第2部分(第5/7 页)

ten…foot　spear　called　Serpent　Halberd。　Each　too　had　a　helmet　and　full　armor。

When　weapons　were　ready；　the　troop；　now　five　hundred　strong；　marched　to　mander　Zhou　Jing；　who　presented　them　to　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Yan。　When　the　ceremony　of　introduction　was　over；　Liu　Bei　declared　his　ancestry；　and　Liu　Yan　at　once　accorded　him　the　esteem　due　to　a　relation。

Before　many　days　it　was　announced　that　the　rebellion　had　actually　broken　out；　and　a　Yellow　Scarves　chieftain；　Cheng　Yuanzhi；　had　invaded　the　region　with　a　body　of　fifty　thousand　rebels。　Liu　Yan　bade　Zhou　Jing　and　the　three　brothers　to　go　out　to　oppose　them　with　the　five　hundred　troops。　Liu　Bei　joyfully　undertook　to　lead　the　van　and　marched　to　the　foot　of　the　Daxing　Hills　where　they　saw　the　rebels。　The　rebels　wore　their　hair　flying　about　their　shoulders；　and　their　foreheads　were　bound　with　yellow　scarves。

When　the　two　armies　had　been　drawn　up　opposite　each　other；　Liu　Bei　rode　to　the　front；　Guan　Yu　to　his　left；　Zhang　Fei　to　his　right。

Flourishing　his　whip；　Liu　Bei　began　to　hurl　reproaches　at　the　rebels；　crying；　〃O　malcontents！　Why　not　dismount　and　be　bound？〃

Their　leader　Cheng　Yuanzhi；　full　of　rage；　sent　out　one　general；　Deng　Mao；　to　begin　the　battle。　At　once　rode　forward　Zhang　Fei；　his　serpent　halberd　poised　to　strike。　One　thrust　and　Deng　Mao　rolled　off　his　horse；　pierced　through　the　heart。　At　this　Cheng　Yuanzhi　himself　whipped　up　his　steed　and　rode　forth　with　sword　raised　ready　to　slay　Zhang　Fei。　But　Guan　Yu　swung　up　his　ponderous　green…dragon　saber　and　rode　at　Cheng　Yuanzhi。　At　the　sight；　fear　seized　upon　Cheng　Yuanzhi；　and　before　he　could　defend　himself；　the　great　saber　fell；　cutting　him　in　halves。

Two　heroes　new　to　war's　alarms；

Ride　boldly　forth　to　try　their　arms。