Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/89

 made for the mountains. Wên Ch‘ou forced his horse to its utmost pace crying hoarsely, “Down! Dismount and surrender.”

Kungsun fled for life. His bow and quiver dropped from his shoulders, his helmet fell off and his hair streamed straight behind him as he rode in and out between the sloping hills. Then his steed stumbled and he was thrown, rolling over and over to the foot of the slope.

Wên Ch‘ou was now very near and poising his spear for the thrust. Then suddenly came out from the shelter of a grassy mound on the left a leader of youthful mien, but sitting his steed bravely and holding a sturdy spear. He rode directly at Wên Ch‘ou and Kungsun crawled up the slope to look on.

The new warrior was of middle height with bushy eyebrows and large eyes, a broad face and a heavy jowl, a youth of commanding presence. The two exchanged some fifty bouts and yet neither had the advantage. Then Kungsun’s rescue force came along and Wên Ch‘ou turned and rode away. The youth did not pursue.

Kungsun Tsan hurried down the hill and asked the young fellow who he was.

He bowed low and replied that his name was Chao Yün, or Tzŭ-lung, and he was of Chêngting.

“I first served Yüan Shao, but when I saw that he was disloyal to his prince and careless of the welfare of the people I left him and I was on my way to offer service to you. This meeting in this place is most unexpected.”

Kungsun was very pleased and the two went together to the camp, where they at once busied themselves with preparations for a new battle.

Next day Kungsun prepared for fight by dividing his army into two portions, like the wings of a bird. He had five thousand cavalry, nearly all mounted on white horses and because he had formerly seen service against the frontier tribes, the Ch‘iang (Ouigours) where he always placed his white horses in the van of his army, he had won the sobriquet of General of the White Horse. The tribes held him so much in fear that they always fled as soon as the white horses appeared.

On Yüan Shao’s side Yen Liang and Wên Ch‘ou were leaders of the van. Each had a company of archers and crossbowmen. They were set out half on either side, those on the left to shoot at Kungsun Tsan’s right and those on the right to shoot at his left. In the centre was Ch‘ü I with a small company of bowmen and a legion and a half of foot. The chief took command of the reserve force in the rear.

In this fight Kungsun Tsan employed his new adherent Chao Yün for the first time and, as he did not feel assured of his good faith, put him in command of a company at the rear. The van-leader was Yen Kang and Kungsun himself commanded