第203部分(第2/7 页)

ders　received　the　orders　and　so　set　out。

The　First　Ruler　was　in　his　own　camp；　pondering　over　a　plan　to　destroy　the　armies　of　Wu；　when　suddenly　the　staff　that　bore　the　great　standard　in　front　of　his　own　tent　fell　over　and　lay　on　the　ground。　There　was　no　wind　to　account　for　this；　so　he　turned　to　Cheng　Jin　and　asked　what　it　might　portend。

〃It　means　only　one　thing：　The　troops　of　Wu　will　raid　the　camp　tonight；〃　said　Cheng　Jin。

〃They　will　not　dare　after　the　slaughter　of　yesterday。〃

〃But　suppose　that　was　only　a　reconnaissance。　What　then？〃

Just　then　a　report　came　in　that　some　troops　of　Wu　could　be　seen；　very　far　off；　going　along　the　hills　eastward。

〃They　are　soldiers　meant　to　put　us　in　confusion；〃　said　the　First　Ruler。　〃Tell　the　generals　not　to　move；　but　let　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　with　a　small　mounted　force；　go　out　to　reconnoiter。〃

It　was　dusk　when　these　two　returned；　and　they　then　reported：　〃Fire　is　seen　among　the　camps　on　the　north　bank。〃

The　Emperor　hastily　bade　Guan　Xing　go　to　rescue　the　north　camps　and　Zhang　Bao　to　the　south　to　find　out　what　was　really　happening。　And　they　started。

About　the　middle　of　the　first　watch　the　wind　got　up　and　blew　strong　from　the　east。　Then　fire　arose　from　the　camp　on　the　left　of　the　First　Ruler's　own。　He　was　starting　to　extinguish　this　flame　when　another　fire　began　in　the　camp　on　his　right。　With　the　aid　of　the　strong　breeze　both　fires　became　fierce；　and　soon　the　trees　caught。　A　confused　roar　showed　the　gathering　strength　of　the　fire。　The　soldiers　of　the　burning　camps　were　rushing　into　the　First　Ruler's　own　camp　to　escape　the　fire；　and　in　their　confusion　they　trampled　on　each　other；　so　that　many　died。

Behind　them　came　the　troops　of　Wu　bent　on　slaughter。　Ignorant　of　how　many　t