第141部分(第1/7 页)

s。　It　has　been　overcast　for　many　days；　and　these　clouds　foretell　a　north　wind　and　intense　cold。　When　the　wind　begins　to　blow；　you　should　hurry　your　army　to　carry　up　the　earth　and　sprinkle　it　with　water。　By　dawn　your　wall　will　be　plete。〃

Cao　Cao　seized　upon　the　suggestion。　He　offered　his　aged　visitor　a　reward；　but　the　venerable　one　would　receive　nothing。

That　night　the　wind　came　down　in　full　force。　Every　man　possible　was　set　to　earth…carrying　and　wetting。　As　they　had　no　other　means　of　carrying　water；　they　made　stuff　bags　which　they　filled　with　water　and　let　out　the　water　over　the　earth。　And　so　as　they　piled　the　earth；　they　froze　it　solid　with　water；　and　by　dawn　the　wall　was　finished　and　stood　firm。

When　his　scouts　told　Ma　Chao　that　the　enemy　had　built　a　wall；　he　rode　out　and　saw　it。　Ma　Chao　was　greatly　perplexed　and　began　to　suspect　help　from　the　gods。

However；　very　soon　after；　he　got　his　whole　army　together　and　sounded　an　attack。　Cao　Cao　himself　rode　out　of　the　camp；　with　only　the　redoubtable　Xu　Chu　in　attendance；　and　advanced　toward　the　enemy。

Flourishing　his　whip　he　called　out；　〃I；　Cao　Cao；　am　here　alone；　and　I　beg　Ma　Chao　to　e　out　to　parley　with　me。〃

Thereupon　Ma　Chao　rode　out；　his　spear　set　ready　to　thrust。

〃You　despised　me　because　I　had　no　wall　to　my　camp；　but　lo！　in　one　single　night；　God　has　made　me　a　wall。　Do　you　not　think　it　time　to　give　in？〃

Ma　Chao　was　so　enraged　that　he　almost　rushed　at　Cao　Cao；　but　he　was　not　too　angry　to　notice　the　henchman　behind　him；　glaring　in　angry　fashion；　who　held　a　gleaming　sword　in　his　grip。　Ma　Chao　thought　this　man　could　be　no　other　than　Xu　Chu；　so　he　determined　to　find　out。

With　a　flourish　of　his　whip；　he　said；　〃Where　is　the　noble　'Marquis　Tiger'　that　I　hear　you　ha