第172部分(第5/7 页)

Xiahou　De；　guards　Tiandang　Mountain。　Let　us　go　to　him　and　help　to　protect　that。〃

Zhang　He　and　the　two　generals　set　out　at　once。　They　reached　the　mountain　and　told　Xiahou　De　all　that　had　happened。

〃I　have　one　hundred　thousand　troops　in　camp　here；〃　replied　he。　〃You　may　take　some　of　them　and　recover　your　lost　camps。〃

〃No；〃　replied　Zhang　He。　〃The　only　proper　course　is　to　defend。〃

Almost　as　they　spoke　the　rolling　of　drums　and　the　clang　of　gongs　were　heard；　and　the　look…outs　came　to　say　that　Huang　Zhong　was　near。

〃The　old　ruffian　does　not　know　much　of　the　art　of　war；〃　said　Xiahou　De　with　a　laugh。　〃After　all；　he　is　only　a　brave。〃

〃Be　not　mistaken：　He　is　crafty　and　not　only　bold；〃　said　Zhang　He。

〃This　move　is　against　the　rules　and　not　at　all　crafty。　He　is　worn　from　a　long　march　and　his　soldiers　are　fatigued；　and　they　are　deep　in　an　enemy's　country。〃

〃Nevertheless；　be　careful　how　you　attack；〃　said　Zhang　He。　〃You　would　still　do　well　to　depend　upon　defense　only。〃

〃Give　me　three　thousand　good　soldiers；　and　I　will　cut　him　to　pieces；〃　cried　Han　Hao。

They　told　off　the　three　panies　for　him；　and　down　he　went　into　the　plain。　As　he　approached；　Huang　Zhong　arrayed　his　army。

Liu　Feng　put　in　a　note　of　warning；　saying；　〃The　sun　is　setting；　and　our　men　are　weary。　Let　us　retire　for　the　fight　tomorrow。〃

But　Huang　Zhong　paid　little　attention；　saying；　〃I　do　not　hold　with　your　objections。　This　is　the　one　God…given　opportunity　to　make　good；　and　it　would　be　a　sin　not　to　take　it。〃

So　saying；　the　drums　rolled　for　a　great　attack。　Han　Hao　came　forward　with　his　troops；　and　the　aged　general　went　toward　him　whirling　his　sword。　In　the　first　encounter　Han　Hao　fell。　At　this　the　soldiers　of　Shu　gave　a　yell　and　went　away　u