三国演义英文版-第299章

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So　they　ran　with　all　speed　with　the　dry　earth　and　reached　the　wall。　Then　with　the　earth　they　were　ordered　to　make　a　raised　way；　and　the　first　soldier　on　the　wall　was　promised　a　reward。
The　whole　of　the　one　hundred　thousand　troops　of　Shu；　and　their　native　allies；　having　thrown　their　burdens　of　earth　near　the　wall；　then　quickly　rushed　up　the　incline；　and　with　one　great　shout　were　on　the　wall。　The　archers　on　the　wall　were　seized　and　dragged　down。　Those　who　got　clear　ran　away　into　the　city。　King　Duo　Si　was　slain　in　the　melee　that　followed　on　this　attack。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　moved　through　the　city　slaying　all　they　met。　Thus　was　the　city　captured　and　with　it　great　booty　of　jewels；　which　were　made　over　to　the　army　as　a　reward　for　their　prowess。
The　few　soldiers　who　escaped　went　away　and　told　Meng　Huo：　〃The　city　of　Three　Rivers　was　lost；　and　King　Duo　Si　slain！〃
Meng　Huo　was　much　distressed。　Before　he　had　recovered；　they　told　him：　〃The　army　of　Shu　has　e　over　and　is　encamped　at　the　mouth　of　Silver　Pit　Ravine。〃
Just　as　he　was　in　the　very　depths　of　distress；　a　laugh　came　from　behind　the　screen。
A　woman　appeared；　saying；　〃Though　you　are　brave；　how　silly　you　are！　Though　I　am　a　woman；　but　I　want　to　go　out　and　fight。〃
The　woman　was　his　wife；　Lady　Zhurong。　She　was　a　descendant　of　the　Zhurong　family　of　the　Southern　Mang。　She　was　expert　in　the　use　of　the　flying　sword　and　never　missed　her　aim。
Meng　Huo　rose　and　bowed　to　her。　Lady　Zhurong　thereupon　mounted　a　horse　and　forthwith　marched　out　at　the　head　of　a　hundred　generals；　leading　fifty　thousand　troops　of　the　ravines；　and　set　out　to　drive　off　the　troops　of　Shu。
Just　as　the　host　got　clear　of　the　Silver　Pit　Palace；　it　was　stopped　by　a　cohort　led　by　Zhang　Ni。　At　once　the　Mangs　deployed；　and　the　lady　leader　armed　herself　with　five　swords　such　as　she　used。　In　one　hand　she　held　an　eighteen…foot　signal　staff；　and　she　sat　a　curly…haired；　reddish　horse。
Zhang　Ni　was　secretly　troubled　at　the　sight　before　him；　but　he　engaged　the　lady　mander。　After　a　few　passes　the　lady　turned　her　steed　and　bolted。　Zhang　Ni　went　after　her；　but　a　sword　came　flying　through　the　air　directly　at　him。　He　tried　to　fend　off　with　one　hand；　but　it　wounded　his　arm；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground。　The　Mangs　gave　a　loud　shout；　some　of　them　pounced　on　the　unlucky　leader　and　made　him　prisoner。
Then　Ma　Zheng；　hearing　his　rade　had　been　taken；　rushed　out　to　rescue；　but　only　to　be　surrounded。　He　saw　the　lady　mander　holding　up　her　staff　and　made　a　dash　forward；　but　just　then　the　Mangs　threw　hooks　and　pulled　down　his　steed；　and　he　was　also　a　prisoner。
Both　generals　were　taken　into　the　ravine　and　led　before　the　King。　He　gave　a　banquet　in　honor　of　his　wife's　success；　and　during　the　feast　the　lady　bade　the　lictors　put　the　two　prisoners　to　death。　They　hustled　the　two　generals　in　and　were　just　going　to　carry　out　their　orders　when　Meng　Huo　checked　them。
〃No；　five　times　has　Zhuge　Liang　set　me　at　liberty。　It　would　be　unjust　to　put　these　to　death。　Confine　them　till　we　have　taken　their　chief；　then　we　may　execute　them。〃
His　wife　was　merry　with　wine　and　did　not　object。　So　their　lives　were　spared。
The　defeated　soldiers　returned　to　their　camp。　Zhuge　Liang　took　steps　to　retrieve　the　mishap　by　sending　for　Ma　Dai；　Zhao　Yun；　and　Wei　Yan；　to　each　of　whom　he　gave　special　and　private　orders。
Next　day　the　Mang　soldiers　reported　to　the　King　that　Zhao　Yun　was　offering　a　challenge。　Lady　Zhurong　forthwith　mounted　and　rode　out　to　battle。　She　engaged　Zhao　Yun；　who　soon　fled。　The　lady　was　too　prudent　to　risk　pursuit；　and　rode　home。　Then　Wei　Yan　repeated　the　challenge；　and　he　also　fled　as　if　defeated。　But　again　the　lady　declined　to　pursue。　Next　day　Zhao　Yun　repeated　his　challenge　and　ran　away　as　before。　Lady　Zhurong　signaled　no　pursuit。　But　at　this　Wei　Yan　rode　up　and　opened　a　volley　of　abuse　and　obloquy。　This　proved　too　much；　and　she　gave　the　signal　to　go　after　him　and　led　the　way。　Wei　Yan　increased　his　pace；　and　the　lady　mander　doubled　hers；　and　she　and　her　followers　pressed　into　a　narrow　road　along　a　valley。　Suddenly　behind　her　was　heard　a　noise；　and　Wei　Yan；　turning　his　head；　saw　the　lady　tumble　out　of　her　saddle。
She　had　rushed　into　an　ambush　prepared　by　Ma　Dai：　Her　horse　had　been　tripped　up　by　ropes。　She　was　captured；　bound；　and　carried　off　to　the　Shu　camp。　Some　of　her　people　endeavored　to　rescue　her；　but　they　were　driven　off。
Zhuge　Liang　seated　himself　in　his　tent　to　see　his　prisoner；　and　Lady　Zhurong　was　led　up。　He　bade　them　remove　her　bonds；　and　she　was　conducted　to　another　tent；　where　wine　was　laid　before　her。　Then　a　message　was　sent　to　Meng　Huo　to　say　that　she　would　be　exchanged　for　the　two　captive　leaders。
The　King　agreed；　and　Ma　Zheng　and　Zhang　Ni　were　set　free。　As　soon　as　they　arrived；　the　lady　was　escorted　by　Zhuge　Liang　himself　to　the　mouth　of　the　ravine；　where　Meng　Huo　weled　her　both　gladly　and　angrily。
Then　they　told　Meng　Huo　of　the　ing　of　the　King　of　the　Bana　Ravine；　and　he　went　out　to　meet　Mu　Lu。　Mu　Lu　rode　up　on　his　white　elephant；　dressed　in　silks；　and　with　many　gold　and　pearl　ornaments。　He　wore　a　double　sword　at　his　belt；　and　he　was　followed　by　the　motley　pack　of　fighting　animals　that　he　fed；　gamboling　and　dancing　about　him。
Meng　Huo　made　him　a　low　obeisance　and　then　poured　out　his　tale　of　woes。　Mu　Lu　promised　to　avenge　his　wrongs　and　was　led　off　to　a　banquet　which　had　been　prepared。
Next　day　the　deliverer　went　out　to　battle；　with　his　pack　of　wild　creatures　in　his　train。　Zhao　Yun　and　his　colleague　Wei　Yan　quickly　made　their　array　of　footmen　and　then　took　their　station　in　front　side　by　side　and　studied　their　opponents。　The　Mang　banners　and　weapons　were　all　extraordinary。　Most　of　the　warriors　wore　no　armor　and　none　wore　any　clothing。　Their　faces　were　sunburned。　They　carried　four　sharp　pointed　knives　in　their　belts。　Signals　were　not　given　by　drum　or　trumpet；　but　by　a　gong。
King　Mu　Lu　had　two　swords　in　his　belt　and　carried　a　hand　bell。　He　urged　his　white　elephant　forward　and　emerged　from　between　his　flags。
〃We　have　spent　all　our　life　in　the　battlefields；　but　we　have　never　seen　the　like　of　this　before；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。
As　they　talked　to　one　another；　they　noticed　that　the　opposing　leader　was　mumbling　something　that　might　be　a　spell　or　a　curse；　and　from　time　to　time　he　rang　his　bell。　Then　suddenly　the　wind　got　up；　stones　began　to　roll　and　sand　to　fly；　and　there　was　a　sound　as　of　a　heavy　shower　of　rain。　Next　a　horn　rang　out；　and　thereupon　the　tigers　and　the　leopards；　and　the　wolves　and　the　serpents；　and　all　the　other　wild　beasts　came　down　on　the　wind　snapping　and　clawing。　How　could　the　soldiers　of　Shu　stand　such　a　thing　as　that？　So　they　retreated；　and　the　Mangs　came　after　them　fiercely；　chasing　and　slaying　their　enemies　as　far　as　the　city　of　Three　Rivers。
Zhao　Yun　and　Wei　Yan　mustered　their　defeated　troops　and　went　to　their　leader　to　confess　their　failure。　Zhuge　Liang；　however；　was　neither　angry　nor　dejected。
〃The　fault　is　not　yours；〃　he　said。　〃Long　ago；　when　I　was　still　in　my　rustic　hut；　I　knew　the　Mangs　possessed　certain　powers　over　beasts；　and　I　provided　against　this　adventure　before　we　left　Shu。　You　will　find　twenty　big　sealed　carts　in　the　baggage　train。　We　will　use　half　of　them　now。〃
He　bade　his　staff　bring　forward　ten　of　the　red　box…carts；　the　other　ten　black　carts　were　left　untouched。　They　all　wondered　what　would　happen。　Then　the　carts　were　opened；　and　they　turned　out　to　be　carved　and　colored　models　of　huge　wild　beasts；　with　coats　of　worsted；　teeth　and　claws　of　steel；　each　could　acmodate　ten　people。　Choosing　one　hundred　beasts；　he　told　off　a　thousand　troops　and　bade　them　stuff　the　mouths　of　the　beasts　full　of　inflammables。
Next　day　the　army　of　Shu　marched　out　to　the　attack　and　were　arrayed　at　the　entrance　to　the　Silver　Pit　Ravine。　The　Mang　soldiers　went　into　the　ravine　and　told　their　king。　Mu　Lu；　thinking　himself　perfectly　invincible；　did　not　hesitate；　but　marched　out；　taking　Meng　Huo　with　him。　Zhuge　Liang；　dressed　in　the　simple　robe　of　a　Taoist；　went　out　in　his　light　chariot。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　feather　fan。　Meng　Huo；　who　recognized　his　enemy；　pointed　him　out　to　Mu　Lu。
〃That　is　Zhuge　Liang　in　that　small　chariot。　If　we　can　only　capture　him；　our　task　is　done。〃
Then　Mu　Lu　began　to　mutter　his　spells　and　to　ring　his　bell。　As　before；　the　wi