Posted 31 July 2009 - 06:02 PM
Zhang Bao was commanding some eighty thousand troops. The rebel had led his army to a strong position in the rear of the hills. An attack being decided upon, the court dispatched an army under Xiao Qiao. Liu Bei was the van leader. On the rebel side a general of Zhang Bao, Gao Sheng, came out to offer battle. Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei to smite Gao Sheng. Out rode Zhang Fei at full speed, his spear ready set. After a few bouts Zhang Fei wounded Gao Sheng, who was unhorsed. At this Liu Bei signaled the main army to advance.
Then Zhang Bao, while still mounted, loosened his hair, grasped his sword, and uttered his incantations. Thereupon began the wind to howl and the thunder to roll, while a dense black cloud from the heavens settled upon the field. And therein seemed to be horsemen and footmen innumerable, who swept to attack the imperial troops. Fear came upon them, and Liu Bei led off his troops, but they were in disorder and returned defeated.
Xiao Qiao and Liu Bei considered the matter.
"Zhang Bao uses magic," said Xiao Qiao. "Tomorrow, then, will I prepare counter magic in the shape of the blood of slaughtered swine and goats. This blood shall be sprinkled upon their hosts from the precipices above by soldiers in ambush. Thus shall we be able to break the power of their shamanic art."
So it was done. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei took each a thousand troops and hid them on the high cliffs behind the hills, and they had a plentiful supply of the blood of swine and goats and all manners of filthy things. And so next day, when the rebels with fluttering banners and rolling drums came out to challenge, Liu Bei rode forth to meet them. At the same moment that the armies met, again Zhang Bao began his magic and again the elements began to struggle together. Sand flew in clouds, pebbles were swept along the ground, black masses of vapor filled the sky, and rolling masses of foot and horse descended from on high. Liu Bei turned, as before, to flee and the rebels rushed on. But as they pressed through the hills, the trumpets blared, and the hidden soldiers exploded bombs, threw down filth and spattered blood. The masses of soldiers and horses in the air fluttered to the earth as fragments of torn paper, the wind ceased to blow, the thunder subsided, the sand sank, and the pebbles lay still upon the ground.
Zhang Bao quickly saw his magic had been countered and turned to retire. Then he was attacked on the flanks by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and in rear by Liu Bei and Xiao Qiao. The rebels were routed. Liu Bei, seeing from afar the banner of Zhang Bao The General of Earth, galloped toward it but only succeeded in wounding Zhang Bao with an arrow in the left arm. Wounded though he was, Zhang Bao got away into the city of Yangcheng, where he fortified himself and was besieged by Xiao Qiao.
Xiao Qiao pressed harder yet upon Yangcheng, and the approaching break-up of the rebellion became evident. Then one of Zhang Bao's officers, Han Xian, killed his leader and brought the head in token of submission. Thus rebellion in that part of the country was stamped out, and Xiao Qiao made her report to the government.
Ruse (PB) is dead. He was Zhang Bao of the Yellow Turbans
Only someone with this much power could make this many frittatas without breaking any eggs.