped　at　Xinye；　while　his　colleague　Cao　Hong　went　to　tell　their　lord　the　evil　tidings　of　defeat。
〃How　dare　he；　this　rustic　Zhuge　Liang！〃　exclaimed　Cao　Cao　angrily。
Cao　Cao　then　hastily　sent　an　overwhelming　army　to　camp　near　the　place　and　gave　orders　for　enormous　works　against　the　city；　leveling　hills　and　turning　rivers　to　launch　a　violent　assault　on　Fancheng　from　every　side　at　once。
Then　Liu　Ye　came　in　to　see　his　lord　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　are　new　to　this　region；　and　you　should　win　over　the　people's　hearts。　Liu　Bei　has　moved　all　the　people　from　Xinye　to　Fancheng。　If　we　march　through　the　country；　the　people　will　be　ground　to　powder。　It　would　be　well　to　call　upon　Liu　Bei　first　to　surrender；　which　will　prove　to　the　people　that　you　have　a　care　for　them。　If　he　yields；　then　we　get　Jingzhou　without　fighting。〃
Cao　Cao　agreed　and　asked　who　would　be　a　suitable　messenger。　Liu　Ye　suggested　Xu　Shu。
〃He　is　a　close　friend　of　Liu　Bei；　and　he　is　here　with　the　army；〃　said　Liu　Ye。
〃But　he　will　not　e　back；〃　objected　Cao　Cao。
〃If　he　does　not　return；　he　will　be　a　laughing　stock　to　the　whole　world。　He　will　e　back。〃
Xu　Shu　was　sent　for；　and　Cao　Cao　said；　〃My　first　intention　was　to　level　Fancheng　with　the　ground。　But　out　of　pity　for　its　people；　you　may　carry　an　offer　to　Liu　Bei　that　if　he　will　surrender；　he　will　not　only　not　be　punished　but　he　shall　be　given　rank。　But　if　he　holds　on　his　present　misguided　course；　the　whole　of　his　followers　shall　be　destroyed。　Now　you　are　an　honest　man　and　so　I　confide　this　mission　to　you；　and　I　trust　you　will　not　disappoint　me。〃
Xu　Shu　said　nothing　but　accepted　his　orders　and　went　to　the　city；　where　he　was　received　by　both　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang。　They　enjoyed　a　talk　over　old　times　before　Xu　Shu　mentioned　the　object　of　his　mission。
Then　he　said；　〃Cao　Cao　has　sent　me　to　invite　you　to　surrender；　thereby　making　a　bid　for　popularity。　But　you　ought　also　to　know　that　he　intends　to　attack　the　city　from　every　point；　that　he　is　damming　up　the　White　River's　waters　to　be　sent　against　you；　and　I　fear　you　will　not　be　able　to　hold　the　city。　You　ought　to　prepare。〃
Liu　Bei　asked　Xu　Shu　to　remain　with　them；　but　Xu　Shu　said；　〃That　is　impossible；　for　all　the　world　would　ridicule　me　if　I　stayed。　My　old　mother　is　dead；　and　I　never　forget　my　resentment。　My　body　may　be　over　there；　but　I　swear　never　to　form　a　plan　for　Cao　Cao。　You　have　the　Sleeping　Dragon　to　help　you　and　need　have　no　anxiety　about　the　ultimate　achievement　of　your　undertakin