三国演义英文版-第289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！


hallenge。　But　after　the　third　encounter　he　fled。　Wei　Yan　pursued　him　and　smote　for　a　distance　of　seven　miles。
Next　day　Yong　Kai　challenged；　but　the　soldiers　of　Shu　refused　to　fight；　and　remained　within　their　lines　for　three　days。　On　the　fourth　day　Yong　Kai　and　Gao　Ding　divided　their　troops　into　two　parts　and　came　to　attack　the　camp。　Now　Zhuge　Liang　had　told　Wei　Yan　to　wait　for　this　double　attack；　and　so　when　it　came　to　pass；　both　divisions　fell　into　an　ambush　and　suffered　great　loss；　many　being　killed　and　more　captured。
The　prisoners　were　taken　to　the　camp；　and　the　soldiers　belonging　to　the　two　leaders………Yong　Kai　and　Gao　Ding………were　confined　separately。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　told　the　soldiers　to　let　it　be　known　that　only　those　belonging　to　Gao　Ding　would　be　spared；　the　others　would　be　put　to　death。　When　time　had　been　given　for　this　story　to　spread　among　the　prisoners；　Yong　Kai's　troops　were　brought　up　to　the　mander's　tent。
〃Whose　soldiers　were　you？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。
〃Gao　Ding's；〃　cried　they　all；　falsely。
Then　they　were　all　pardoned；　and；　after　being　given　wine　and　food；　they　were　taken　to　the　frontier　and　set　free。
Next　the　real　Gao　Ding's　soldiers　were　brought　forward；　and　the　same　question　was　put　to　them。
〃We　all　really　belong　to　Gao　Ding's　mand；〃　said　they。
In　like　manner　they　were　pardoned　and　refreshed　with　wine　and　food。
Then　Zhuge　Liang　addressed　them；　saying；　〃Yong　Kai　has　just　sent　a　messenger　to　ask　that　he　may　surrender；　and　he　offers　to　bring　with　him　the　heads　of　Gao　Ding　and　Zhu　Bao　as　a　proof　of　merit。　But　I　will　not　receive　him；　and　you；　since　you　are　Gao　Ding's　soldiers；　shall　be　released　and　allowed　to　return　to　him。　But　let　there　be　no　ingratitude　and　fighting　again；　for　if　there　is；　I　certainly　will　not　pardon　you　next　time。〃
So　they　thanked　their　liberator　and　went　away。　As　soon　as　they　reached　their　own　camp；　they　told　the　whole　story。　Then　Gao　Ding　sent　a　spy　to　the　camp　of　Yong　Kai　to　find　out　what　was　doing。　There　the　spy　met　those　who　had　been　released；　and　they　were　all　talking　about　Zhuge　Liang's　kindness；　and　many　of　them　were　inclined　to　desert　their　own　camp　for　the　other。
Although　this　seemed　very　satisfactory；　yet　Gao　Ding　did　not　feel　convinced；　and　he　sent　another　man　to　Zhuge　Liang's　camp　to　try　to　verify　the　rumor。　But　this　man　was　captured　and　taken　before　the　mander…in…Chief；　who　pretended　that　he　thought　the　spy　belonged　to　Yong　Kai。
Zhuge　Liang　said　to　him；　〃Why　has　your　leader　failed　to　send　me　the　heads　of　Gao　Ding　and　Zhu　Bao　as　he　promised？　You　lot　are　not　very　clever；　and　what　are　you　e　to　spy　out？〃
The　soldier　muttered　and　mumbled　in　confusion。
But　Zhuge　Liang　gave　the　man　wine　and　food；　and　then　wrote　a　letter　which　he　handed　to　the　spy；　saying；　〃You　give　this　letter　to　your　mander；　Yong　Kai；　and　tell　him　to　get　the　job　done　quickly。〃
The　spy　took　the　letter　and　got　away。　As　soon　as　he　reached　camp；　he　gave　the　letter　to　Gao　Ding　and　also　the　message。
Gao　Ding　read　the　missive　and　became　very　angry。
〃I　have　ever　been　true　to　him；　and　yet　he　wants　to　kill　me。　It　is　hard　to　be　either　friendly　or　reasonable。〃
Then　he　decided　to　take　E　Huan　into　his　confidence；　and　called　him。
E　Huan　was　much　prejudiced　in　favor　of　Zhuge　Liang；　and　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　a　most　benevolent　man；　and　it　would　be　ill　to　turn　our　backs　upon　him。　It　is　Yong　Kai's　fault　that　we　are　now　rebels；　and　our　best　course　would　be　to　slay　him　and　betake　ourselves　to　Zhuge　Liang。〃
〃How　could　it　be　done？〃　asked　Gao　Ding。
〃Invite　him　to　a　banquet。　If　he　refuses；　it　means　he　is　a　traitor；　and　then　you　can　attack　him　in　front　while　I　will　lie　in　wait　behind　his　camp　to　capture　him　as　he　runs　away。〃
They　agreed　to　try　this　plan。　The　banquet　was　prepared；　and　Yong　Kai　invited。　But　as　Yong　Kai's　mind　was　full　of　suspicion　from　what　his　returned　soldiers　had　said；　he　would　not　e。　That　night；　as　soon　as　darkness　fell；　Gao　Ding　attacked　his　camp。
Now　the　soldiers　who　had　been　released　were　imbued　with　the　goodness　of　Gao　Ding　all　quite　ready　to　help　him　fight。　On　the　other　hand；　Yong　Kai's　troops　mutinied　against　him；　and　so　Yong　Kai　mounted　his　steed　and　fled。　Before　he　had　gone　far；　he　found　his　road　blocked　by　the　cohort　under　E　Huan；　who　galloped　out　with　his　halberd　and　confronted　the　fugitive。　Yong　Kai　could　not　defend　himself；　and　was　struck　down。　E　Huan　decapitated　him。　As　soon　as　they　knew　he　was　dead；　his　troops　joined　themselves　to　Gao　Ding；　who　then　went　and　surrendered　to　Zhuge　Liang。
Zhuge　Liang　received　Gao　Ding　sitting　in　state　in　his　tent；　but　at　once　ordered　the　lictors　to　decapitate　Gao　Ding。
But　Gao　Ding　said；　〃Influenced　by　your　kindness；　Sir；　I　have　brought　the　head　of　my　colleague　as　a　proof　of　the　sincerity　of　my　surrender。　Why　should　I　die？〃
〃You　e　with　false　intent。　Do　you　think　you　can　hoodwink　me？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　laughing。
〃What　proof　have　you　that　I　am　false？〃
Zhuge　Liang　drew　a　letter　from　his　box；　and　said；　〃Zhu　Bao　sent　this　secretly　to　say　he　wished　to　surrender；　and　he　said　you　and　Yong　Kai　were　sworn　friends　to　death。　How　could　you　suddenly　change　your　feelings　and　slay　him？　That　is　how　I　know　your　treachery。〃
〃Zhu　Bao　only　tried　to　make　trouble；〃　cried　Gao　Ding；　kneeling。
Zhuge　Liang　still　refused　to　believe　him；　and　said；　〃I　cannot　believe　you　without　more　solid　proof。　If　you　would　slay　Zhu　Bao；　I　could　take　that　as　proving　you　were　sincere　in　your　surrender。〃
〃Do　not　doubt　me。　What　if　I　go　and　capture　this　man？〃
〃If　you　did　that；　my　doubts　would　be　set　at　rest。〃
Thereupon　Gao　Ding　and　his　subordinate；　E　Huan；　led　away　their　troops　to　the　camp　of　Zhu　Bao。　When　they　were　about　three　miles　from　his　camp；　Zhu　Bao　appeared　with　a　cohort。　As　soon　as　they　recognized　each　other；　Zhu　Bao　hastily　came　forward　to　parley。
But　Gao　Ding　cried　out　to　him；　〃Why　did　you　write　a　letter　to　the　Prime　Minister　and　so　intrigue　with　him　to　get　me　killed？〃
Zhu　Bao　stared　open　mouthed　and　could　not　reply。　Then　E　Huan　rode　out　from　behind　his　chief　and　struck　Zhu　Bao　with　his　halberd　so　that　he　fell　to　the　ground。
Thereupon　Gao　Ding　shouted；　〃The　soldiers　should　either　yield　or　be　slain！〃
And　they　yielded　in　a　body。
Gao　Ding　then　went　back　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　offered　the　head　of　the　man　just　slain。
Zhuge　Liang　laughed　again。　〃I　have　made　you　kill　both　these　as　a　proof　of　loyalty。〃
Then　he　created　Gao　Ding　Governor　of　Yizhou　and　chief　of　three　territories；　while　E　Huan　was　made　General。　Thus　the　three　rebel　divisions　were　disposed　of　and　troubled　the　peace　no　more。
Governor　Wang　Kang　of　Yongchang　then　came　out　of　the　city　and　weled　Zhuge　Liang。
When　Zhuge　Liang　had　made　his　entry　into　that　city；　he　called　Wang　Kang　and　asked；　〃Who　has　aided　you　in　the　defense　of　this　city？〃
The　Governor　said；　〃The　safety　of　this　city　is　due　entirely　to　Lu　Kai。〃
So　Lu　Kai　was　called。　He　came　and　bowed。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Long　since　I　heard　of　you　as　a　remarkable　person　of　this　area。　We　are　greatly　indebted　to　you　for　its　safety。　Now　we　wish　to　conquer　the　Mangs。　Have　you　any　advice　to　offer？〃
Lu　Kai　then　produced　a　map　of　the　country　and　presented　it；　saying；　〃From　the　time　of　my　appointment；　I　have　felt　certain　that　the　southern　tribespeople　would　rise　against　you；　and　so　I　sent　secret　agents　to　map　out　the　country　and　find　the　strategic　points。　From　that　information　I　prepared　this　map；　which　I　call　'The　Plan　to　Subdue　the　Mangs。'　I　beg　you；　Sir；　to　accept　it；　as　it　may　be　of　use。〃
Zhuge　Liang　were　very　glad。　He　took　Lu　Kai　into　his　service　as　Adviser　and　Army　Guide。　With　Lu　Kai's　help；　Zhuge　Liang　advanced　and　penetrated　deeply　into　the　country。
While　the　army　was　advancing；　there　came　a　messenger　from　the　court。　When　he　appeared；　Zhuge　Liang　saw　it　was　Ma　Su；　and　he　was　clothed　in　white。　He　was　in　mourning　for　his　brother；　Ma　Liang；　who　had　just　died。
He　said；　〃I　e　by　special　mand　of　the　Emperor　with　gifts　of　wine　and　silks　for　the　soldiers。〃
When　the　ceremonies　proper　on　receipt　of　a　mandate　from　the　Emperor　had　been　performed；　and　the　gifts　distributed　as　instructed；　Ma　Su　was　asked　to　remain　to　talk　over　matters。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　have　His　Majesty's　mand　to　conquer　these　Mangs。　I　hear　you　have　some　advice　to　offer；　and　I　should　be　pleased　if　you　would　instruct　me。〃
〃Yes；　I　have　one