第157部分(第1/7 页)

way　through　such　parties　of　the　enemy　as　they　might　meet。　Their　sole　object　was　escape；　so　when　they　fell　upon　Yang　Fu　and　Jiang　Xu；　they　only　fought　to　get　through；　and　in　the　same　way　they　cut　an　alley　through　the　army　under　Yin　Feng　and　Zhao　Ang。　However；　they　lost　most　of　their　few　followers；　and　at　the　end　had　only　some　sixty　horsemen　left。

About　the　fourth　watch　they　came　to　Licheng。　In　the　darkness；　the　gate　guards；　thinking　only　of　the　return　of　their　own　troops；　opened　the　gates　and　unwittingly　let　in　the　enemy。　Once　in　the　city　Ma　Chao　and　his　followers　began　the　slaughter；　and　everyone；　soldier　or　mon　person；　was　slain；　till　the　city　was　swept　clear　from　the　south　gate　to　the　very　center。

Presently　they　came　to　the　residence　of　Jiang　Xu　and　dragged　forth　his　aged　mother。　She　showed　no　sign　of　fear；　but　reviled　Ma　Chao　till　in　his　anger　he　slew　her　with　his　own　sword。　Thence　they　went　to　the　house　of　Yin　Feng　and　Zhao　Ang　and　slew　all　they　found　therein。　The　only　person　who　escaped　the　massacre　was　Lady　Wang；　wife　of　Zhao　Ang；　who　had　acpanied　her　husband。

But　the　city　proved　no　place　of　safety。　Xiahou　Yuan　with　his　army　appeared　the　following　day；　and　Ma　Chao　fled　before　him　to　the　west。　But　ere　he　had　gone　seven　miles；　he　came　face　to　face　with　another　army　drawn　up　in　battle　array。　Yang　Fu　was　the　leader。

Grinding　his　teeth　with　rage；　Ma　Chao　set　his　spear　and　rode　at　Yang　Fu；　while　his　two　generals；　Ma　Dai　and　Pang　De；　attacked　the　rear。　Yang　Fu　was　overe；　and　his　seven　brothers　who　had　gone　with　him　into　the　battle　were　slain。　Yang　Fu　himself　was　wounded　in　five　places；　but　still　fought　on　till　he　was　wounded　down。

However；　Xiahou　Yuan　had　not　left　pursuing　Ma　Chao。　He　came　up　to　the　city；　and　Ma　Chao　fled。　His　army