Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/118

 disabled and fell to a thrust of the young man’s spear. The victor turned to retire into the formation, but Li Mêng rode after him to avenge his fallen colleague. Ma Ch‘ao did not see him, but his father called out “You are followed!” Hardly had he spoken when he saw that the pursuer was a prisoner seated on his son’s steed.

Now Ma Ch‘ao had known he was followed, but pretended not to see, waiting till his enemy should have come close and lifted his spear to strike. Then he suddenly wheeled about. The spear thrust met only empty air, and as the horses passed Ma Ch‘ao’s powerful arm shotout and pulled Wang Fang from the saddle. Thus the soldiers were left leaderless and fled in all directions. The army dashed in pursuit and a complete victory was scored. They pressed into the pass and made a camp. They decapitated Li Mêng and exposed his head.

When Li Tsʻui and Kuo Ssŭ heard that both the boastful captains had fallen under the hand of one young man they knew that Chia Hsü had given good advice and was gifted with clear prescience. So they valued his plans the more highly and decided to act on the defensive. They refused all challenges to combat.

Surely enough after a couple of months the supplies of the Hsiliang men were all exhausted and the leaders began to consider retreat.

Just at this juncture a household servant of Ma Yü’s family betrayed his master and told of the conspiracy of the three men to assist the attackers. The two chief rebels in revenge seized the three conspirators, with every member of their households, and beheaded them in the market place. The heads of the three were exposed at the gate.

Being short of food and hearing of the destruction of their three adherents in the city, the only course for Ma and Han was to retreat. At once Chang Chi went in pursuit of Ma T‘êng and Fan Ch‘ou followed Han Sui. The retreating army under Ma was beaten and only by Ma Ch‘ao’s desperate efforts were the pursuers driven off.

Fan Ch‘ou pursued the other army and when he had come close Han Sui rode boldly up and addressed him, saying “You and I, Sir, are fellow villagers. Why then behave so unfriendly?”

Ch‘ou replied, “I must obey the commands of my chief.”

“I am here for the service of the State; why do you press me so hard?” said Han.

At this Fan Ch‘ou turned his horse, called in his men and left him in peace. Unwittingly a nephew of Li Tsʻui had been a witness of this scene and when he saw the enemy allowed to go free he returned and told his uncle. Angry that his enemy had escaped, Li would have wreaked vengeance on his lieutenant, but his adviser again came in saying it was dangerous