第97部分(第3/7 页)

with　reeds　and　rushes　thick　all　round　them。

〃Those　who　despise　the　enemy　are　beaten；〃　said　Li　Dian　to　Yu　Jin。　〃Away　south　there　the　roads　are　narrow；　and　streams　and　mountains　make　the　country　difficult。　The　forests　are　dense；　and　if　the　enemy　used　fire　we　should　be　lost。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Yu　Jin。　〃I　will　get　on　and　warn　the　manding　General。　Perhaps　he　will　stop。　You　can　halt　those　who　e　up。〃

Yu　Jin　rode　forward　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　〃Halt　the　train！〃

Xiahou　Dun　saw　him　ing　up　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。

Yu　Jin　said；　〃The　roads　here　are　narrow　and　difficult。　Around　us　are　thick　forests。　What　if　they　use　fire？〃

Xiahou　Dun's　ferocity　had　then　somewhat　abated　and　he　turned　his　steed　toward　his　main　body。

Then　there　arose　a　shout　behind　him。　A　rushing　noise　came　from　in　the　reeds　and　great　tongues　of　flame　shot　up　here　and　there。　These　spread　and　soon　the　fire　was　in　〃the　four　quarters　and　the　eight　sides；〃　and　fanned　by　a　strong　wind。

Xiahou　Dun's　troops　were　thrown　into　confusion　and　trampled　each　other　down。　Many　perished。　Zhao　Yun　turned　on　them　again　to　make　a　slaughter。　Xiahou　Dun　dashed　through　the　fire　and　smoke　to　escape。

Now　Li　Dian　saw　that　things　were　going　very　badly；　so　he　turned　to　get　back　to　Bowang　but　fell　upon　a　body　of　troops　in　the　way；　led　by　Guan　Yu。　He　desperately　dashed　into　their　midst　and　managed　to　get　clear。　Yu　Jin　saw　the　supplies　were　being　destroyed　and　there　was　nothing　left　to　guard；　so　he　escaped　along　a　bye…path。　Two　other　generals；　who　came　to　try　to　save　the　baggage　train；　met　Zhang　Fei；　and　Xiahou　Lan　was　slain　forthwith；　but　Han　Hao　managed　to　flee。　Next　morning　the　countryside　was　strewn　with　corpses　and　drenched　with　blood。

The　armies　met　on