Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/340

 capital. As he could not make up his mind he referred his difficulties by letter to Hsün Yü, whom he had left to guard Hsüch‘ang. The reply he got was to this effect:—“I have received your command to decide whether to continue the campaign or retire. It appears to me that Yüan Shao assembled such large forces at Kuantu with the expectation of winning a decision. You, Sir, are very weak while he is very strong and if you cannot get the better of him he will be able to work his will on you for this is a crisis of empire. Your opponents are indeed numerous, but their leader knows not how to use them. With your military genius and discernment where are you not sure to succeed? Now though your numbers are small it is not as when Ch‘u and Han were between Jungyang and Ch‘êngkao. You are securely intrenched with your hands on his throat, and even if you cannot advance, that state of things cannot endure for ever but must change. This is the time to play some unexpected move and you must not miss it. The device I leave to your illustrious ingenuity.”

This letter greatly pleased Ts‘ao and he urged upon his men to use every effort to maintain the position.

Yüan having retired some thirty li, Ts‘ao sent out scouts to ascertain his new dispositions. One of Hsü Huang’s officers captured an enemy spy and sent him to his chief, who interrogated him and found out that a convoy of supplies was expected and that this spy and others had been sent to find out what were the risks of the route. Hsü Huang went at once to tell Ts‘ao. When the adviser Hsün Yu heard that the commander of the convoy was Han Mêng he said, “That fellow is a valiant fool. A few companies of light horse sent to intercept him can capture the whole train and cause much trouble in the enemy’s camp.”

“Whom should I send?” asked Ts‘ao.

“You might send Hsü Huang; he is capable of such a task.”

So Hsü was deputed and he took with him Shih Huan, who had captured the spy, and his company. And this party was supported by Chang Liao and Hsü Ch‘u.

It was night when the commissariat train of many thousands of carts drew near Yüan Shao’s camp. As they passed through a defile Ts‘ao’s men came out and stopped the train. Han Mêng galloped up to give battle but was soon overcome. The guard was scattered and soon the whole train was in flames. The escort and their leader got away.

The glow of the flames seen from Shao’s camp caused great consternation, which became fear when the escaped soldiers rode in and told their tale.

Yüan sent out Chang Ho and Kao Lan to try to intercept the raiders and they came upon Hsü Huang and his company. Just as they were attacking reinforcements came up and the Yüan men were between two fires. They were cut to pieces