三国演义英文版-第283章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　the　same　time；　so　as　to　divide　Zhuge　Liang。〃
〃Where　are　the　five　armies　to　e　from？〃　said　Cao　Pi。

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。
Sima　Yi　went　on；　〃The　first　is　to　be　got　from　Liaodong；　from　the　Xianbi　State。　You　must　write　to　King　Kebi　Neng　and　send　him　presents　of　gold　and　silks　so　that　he　may　send　one　hundred　thousand　Qiang　troops　from　Liaoxi　to　attack　Xiping　Pass。　Secondly；　the　king　of　the　Mang　Tribes；　Meng　Huo；　must　be　persuaded　to　lead　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　attack　the　south　of　Shu………Yizhou；　Yongchang；　Zangge；　and　Yuesui。　Thirdly；　you　must　send　an　ambassador　to　Wu　with　fair　promises　of　an　increase　of　territory；　and　so　induce　Sun　Quan　to　march　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　the　attack　of　the　Three　Gorges；　making　Fucheng　his　objective。　The　fourth　army　can　be　got　from　General　Meng　Da　in　Shangyong；　who　can　muster　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　attack　Hanzhong。　Lastly；　our　own　force　of　one　hundred　thousand　troops　may　be　placed　under　Cao　Zhen；　who　will　attack　by　way　of　Yangping　Pass。　With　five　hundred　thousand　troops　making　simultaneous　attacks　along　five　different　directions；　it　would　be　hard　for　Zhuge　Liang　to　hold　his　own；　even　if　he　had　the　talent　of　Lu　Wang*　himself。〃
The　scheme　delighted　Cao　Pi；　who　at　once　cast　about　for　four　glib…tongued　messengers。　He　also　issued　a　mission　to　Cao　Zhen　as　mander…in…Chief　with　the　order　to　take　Yangping　Pass。
At　this　time　Zhang　Liao　and　most　others　of　the　veterans　who　had　served　Cao　Cao　were　keeping　watch　in　various　stations　and　passes　and　fords　in　Jizhou；　Xuzhou；　Qingzhou；　and　Hefei。　They　were　not　summoned　for　this　expedition　to　the　west。
After　the　accession　of　Liu　Shan；　the　Latter　Ruler；　many　of　those　who　had　served　his　father　gradually　died　after　the　decease　of　their　master。　The　work　of　the　administration　of　the　country；　the　choice　of　officials；　law…making；　taxation；　decision　of　legal　cases；　was　all　done　by　the　Prime　Minister。
As　the　Latter　Ruler　had　no　consort；　the　courtiers；　headed　by　Zhuge　Liang；　proposed；　saying；　〃The　daughter　of　the　late　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　Zhang　Fei　is　prudent；　and　she　is　now　seventeen。　Your　Majesty　should　make　her　Empress。〃
So　Lady　Zhang　was　married　to　the　Emperor　and　became　Empress　Zhang。
It　was　in　the　autumn　of　the　first　year　of　Beginning　Prosperity　（AD　223）　that　the　Latter　Ruler　heard　of　the　plans　and　intentions　of　Wei　against　his　state。
The　persons　who　told　him　gave　him　full　details　said：　〃Wei　has　mustered　five　armies　of　one　hundred　thousand　each　to　march　against　the　River　Lands。　The　first　army　led　by　mander…in…Chief　Cao　Zhen　is　heading　to　Yangping　Pass。　The　second　army　from　Shangyong　led　by　the　rebel　Meng　Da　is　planning　to　attack　Hanzhong。　The　third　army　from　Wu　is　threatening　the　Three　Gorges。　The　fourth　army　under　King　Kebi　Neng　of　the　Qiang　tribes　is　marching　to　Xiping　Pass。　And　the　fifth　army　by　Meng　Huo　of　the　Mang　nations　is　approaching　the　southern　border　near　Yizhou；　Yongchang；　Zangge；　and　Yuesui。　The　border　stations　have　sent　flying　requests　for　help。　We　have　informed　the　Prime　Minister。　But　his　conduct　puzzles　us。　We　do　not　know　why　he　does　not　take　some　action　instead　of　remaining　shut　up　in　his　palace　all　the　time。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　became　really　alarmed；　and　he　sent　one　of　his　personal　attendants　to　call　the　Prime　Minister　to　court。
The　servant　was　gone　a　long　time；　and　then　returned　to　say：　〃The　servants　in　the　residence　said　the　Prime　Minister　was　ill　and　not　to　be　seen。〃
The　young　Emperor's　distress　increased；　and　he　sent　two　High　Ministers………Dong　Yun　and　Du　Qiong………to　Zhuge　Liang；　saying　they　were　to　see　him　even　if　he　was　on　his　couch　and　tell　him　the　dreadful　news　of　invasion。　They　went；　but　they　got　no　farther　than　the　gate。　The　keepers　of　the　gate　refused　them　admission。
But　Du　Qiong　said；　〃The　First　Ruler　had　confided　his　son　to　the　Prime　Minister。　It　has　not　been　long　since　His　Majesty's　accession　to　the　Throne　that　Cao　Pi　threatens　to　invade　our　territories　with　five　armies。　This　is　urgent　military　matter。　How　can　the　Prime　Minister　make　illness　as　an　excuse　not　to　appear？〃
The　wardens　of　the　gate　went　inside　with　what　was　said。
After　keeping　them　waiting　a　long　time；　the　wardens　returned；　saying；　〃The　Prime　Minister　is　rather　better　and　will　be　at　court　in　the　morning。〃
The　two　ministers　sighed　deeply　as　they　wended　their　way　to　the　Emperor's　palace。
Next　morning　a　great　crowd　of　officers　assembled　at　the　gate　of　the　Prime　Minister's　residence　to　wait　for　him　to　appear。　But　he　did　not　e　out。　It　began　to　grow　late；　and　many　of　them　were　tired　of　waiting；　and　the　crowd　dispersed。
Du　Qiong　went　again　to　the　Emperor　and　suggested；　saying；　〃Your　Majesty　should　go　in　person　and　try　to　get　Zhuge　Liang　to　say　what　should　be　done。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　then　returned　to　his　palace　with　the　officials　and　told　the　Empress　Dowager　his　trouble。　She　was　also　alarmed。
〃What　can　he　mean？〃　said　she。　〃This　does　not　look　like　acting　in　the　spirit　of　the　charge　laid　upon　him　by　the　late　Emperor。　Let　me　go　myself。〃
〃Oh　no；〃　said　Dong　Yun。　〃Your　Majesty　must　not　go。　We　think　all　is　well；　and　the　Prime　Minister　certainly　understands　and　will　do　something。　Beside；　you　must　let　His　Majesty　go　first；　and　if　the　Prime　Minister　still　shows　remissness；　then　Your　Majesty　can　summon　him　to　the　Temple　of　the　Dynasty　and　ask　him。〃
So　it　was　left　at　that。　And　the　next　day　the　Emperor　rode　in　his　chariot　to　the　gate　of　his　minister。　When　the　doorkeepers　saw　the　imperial　chariot　appear；　they　fell　upon　their　knees　to　wele　the　Emperor。
〃Where　is　the　Prime　Minister？〃　asked　he。
〃We　do　not　know。　But　we　have　orders　not　to　let　in　the　crowd　of　officers。〃
The　Emperor　then　descended　and　went　on　foot　right　in　to　the　third　gate。　Then　he　saw　Zhuge　Liang　leaning　on　a　staff　beside　a　fishpond　looking　at　the　fish。　The　Latter　Ruler　approached；　and　stood　behind　him　for　a　long　time。
Presently　the　Latter　Ruler　said　slowly　and　with　dignity；　〃Is　the　Prime　Minister　really　enjoying　himself？〃
Zhuge　Liang　started　and　looked　round。　When　he　saw　who　the　speaker　was；　he　suddenly　dropped　his　staff　and　prostrated　himself。
〃I　ought　to　be　put　to　death　ten　thousand　times！〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
But　the　Emperor　put　forth　his　hand　and　helped　him　to　rise；　saying；　〃Cao　Pi　threatens　immediate　invasion　from　five　points。　Why　will　you　not　e　forth　and　attend　to　business？〃
Zhuge　Liang　laughed。　He　conducted　the　Emperor　into　an　inner　room；　and；　when　he　was　seated；　Zhuge　Liang　addressed　the　Emperor；　saying；　〃Could　it　be　possible　that　I　was　ignorant　of　these　five　armies？　I　was　not　looking　at　the　fishes；　I　was　thinking。〃
〃But；　this　being　so；　what　shall　we　do？〃
〃I　have　already　turned　back　that　Kebi　Neng　of　the　Qiangs；　and　Meng　Huo　of　the　Mangs；　and　the　rebel　leader　Meng　Da；　and　the　army　from　Wei。　I　have　also　thought　out　a　plan　to　circumvent　the　army　from　Wu；　but　I　need　a　special　sort　of　person　to　carry　it　out。　I　want　an　envoy；　an　able　talker；　one　capable　of　persuading　other　people。　It　was　because　I　have　not　found　such　a　person　yet　that　I　was　so　deeply　in　thought。　But　Your　Majesty　may　set　your　mind　at　rest　and　not　be　anxious。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　heard　this　half　terrified　and　half　glad。
〃Surely　your　superhuman　devices　are　too　deep　for　the　mortal。　But　may　I　ask　how　these　armies　have　been　made　to　turn　back？〃
〃Since　His　Late　Majesty　bade　me　take　the　best　care　of　your　welfare；　I　dare　not　be　remiss　for　a　single　moment。　Some　officers　in　Chengdu　are　ignorant　of　that　refinement　of　war　which　consists　in　not　allowing　the　enemy　to　guess　your　plans。　How　could　I　let　them　know　anything？　When　I　heard　that　Kebi　Neng；　the　king　of　Qiangs；　might　invade；　I　remembered　that　Ma　Chao's　forefathers　were　friendly　with　those　tribespeople　and　they　had　a　high　opinion　of　Ma　Chao；　calling　him　General　Who　Possesses　Heavenly　Prestige。　So　I　sent　orders　by　dispatch　to　Ma　Chao　to　hold　the　Xiping　Pass；　and　to　prepare　ambushes　in　certain　places　and　change　them　daily　so　as　to　keep　the　Qiangs　off。　That　settled　them。
〃I　sent　hastily　to　the　south　to　order　Wei　Yan　to　move　certain　bodies　of　troops　about　through　the　southwest　territories；　to　be　seen　and　th