Pagina 249 di 266

Lo Shang, confiding in these promises, march out all his best

troops, and placed Wei Po and others at their head with orders to

attack at P'o-t'ai's bidding. Meanwhile, Li Hsiung's general, Li

Hsiang, had prepared an ambuscade on their line of march; and

P'o-t'ai, having reared long scaling-ladders against the city

walls, now lighted the beacon-fire. Wei Po's men raced up on

seeing the signal and began climbing the ladders as fast as they

could, while others were drawn up by ropes lowered from above.

More than a hundred of Lo Shang's soldiers entered the city in

this way, every one of whom was forthwith beheaded. Li Hsiung

then charged with all his forces, both inside and outside the

city, and routed the enemy completely." [This happened in 303

A.D. I do not know where Ho Shih got the story from. It is not

given in the biography of Li Hsiung or that of his father Li T'e,

Chin Shu, ch. 120, 121.]