unable¡¡to¡¡dislodge¡¡them¡£¡¡Let¡¡us¡¡occupy¡¡it¡£¡¨
So¡¡the¡¡army¡¡set¡¡out¡£¡¡But¡¡before¡¡they¡¡drew¡¡near£»¡¡the¡¡scouts¡¡reported¡¡a¡¡camp¡¡already¡¡there¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡incredible£»¡¡and¡¡Guanqiu¡¡Jian¡¡rode¡¡to¡¡the¡¡front¡¡to¡¡reconnoiter¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡convinced¡¡by¡¡the¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡flags¡¡and¡¡banners¡¡over¡¡all¡¡the¡¡plain£»¡¡fluttering¡¡above¡¡an¡¡orderly¡¡array¡¡of¡¡tents¡¡and¡¡huts¡£¡¡The¡¡sight¡¡disconcerted¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡rode¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡main¡¡body¡¡not¡¡knowing¡¡what¡¡to¡¡do¡£
Just¡¡then¡¡a¡¡scout¡¡came¡¡in¡¡to¡¡say£º¡¡¡¨Sun¡¡Jun¡¡of¡¡Wu¡¡has¡¡crossed¡¡the¡¡river¡¡to¡¡attack¡¡Shouchun¡£¡¨
¡¨If¡¡we¡¡lose¡¡that¡¡city£»¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡have¡¡no¡¡base£»¡¨¡¡cried¡¡Guanqiu¡¡Jian¡£
That¡¡same¡¡night¡¡he¡¡retreated¡¡upon¡¡Xiangcheng¡£
Seeing¡¡the¡¡enemy¡¡retreat£»¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡called¡¡together¡¡his¡¡officers¡¡to¡¡talk¡¡it¡¡over¡£
Chair¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Secretariat¡¡Fu¡¡Gu£»¡¡who¡¡was¡¡of¡¡the¡¡expedition£»¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨The¡¡retirement¡¡to¡¡Xiangcheng¡¡was¡¡obviously¡¡due¡¡to¡¡Wu's¡¡threatened¡¡attack¡¡upon¡¡Shouchun¡£¡¡General£»¡¡you¡¡should¡¡send¡¡three¡¡armies¡¡to¡¡attack¡¡upon¡¡Xiangcheng£»¡¡Lojia£»¡¡and¡¡Shouchun¡£¡¡The¡¡Imperial¡¡Protector¡¡of¡¡Yanzhou£»¡¡Deng¡¡Ai£»¡¡is¡¡a¡¡man¡¡of¡¡tactics£»¡¡he¡¡should¡¡be¡¡sent¡¡against¡¡Lojia¡£¡¡Our¡¡main¡¡army¡¡will¡¡reinforce¡¡them¡£¡¨
His¡¡plan¡¡was¡¡acceptable¡¡to¡¡Sima¡¡Shi£»¡¡who¡¡sent¡¡letters¡¡to¡¡Yanzhou¡¡telling¡¡Deng¡¡Ai¡¡to¡¡march¡¡against¡¡Lojia£»¡¡where¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡himself¡¡would¡¡soon¡¡meet¡¡him¡£
Camped¡¡at¡¡Xiangcheng£»¡¡Guanqiu¡¡Jian¡¡sent¡¡spies¡¡to¡¡Lojia¡¡to¡¡see¡¡what¡¡might¡¡be¡¡happening¡¡there£»¡¡for¡¡he¡¡feared¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡attacked¡£
When¡¡he¡¡spoke¡¡of¡¡his¡¡fears¡¡to¡¡Wen¡¡Qin£»¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨General£»¡¡you¡¡need¡¡not¡¡be¡¡anxious¡£¡¡My¡¡son¡¡Wen¡¡Yang¡¡and¡¡I¡¡will¡¡answer¡¡for¡¡its¡¡safety¡£¡¡Give¡¡us¡¡but¡¡five¡¡thousand¡¡troops¡£¡¨
Father¡¡and¡¡son£»¡¡with¡¡the¡¡five¡¡thousand¡¡troops£»¡¡went¡¡to¡¡Lojia¡£
Before¡¡the¡¡main¡¡body¡¡arrived£»¡¡the¡¡scouts¡¡reported£º¡¡¡¨Wei¡¡banners¡¡are¡¡flying¡¡on¡¡the¡¡west¡¡of¡¡the¡¡city¡£¡¡There¡¡are¡¡about¡¡ten¡¡thousand¡¡troops¡£¡¡In¡¡their¡¡midst¡¡are¡¡seen¡¡authority¡¡ensigns¡¡such¡¡as¡¡white¡¡yaks'¡¡tails£»¡¡golden¡¡axes£»¡¡purple¡¡umbrellas£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡flag¡¡bearing¡¡the¡¡word¡¡mander¡¡¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡himself¡¡is¡¡at¡¡this¡¡camp¡£¡¡The¡¡troops¡¡are¡¡pitching¡¡the¡¡camp¡¡rapidly£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡is¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡plete¡£¡¨
When¡¡this¡¡was¡¡reported¡¡to¡¡Wen¡¡Qin£»¡¡his¡¡son¡¡Wen¡¡Yang£»¡¡bearing¡¡his¡¡famous¡¡whip¡¡of¡¡steel£»¡¡was¡¡by¡¡his¡¡father's¡¡side¡£
¡¨We¡¡should¡¡attack¡¡before¡¡they¡¡have¡¡settled¡¡down¡¡in¡¡camp£»¡¡Father£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡he¡£¡¡¡¨Let¡¡us¡¡go¡¡quickly¡¡and¡¡attack¡¡on¡¡two¡¡sides¡£¡¨
¡¨When¡¡can¡¡we¡¡start£¿¡¨¡¡said¡¡the¡¡father¡£
¡¨Tonight¡¡at¡¡dusk¡£¡¡You¡¡lead¡¡half¡¡the¡¡force¡¡round¡¡by¡¡the¡¡south£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡will¡¡march¡¡the¡¡other¡¡half¡¡round¡¡by¡¡the¡¡north£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡will¡¡meet¡¡in¡¡the¡¡third¡¡watch¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Wei¡¡camp¡£¡¨
The¡¡youth¡¡who¡¡propounded¡¡this¡¡plan¡¡was¡¡then¡¡eighteen£»¡¡tall¡¡and¡¡strong¡£¡¡He¡¡wore¡¡plete¡¡armor¡¡and¡¡carried¡¡at¡¡his¡¡waist¡¡a¡¡steel¡¡whip¡£¡¡When¡¡the¡¡hour¡¡came¡¡to¡¡start£»¡¡he¡¡took¡¡his¡¡spear£»¡¡swung¡¡himself¡¡into¡¡the¡¡saddle¡¡and¡¡set¡¡out¡£
That¡¡night¡¡Sima¡¡Shi£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡arrived¡¡and¡¡had¡¡at¡¡once¡¡set¡¡about¡¡settling¡¡into¡¡camp£»¡¡lay¡¡on¡¡a¡¡couch¡¡in¡¡his¡¡tent£»¡¡for¡¡he¡¡was¡¡still¡¡suffering¡¡pain¡¡from¡¡the¡¡surgery¡¡wound¡¡beneath¡¡his¡¡eye¡£¡¡The¡¡tent¡¡was¡¡surrounded¡¡by¡¡several¡¡hundred¡¡armored¡¡guards¡£¡¡Deng¡¡Ai¡¡had¡¡not¡¡arrived¡£
About¡¡the¡¡third¡¡watch¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡heard¡¡a¡¡great¡¡shouting¡¡and¡¡asked¡¡what¡¡it¡¡was¡£
One¡¡replied£º¡¡¡¨An¡¡army¡¡has¡¡e¡¡round¡¡from¡¡the¡¡north¡¡and¡¡burst¡¡into¡¡the¡¡lines¡£¡¡The¡¡leader¡¡is¡¡too¡¡bold¡¡for¡¡anyone¡¡to¡¡face¡£¡¨
Sima¡¡Shi¡¡became¡¡much¡¡troubled¡£¡¡His¡¡heart¡¡burned¡¡within¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡excitement¡¡caused¡¡the¡¡wound¡¡to¡¡open£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡the¡¡eyeball¡¡protruded¡¡and¡¡blood¡¡flowed¡¡freely¡£¡¡The¡¡pain¡¡became¡¡intense£»¡¡nearly¡¡unbearable¡£¡¡In¡¡his¡¡agony¡¡and¡¡alarm¡¡lest¡¡his¡¡army¡¡should¡¡be¡¡thrown¡¡into¡¡confusion£»¡¡he¡¡lay¡¡gnawing¡¡the¡¡bed¡¡clothes¡¡till¡¡they¡¡were¡¡in¡¡rags¡£
Wen¡¡Yang's¡¡force¡¡lost¡¡no¡¡time£»¡¡but¡¡attacked¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡it¡¡arrived¡£¡¡He¡¡dashed¡¡into¡¡the¡¡camp£»¡¡slashing¡¡and¡¡thrusting¡¡right¡¡and¡¡left£»¡¡and¡¡everyone¡¡gave¡¡way¡¡before¡¡him¡£¡¡If¡¡anyone¡¡stayed¡¡to¡¡oppose£»¡¡the¡¡sharp¡¡spear¡¡or¡¡the¡¡terrible¡¡whip¡¡did¡¡its¡¡work£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡one¡¡fell¡£¡¡But¡¡after¡¡a¡¡time£»¡¡seeing¡¡no¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡his¡¡father£»¡¡Wen¡¡Yang¡¡grew¡¡anxious¡£¡¡And¡¡he¡¡had¡¡to¡¡retire¡¡several¡¡times¡¡before¡¡the¡¡fierce¡¡flights¡¡of¡¡arrows¡¡and¡¡crossbow¡¡bolts¡¡as¡¡he¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡the¡¡main¡¡tent¡£
About¡¡daylight¡¡he¡¡heard¡¡shouts¡¡and¡¡thought¡¡they¡¡must¡¡mean¡¡the¡¡arrival¡¡of¡¡his¡¡father¡¡with¡¡help¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡shouting¡¡came¡¡from¡¡the¡¡north£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡father¡¡was¡¡to¡¡arrive¡¡by¡¡the¡¡south¡¡road¡£¡¡He¡¡galloped¡¡out¡¡to¡¡get¡¡a¡¡clearer¡¡view£»¡¡and¡¡saw¡¡a¡¡force¡¡sweeping¡¡down¡¡like¡¡a¡¡gale¡¡of¡¡wind¡£
It¡¡was¡¡not¡¡his¡¡father£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡body¡¡of¡¡the¡¡enemy£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡leader¡¡was¡¡Deng¡¡Ai¡£
Deng¡¡Ai¡¡rode¡¡forward¡¡shouting£»¡¡¡¨Rebel£»¡¡flee¡¡not£¡¡¨
Wen¡¡Yang¡¡had¡¡no¡¡intention¡¡to¡¡flee¡£¡¡Setting¡¡his¡¡spear£»¡¡he¡¡rode¡¡savagely¡¡toward¡¡his¡¡opponent¡£¡¡They¡¡engaged¡¡and¡¡fought¡¡half¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡bouts¡¡without¡¡either¡¡gaining¡¡the¡¡advantage¡£¡¡Then£»¡¡the¡¡duel¡¡still¡¡raging£»¡¡the¡¡Wei¡¡army¡¡attacked¡¡in¡¡full¡¡force£»¡¡and¡¡Wen¡¡Yang's¡¡troops¡¡began¡¡to¡¡give¡¡way¡¡and¡¡run£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡soon¡¡he¡¡found¡¡himself¡¡alone¡£
However£»¡¡he¡¡got¡¡clear¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fight¡¡and¡¡went¡¡away¡¡south¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡was¡¡pursued£»¡¡for¡¡more¡¡than¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡Wei¡¡generals¡¡plucked¡¡up¡¡courage¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡when¡¡he¡¡ran¡¡away¡£¡¡They¡¡pressed¡¡on¡¡his¡¡heels¡¡till¡¡near¡¡the¡¡Lojia¡¡Bridge£»¡¡when¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡that¡¡they¡¡must¡¡catch¡¡him¡£¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡suddenly¡¡pulled¡¡up¡¡his¡¡steed£»¡¡turned¡¡and¡¡rode¡¡in¡¡among¡¡them£»¡¡flogging¡¡with¡¡the¡¡terrible¡¡steel¡¡whip£»¡¡and¡¡wherever¡¡it¡¡struck¡¡there¡¡lay¡¡warriors¡¡and¡¡horses¡¡in¡¡confused¡¡heaps¡£¡¡So¡¡they¡¡left¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡retook¡¡his¡¡way¡¡in¡¡peace¡£
Then¡¡the¡¡Wei¡¡generals¡¡met¡¡and¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Lo£¡¡¡Here¡¡is¡¡a¡¡man¡¡who¡¡has¡¡driven¡¡us¡¡all¡¡backward¡£¡¡But¡¡we¡¡are¡¡many¡¡and¡¡may¡¡not¡¡suffer¡¡that¡£¡¨
Wherefore¡¡they¡¡reformed¡¡and¡¡once¡¡again¡¡took¡¡up¡¡pursuit¡£
¡¨You¡¡fools£¿¡¨¡¡cried¡¡Wen¡¡Yang£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡them¡¡ing¡¡on¡£¡¡¡¨Have¡¡you¡¡then¡¡no¡¡regard¡¡for¡¡your¡¡lives£¿¡¨
Again¡¡he¡¡fell¡¡upon¡¡them¡¡with¡¡the¡¡steel¡¡whip¡¡and¡¡slew¡¡many£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡the¡¡survivors¡¡retreated¡£¡¡But¡¡yet¡¡again¡¡they¡¡found¡¡courage¡¡to¡¡e¡¡on£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡again£»¡¡but¡¡they¡¡had¡¡to¡¡fall¡¡back¡¡before¡¡the¡¡lash¡¡of¡¡that¡¡terrible¡¡whip¡£
Defiance¡¡hurled¡¡at¡¡Cao¡¡Cao's¡¡mighty¡¡host
Arrayed¡¡near¡¡Long¡¡Slope¡¡proclaimed¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun£»
A¡¡valiant¡¡man£»¡¡and¡¡peerless¡¡stood¡¡he¡¡till¡£
At¡¡Lojia¡¡another¡¡hero¡¡faced£»
Alone£»¡¡another¡¡host£»¡¡and¡¡Wen¡¡Yang's¡¡name
Was¡¡added¡¡to¡¡the¡¡roll¡¡of¡¡famous¡¡people¡£
Wen¡¡Qin¡¡never¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡appointed¡¡rendezvous¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡he¡¡lost¡¡his¡¡way¡¡among¡¡the¡¡precipices¡¡and¡¡gullies£»¡¡whence¡¡he¡¡only¡¡got¡¡out¡¡as¡¡day¡¡dawned¡£¡¡He¡¡saw¡¡all¡¡the¡¡signs¡¡of¡¡a¡¡fight¡¡and¡¡a¡¡victory¡¡for¡¡Wei£»¡¡but¡¡could¡¡not¡¡discover¡¡whither¡¡his¡¡son¡¡had¡¡gone¡£¡¡So¡¡he¡¡returned¡¡without¡¡fighting£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡spite¡¡of¡¡pursuit£»¡¡made¡¡his¡¡way¡¡safely¡¡to¡¡Shouchun¡£
Now¡¡mander¡¡Yin¡¡Damu¡¡had¡¡acpanied¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡on¡¡his¡¡expedition£»¡¡but¡¡was¡¡no¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡his¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡been¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Cao¡¡Shuang's¡¡party¡¡and¡¡bitterly¡¡resented¡¡the¡¡death¡¡of¡¡his¡¡patron¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡watching¡¡for¡¡a¡¡chance¡¡to¡¡avenge¡¡him¡£¡¡Seeing¡¡that¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡was¡¡ill£»¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡to¡¡secure¡¡his¡¡end¡¡by¡¡making¡¡friends¡¡with¡¡Wen¡¡Qin¡£
So¡¡he¡¡went¡¡in¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡sick¡¡Sima¡¡Shi£»¡¡and¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Wen¡¡Qin¡¡had¡¡no¡¡sincere¡¡intention¡¡to¡¡rebel£»¡¡but¡¡was¡¡led¡¡astray¡¡by¡¡Guanqiu¡¡Jian¡£¡¡If¡¡you¡¡will¡¡let¡¡me¡¡go¡¡and¡¡speak¡¡with¡¡him£»¡¡he¡¡will¡¡e¡¡over¡¡to¡¡you¡¡at¡¡once¡£¡¨
Sima¡¡Shi¡¡said¡¡he¡¡might¡¡go¡¡to¡¡try£»¡¡and¡¡Yin¡¡Damu¡¡put¡¡on¡¡his¡¡armor¡¡and¡¡rode¡¡after¡¡Wen¡¡Qin¡£¡¡By¡¡and¡¡by¡¡he¡¡got¡¡near¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡shout¡£
¡¨Do¡¡you¡¡not¡¡recognize¡¡me£¿¡¡I¡¡am¡¡Yin¡¡Damu¡£¡¨
Wen¡¡Qin¡¡stopped¡¡and¡¡looked¡¡back¡£
Yin¡¡Damu¡¡removed¡¡his¡¡helmet¡¡that¡¡his¡¡face¡¡might¡¡be¡¡clearly¡¡seen£»¡¡and¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨O¡¡Imperial¡¡Protector£»¡¡why¡¡can¡¡you¡¡not¡¡bear¡¡up¡¡for¡¡a¡¡few¡¡days£¿¡¨
Yin¡¡Damu¡¡implied¡¡that¡¡Sima¡¡Shi¡¡was¡¡very¡¡near¡¡death£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡wished¡¡Wen¡¡Qin¡¡to¡¡remain¡¡at¡¡hand¡£¡¡But¡¡Wen¡¡Qin¡¡did¡¡not¡¡understand¡£¡¡He¡¡abused¡¡Yin¡¡Damu¡¡and¡¡even¡¡threatened¡¡that¡¡the¡¡bowmen¡¡should¡¡shoot£»¡¡and¡¡Yin¡¡Damu¡¡could¡¡only¡¡sorrowfully¡¡turn¡¡away¡£
When¡¡Wen¡¡Qin¡¡reached¡¡Shouchun¡¡and¡¡found¡¡it¡¡occupied¡¡by¡¡Zhuge¡¡Dan£»¡¡he¡¡tried¡¡for¡¡Xiangcheng¡£¡¡But¡¡three¡¡armies¡¡under¡¡Hu¡¡Zun£»¡¡Wang¡¡Ji£»¡¡and¡¡Deng¡¡Ai¡¡came¡¡up¡¡and¡¡attacked¡¡at¡¡once¡¡so¡¡that¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡impossible¡¡that¡¡his¡¡army¡¡could¡¡hold¡¡out¡¡long¡£¡¡So¡¡he¡¡decided¡¡to¡¡flee¡¡to¡¡Wu¡¡and¡¡serve¡¡Sun¡¡Jun¡£
Guanqiu¡¡Jian£»¡¡then¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡walls¡¡of¡¡Xiangcheng£»¡¡heard¡¡that¡¡Shouchun¡¡had¡¡fallen£»¡¡that¡¡his¡¡fellow¡conspirator¡¡Wen¡¡Qin¡¡had¡¡failed¡¡and£»¡¡with¡¡three¡¡armies¡¡against¡¡his¡¡city£»¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡his¡¡case¡¡was¡¡desperate¡£¡¡He¡¡mustered¡¡all¡¡the¡¡forces¡¡in¡¡the¡¡city¡¡and¡¡marched¡¡out¡¡to¡¡try¡¡his¡¡fortune¡£
As¡¡he¡¡went¡¡forth£»¡¡he¡¡fell¡¡in¡¡with¡¡Deng¡¡Ai¡£¡¡He¡¡bade¡¡Ge¡¡Yong¡¡go¡¡out¡¡to¡¡fight£»¡¡but¡¡Ge¡¡Yong¡¡fell¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡encounter£»¡¡cut¡¡down¡¡by¡¡Deng¡¡Ai¡¡himself¡£¡¡The¡¡enemy¡¡came¡¡on¡¡in¡¡force¡£¡¡Guanqiu¡¡Jian¡¡fought¡¡gallantly£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡army¡¡fell¡¡into¡¡confusion¡£¡¡Then¡¡two¡¡other¡¡armies¡¡under¡¡Wang¡¡Ji¡¡and¡¡Hu¡¡Zun¡¡came¡¡up£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡was¡¡pletely¡¡surrounded¡£¡¡Nothing¡¡could¡¡be¡¡done£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡fled¡¡from¡¡the¡¡field¡¡with¡¡a¡¡dozen¡¡riders¡¡and¡¡made¡¡for¡¡Sh