Romance, Chapter 70

Chapter 70. Fierce Zhang Fei Takes Wakou Pass by Wit; Old Huang Zhong Seizes Mount Tiandang by Stratagem

Now Zhang He, with his thirty thousand troops, divided them among three camps, each set against steep mountain defences: one was called Dangqu Camp, one Mengtou Camp and one Dangshi Camp. That day Zhang He took half the men from each of the three camps to go and seize Baxi, leaving the other half to hold the camps. Scouts soon brought word to Baxi that Zhang He was coming with an army. Zhang Fei hastily called Lei Tong to take counsel. Lei Tong said, “The ground about Langzhong is bad and the hills are steep, so we can lay an ambush there.

卻說張郃部兵三萬，分爲三寨，各傍山險：一名宕渠寨，一名矇頭寨，一名蕩石寨。當日張郃於三寨中，各分軍一半去取巴西，留一半守寨。早有探馬報到巴西，說張郃引兵來了。張飛急喚雷銅商議。銅曰：“閬中地惡山險，可以埋伏。

You, General, lead out your troops to give battle, and I will come out with a surprise force to help you. Then Zhang He can be captured.” Zhang Fei told off five thousand picked troops and sent them off with Lei Tong. He himself led ten thousand men, and thirty li from Langzhong he met Zhang He’s army. When both sides were drawn up, Zhang Fei rode out and challenged Zhang He alone. Zhang He, spear levelled, galloped out. They had fought some twenty bouts when a shout suddenly went up in Zhang He’s rear. His men had caught sight of the banners of Shu troops behind the hill, and that was what threw them into disorder.

將軍引兵出戰，我出奇兵相助，郃可擒矣。”張飛撥精兵五千與雷銅去訖。飛自引兵一萬，離閬中三十里，與張郃兵相遇。兩軍擺開，張飛出馬，單搦張郃。郃挺槍縱馬而出。戰到二十餘合，郃後軍忽然喊起：原來望見山背後有蜀兵旗幡，故此擾亂。

Zhang He dared not stay to fight; he wheeled his horse and fled. Zhang Fei fell on him from behind, and ahead Lei Tong came out to attack with his men. Caught between the two, Zhang He’s army was badly beaten. Zhang Fei and Lei Tong pursued through the night and drove him right back to the Dangqu Hills. Zhang He again divided his men to hold the three camps, laid in plenty of logs and stones to roll down on attackers, and held fast without fighting. Zhang Fei camped ten li from Dangqu and next day led his men to offer battle.

張郃不敢戀戰，撥馬回走。張飛從後掩殺。前面雷銅又引兵殺出。兩下夾攻，郃兵大敗。張飛、雷銅連夜追襲，直趕到宕渠山。張郃仍舊分兵守住三寨，多置擂木炮石，堅守不戰。張飛離宕渠十里下寨，次日引兵搦戰。

Up on the hill Zhang He had horns blown and drums beaten while he drank, and he would not come down at all. Zhang Fei had his soldiers hurl loud abuse, but Zhang He simply would not come out, and Zhang Fei had no choice but to go back to camp. The next day Lei Tong went to the foot of the hill to offer battle, and again Zhang He would not come out. Lei Tong drove his men up the hill, but logs and stones came crashing down on them from above, and he hastily fell back. Then the troops of the Dangshi and Mengtou Camps came out and routed him. The day after, Zhang Fei again went to challenge, and again Zhang He would not come out.

郃在山上大吹大擂飲酒，並不下山。張飛令軍士大罵，郃只不出。飛只得還營。次日，雷銅又去山下搦戰，郃又不出。雷銅驅軍士上山，山上擂木炮石打將下來。雷銅急退。蕩石、矇頭兩寨兵出，殺敗雷銅。次日，張飛又去搦戰，張郃又不出。

Zhang Fei had his men shout every kind of foul abuse, and Zhang He reviled them back from the hill. Zhang Fei pondered, but could find no plan to use. For more than fifty days the two sides held each other off. Zhang Fei set up a great camp right before the hill and drank wine every day, and when he was thoroughly drunk he would sit in front of the hill and hurl insults.

飛使軍人百般穢罵，郃在山上亦罵。張飛尋思，無計可施。相拒五十餘日，飛就在山前扎住大寨，每日飲酒；飲至大醉，坐于山前辱罵。

Xuande sent a man to reward the army with gifts of food, and the messenger, seeing Zhang Fei drinking all day long, came back and reported it. Xuande was greatly alarmed and hurried to consult Kongming. Kongming laughed and said, “So that is how it is! I suppose there is no good wine at the front. Chengdu has plenty of fine brews; take fifty jars, load them on three carts and send them to the front for General Zhang to drink.” “My brother has always spoiled things through drink,” said Xuande. “Why, Director of Strategy, would you send him wine instead?”

玄德差人犒軍，見張飛終日飲酒，使者回報玄德。玄德大驚，忙來問孔明。孔明笑曰：“原來如此！軍前恐無好酒；成都佳釀極多，可將五十甕作三車裝，送到軍前與張將軍飲。”玄德曰：“吾弟自來飲酒失事，軍師何故反送酒與他？”

Kongming laughed and said, “My lord, you have been brothers with Yide for so many years, and still you do not know what manner of man he is? Yide has always been hard and headstrong, yet when we were taking Xichuan he chivalrously set Yan Yan free, and that is not what a mere brave would do. Now he has been holding off Zhang He for more than fifty days, and when he is drunk he sits before the hill hurling insults as though no one were by. That is not greed for the cup; it is a ruse to defeat Zhang He.”

孔明笑曰：“主公與翼德做了許多年兄弟，還不知其爲人耶？翼德自來剛強，然前於收川之時，義釋嚴顏，此非勇夫所爲也。今與張郃相拒五十餘日，酒醉之後，便坐山前辱罵，傍若無人：此非貪杯，乃敗張郃之計耳。”

“Even so,” said Xuande, “we must not be overconfident. Let Wei Yan go to help him.” Kongming ordered Wei Yan to escort the wine to the front. Each cart had a yellow flag stuck on it, inscribed in large characters “Fine Wine for Public Use at the Front.” Wei Yan took his orders, brought the wine to the camp and, on seeing Zhang Fei, told him that their lord had sent him a gift of wine. Zhang Fei received it with a bow. Then he directed Wei Yan and Lei Tong each to lead a body of men and horse as the left and right wings, and to advance as soon as they saw a red flag go up in the camp. He had the wine set out before his tent and bade his soldiers unfurl all their flags and beat the drums as they drank.

玄德曰：“雖然如此，未可託大。可使魏延助之。”孔明令魏延解酒赴軍前，車上各插黃旗，大書“軍前公用美酒”。魏延領命，解酒到寨中，見張飛，傳說主公賜酒。飛拜受訖，分付魏延、雷銅各引一枝人馬，爲左右翼；只看軍中紅旗起，便各進兵；教將酒擺列帳下，令軍士大開旗鼓而飲。

Spies reported this up the hill, and Zhang He came to the summit to look for himself. There sat Zhang Fei before his tent, drinking, with two young soldiers wrestling in front of him for his amusement. “Zhang Fei insults me too far!” said Zhang He. He sent out orders to go down the hill that night and raid Zhang Fei’s camp, with the Mengtou and Dangshi Camps both coming out to support on the left and right. That night, by the faint light of the moon, Zhang He led his men down the side of the hill and went straight to the front of the camp.

有細作報上山來，張郃自來山頂觀望，見張飛坐於帳下飲酒，令二小卒於面前相撲爲戲。郃曰：“張飛欺我太甚！”傳令今夜下山劫飛寨，令矇頭、蕩石二寨，皆出爲左右援。當夜張郃乘着月色微明，引軍從山側而下，徑到寨前。

From a distance he saw Zhang Fei in his tent, brightly lit with lamps and candles, busy with his wine. Zhang He, riding at the head, raised a great shout; the drums rolled on the hilltop to cheer him on, and he burst straight into the central camp. But Zhang Fei sat upright and never moved. Zhang He dashed up to him and ran him through with his spear, only to find that it was a figure of straw. As he hastily reined in to turn back, a string of bombs went off behind the tent, and a general rode out at the head of his men to bar the way, his round ringed eyes glaring and his voice like a great thunderclap. It was Zhang Fei.

遙望張飛大明燈燭，正在帳中飲酒。張郃當先大喊一聲，山頭擂鼓爲助，直殺入中軍。但見張飛端坐不動。張郃驟馬到面前，一槍刺倒，卻是一個草人。急勒馬回時，帳後連珠炮起。一將當先，攔住去路，睜圓環眼，聲如巨雷：乃張飛也。

Spear levelled, he spurred his horse straight at Zhang He, and the two fought thirty or fifty bouts in the glare of the fires. All Zhang He hoped for was rescue from the other two camps; how could he know that their relief troops had already been driven back by Wei Yan and Lei Tong, who had followed up and taken both camps? No rescue came, and while he was at his wits’ end he saw fire break out on the hill: Zhang Fei’s rear troops had already seized his stockade. Having lost all three camps, Zhang He could only flee to Wakou Pass.

挺矛躍馬，直取張郃。兩將在火光中，戰到三五十合。張郃只盼兩寨來救，誰知兩寨救兵，已被魏延、雷銅兩將殺退，就勢奪了二寨。張郃不見救兵至，正沒奈何，又見山上火起，已被張飛後軍奪了寨柵。張郃三寨俱失，只得奔瓦口關去了。

Zhang Fei had won a great victory, and the news of it was sent to Chengdu. Xuande was delighted, and only then understood that Yide’s drinking had been a ruse, meant solely to lure Zhang He down from the hills. Now Zhang He had fallen back to defend Wakou Pass, having already lost twenty thousand of his thirty thousand men, and he sent to ask Cao Hong for help. Cao Hong was very angry. “You would not listen to me,” he said. “You insisted on advancing, you have lost a vital pass, and now you come asking for help!” So he refused to send any troops, and instead sent men to press Zhang He to go out and fight.

張飛大獲勝捷，報入成都。玄德大喜，方知翼德飲酒是計，只要誘張郃下山。卻說張郃退守瓦口關，三萬軍已折了二萬，遣人問曹洪求救。洪大怒曰：“汝不聽吾言，強要進兵，失了緊要隘口，卻又來求救！”遂不肯發兵，使人催督張郃出戰。

Zhang He was alarmed and had no choice but to form a plan. He sent two bodies of troops to lie in ambush in the lonely hills before the pass, with these orders: “I will pretend to be beaten. Zhang Fei is sure to pursue, and then you cut off his way back.” That day Zhang He advanced with his army and fell in with Lei Tong. After only a few bouts he fled as if beaten, and Lei Tong gave chase. Then the two ambushing forces came out together and cut off the road back. Zhang He turned again and speared Lei Tong from his horse. The defeated soldiers went back and told Zhang Fei, who came himself to challenge Zhang He.

郃心慌，只得定計，分兩軍去關口前山僻埋伏，分付曰：“我詐敗，張飛必然趕來，汝等就截其歸路。”當日張郃引軍前進，正遇雷銅。戰不數合，張郃敗走，雷銅趕來。兩軍齊出，截斷迴路。張郃復回，刺雷銅於馬下。敗軍回報張飛，飛自來與張郃挑戰。

Zhang He again feigned defeat, but Zhang Fei did not pursue. Zhang He came back to fight, and after a few bouts fled again. Zhang Fei knew it was a trick, so he drew off his men, returned to camp and said to Wei Yan, “Zhang He used an ambush to kill Lei Tong, and now he wants to trick me too. Why not turn his own ruse against him?” “How?” asked Wei Yan. “Tomorrow I will go forward first with one body of men,” said Zhang Fei, “and you will follow behind with picked troops. When the ambush comes out, divide your men and attack them.

郃又詐敗，張飛不趕。郃又回戰，不數合，又敗走。張飛知是計，收軍回寨，與魏延商議曰：“張郃用埋伏計，殺了雷銅，又要賺吾，何不將計就計？”延問曰：“如何？”飛曰：“我明日先引一軍前往，汝卻引精兵於後，待伏兵出，汝可分兵擊之。

Take a dozen or more carts with brushwood and hay hidden in them, block the narrow paths with them and set them on fire. I will take advantage of it to capture Zhang He and avenge Lei Tong.” Wei Yan accepted the plan. Next day Zhang Fei led his troops forward. Zhang He’s men came again and engaged Zhang Fei. After ten bouts Zhang He again pretended to be beaten. Zhang Fei pursued with horse and foot, and Zhang He fought as he retreated. Having drawn Zhang Fei past the mouth of a mountain gorge, Zhang He made his rear his front, camped again and turned to fight once more, counting on his two bands of ambushers to come out and surround Zhang Fei.

用車十餘乘，各藏柴草，塞住小路，放火燒之。吾乘勢擒張郃，與雷銅報仇。”魏延領計。次日，張飛引兵前進。張郃兵又至，與張飛交鋒。戰到十合，郃又詐敗。張飛引馬步軍趕來，郃且戰且走。引張飛過山峪口，郃將後軍爲前，復扎住營，與飛又戰，指望兩彪伏兵出，要圍困張飛。

But he never expected that Wei Yan’s picked troops would arrive and drive the ambushers into the mouth of the gorge. There they blocked the mountain road with the carts and set them alight. The grass and trees of the valley all caught fire, the smoke hid the paths, and the ambushers could not get out. Zhang Fei simply charged in with his men. Zhang He was utterly beaten; fighting for his life he cut his way out, fled up to Wakou Pass, gathered his scattered men and held fast, refusing to come out.

不想伏兵卻被魏延精兵到，趕入峪口，將車輛截住山路，放火燒車，山谷草木皆着，煙迷其徑，兵不得出。張飛只顧引軍衝突，張郃大敗，死命殺開條路，走上瓦口關，收聚敗兵，堅守不出。

For several days Zhang Fei and Wei Yan attacked the pass without taking it. Seeing that it was no use, Zhang Fei drew his army back twenty li, and he and Wei Yan went out with a few dozen horsemen to scout the byways on either side for themselves. Suddenly they saw several men and women, each with a small bundle on the back, making their way along a lonely mountain track, clinging to the vines and creepers as they climbed. Zhang Fei pointed them out to Wei Yan with his whip and said, “The capture of Wakou Pass depends entirely on these few common folk.”

張飛和魏延連日攻打關隘不下。飛見不濟事，把軍退二十里，卻和魏延引數十騎，自來兩邊哨探小路。忽見男女數人，各背小包，于山僻路攀藤附葛而走。飛於馬上用鞭指與魏延曰：“奪瓦口關，只在這幾個百姓身上。”

He called his soldiers and told them, “Do not frighten them. Call those folk here kindly.” The soldiers hurried to bring them before his horse. Zhang Fei put them at ease with friendly words and asked where they came from. “We are all people of Hanzhong,” they told him, “and we want to go home. We heard that the great armies were fighting and that the highway through Langzhong was closed, so we have come by Cangxi and mean to go by the Guijin Valley on Mount Zitong into Hanzhong and so get home.”

便喚軍士分付：“休要驚恐他，好生喚那幾個百姓來。”軍士連忙喚到馬前。飛用好言以安其心，問其何來。百姓告曰：“某等皆漢中居民，今欲還鄉。聽知大軍廝殺，塞閉閬中官道；今過蒼溪，從梓潼山檜釿川入漢中，還家去。”

“How far is it to Wakou Pass by this road?” asked Zhang Fei. “The byway over Mount Zitong comes out right behind Wakou Pass,” they replied. Zhang Fei was delighted. He took them into the camp and gave them food and wine, and told Wei Yan, “Lead your troops up to the pass and attack it, while I myself take some light horse out by Mount Zitong and attack it from behind.” Then he had the villagers show the way, chose five hundred light horsemen and went forward by the byway.

飛曰：“這條路取瓦口關遠近若何？”百姓曰：“從梓潼山小路，卻是瓦口關背後。”飛大喜，帶百姓入寨中，與了酒食；分付魏延：“引兵扣關攻打，我親自引輕騎出梓潼山攻關後。”便令百姓引路，選輕騎五百，從小路而進。

Now Zhang He was sitting gloomy because no rescue had come, when word came that Wei Yan was attacking below the pass. Zhang He put on his armour and mounted, and was just about to go down the hill when suddenly came another report: “Fires have broken out in four or five places behind the pass. We do not know whose troops these are.” Zhang He led his men himself to meet them. As the banners parted, there already was Zhang Fei. Zhang He was greatly startled and hurried off along a byway, but his horse could not make its way along it. Zhang Fei was pressing hard behind him, so Zhang He abandoned his horse and climbed the hill, seeking a path to flee by, and so at last got away, with only ten or so men following him.

卻說張郃爲救軍不到，心中正悶。人報魏延在關下攻打。張郃披掛上馬，卻待下山，忽報：“關後四五路火起，不知何處兵來。”郃自領兵來迎。旗開處，早見張飛。郃大驚，急往小路而走。馬不堪行。後面張飛追趕甚急，郃棄馬上山，尋徑而逃，方得走脫，隨行只有十餘人。

He made his way on foot into Nanzheng to see Cao Hong. When Cao Hong saw that Zhang He had only ten or so men left, he was furious. “I told you not to go,” he said, “and you gave me a written pledge that you would. Now you have lost your whole army, and yet you have not killed yourself! What have you come back for?” And he shouted to his attendants to take him out and behead him. The Army Marshal Guo Huai protested, saying, “An army is easy to come by, but a good general is hard to find. Though Zhang He is guilty, he is one whom the King of Wei loves dearly; you must not put him to death out of hand.

步行入南鄭見曹洪。洪見張郃只剩下十餘人，大怒曰：“吾教汝休去，汝取下文狀要去；今日折盡大兵，尚不自死，還來做甚！”喝令左右推出斬之。行軍司馬郭淮諫曰：“三軍易得，一將難求。張郃雖然有罪，乃魏王所深愛者也，不可便誅。

Give him five thousand more men and let him go straight for Jiameng Pass. That will draw off the enemy’s troops from every quarter, and Hanzhong will be safe of itself. If he fails, you can punish both offences together.” Cao Hong agreed. He gave Zhang He another five thousand men and told him to take Jiameng Pass, and Zhang He went off with his orders.

可再與五千兵徑取葭萌關，牽動其各處之兵，漢中自安矣。如不成功，二罪俱罰。”曹洪從之，又與兵五千，教張郃取葭萌關。郃領命而去。

Now Meng Da and Huo Jun, the commanders guarding Jiameng Pass, learned that Zhang He’s army was coming. Huo Jun wanted only to hold fast, but Meng Da was determined to meet the enemy. He led his men down from the pass to fight Zhang He, and came back badly beaten. Huo Jun sent an urgent dispatch to Chengdu. When Xuande heard, he called in the Director of Strategy to consult. Kongming gathered all the commanders in the hall and put the question to them: “Jiameng Pass is now in danger. We shall have to fetch Yide from Langzhong; only he can drive Zhang He back.”

卻說葭萌關守將孟達、霍峻，知張郃兵來。霍峻只要堅守；孟達定要迎敵，引軍下關與張郃交鋒，大敗而回。霍峻急申文書到成都。玄德聞知，請軍師商議。孔明聚衆將於堂上，問曰：“今葭萌關緊急，必須閬中取翼德，方可退張郃也。”

“Yide’s army is now stationed at Wakou, guarding Langzhong,” said Fa Zheng, “and that is a vital place too. He must not be recalled. Choose one of the commanders here in the tent to go and defeat Zhang He.” Kongming smiled and said, “Zhang He is a famous general of Wei, beyond the reach of any ordinary man. No one but Yide can stand against him.” Suddenly a man stepped forward and cried sharply, “Why, Director of Strategy, do you hold us all so cheap? Unworthy as I am, I will cut off Zhang He’s head and lay it at your feet.”

法正曰：“今翼德兵屯瓦口，鎮守閬中，亦是緊要之地，不可取回。帳中諸將內選一人去破張郃。”孔明笑曰：“張郃乃魏之名將，非等閒可及。除非翼德，無人可當。”忽一人厲聲而出曰：“軍師何輕視衆人耶！吾雖不才，願斬張郃首級，獻於麾下。”

They all looked, and it was the veteran Huang Zhong. “Hansheng, brave as you are,” said Kongming, “you are old, and I fear you are no match for Zhang He.” At this Huang Zhong’s white hair bristled up. “Old I may be,” he said, “but my two arms can still draw a bow of three shi, and my body still has the strength of a thousand jin. Am I not enough to take on a common fellow like Zhang He?” “General, you are nearly seventy,” said Kongming. “How can you say you are not old?” Huang Zhong strode quickly down from the hall, took a great sword from the rack and whirled it as if it flew; then he took the stiff bows from the wall and drew two of them one after another until they snapped.

衆視之，乃老將黃忠也。孔明曰：“漢升雖勇，爭奈年老，恐非張郃對手。”忠聽了，白髮倒豎而言曰：“某雖老，兩臂尚開三石之弓，渾身還有千斤之力：豈不足敵張郃匹夫耶！”孔明曰：“將軍年近七十，如何不老？”忠趨步下堂，取架上大刀，輪動如飛；壁上硬弓，連拽折兩張。

“If you mean to go, General,” said Kongming, “who will be your second?” “The veteran Yan Yan can go with me,” said Huang Zhong. “If there is any slip, I will first hand over this white head of mine.” Xuande was delighted and at once ordered Yan Yan and Huang Zhong to go and fight Zhang He. But Zhao Yun remonstrated. “Zhang He has come in person to attack Jiameng Pass,” he said. “Director of Strategy, do not treat this as child’s play. If Jiameng is once lost, Yizhou will be in danger. Why send two old generals against so great an enemy?”

孔明曰：“將軍要去，誰爲副將？”忠曰：“老將嚴顏，可同我去。但有疏虞，先納下這白頭。”玄德大喜，即時令嚴顏、黃忠去與張郃交戰。趙雲諫曰：“今張郃親犯葭萌關，軍師休爲兒戲。若葭萌一失，益州危矣。何故以二老將當此大敵乎？”

“You think these two are too old to succeed,” said Kongming, “but I reckon that Hanzhong will surely be won by their hands.” Zhao Yun and the others went away, each smiling scornfully. Now when Huang Zhong and Yan Yan reached the pass, Meng Da and Huo Jun, seeing them, also laughed in their hearts at Kongming’s poor arrangements. “For so vital a place as this,” they thought, “how could he send only two old men!” Huang Zhong said to Yan Yan, “Did you see how the others behaved?

孔明曰：“汝以二人老邁，不能成事，吾料漢中必於此二人手內可得。”趙雲等各各哂笑而退。卻說黃忠、嚴顏到關上，孟達、霍峻見了，心中亦笑孔明欠調度：“是這般緊要去處，如何只教兩個老的來！”黃忠謂嚴顏曰：“你可見諸人動靜麼？

They laugh at the two of us for being old. Now let us win some extraordinary success and bring them all round.” “I will follow your orders, General,” said Yan Yan. So the two settled their plans. Huang Zhong led his men down from the pass and drew up facing Zhang He. Zhang He rode out, and seeing Huang Zhong, laughed and said, “At your great age you still have no shame, and want to come out to fight!” “Whelp!” cried Huang Zhong angrily. “You scorn me for my age, but the good sword in my hand is not old!”

他笑我二人年老，今可建奇功，以服衆心。”嚴顏曰：“願聽將軍之令。”兩個商議定了。黃忠引軍下關，與張郃對陣。張郃出馬，見了黃忠，笑曰：“你許大年紀，猶不識羞，尚欲出戰耶！”忠怒曰：“豎子欺吾年老！吾手中寶刀卻不老！”

With that he whipped his horse forward to fight it out with Zhang He. The two horses met and they fought some twenty bouts, when suddenly shouting arose in the rear. Yan Yan had come round by a byway and got behind Zhang He’s army. Attacked on both sides, Zhang He was badly defeated. The pursuit went on through the night, and Zhang He’s men fell back eighty or ninety li. Then Huang Zhong and Yan Yan drew off their men into camp, and both kept their troops still.

遂拍馬向前與郃決戰。二馬相交，約戰二十餘合，忽然背後喊聲起：原來是嚴顏從小路抄在張郃軍後。兩軍夾攻，張郃大敗。連夜趕去，張郃兵退八九十里。黃忠、嚴顏收兵入寨，俱各按兵不動。

When Cao Hong heard that Zhang He had lost another battle, he again wanted to punish him. But Guo Huai said, “If Zhang He is pressed too hard, he is sure to go over to Western Shu. Now send some commanders to help him, as though to supervise him, so that he will not think of turning against us.” Cao Hong agreed, and at once sent Xiahou Dun’s nephew Xiahou Shang, together with Han Hao, younger brother of the surrendered commander Han Xuan, with five thousand troops to help in the fight. The two commanders set out at once. Arriving at Zhang He’s camp, they asked how matters stood. “The veteran Huang Zhong is a real hero,” said Zhang He, “and with Yan Yan to help him besides, he is not to be taken lightly.”

曹洪聽知張郃輸了一陣，又欲見罪。郭淮曰：“張郃被迫，必投西蜀；今可遣將助之，就如監臨，使不生外心。”曹洪從之，即遣夏侯惇之侄夏侯尚並降將韓玄之弟韓浩，二人引五千兵，前來助戰。二將即時起行。到張郃寨中，問及軍情，郃言：“老將黃忠，甚是英雄，更有嚴顏相助，不可輕敵。”

“I knew in Changsha what a dangerous old ruffian he is,” said Han Hao. “He and Wei Yan surrendered the city and did my own brother to death. Now that I have met him, I will surely have my revenge!” And with Xiahou Shang he led the fresh troops out of the camp and advanced. Now Huang Zhong had been scouting for days and already knew the roads. Yan Yan said, “Some way from here there is a mountain called Mount Tiandang, where Cao Cao keeps his stores of grain and fodder.

韓浩曰：“我在長沙知此老賊利害。他和魏延獻了城池，害吾親兄，今既相遇，必當報仇！”遂與夏侯尚引新軍離寨前進。原來黃忠連日哨探，已知路徑。嚴顏曰：“此去有山，名天蕩山，山中乃是曹操屯糧積草之地。

If we can take that place and cut off their supplies, Hanzhong can be won.” “What you say, General, is just what I had in mind,” said Huang Zhong. “Do such and such for me.” Yan Yan followed the plan and went off with a body of troops under his own command.

若取得那個去處，斷其糧草，漢中可得也。”忠曰：“將軍之言，正合吾意。可與吾如此如此。”嚴顏依計，自領一枝軍去了。

When Huang Zhong heard that Xiahou Shang and Han Hao were coming, he led his army out of camp. Han Hao, before the ranks, reviled him loudly: “You faithless old ruffian!” and he spurred his horse and came at Huang Zhong with his spear levelled. Xiahou Shang at once came out too, and the two attacked him together. Huang Zhong fought both commanders hard, some ten bouts with each, and then fled. The two pursued him for over twenty li and took his camp. Huang Zhong threw up another rough camp. Next day, when Xiahou Shang and Han Hao came on in pursuit, he again went out to meet them, fought a few bouts and again fled.

卻說黃忠聽知夏侯尚、韓浩來，遂引軍馬出營。韓浩在陣前，大罵黃忠：“無義老賊！”拍馬挺槍，來取黃忠。夏侯尚便出夾攻。黃忠力戰二將，各鬥十餘合，黃忠敗走。二將趕二十餘里，奪了黃忠寨。忠又草創一營。次日，夏侯尚、韓浩趕來，忠又出陣，戰數合，又敗走。

Again the two pursued for over twenty li, took Huang Zhong’s camp, and called up Zhang He to guard the rear camp. Zhang He came to the front camp and warned them: “Huang Zhong has fallen back two days running. There must be some trick in it.” Xiahou Shang rebuked him. “You are so timid,” he said, “no wonder you keep being beaten! Now say no more, and watch the two of us win glory!” Zhang He withdrew, red with shame. The next day the two fought again, and again Huang Zhong was beaten and fell back twenty li, with the two pressing on after him.

二將又趕二十餘里，奪了黃忠營寨，喚張郃守後寨。郃來前寨諫曰：“黃忠連退二日，於中必有詭計。”夏侯尚叱張郃曰：“你如此膽怯，可知屢次戰敗！今再休多言，看吾二人建功！”張郃羞赧而退。次日，二將又戰，黃忠又敗退二十里；二將迤邐趕上。

The next day the two commanders came out again, and Huang Zhong fled at the first sight of them. He was beaten several times in a row and fell right back to the pass. The two commanders camped close up against the pass, while Huang Zhong held it firmly and would not come out. Meng Da secretly sent a letter reporting to Xuande: “Huang Zhong has lost several battles in a row and has now fallen back to the pass.” Xuande anxiously asked Kongming about it. “This is the old general’s ruse to make the enemy overconfident,” said Kongming. But Zhao Yun and the others did not believe it.

次日，二將兵出，黃忠望風而走，連敗數陣，直退在關上。二將扣關下寨，黃忠堅守不出。孟達暗暗發書，申報玄德，說：“黃忠連輸數陣，現今退在關上。”玄德慌問孔明。孔明曰：“此乃老將驕兵之計也。”趙雲等不信。

Xuande sent Liu Feng to the pass to support Huang Zhong. When they met, Huang Zhong asked him, “Why have you come to help, young General?” “My father heard that you had been beaten several times, General,” said Liu Feng, “and so he sent me.” Huang Zhong laughed. “That is this old man’s ruse to make the enemy overconfident,” he said. “Watch the fight tonight: I shall recover all the camps and take their grain and horses. I only lent them the camps to store their baggage in.

玄德差劉封來關上接應黃忠。忠與封相見，問劉封曰：“小將軍來助戰何意？”封曰：“父親得知將軍數敗，故差某來。”忠笑曰：“此老夫驕兵之計也。看今夜一陣，可盡復諸營，奪其糧食馬匹。此是借寨與彼屯輜重耳。

Tonight Huo Jun will stay behind to hold the pass. General Meng, you can come with me to carry off the grain and fodder and seize the horses. And you, young General, watch me smash the enemy!”

今夜留霍峻守關，孟將軍可與我搬糧草奪馬匹，小將軍看我破敵！”

That night, at the second watch, Huang Zhong opened the pass and went straight down with five thousand men. For days Xiahou Shang and Han Hao had seen no one come out of the pass, and they had all grown slack. When Huang Zhong broke into the camp and dashed straight in, the men had no time to put on armour nor the horses to be saddled. The two commanders each fled for his life, and their men and horses trampled one another, so that countless numbers died. By daybreak he had taken three camps in succession. Countless weapons, saddles and horses had been left behind in the camps, and all were carried into the pass by Meng Da.

是夜二更，忠引五千軍開關直下。原來夏侯尚、韓浩二將連日見關上不出，盡皆懈怠；被黃忠破寨直入，人不及甲，馬不及鞍，二將各自逃命而走，軍馬自相踐踏，死者無數。比及天明，連奪三寨。寨中丟下軍器鞍馬無數，儘教孟達搬運入關。

Huang Zhong urged his men on to follow up the victory. “The soldiers are worn out,” said Liu Feng. “Let them rest a while.” “How can you get the tiger’s cub without going into the tiger’s den?” said Huang Zhong, and he spurred on ahead. His soldiers all pressed forward with all their might. Zhang He’s troops, instead, were thrown into confusion by their own fleeing comrades; none could hold their ground, and all fled backward. They abandoned all their many camps and stockades and ran straight to the bank of the Han River.

黃忠催軍馬隨後而進，劉封曰：“軍士力困，可以暫歇。”忠曰：“不入虎穴，焉得虎子？”策馬先進。士卒皆努力向前。張郃軍兵，反被自家敗兵衝動，都屯紮不住，望後而走；盡棄了許多寨柵，直奔至漢水傍。

Zhang He sought out Xiahou Shang and Han Hao and took counsel with them. “This Mount Tiandang is where the grain and fodder are kept,” he said, “and next to it is Mount Micang, which is also a grain depot. They are the source that keeps the soldiers of Hanzhong alive. If we lose them, it means losing Hanzhong. We must think how to hold them.” “My uncle Xiahou Yuan has a detachment guarding Mount Micang,” said Xiahou Shang, “and it adjoins Mount Dingjun, so there is no need to worry about it.

張郃尋見夏侯尚、韓浩議曰：“此天蕩山，乃糧草之所；更接米倉山，亦屯糧之地：是漢中軍士養命之源。倘若疏失，是無漢中也。當思所以保之。”夏侯尚曰：“米倉山有吾叔夏侯淵分兵守護，那裏正接定軍山，不必憂慮。

My elder brother Xiahou De is holding Mount Tiandang. We had better go and join him, and help to hold this mountain.”

天蕩山有吾兄夏侯德鎮守，我等宜往投之，就保此山。”

So Zhang He and the two commanders went through the night to Mount Tiandang, where they saw Xiahou De and told him all that had happened. “I have a hundred thousand troops stationed here,” said Xiahou De. “Take them and recover your old camps.” “We should only hold fast,” said Zhang He, “and not make any rash move.” Suddenly they heard gongs and drums thundering in front of the hill, and word came that Huang Zhong’s army had arrived. Xiahou De laughed loudly. “The old ruffian knows nothing of the art of war,” he said. “He relies on nothing but courage!”

於是張郃與二將連夜投天蕩山來，見夏侯德，具言前事。夏侯德曰：“吾此處屯十萬兵，你可引去，復取原寨。”郃曰：“只宜堅守，不可妄動。”忽聽山前金鼓大震，人報黃忠兵到。夏侯德大笑曰：“老賊不諳兵法，只恃勇耳！”

“Huang Zhong has craft,” said Zhang He, “not just courage.” “The troops of Xichuan have come a long way and have been exhausted for days,” said Xiahou De, “and on top of that they have gone deep into enemy territory. That shows no craft at all!” “Still, we must not take the enemy lightly,” said Zhang He. “We had better hold fast for now.” “Lend me three thousand picked troops to attack him,” said Han Hao, “and I cannot fail.” So Xiahou De gave Han Hao a force and sent him down the hill.

郃曰：“黃忠有謀，非止勇也。”德曰：“川兵遠涉而來，連日疲睏，更兼深入敵境，此無謀也！”郃曰：“亦不可輕敵，且宜堅守。”韓浩曰：“願借精兵三千擊之，當無不克。”德遂分兵與浩下山。

Huang Zhong put his men in order to meet them. Liu Feng remonstrated: “The sun has already set, and the men have all come a long way and are worn out. We had better rest a while.” Huang Zhong laughed. “Not so,” he said. “This is a great success sent by Heaven; not to take it would be to defy Heaven.” With that the drums rolled, the men raised a shout and they advanced in force. Han Hao came out with his troops to fight. Huang Zhong, whirling his sword, rode straight at him and cut him down from his horse at the first bout. The men of Shu raised a great shout and fought their way up the hill. Zhang He and Xiahou Shang hastily led out their troops to meet them.

黃忠整兵來迎。劉封諫曰：“日已西沉矣，軍皆遠來勞困，且宜暫息。”忠笑曰：“不然。此天賜奇功，不取是逆天也。”言畢，鼓譟大進。韓浩引兵來戰。黃忠揮刀直取浩，只一合，斬浩於馬下。蜀兵大喊，殺上山來。張郃、夏侯尚急引軍來迎。

Suddenly there was a great shout from behind the hill, and flames shot up to the sky, turning everything above and below a fiery red. As Xiahou De came with his men to fight the fire, he ran right into the veteran Yan Yan, whose sword rose and fell, and Xiahou De dropped dead from his horse. Huang Zhong had arranged beforehand for Yan Yan to lie in ambush with his men in a lonely spot in the hills and wait only for Huang Zhong’s army to arrive before starting the fire. The heaps of brushwood and hay were all set alight at once, and the fierce flames leaped up and lit the mountain gorges.

忽聽山後大喊，火光沖天而起，上下通紅。夏侯德提兵來救火時，正遇老將嚴顏，手起刀落，斬夏侯德於馬下。原來黃忠預先使嚴顏引軍埋伏于山僻去處，只等黃忠軍到，卻來放火，柴草堆上，一齊點着，烈焰飛騰，照耀山峪。

Having slain Xiahou De, Yan Yan came fighting round from behind the hill. Zhang He and Xiahou Shang, unable to cope with enemies both in front and behind, had to abandon Mount Tiandang and flee toward Mount Dingjun to join Xiahou Yuan.

嚴顏既斬夏侯德，從山後殺來。張郃、夏侯尚前後不能相顧，只得棄天蕩山，望定軍山投奔夏侯淵去了。

Huang Zhong and Yan Yan held Mount Tiandang and sent news of their victory flying to Chengdu. Xuande, on hearing it, gathered his commanders to celebrate. Fa Zheng said, “When Cao Cao received the surrender of Zhang Lu and subdued Hanzhong, he did not use that momentum to go on and take Ba and Shu. Instead he left the two commanders Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He to garrison it and led his main army back north himself. That was a mistake. Now Zhang He has just been beaten and Mount Tiandang is lost. If you seize this moment, my lord, raise a great army and lead it yourself, Hanzhong can be subdued.

黃忠、嚴顏守住天蕩山，捷音飛報成都。玄德聞之，聚衆將慶喜。法正曰：“昔曹操降張魯，定漢中，不因此勢以圖巴、蜀，乃留夏侯淵、張郃二將屯守，而自引大軍北還：此失計也。今張郃新敗，天蕩失守，主公若乘此時，舉大兵親往徵之，漢中可定也。

Once Hanzhong is ours, you can train your troops and store up grain, watching for any flaw or opening in the enemy. Advancing, you can punish the rebels; falling back, you can defend yourself. This is a time given by Heaven, and it must not be lost.” Xuande and Kongming both heartily agreed. So orders went out appointing Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei to lead the van, while Xuande and Kongming themselves would lead a hundred thousand men against Hanzhong on a day to be chosen. Dispatches were sent to every quarter calling for strict readiness. It was an auspicious day in the seventh month, in the autumn of the twenty-third year of Jian’an.

既定漢中，然後練兵積粟，觀釁伺隙，進可討賊，退可自守。此天與之時，不可失也。”玄德、孔明皆深然之。遂傳令趙雲、張飛爲先鋒，玄德與孔明親自引兵十萬，擇日圖漢中；傳檄各處，嚴加提備。時建安二十三年秋七月吉日。

Xuande’s great army marched out through Jiameng Pass and encamped, and he summoned Huang Zhong and Yan Yan to his camp and rewarded them richly. “Everyone said you were too old, General,” said Xuande. “Only the Director of Strategy knew what you could do, and now indeed you have won a signal success. But now Mount Dingjun in Hanzhong is the bulwark of Nanzheng and the place where their grain and fodder are stored up. If we can take Mount Dingjun, there will be nothing to fear on the Yangping road. Do you dare to go on and take Mount Dingjun, General?”

玄德大軍出葭萌關下營，召黃忠、嚴顏到寨，厚賞之。玄德曰：“人皆言將軍老矣，惟軍師獨知將軍之能。今果立奇功。但今漢中定軍山，乃南鄭保障，糧草積聚之所；若得定軍山，陽平一路，無足憂矣。將軍還敢取定軍山否？”

Huang Zhong at once gave his word with spirit and wanted to set off with his troops. But Kongming hastily stopped him. “Brave and heroic as you are, venerable General,” he said, “Xiahou Yuan is not to be compared with Zhang He. He is deeply versed in strategy and has a fine grasp of the opportunities of war, and Cao Cao relies on him as his bulwark toward Xiliang. Earlier he was stationed at Changan to hold off Ma Mengqi, and now he is stationed in Hanzhong. That Cao Cao entrusts this to no one else but Xiahou Yuan alone is because Xiahou Yuan has the gifts of a general.

黃忠慨然應諾，便要領兵前去。孔明急止之曰：“老將軍雖然英勇，然夏侯淵非張郃之比也。淵深通韜略，善曉兵機，曹操倚之爲西涼藩蔽：先曾屯兵長安，拒馬孟起；今又屯兵漢中。操不託他人，而獨託淵者，以淵有將才也。

You may have beaten Zhang He, General, but there is no telling whether you can beat Xiahou Yuan. I am thinking of sending someone to Jingzhou to relieve General Guan and bring him back here; only then could we match Xiahou Yuan.” Huang Zhong answered hotly, “Of old, Lian Po at eighty still ate a dou of rice and ten jin of meat, and the feudal lords so feared his valour that they dared not violate the borders of Zhao. How much more so I, Huang Zhong, who am not yet seventy! Since you say I am old, Director of Strategy, I will take no second in command this time, but go with only the three thousand men of my own command, and I will cut off Xiahou Yuan’s head at once and lay it at your feet.”

今將軍雖勝張郃，未卜能勝夏侯淵。吾欲酌量着一人去荊州，替回關將軍來，方可敵之。”忠奮然答曰：“昔廉頗年八十，尚食鬥米、肉十斤，諸侯畏其勇，不敢侵犯趙界，何況黃忠未及七十乎？軍師言吾老，吾今並不用副將，只將本部兵三千人去，立斬夏侯淵首級，納於麾下。”

Again and again Kongming refused, but Huang Zhong insisted on going. At last Kongming said, “Since you are set on going, General, suppose I send someone with you as Army Supervisor. What do you say?”

孔明再三不容。黃忠只是要去。孔明曰：“既將軍要去，吾使一人爲監軍同去，若何？”

Indeed:
To send a general forth, you must first goad his pride;
And here the young fall short of the old.
Who that man was will be told in the next chapter.

正是：請將須行激將法，少年不若老年人。
未知其人是誰，且看下文分解。