第45部分(第3/7 页)

　ostentatious　preparations　whereby　to　cajole　us　into　withdrawing　from　the　real　point　of　attack　to　defend　the　northwest。　His　troops　will　scale　the　walls　in　the　darkness　and　try　to　enter　at　the　southeast。〃

〃Supposing　your　surmise　correct；　what　do　you　advise？〃　asked　Zhang　Xiu。

〃The　countermove　is　plain。　You　issue　an　order　for　our　best　and　bravest　soldiers　to　fill　their　bellies；　to　take　only　the　lightest　outfit　and　conceal　themselves　in　the　houses　near　the　southeast　corner。　Then　disguise　the　townspeople　as　soldiers　and　send　them　to　pretend　to　defend　the　northwest。　Tonight　we　will　let　the　enemy　climb　up　the　walls　and　enter　the　city　and；　once　they　are　fairly　within；　give　the　signal　and　the　concealed　soldiers　will　rush　out　upon　them。　We　may　even　capture　Cao　Cao　himself。〃

The　stratagem　was　decided　upon。

Soon　the　scouts　told　Cao　Cao：　〃The　defenders　of　the　city　have　moved　to　the　northwest　where　noisy　preparations　for　defense　are　going　on。　The　opposite　corner　is　left　undefended。〃

〃They　have　fallen　into　my　trap！〃　said　Cao　Cao　gleefully。

He　ordered　his　troops　to　prepare　shovels　and　hooks　and　all　the　gear　needed　for　scaling　walls；　and　all　day　they　kept　up　the　attack　on　the　northwest　angle。

But　at　the　second　watch　they　dispatched　the　veterans　to　the　opposite　corner；　where　they　climbed　the　wall；　broke　up　the　fencing　barrier；　and　got　into　the　city　apparently　without　disturbing　any　of　the　guards。　There　was　no　sign　of　life　anywhere　as　they　entered。　But　just　as　they　were　leaving　the　wall；　suddenly　a　bomb　exploded　and　they　found　themselves　in　an　ambush。　They　turned　to　retire；　but　Zhang　Xiu　immediately　fell　on　the　rear　and　began　a　slaughter。　Cao　Cao's　troops　were　totally　defeated　and　fled　out　of　the　gate　into　the　country。　Zhang　Xiu　kept　up　the