Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/176

 soldier going along a bye road quickly reported the presence of horsemen on the ridge and Liu Yu said, “It is certainly Sun Ts‘ê trying to inveigle us to battle. But do not go out.”

T‘aishih Tzŭ, the bold, jumped up saying, “What better chance to capture him?”

So, without orders he armed himself and rode through the camp crying, “If there be any valiant men among you follow me!”

No one moved save a subaltern who said, “He is a valiant man and I will go with him.” So he also went. The others only laughed at the pair.

Now having seen all he wished Sun Ts‘ê thought it time to return and wheeled round his horse. But when he was going over the summit some one shouted, “Stay, Sun Ts‘ê!”

He turned; two horsemen were coming at full speed down the next hill. He halted and drew up his little escort right and left, he himself with his spear ready.

“Which is Sun Ts‘ê?” shouted T‘aishih.

“Who are you?” was the reply.

“I am T‘aishih Tzŭ, of Tunglai, come to take him prisoner.”

“Then I am he,” said Sun Ts‘ê laughing. “Come both of you together; I am not afraid of you. If I was, I should not be Po-fu.”

“You and all your crowd come on and I will not blench,” cried T‘aishih putting his horse at a gallop and setting his spear.

Sun braced himself for the shock and the battle began. Fifty bouts were fought and still neither combatant had the advantage. Sun Ts‘ê’s followers whispered to each other their admiration and amazement. T‘aishih saw that the spearmanship of his opponent showed no weak point whereby he could gain the advantage so he decided to resort to guile. Feigning defeat he would lead Sun to pursue. T‘aishih however did not retire along the road by which he had come, but took a path leading around the hill instead of over it. His antagonist followed, shouting, “He who retreats is no worthy son of Han!”

But T‘aishih thought within himself, “He has twelve others at his back and I only one. If I capture him, the others will retake him. I will inveigle him into some secret spot and then try.” So flying and fighting by turns he led Sun Ts‘ê, an eager pursuer, down to the plain.

Here T‘aishih suddenly wheeled about and attacked. Again they exchanged half a hundred bouts, without result. Then Sun made a fierce thrust which his opponent evaded by gripping the spear under his oxter, while T‘aishih did the same with his opponent’s spear. Neither was wounded but each exerting his utmost strength to pull the other out of the saddle they both came to the ground.