第174部分(第1/7 页)

fficult　and　dangerous。　You　had　better　keep　on　the　defensive。〃

〃How　shall　we　be　able　to　look　our　prince　in　the　face　when　other　leaders　render　good　services？　However；　you　just　keep　the　hill；　and　I　will　go　out　to　battle。〃

Then　an　order　was　issued　asking　who　would　go　out　to　reconnoiter　and　provoke　a　battle。　Xiahou　Shang　volunteered。

Xiahou　Yuan　said　to　him；　〃You　are　not　to　make　a　real　stand；　but　merely　to　begin　the　fight。　You　are　to　lose　and　not　win；　for　a　grand　ruse　is　ready　for　the　enemy。〃

He　explained　his　plans；　and　Xiahou　Shang　went　away　with　a　small　column。

Now　Huang　Zhong　and　his　helper　Fa　Zheng　were　camped　quite　close　to　the　Dingjun　Mountain。　They　had　endeavored　to　entice　Xiahou　Yuan　out　into　the　field　to　fight；　but　failed　to　attack　him　as　he　stood　in　that　difficult；　mountainous　country。　So　thus　far　no　advance　had　been　made。　But　as　soon　as　Xiahou　Shang's　troops　appeared　and　seemed　to　offer　battle；　Huang　Zhong　was　ready　to　march　out　to　meet　them　at　once。　But　General　Chen　Shi；　offered　his　services。

〃Do　not　trouble　yourself　to　move；　O　General；〃　said　Chen　Shi；　〃for　I　will　go　out　to　fight　them。〃

Huang　Zhong　consented；　and　placed　three　thousand　troops　under　Chen　Shi；　who　went　out　of　the　valley　and　set　his　army　in　array。　And　when　Xiahou　Shang　came　up　and；　as　arranged；　merely　fought　a　few　bouts　and　ran　away。　Chen　Shi　followed　to　take　advantage　of　his　success。　But　he　was　soon　brought　to　a　standstill　by　the　rolling　of　logs　and　hurling　of　stones　on　the　part　of　his　opponents。　As　he　turned　to　retire；　Xiahou　Yuan　brought　out　his　troops　and　attacked。　Chen　Shi　had　no　chance　against　them　and　was　quickly　made　prisoner。　Many　of　his　soldiers　joined　the　enemy；　but　a　few　escaped　to　their　own　side　and　told　Huang　Zhong　of　the　misfortune。