669小说网

第102部分（第2页）

About　seven　miles　from　the　bridge；　Zhao　Yun　saw　Liu　Bei　with　his　followers　reposing　in　the　shade　of　some　trees。　He　dismounted　and　drew　near；　weeping。　The　tears　also　started　to　Liu　Beis　eyes　when　he　saw　his　faithful　mander。

Still　panting　from　his　exertions；　Zhao　Yun　gasped　out；　〃My　fault………death　is　too　light　a　punishment。　Lady　Mi　was　severely　wounded。　She　refused　my　horse　and　threw　herself　into　a　well。　She　is　dead；　and　all　I　could　do　was　to　fill　in　the　well　with　the　rubbish　that　lay　around。　But　I　placed　the　babe　in　the　breast　of　my　fighting　robe　and　have　won　my　way　out　of　the　press　of　battle。　Thanks　to　the　little　lords　grand　luck　I　have　escaped。　At　first　he　cried　a　good　deal；　but　for　some　time　now　he　has　not　stirred　or　made　a　sound。　I　fear　I　may　not　have　saved　his　life　after　all。〃

Then　Zhao　Yun　opened　his　robe　and　looked：　The　child　was　fast　asleep。

〃Happily；　Sir；　your　son　is　unhurt；〃　said　Zhao　Yun　as　he　drew　him　forth　and　presented　him　in　both　hands。

Liu　Bei　took　the　child　but　threw　it　aside　angrily；　saying；　〃To　preserve　that　suckling　I　very　nearly　lost　a　great　mander！〃

Zhao　Yun　picked　up　the　child　again　and；　weeping；　said；　〃Were　I　ground　to　powder；　I　could　not　prove　my　gratitude。〃

From　out　Cao　Caos　host　a　tiger　rushed；

His　wish　but　to　destroy；

Though　Liu　Beis　consort　lost　her　life；

Zhao　Yun　preserved　her　boy。

〃Too　great　the　risk　you　ran　to　save

This　child；〃　the　father　cried。

To　show　he　rated　Zhao　Yun　high；

He　threw　his　son　aside。

Wen　Ping　and　his　pany　pursued　Zhao　Yun　till　they　saw　Zhang　Feis　bristling　mustache　and　fiercely　glaring　eyes　before　them。　There　he　was　seated　on　his　battle　steed；　his　hand　grasping　his　terrible　serpent　spear；　guarding　the　bridge。　They　also　saw　great　clouds　of　dust　rising　above　the　trees　and　concluded　they　would　fall　into　an　ambush　if　they　ventured　across　the　bridge。　So　they　stopped　the　pursuit；　not　daring　to　advance　further。

In　a　little　time　Cao　Ren；　Xiahou　Dun；　Xiahou　Yuan；　Li　Dian；　Yue　Jing；　Zhang　Liao；　Xu　Chu；　Zhang　He；　and　other　generals　of　Cao　Cao　came　up；　but　none　dared　advance；　frightened　not　only　by　Zhang　Feis　fierce　look；　but　lest　they　should　bee　victims　of　a　ruse　of　Zhuge　Liang。　As　they　came　up；　they　formed　a　line　on　the　west　side；　halting　till　they　could　inform　their　lord　of　the　position。

As　soon　as　the　messengers　arrived　and　Cao　Cao　heard　about　it；　he　mounted　and　rode　to　the　bridge　to　see　for　himself。　Zhang　Feis　fierce　eye　scanning　the　hinder　position　of　the　army　opposite　him　saw　the　silken　umbrella；　the　axes　and　banners　ing　along；　and　concluded　that　Cao　Cao　came　to　see　for　himself　how　matters　stood。

So　in　a　mighty　voice　he　shouted：　〃I　am　Zhang　Fei　of　Yan。　Who　dares　fight　with　me？〃

At　the　sound　of　this　thunderous　voice；　a　terrible　quaking　fear　seized　upon　Cao　Cao；　and　he　bade　them　take　the　umbrella　away。

Turning　to　his　followers；　he　said；　〃Guan　Yu　had　said　that　his　brother　Zhang　Fei　was　the　sort　of　man　to　go　through　an　army　of　a　hundred　legions　and　take　the　head　of　its　mander…in…chief；　and　do　it　easily。　Now　here　is　this　terror　in　front　of　us；　and　we　must　be　careful。〃

As　he　finished　speaking；　again　that　terrible　voice　was　heard；　〃I　am　Zhang　Fei　of　Yan。Who　dares　fight　with　me？〃

Cao　Cao；　seeing　his　enemy　so　fierce　and　resolute；　was　too　frightened　to　think　of　anything　but　retreat。

Zhang　Fei；　seeing　a　movement　going　on　in　the　rear；　once　again　shook　his　spear　and　roared；　〃What　mean　you？　You　will　not　fight　nor　do　you　run　away！〃

This　roar　had　scarcely　begun　when　one　of　Cao　Caos　staff；　Xiahou　Jie；　reeled　and　fell　from　his　horse　terror…stricken；　paralyzed　with　fear。　The　panic　touched　Cao　Cao　and　spread　to　his　whole　surroundings；　and　he　and　his　staff　galloped　for　their　lives。　They　were　as　frightened　as　a　suckling　babe　at　a　clap　of　thunder　or　a　weak　woodcutter　at　the　roar　of　a　tiger。　Many　threw　away　their　spears；　dropped　their　casques　and　fled；　a　wave　of　panic…stricken　humanity；　a　tumbling　mass　of　terrified　horses。　None　thought　of　ought　but　flight；　and　those　who　ran　trampled　the　bodies　of　fallen　rades　under　foot。

Zhang　Fei　was　wrathful；　and　who　dared

To　accept　his　challenge？　Fierce　he　glared；

His　thunderous　voice　rolled　out；　and　then

In　terror　fled　Cao　Caos　armed　soldiers。

Panic…stricken　Cao　Cao　galloped　westward　with　the　rest；　thinking　of　nothing　but　getting　away。　He　lost　his　headdress；　and　his　loosened　hair　streamed　behind　him。　Presently　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Chu　came　up　with　him　and　seized　his　bridle；　fear　had　deprived　him　of　all　self…control。

〃Do　not　be　frightened；〃　said　Zhang　Liao。　〃After　all　Zhang　Fei　is　but　one　man　and　not　worthy　of　extravagant　fear。　If　you　will　only　return　and　attack；　you　will　capture　your　enemy。〃

That　time　Cao　Cao　had　somewhat　overe　his　panic　and　bee　reasonable。　Two　generals　were　ordered　back　to　the　bridge　to　reconnoiter。

Zhang　Fei　saw　the　disorderly　rout　of　the　enemy　but　he　dared　not　pursue。　However；　he　bade　his　score　or　so　of　dust…raising　followers　to　cut　loose　the　branches　from　their　horses　tails　and　e　to　help　destroy　the　bridge。　This　done　he　went　to　report　to　his　brother　and　told　him　of　the　destruction　of　the　bridge。

〃Brave　as　you　are；　brother；　and　no　one　is　braver；　but　you　are　no　strategist；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃What　mean　you；　brother？〃

〃Cao　Cao　is　very　deep。　You　are　no　match　for　him。　The　destruction　of　the　bridge　will　bring　him　in　pursuit。〃

〃If　he　ran　away　at　a　yell　of　mine；　think　you　he　will　dare　return？〃

〃If　you　had　left　the　bridge；　he　would　have　thought　there　was　an　ambush　and　would　not　have　dared　to　pass　it。　Now　the　destruction　of　the　bridge　tells　him　we　are　weak　and　fearful；　and　he　will　pursue。　He　does　not　mind　a　broken　bridge。　His　legions　could　fill　up　the　biggest　rivers　that　we　could　get　across。〃

So　orders