第120部分(第6/7 页)

waiting　here！〃

Cao　Cao　ordered　Xu　Huang　and　Zhang　He　to　engage　this　new　opponent；　and　he　himself　rode　off　into　the　smoke　and　fire。　Zhao　Yun　did　not　pursue；　he　only　captured　the　banners；　and　Cao　Cao　escaped。

The　faint　light　of　dawn　showed　a　great　black　cloud　all　around；　for　the　southeast　wind　had　not　ceased。　Suddenly　began　a　heavy　downpour　of　rain；　wetting　everyone　to　the　skin；　but　still　Cao　Cao　maintained　his　headlong　flight　till　the　starved　faces　of　the　soldiers　made　a　halt　imperative。　He　told　the　men　to　forage　in　the　villages　about　for　grain　and　the　means　of　making　a　fire。　But　when　these　had　been　found　and　they　began　to　cook　a　meal；　another　pursuing　party　came　along；　and　Cao　Cao　again　was　terrified。　However；　these　proved　to　be　Li　Dian　and　Xu　Chu　escorting　some　of　his　advisers　whom　he　saw　with　joy。

When　giving　the　order　to　advance　again；　Cao　Cao　asked；　〃What　places　lay　ahead？〃

They　told　him；　〃There　are　two　roads。　One　was　the　highway　to　South　Yiling；　and　the　other　a　mountain　road　to　North　Yiling。〃

〃Which　is　the　shorter　way　to　Jiangling？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃The　best　way　is　to　take　the　south　road　through　Hulu　Valley；〃　was　the　reply。

So　Cao　Cao　gave　orders　to　march　that　way。　By　the　time　Hulu　Valley　was　reached；　the　soldiers　were　almost　starving　and　could　march　no　more；　horses　too　were　worn　out。　Many　had　fallen　by　the　roadside。　A　halt　was　then　made；　food　was　taken　by　force　from　the　villagers；　and　as　there　were　still　some　boilers　left；　they　found　a　dry　spot　beside　the　hills　where　they　could　rest　and　cook。　And　there　they　began　to　prepare　a　meal；　boiling　grain；　and　roasting　strips　of　horse　flesh。　Then　they　took　off　their　wet　clothes　and　spread　them　to　dry。　The　beasts；　too；　were　unsaddled　and　turned　out　to　graze。

Seated　forta