第97部分(第1/7 页)

〃Here　is　the　sword　and　here　the　seal！〃　replied　the　strategist；　displaying　the　emblems　of　authority。　〃Disobedience　of　orders　will　be　death。〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Do　you　not　understand　that　the　plans　elaborated　in　a　little　chamber　decide　success　over　thousands　of　miles？　Do　not　disobey　the　mand；　my　brothers。〃

Zhang　Fei　went　out　smiling　cynically。

Guan　Yu　remarked；　〃Let　us　await　the　result。　If　he　fails；　then　we　can　look　to　it。〃

The　brothers　left。　None　of　the　officers　understood　anything　of　the　general　line　of　strategy　and；　though　they　obeyed　orders；　they　were　not　without　doubts　and　misgivings。

Zhuge　Liang　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃You　may　now　lead　your　soldiers　to　the　hills　and　camp　till　the　enemy　shall　arrive　tomorrow　evening。　Then　you　are　to　abandon　the　camp　and　move　away　retreating　till　the　signal　is　seen。　Then　you　will　advance　and　attack　with　all　force。　Mi　Zhu；　Mi　Fang；　and　I　will　guard　the　city。〃

In　the　city　Zhuge　Liang　prepared　banquets　to　celebrate　the　victory　and　also　prepared　the　books　to　record　exceptional　services。

Liu　Bei　noted　all　these　things；　but　his　heart　was　also　troubled　not　a　little。

Cao　Cao's　army　of　one　hundred　thousand　troops　in　due　course　reached　Bowang。　Then　half　of　them；　the　veterans；　were　told　off　for　the　first　attack；　and　the　remainder　were　to　guard　the　baggage　train　and　supplies。　Thus　they　marched　in　two　divisions。　The　season　was　autumn　and　a　chilly　wind　began　to　blow。

They　pressed　forward。　Presently　they　saw　a　cloud　of　dust　ahead　of　them；　and　Xiahou　Dun　ordered　the　ranks　to　be　reformed。　He　questioned　the　guides　as　to　the　name　of　the　place。

〃The　place　in　front　is　Bowang　Slope；　and　behind　us　is　the　River　Luo；〃　was　the　reply。

Then　Xiahou　Dun　rode　to　the　front　to　reconnoiter；　leaving