小说妹妹网

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第6部分（第1页）

wn　to　the　other　side　of　the　mountain；　turning　it　into　a　basin　with　snow　from　a　depth　of　waist…　high　to　higher　than　a　flagpole。　Pretty　soon　the　wolves　will　drive　the　herd　to　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　As　they　press　forward；　they’ll　tighten　the　circle。　What　do　you　think　it　will　look　like？”

Everything　turned　dark　for　Chen；　as　if　he’d　fallen　into　a　snowdrift　that　kept　out　all　light。　If　he’d　been　a　Han　soldier　in　ancient　times；　he　was　thinking；　he　could　not　have　seen　through　this　strategy；　this　trap。　Now　he　began　to　understand　why　the　great　Ming　general　Xu　Da；　who　had　driven　the　Mongols　back　onto　the　grasslands；　had　won　every　battle　he　fought　south　of　the　Great　Wall　but　had　seen　his　armies　annihilated　on　the　grassland。　He　also　understood　why　the　other　great　Ming　general；　Qiu　Fu；　with　his　hundred　thousand　soldiers；　had　driven　the　Mongol　hordes　to　the　Kerulen　River　in　Outer　Mongolia；　only　to　be　ambushed。　When　he　was　killed；　his　army’s　morale　plummeted；　and　all　the　Han　soldiers　were　taken　prisoner。

“In　war；”　the　old　man　said；　“wolves　are　smarter　than　men。　We　Mon—gols　learned　from　them　how　to　hunt；　how　to　encircle；　even　how　to　fight　a　war。　There　are　no　wolf　packs　where　you　Chinese　live；　so　you　haven’t　learned　how　to　fight。　You　can’t　win　a　war　just　because　you　have　lots　of　land　and　people。　No；　it　depends　on　whether　you’re　a　wolf　or　a　sheep。”

The　attack　was　launched。　The　wolf　with　the　gray　neck　and　chest　led　two　large　wolves　on　the　western　flank　in　a　lightning　assault　on　a　hilly　protuberance　near　the　gazelle　herd。　This；　obviously；　was　the　final　gap　in　the　three…　sided　encirclement。　By　occupying　this　hill；　the　wolves　pleted　the　encirclement。　This　sudden　action　was　like　sounding　the　bugle　for　all　three　sides　to　charge。　The　wolves；　which　had　patiently　lain　in　wait　for　so　long；　rose　up　out　of　the　grass　and　charged　the　gazelles　from　the　east；　west；　and　north。　Never　had　Chen　Zhen　witnessed　such　a　terrifying　attack。　When　men　charge　the　enemy；　they　shout　“Charge！”

or　“Kill！”　Dog　attacks　are　acpanied　by　frenzied　barking　to　intimi—date　and　instill　fear。　But　when　wolves　attack；　they　do　so　in　silence—no　shouts；　no　wolfish　howls。　Warrior　wolves！

The　wolves　flew　out　of　the　tall　grass　like　torpedoes　armed　with　the　sharpest；　most　fearsome　teeth　and　menacing　glares；　heading　straight　for　the　herd。

Stuffed　from　overeating；　the　gazelles　were　thrown　into　a　panic。　Denied　their　primary　weapon—speed—they　were　now　little　more　than　sheep；　nothing　but　meat　on　the　hoof。　Chen　imagined　their　great　terror。　Souls　had　probably　already　fled　from　most　of　them　and　were　on　their　way　up　to　Tengger。　Many　merely　stood　where　they　were　and　quaked；　others　crumpled　to　the　ground　as　if　kneeling；　their　tongues　out；　their　short　tails　twitching。

狼图腾（英文版）　2（10）

Chen　was　witness　to　the　wolves’　intelligence　and　patience；　their　organi—zation　and　discipline。　Faced　with　a　bat　opportunity　that　came　around　only　once　every　few　years；　they　were　still　able　to　wait　patiently；　keeping　their　hunger　and　their　appetite　in　check；　then　disarm　the　enemy—the　herd　of　gazelles—with　ease。

Now　he　understood　how　the　great；　unlettered　military　genius　Genghis　Khan；　as　well　as　the　illiterate　or　semiliterate　military　leaders　of　peoples　such　as　the　Quanrong；　the　Huns；　the　Tungus；　the　Turks；　the　Mongols；　and　the　Jurchens；　were　able　to　bring　the　Chinese　（whose　great　military　sage　Sun…tzu　had　produced　his　universally　acclaimed　treatise　The　Art　of　War）　to　their　knees；　to　run　roughshod　over　their　ter—ritory；　and　to　interrupt　their　dynastic　cycles。　They　had　the　greatest　of　all　teachers　in　military　strategy；　they　had　an　excellent　and　remarkably　clear　model　of　actual　bat；　and　they　had　a　long　history　of　struggle　with　crack　lupine　troops。　To　Chen；　these　hours　of　exemplary　bat　tactics　had　proven　more　enlightening　than　years　of　reading　Sun…tzu　or　Clausewitz。　He　had　been　smitten　by　the　study　of　history　at　a　very　young　age；　obsessed　over　solving　one　of　the　great　mysteries　of　world　his—tory：　Where　had　the　tiny　race　of　people　who　had　swept　across　Asia　and　Europe　and　created　the　Great　Mongol　Empire；　the　largest　landhold—ing　in　the　history　of　the　world；　learned　their　military　secrets？　He　had　asked　that　question　of　Bilgee　more　than　once；　and　this　old　man；　whose　educational　level　was　low　but　whose　erudition　was　broad；　had　gradually　answered　all　his　questions　by　enlightening　him　on　the　bat　methods　of　wolves。　Chen　felt　a　sense　of　deep　veneration　for　the　grassland　wolves　and　for　the　people　who　worshipped　the　wolf　totem。

The　battle　and　the　observation　continued。

The　moment　had　finally　arrived　when　the　herd　of　gazelles　began　to　stir。　Only　those　older　members　with　previous　battlefield　experience　and　the　herd　leaders　had　been　able　to　resist　the　seduction　of　fragrant；　mid…winter　grass　and　had　not　eaten　a　quantity　that　would　impede　their　speed；　they　immediately　took　off　running　toward　the　mountains；　at　the　same　time　urging　the　rest　of　the　herd　to　run　for　their　lives。　But　they　didn’t　have　a　chance；　given　their　full　bellies；　the　deep　snow；　and　the　angle　of　the　slope。　It　was　a　bloodbath；　a　punishment　by　the　wise　on　the　stupid　and　care—less。　In　Bilgee’s　view；　this　was　a　sacred　cleansing　of　the　grassland；　a　good　and　benevolent　deed。

Ignoring　those　fallen　gazelles　who　had　eaten　so　much　they　could　not　run；　the　wolves　went　straight　for　the　standing　clusters　of　animals。　The　larger　wolves　quickly　brought　down　victims　and　bit　through　their　throats；　sending　crimson　streams　gushing　into　the　air　and　staining　the　snow。　The　frigid　air　suddenly　filled　with　the　heavy　stink　of　blood。　The　gazelles；　with　their　keen　sight　and　smell；　were　so　terrified　by　this　strategy—killing　the　chickens　to　frighten　the　monkeys—they　broke　for　the　mountain。　Sev—eral　large　bucks　led　families　of　gazelles　up　to　the　top　of　the　slope；　where　they　stopped　and　ran　around　in　circles；　unwilling　to　go　down　the　other　side。　Obviously；　the　lead　animals　had　discovered　the　danger　in　the　white　snowdrift；　where　not　a　single　stalk　of　grass　was　visible；　the　older　animals；　who　were　familiar　with　the　landscape；　had　seen　through　the　wolves’　strategy。

狼图腾（英文版）　2（11）

All　of　a　sudden；　the　closely　packed　group　of　gazelles　turned　and　came　back　down；　like　a　landslide；　as　a　dozen　or　so　large　males　weighed　the　dangers　they　faced。　They　decided　on　the　least　risky　choice　by　turn—ing　to　break　through　the　encirclement。

The　bucks　knew　that　their　fate　hung　in　the　balance。　In　groups　of　four　or　five；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　they　lowered　their　heads　to　create　a　phalanx　of　deadly　horns　and　charged　the　wolves。　Other　gazelles　that　could　still　run　fell　in　behind　them。

Chen　knew　the　damage　those　horns　could　do。　On　the　grassland；　herdsmen　used　them　as　leatherworking　needles；　so　sharp　they　could　penetrate　cowhide；　wolf　skin　would　be　no　problem。　The　counterattack　worked　as　they　tore　a　hole　in　the　encirclement；　through　which　a　yellow　flood　poured。　Chen　Zhen　tensed；　afraid　that　this　rent　in　the　line　would　ruin　the　wolf　pack’s　plans。

But　then　he　discovered　the　pack　leader　standing　near　the　break　in　the　line；　looking　untroubled；　like　a　man　opening　the　dam　to　release　floodwaters。　As　soon　as　the　gazelles　that　had　maintained　their　running　speed　and　kept　their　horns　out　in　front　had　passed　through　the　open　dam；　he　led　his　troops　in　closing　the　breach。　Now　the　encirclement　con—tained　only　gazelles　that　could　not　run　fast；　had　no　weapons；　and　were　not　very　smart。　A　ragtag　pack　of　them；　now　that　their　leaders　and　more　powerful　males　were　outside　the　circle；　terrified　to　face　the　charging　wolves；　ran　up　the　slope　and　then　down　into　the　deep　snowdrifts。　Chen　knew　at　once　how　the　pursued　animals—with　their　pointed　hooves；　thick　legs；　and　bellies　filled　with　grass—would　end　up。

Both　gazelles　and　wolves　disappeared　where　the　mountain　met　the　horizon。　As　a　thousand　gazelles　ran　for　their　lives；　the　blood…　soaked　encirclement　area　went　quiet。　Seven　or　eight　carcasses　lay　on　the　grassy　slope；　other　injured　members　of　the　herd　struggled　weakly。　No　more　than　ten　minutes　had　passed　from　the　moment　the　attack　was　launched　until　the　battle　was　over。　It　seemed　to　Chen　that　he　had　held　his　breath　the　whole　time；　his　heart　was　racing。

The　old　man　stood　up　and　stretched；　then　sat　　cross…legged　in　the　tall　grass　on　the　edge　of　the　snow　cave；　where　he　took　a　pipe　with　a　jade　mouthpiece　out　of　his　felt　boot。　He　filled　it　with　tobacco；　lit　it；　and；　covering　the　opening　with　a　lid　made　of　an　old　silver　coin；　inhaled　a　mouthful　of　smoke。

Chen　knew　that　as　a　young　man；　Bilgee　had　given　a　Han　Chinese　trader　from　Zhangjiakou　twenty　fox　pelts　for　this　pipe；　the　students　considered　it　a　bad　deal；　but　the　pipe　was　one　of　the　old　man’s　prized　possessions；　and　he　had　sympathized　with　the　trader；　who’d　had　to　travel　all　the　way　to　Mongolia　to　do　business；　risking　death　at　the　hands　of　highwaymen　along　the　way。

The　old　man　kept　smoking。　“We　can　head　back　after　this　pipe；”　he　said。

But　Chen　was　still　on　a　hunting　high。　“Aren’t　we　going　to　take　a　look　on　the　other　side？”　he　asked　anxiously。　“I’d　like　to　see　how　many　gazelles　the　wolves　trapped。”

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狼图腾（英文版）　2（12）

“That’s　too　dangerous。　Anyway；　I　know　without　looking。　There　will　be　hundreds　of　them。　Outside　of　the　young　animals；　plus　the　thin　ones　and　the　lucky　ones　that　can　somehow　make　it　out　of　the　snowdrift；　the　rest　are　all　fated　to　go　to　Tengger。　You　needn’t　worry。　This　pack　of　wolves　won’t　be　able　to　eat　all　their　kills；　and　even　after　our　group　goes　out　and　brings　back　all　we　can；　there’ll　still　be　plenty　left　out　there。”

“The　young　animals；　and　the　thin　ones；　how　do　they　manage　to　get　away？”

The　old　man’s　eyes　crinkled　in　a　smile　as　he　said；　“Young　animals　are　thin；　which　makes　their　bodies　light；　so　they　don’t　go　deep　into　the　snow。　They　can　usually　find　a　way　out；　and　the　wolves　won’t　go　after　them。”　He　beamed。　“My　boy；　today　you’ve　witnessed　the　virtues　of　wolves。　Not　only　do　they　watch　and　preserve　the　grassland；　but　they’ve　delivered　New　Year’s　gifts　to　us。　Thanks　to　them；　it’s　going　to　be　a　good　year。　There’s　a　grassland　rule　here　that　the　spoils　of　a　hunt　belong　to　whoever　sees　them　first。　Since　you　and　I　are　the　witnesses；　we’ll　make　sure　your　yurt　gets　a　bit　extra。　We　Mongols　place　much　importance　on　repaying　debts　of　gratitude。　In　the　future；　don’t　waste　your　time　talking　about　the　wolf　hunt　with　other　Chinese　or　outsiders。”

Chen　Zhen　could　barely　contain　his　excitement；　he　was　impatient　to　fill　a　wagon　with　gazelle　carcasses　and　take　them　back　to　the　yurt。　“In　the　two　years　I’ve　been　here；”　he　said；　“the　wolves　have　caused　me　nothing　but　trouble。　I　never　expected　that　one　day　I’d　benefit　from　their　efforts。”

“We　Mongols　benefit　from　their　efforts　all　the　time；”　the　old　man　said。　He　raised　his　herding　club　and　pointed　to　a　mountain　range　behind　them。　“There’s　another　range　of　mountains　behind　that　one。　It’s　not　part　of　our　pastureland；　but　it’s　famous　around　here。　The　old　people　say　that　Genghis　Khan’s　great　general　Muqali　fought　a　battle　there。　He　drove　several　thousand　mounted　Jurchen　warriors　of　the　great　Jin　dynasty　into　a　snowdrift；　and　the　following　spring　he　sent　m

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