第121部分(第1/7 页)

e　valley。　A　force　was　arrayed　before　them　and　at　the　head　was　the　man　of　ancient　Yan；　Zhang　Fei；　seated　on　his　steed　with　his　great　spear　leveled。

〃Whither　would　you　flee；　O　rebel？〃　shouted　he。

The　soldiers　grew　cold　within　at　the　sight　of　the　terrible　warrior。　Xu　Chu；　mounted　on　a　bare…backed　horse；　rode　up　to　engage　him；　and　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Huang　galloped　up　to　his　aid。　The　three　gathered　about　Zhang　Fei　and　a　melee　began；　while　Cao　Cao　made　off　at　top　speed。　The　other　leaders　set　off　after　him；　and　Zhang　Fei　pursued。　However；　Cao　Cao　by　dint　of　hard　riding　got　away；　and　gradually　the　pursuers　were　out…distanced。　But　many　had　received　wounds。

As　they　were　going。　the　soldiers　said；　〃There　are　two　roads　before　us。　Which　shall　we　take？〃

〃Which　is　the　shorter？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃The　high　road　is　the　more　level；　but　it　is　fifteen　miles　longer　than　the　bye　road　which　goes　to　Huarong　Valley。　Only　the　latter　road　is　narrow　and　dangerous；　full　of　pits　and　difficult。〃

Cao　Cao　sent　men　up　to　the　hill　tops　to　look　around。

They　returned；　saying：　〃There　are　several　columns　of　smoke　rising　from　the　hills　along　the　bye　road。　The　high　road　seems　quiet。〃

Then　Cao　Cao　bade　them　lead　the　way　along　the　bye　road。

〃Where　smoke　arises　there　are　surely　soldiers；〃　remarked　the　officers。　〃Why　go　this　way？〃

〃Because　the　'Book　of　War'　says　that　the　hollow　is　to　be　regarded　as　solid；　and　the　solid　as　hollow。　That　fellow　Zhuge　Liang　is　very　subtle　and　has　sent　people　to　make　those　fires　so　that　we　should　not　go　that　way。　He　has　laid　an　ambush　on　the　high　road。　I　have　made　up　my　mind；　and　I　will　not　fall　a　victim　to　his　wiles。〃

〃O　Prime　Minister；　your　conclusions　are　most　admirable。　None　other　can　equal　you；〃　said　the　o