第3部分(第1/7 页)

At　that　time　Zhang　Jue's　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　troops　and　Lu　Zhi's　fifty　thousand　troops　were　facing　each　other。　Neither　had　had　any　success。

Lu　Zhi　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃I　am　able　to　surround　these　rebels　here。　But　the　other　two　brothers；　Zhang　Ba　and　Zhang　Lian；　are　strongly　entrenched　opposite　Huangfu　Song　and　Zhu　Jun　at　Yingchuan。　I　will　give　you　a　thousand　more　troops；　and　with　these　you　can　go　to　find　out　what　is　happening；　and　we　can　then　settle　the　moment　for　concerted　attack。〃

So　Liu　Bei　set　off　and　marched　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Yingchuan。　At　that　time　the　imperial　troops　were　attacking　with　success；　and　the　rebels　had　retired　upon　Changshe。　They　had　encamped　among　the　thick　grass。

Seeing　this；　Huangfu　Song　said　to　Zhu　Jun；　〃The　rebels　are　camping　in　the　field。　We　can　attack　them　by　fire。〃

So　the　Imperial　manders　bade　every　man　cut　a　bundle　of　dry　grass　and　laid　an　ambush。　That　night　the　wind　blew　a　gale；　and　at　the　second　watch　they　started　a　blaze。　At　the　same　time　Huangfu　Song　and　Zhu　Jun's　troops　attacked　the　rebels　and　set　their　camp　on　fire。　The　flames　rose　to　the　very　heaven。　The　rebels　were　thrown　into　great　confusion。　There　was　no　time　to　saddle　horses　or　don　armor：　They　fled　in　all　directions。

The　battle　continued　until　dawn。　Zhang　Lian　and　Zhang　Ba；　with　a　group　of　flying　rebels；　found　a　way　of　escape。　But　suddenly　a　troop　of　soldiers　with　crimson　banners　appeared　to　oppose　them。　Their　leader　was　a　man　of　medium　stature　with　small　eyes　and　a　long　beard。　He　was　Cao　Cao；　a　Beijuo　man；　holding　the　rank　of　Cavalry　mander。　His　father　was　Cao　Song；　but　he　was　not　really　a　Cao。　Cao　Song　had　been　born　to　the　Xiahou　family；　but　he　had　been　brought　up　by　Eunuch　Cao　Teng　and　had　taken　this　family　name。

As　a　you