第八十二回第八十二回Chapter Eighty-Two

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三教大會萬仙陣

三教大会万仙阵

Chapter Eighty-Two · Investiture of the Gods

The three teachings gather in force at the Formation of Ten Thousand Immortals

A line drawing in the manner of a late-Qing lithographed edition: on the plain before the gate of the great formation, Laozi on his ox, with a horsetail whisk over his shoulder, and Yuanshi on an antlered beast, holding a jade ruyi, ride side by side at the left; at the right Tongtian, the Sect Master, in a crane-patterned robe rides out on his horned ox with a sword pointing down, scowling; behind him ranks of tiny faceless disciples, banners, deer riders, a carriage drawn by tigers and a curtained carriage fill the ground before the gate tower.

詩曰:

萬仙惡陣列出隈,颯颯寒風劈面催。片片祥光籠斗柄,紛紛殺氣透靈臺。魚龍此際分真偽,玉石從今盡脫胎。多少修持遭此劫,三屍斬去五雲開。

诗曰:

万仙恶阵列出隈,飒飒寒风劈面催。片片祥光笼斗柄,纷纷杀气透灵台。鱼龙此际分真伪,玉石从今尽脱胎。多少修持遭此劫,三尸斩去五云开。

A poem says:

The evil Formation of Ten Thousand Immortals is drawn up in the hollow;the cold wind howls, driving straight into their faces.Patch upon patch, auspicious light veils the Dipper’s handle;thick and fast, the air of slaughter pierces the terrace of the spirit.Now fish and dragon will be told apart, the true from the false;from this day jade and stone alike cast off their old bodies.How many who cultivated the Way meet this calamity!Slay the three corpse spirits, and the five-coloured clouds part.

話說余化龍與余達等俱聽了余德言語,不以周兵為意,逐日飲酒,只等周營兵將自己病死。那一日不覺就是第八日,余化龍對諸子言曰:「今日已是八日,不見探事官來報,我們可上城一看。」五子齊曰:「上城看看纔是。」那時離了帥府,上得城來,只見周營比起初三四日光景不同:起先營中毫無煙火;今日周營中反覺騰騰殺氣,烈烈威風,人人勇敢,個個精神,旌旗嚴整,金鼓分明,重重戈戟,疊疊鎗刀。余化龍忙問余德曰:「這幾日周營中已有復舊光景,此事如何?」余達從傍埋怨曰:「兄弟,你不從吾言,致有今日。豈有人是自家會死得盡的?」余德默然不言,暗思:「吾師傳我此術,響應隨時,豈有不準之理?其中必有原故。」乃對父兄言曰:「事已至此,遲疑無益。此必有人在暗中解了。諒他一時身弱,也不能爭戰。不若乘其不備,一戰可以成功;遲則有變。」余化龍聽說,只得領五子殺出關來,逕奔周營,欺周將身弱,余德穿道服仗劍在前,如風馳雨驟而來,喊聲大振。姜子牙與眾門人諸將正要出營,恰逢其時,楊戩曰:「此匹夫恃強欺敵,是自取死也。」子牙坐四不相,哪吒引道,眾門人左右擁護,一齊殺出營來,大呼曰:「余化龍!今日是汝父子死期至矣!」金、木二吒氣沖牛斗;楊任腹內生煙;雷震子聲如霹靂;韋護咬碎鋼牙;李靖欲平吞他父子;龍鬚虎足踏水雲,奮勇爭先。余家父子迎上前來。周營中眾門人裹住了余家父子。未及數合,哪吒現了三首八臂,登起風火輪,先在潼關城上。軍士見哪吒三首八臂,一聲喊,散了個乾淨。余化龍父子見哪吒上關,身子被眾人裹住,不得跳出圈子,因此上出了神,被雷震子一棍,正中余光頂上,翻下馬來。余達大呼曰:「匹夫!傷吾之弟,勢不兩立!」來戰雷震子;又被韋護祭起降魔杵把余達打死,倒在塵埃。楊任將扇子一搧,余先、余兆二人化作飛灰而散。余德見兄弟已死四人,心中大怒,直奔子牙殺來。子牙身體方纔好,諒戰不過,急祭打神鞭于空中,正中余德,打翻在地,早被李靖一戟刺死。雷震子見哪吒上城,也飛進城來。余化龍見五子陣亡,潼關已歸西土,在馬上大呼曰:「紂王!臣不能盡忠扶帝業,為主報深仇,臣今拚一死而報君恩也!」余化龍仗劍自刎而亡。後人單道余化龍父子一門死節,後人有詩弔之,詩曰:

话说余化龙与余达等俱听了余德言语,不以周兵为意,逐日饮酒,只等周营兵将自己病死。那一日不觉就是第八日,余化龙对诸子言曰:「今日已是八日,不见探事官来报,我们可上城一看。」五子齐曰:「上城看看才是。」那时离了帅府,上得城来,只见周营比起初三四日光景不同:起先营中毫无烟火;今日周营中反觉腾腾杀气,烈烈威风,人人勇敢,个个精神,旌旗严整,金鼓分明,重重戈戟,叠叠鎗刀。余化龙忙问余德曰:「这几日周营中已有复旧光景,此事如何?」余达从傍埋怨曰:「兄弟,你不从吾言,致有今日。岂有人是自家会死得尽的?」余德默然不言,暗思:「吾师传我此术,响应随时,岂有不准之理?其中必有原故。」乃对父兄言曰:「事已至此,迟疑无益。此必有人在暗中解了。谅他一时身弱,也不能争战。不若乘其不备,一战可以成功;迟则有变。」余化龙听说,只得领五子杀出关来,径奔周营,欺周将身弱,余德穿道服仗剑在前,如风驰雨骤而来,喊声大振。姜子牙与众门人诸将正要出营,恰逢其时,杨戬曰:「此匹夫恃强欺敌,是自取死也。」子牙坐四不相,哪吒引道,众门人左右拥护,一齐杀出营来,大呼曰:「余化龙!今日是汝父子死期至矣!」金、木二咤气冲牛斗;杨任腹内生烟;雷震子声如霹雳;韦护咬碎钢牙;李靖欲平吞他父子;龙须虎足踏水云,奋勇争先。余家父子迎上前来。周营中众门人裹住了余家父子。未及数合,哪吒现了三首八臂,登起风火轮,先在潼关城上。军士见哪吒三首八臂,一声喊,散了个干净。余化龙父子见哪吒上关,身子被众人裹住,不得跳出圈子,因此上出了神,被雷震子一棍,正中余光顶上,翻下马来。余达大呼曰:「匹夫!伤吾之弟,势不两立!」来战雷震子;又被韦护祭起降魔杵把余达打死,倒在尘埃。杨任将扇子一扇,余先、余兆二人化作飞灰而散。余德见兄弟已死四人,心中大怒,直奔子牙杀来。子牙身体方才好,谅战不过,急祭打神鞭于空中,正中余德,打翻在地,早被李靖一戟刺死。雷震子见哪吒上城,也飞进城来。余化龙见五子阵亡,潼关已归西土,在马上大呼曰:「纣王!臣不能尽忠扶帝业,为主报深仇,臣今拼一死而报君恩也!」余化龙仗剑自刎而亡。后人单道余化龙父子一门死节,后人有诗吊之,诗曰:

Now, Yu Hualong, Yu Da and the others had all listened to what Yu De said and thought nothing of the Zhou army. Day after day they drank, waiting only for the generals and soldiers in the Zhou camp to die of the sickness by themselves. Before they knew it, the eighth day had come. Yu Hualong said to his sons, “Today is already the eighth day, and no scout has come to report. Let us go up on the walls and take a look.” The five sons said together, “Yes, we should go up and look.” So they left the commander’s headquarters and climbed the walls — and saw that the Zhou camp was nothing like it had been on the third and fourth days. Before, there had been no smoke of cooking fires in the camp at all; today, on the contrary, the air of slaughter rose thick over the Zhou camp and its martial might blazed. Every man was brave, every one full of spirit; the banners were trim, the gongs and drums sounded clear, halberds stood rank on rank and spears and sabres layer on layer. Yu Hualong hurriedly asked Yu De, “These last few days the Zhou camp has been getting back to how it was. What is going on?” From beside him Yu Da said reproachfully, “Brother, you wouldn’t listen to me, and now look where it has brought us. Whoever heard of men all dying off on their own?” Yu De stood silent and said nothing, thinking to himself, “My master taught me this art, and it works the moment it is used — how could it fail? There must be some reason behind this.” Then he said to his father and brothers, “Since things have come to this, hesitating will do no good. Someone must have cured them in secret. Even so, I reckon they are still weak for now and can’t fight. Better to strike while they are unprepared: one battle can win it. If we delay, things will change.” Hearing this, Yu Hualong had no choice but to lead his five sons out of the pass to attack, heading straight for the Zhou camp and counting on the Zhou generals being weak. Yu De, in Daoist robes and sword in hand, came on ahead like driving wind and pelting rain, and their battle cry shook the air. Jiang Ziya, with his disciples and generals, was just about to leave the camp when they came — the timing could not have been closer. Yang Jian said, “The churl is relying on his strength and taking his enemy lightly. He is asking for death.” Ziya rode his four-unlike beast, Nezha led the way, and the disciples guarded him on both sides as they all charged out of the camp together, shouting, “Yu Hualong! Today the day of death has come for you and your sons!” Jinzha and Muzha’s fury shot up to the Ox and the Dipper; smoke rose in Yang Ren’s belly; Leizhenzi’s voice was like a thunderclap; Wei Hu ground his steel teeth to pieces; Li Jing longed to swallow father and sons whole; Dragon-Whisker Tiger, treading on water and cloud, fought bravely to be first. Yu Hualong and his sons came forward to meet them, and the disciples from the Zhou camp closed in around them. They had fought only a few bouts when Nezha showed his three heads and eight arms, mounted his wheels of wind and fire, and was first onto the walls of Tong Pass. When the soldiers saw Nezha with three heads and eight arms, they gave a shout and scattered to the last man. Yu Hualong and his sons saw Nezha go up onto the pass, but they were hemmed in by the others and could not break out of the ring, and so their minds strayed — and Leizhenzi brought his staff down square on the crown of Yu Guang’s head and tumbled him from his horse. Yu Da shouted, “Churl! You have hurt my brother — you and I cannot both live under heaven!” He came at Leizhenzi, but Wei Hu sent up his demon-quelling pestle and struck Yu Da dead in the dust. Yang Ren gave one wave of his fan, and Yu Xian and Yu Zhao turned to flying ash and were scattered. When Yu De saw that four of his brothers were already dead, he flew into a rage and charged straight at Ziya. Ziya had only just recovered and reckoned he could not win a fight, so he quickly sent the God-Striking Whip up into the air. It struck Yu De full on and knocked him to the ground, and Li Jing at once ran him through with his halberd. When Leizhenzi saw that Nezha had gone up onto the walls, he too flew into the city. Yu Hualong, seeing his five sons fallen in battle and Tong Pass already gone over to the western land, cried from his horse, “King Zhou! Your servant could not be loyal to the end and uphold your royal estate, nor avenge his lord’s deep wrongs. Now your servant gives his life to repay his sovereign’s kindness!” And Yu Hualong cut his own throat with his sword and died. Of Yu Hualong and his sons, a whole house that died true to their duty, a later poet wrote a poem of mourning. It says:

鐵騎馳驅血刃紅,潼關力戰未成功。一門盡節忠商主,萬死丹心泣曉風。苟祿真能慚素位,捐生今始識英雄。清風耿耿流千載,豈在漁樵談笑中。

铁骑驰驱血刃红,潼关力战未成功。一门尽节忠商主,万死丹心泣晓风。苟禄真能惭素位,捐生今始识英雄。清风耿耿流千载,岂在渔樵谈笑中。

Iron horsemen charging, their blades red with blood,they fought hard at Tong Pass but could not win.A whole house died true, loyal to the lord of Shang;through ten thousand deaths their red hearts weep in the dawn wind.Those who cling to their pay should truly be shamed at their idle posts;only now, as they give their lives, do we know true heroes.Their pure name, bright and unbending, flows down a thousand years —how could it be left to the laughing talk of fishermen and woodcutters?

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