Читаем Three Kingdoms Romance полностью

So Meng You went. When he got there and talked to the chief, King Duo Si lost no time, but came out with his soldiers to welcome Meng Huo, who then entered the valley. After the exchange of salutations, Meng Huo explained his case.

Duo Si said, “O King, rest content. If those men from the Lands of Rivers come here, I will see to it that not one goes home. And Zhuge Liang will meet his death here too.”

Naturally, Meng Huo was pleased; but he wanted to know how his host could feel so secure.

Duo Si said, “In this ravine there are only two roads, the one you came by and another by the northwest. The road you traveled along is level and soft, and the waters are sweet. Humans and horses may both use it. But if we close the mouth of the ravine with a barricade, then no one, however strong, can get in. The other road is precipitous, dangerous, and narrow. The only path is beset with venomous serpents and scorpions, and as evening comes on there are malarial exhalations which are dangerous till past noon the next day. The road is only practicable between two watches before sunset. Then the water is undrinkable. The road is very difficult.

“Then again there are four streams actually poisonous. One is called 'The Dumb Spring.' Its water is pleasant to the palate, but it makes people dumb and they die in a few days. A second fountain is called 'The Spring of Destruction' and is hot. But if a person bathes therein, his flesh rots till his bones protrude and he dies. The third is 'The Black Spring.' Its waters are greenish. If it be sprinkled on a person's body, his limbs turn black and presently he dies. The fourth is 'The Spring of Weak Water,' ice cold. If a person drink of this water his breath is chilled, he becomes weak as a thread and soon dies. Neither birds nor insects are found in this region, and no one but the Han General Ma Yuan, who was styled General Who Quells the Waves for this exploit, has ever passed. Now the northeast road shall be blocked, and you may hide here perfectly safe from those troops of Shu, for, finding that way blocked, they will try the other road, which is waterless save for the four deadly springs. No matter how many they be, they will perish, and we need no weapons.”

“Now indeed I have found a place to live in,” cried Meng Huo, striking his forehead. Then looking to the north he said, “Even Zhuge Liang's wonderful cunning will be of no avail. The four springs alone will defeat him and avenge my army.”

The two brothers settled down comfortably as guests of King Duo Si, with whom they spent the days in feasting.

In the meantime, as the Mangs did not appear, Zhuge Liang gave orders to leave the Western River and push south. It was then the sixth month, and blazing hot. A poet sang about the bitter heat of the south:

The hills are sere, the valleys dry,

A raging heat fills all the sky,

Throughout the whole wide universe

No spot exists where heat is worse.

Another poem runs:

The glowing sun darts out fierce rays.

No cloud gives shelter from the blaze,

In parching heat there pants a crane,

The whale swims through the hissing main.

The brook's cool margin now I love,

Or idle stroll through bamboo grove.

I would not march to deserts far

In leathern jerkin donned for war.

Just at the moment of setting out southward, the spies brought news of Meng Huo's retreat into the Bald Dragon Ravine and the barricading of one entrance. They also said, “The valley is garrisoned, the hills are precipitous and even impassable.”

So Zhuge Liang called in Lu Kai and questioned him, but he did not know exactly the conditions.

Then out spoke Jiang Wan, saying, “Meng Huo's repeated captures have broken his spirit so that he dare not take the field again. Our soldiers are exhausted with this intense heat, and little is to be gained by prolonging the campaign. The best move would be to return to our own country.”

“If we do this, we shall fall victims to Meng Huo's scheme,” said Zhuge Liang. “If we retreated, he would certainly follow. Beside, having advanced so far, it would be fruitless to turn back now.”

Wang Ping was sent on with the advanced guard and some of the Mangs as guides to seek an entrance on the northwest. They found the road and came to the first spring — the Dumb Spring—, of which the thirsty men and horses drank freely.