第139部分(第2/7 页)

ed；　〃You　will　go　to　reinforce　him。〃

Cao　Hong　and　Xu　Huang　made　all　haste　to　Tong　Pass　and　took　over　the　mand　from　Zhong　Yao。　They　confined　themselves　to　defense；　and　though　Ma　Chao　appeared　every　day　and　reviled　and　shouted　shameful　things　of　the　three　generations　of　Cao　Cao's　family；　the　guardians　of　the　Pass　remained　quiet。　But　Cao　Hong　fretted　at　the　daily　insults　and　would　have　led　the　defenders　out　to　fight　had　not　his　colleague　restrained　him。

〃Ma　Chao　only　wishes　to　provoke　you　to　e　out；　but　remember　our　orders　and　go　not。　The　Prime　Minister　has　some　master　plan。〃

So　spoke　Xu　Huang。　But　the　advice　was　hard　to　follow；　for　Ma　Chao's　soldiers　took　turns　in　reviling　the　defenders　of　the　Pass；　resting　neither　day　nor　night。　And　Xu　Huang　found　it　hard　to　curb　his　colleague's　impatience。

Thus　it　continued　till　the　ninth　day。　Then　the　defenders　saw　that　their　enemies　had　turned　all　their　horses　loose　and　were　lolling　about　on　the　grass　and　sleeping　as　if　quite　fatigued。

Thereupon　Cao　Hong　bade　them　saddle　his　horse；　told　off　three　thousand　troops；　and　soon　this　small　force　was　dashing　down　to　catch　the　besiegers　unprepared。　The　soldiers　of　Ma　Chao　at　once　fled；　leaving　their　steeds　and　throwing　aside　their　weapons。　Cao　Hong　could　not　resist　pursuit　and　chased　them。

At　this　time　Xu　Huang　was　higher　up　the　road　taking　in　cartloads　of　grain　and　forage。　But　when　he　heard　what　his　impulsive　colleague　had　done；　he　hastily　got　a　force　together　and　went　to　his　rescue。　He　shouted　to　Cao　Hong　to　return。

Suddenly　a　great　shouting　arose　near　Xu　Huang；　and　out　dashed　Ma　Dai　to　attack。　Both　Cao　Hong　and　Xu　Huang　turned　to　flee；　but　the　drums　rolled　and　two　bodies　of　troops　led　by　Ma　Chao　and　Pang　De　came　out　from　behind　the　hills。　Then