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手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第155部分（第2页）

Wu　Yi　replied；　〃Why　not；　seeing　I　am　a　prisoner？〃

Thereupon　Liu　Bei　himself　loosed　his　bonds。　Zhuge　Liang　began　to　question　him　upon　the　defense。

Wu　Yi　told　him　the　names　of　the　officers；　saying；　〃The　son　of　the　Imperial　Protector；　Liu　Xun；　and　his　generals　Liu　Gui　and　Zhang　Ren　are　the　defenders。　Liu　Gui　does　not　count　for　much；　but　Zhang　Ren　is　a　man　to　be　avoided。〃

〃Then　before　we　can　get　the　city；　we　must　capture　Zhang　Ren；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃There　is　a　bridge　on　the　east。　What　is　it　called？〃

〃It　is　known　as　Golden　Goose　Bridge。〃

Zhuge　Liang　rode　over　to　the　bridge　and　scrutinized　the　neighborhood。

After　his　return　to　camp；　he　summoned　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　for　orders。

To　them　he　said；　〃On　the　east　of　the　city　is　a　bridge　called　Golden　Goose　Bridge；　and　about　two　miles　south　of　this　I　saw　a　dense　growth　of　reed　and　sedge　which　would　afford　excellent　shelter。　Wei　Yan　is　to　lead　a　thousand　spearmen　to　the　left　and　attack；　but　only　attack　horsemen。　Huang　Zhong　will　lead　a　thousand　swordsmen　who　are　to　cut　the　horses。　When　Zhang　Ren　has　lost　most　of　his　troops　and　horses；　he　will　flee　by　the　hill　road；　where　he　will　fall　into　an　ambush　of　Zhang　Fei。〃

Next　Zhao　Yun　was　called　and　given　order；　〃You　are　to　lie　in　ambush　close　to　the　bridge；　which　you　shall　destroy　as　soon　as　Zhang　Ren　has　crossed。　After　that；　you　shall　take　up　a　position　beyond　the　bridge　to　prevent　him　from　getting　away　to　the　north。　Forced　to　the　south；　Zhang　Ren　will　fall　into　our　hand。〃

These　arrangements　made；　Zhuge　Liang　himself　went　to　challenge　the　enemy　and　try　to　bring　them　to　battle。

Imperial　Protector　Liu　Zhang　had　sent　two　generals；　Zhang　Yi　and　Zhuo　Ying；　to　reinforce　Zhang　Ren。　Zhang　Ren　sent　Zhang　Yi　to　the　help　of　Liu　Gui　in　the　city；　while　Zhuo　Ying　was　to　march　second　with　Zhang　Ren　himself　to　encounter　the　enemy。

Zhuge　Liang　led　across　the　bridge　a　mob　of　disorderly　looking　soldiers；　all　in　disarray；　whom　he　drew　up　as　if　they　were　a　fighting　force。　He　himself；　dressed　in　a　simple　robe　and　toying　with　a　fan；　took　his　seat　in　a　small　four…wheeled　carriage。　A　few　horsemen　caracoling　gaily　to　and　fro　formed　his　escort。

Having　crossed　the　bridge；　Zhuge　Liang　halted　and　pointed　to　Zhang　Ren；　saying；　〃Dare　you　withstand　me　and　not　surrender　when　Cao　Caos　million　troops　fled　at　my　name？〃

But　the　enemy　leader　was　rather　occupied　with　inspecting　the　disorderly　lot　of　soldiers　he　saw　in　front；　all　standing　anyhow　and　not　drawn　up　into　formation　at　all。

With　a　cynical　smile；　Zhang　Ren　said；　〃People　talk　of　Zhuge　Liangs　superhuman　military　genius。　I　say　his　reputation　is　false。〃

With　that　Zhang　Ren　whirled　his　spear　about　his　head；　and　he　dashed　forward　with　all　his　troops。　As　he　came；　Zhuge　Liang　left　his　carriage；　mounted　a　horse；　and　retired　to　the　far　side　of　the　bridge。　Zhang　Ren　impetuously　pursued　and　rushed　over　the　Golden　Goose　Bridge。　It　was　only　when　he　had　reached　the　other　side　that　he　saw　a　body　of　soldiers　on　either　hand。　Then　he　knew　that　he　had　been　led　into　a　trap。

As　soon　as　he　had　got　across　the　bridge；　the　two　bodies　of　soldiers　under　Liu　Bei　and　Yan　Yan　came　to　the　attack。　Zhang　Ren　turned　to　get　back　to　the　bridge；　but　Zhao　Yun　had　done　his　work　and　the　bridge　was　in　ruins。　Zhang　Ren　made　to　turn　sway　north；　but　Zhao　Yuns　troops　stopped　the　way　so　he　had　to　turn　southward　and　followed　the　course　of　the　river。　He　presently　reached　the　place　where　grew　the　reeds　and　sedges。　Out　came　Wei　Yan　and　his　pany　of　spearmen；　who　stabbed　at　the　horsemen　fiercely　while　Huang　Zhong；　with　his　swordsmen；　cut　down　the　horses。　Soldiers　and　horses　were　soon　lying　on　the　ground。　The　few　survivors　were　quickly　made　prisoners　and　bound　with　cords。

No　footman　escaped。　But　a　few　lucky　horsemen　followed　Zhang　Ren　and　got　away　to　the　hills。　There　they　met　Zhang　Fei；　who　fell　upon　them　with　a　mighty　roar；　scattered　the　few　followers；　and　captured　the　leader。　Seeing　Zhang　Ren　a　prisoner；　his　second　in　mand　Zhuo　Ying　turned　toward　Zhao　Yun　and　surrendered。　Victorious；　they　returned　to　camp。　Liu　Bei　rewarded　Zhuo　Ying。

When　the　leader　Zhang　Ren　was　led　in　by　Zhang　Fei；　Zhuge　Liang　was　seated　beside　his　lord。

〃Why　have　you　held　out　so　long　after　all　the　other　generals　of　Yizhou　have　yielded？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃Can　a　loyal　servant　take　a　second　master？〃　cried　Zhang　Ren　fiercely；　his　eyes　glaring　with　hate。

〃You　do　not　know　the　times。　Submission　means　life。〃

〃I　might　submit　today；　but　it　would　not　endure。　I　should　repent　it。　You　had　better　slay　me。〃

Liu　Bei　was　inclined　to　mercy；　but　the　prisoner　was　irreconcilable　and　kept　up　a　stream　of　furious　abuse。　So　at　last　the　order　was　given　for　his　execution；　thus　giving　him　a　right　to　fame。

A　poem　says：

No　second　lord　the　heroic　servant　knows；

The　way　of　death　Zhang　Ren　contented　goes。

Clear　shines　his　fame　as　doth　the　heavenly　moon

That　nightly　lights　the　ramparts　of　Luocheng　Town。

Liu　Bei　grieved　for　Zhang　Ren；　although　Zhang　Ren　had　been　an　enemy；　for　he　was　a　brave　man。　Zhang　Ren　was　given　honorable　burial；　sepulture　beside　the　Golden　Goose　Bridge；　where　all　the　passers…by　would　be　reminded　of　his　loyalty。

Next　day　the　army　moved　on　to　Luoch