三国演义英文版-第313章

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　Main　Next　to　Chapter　94　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　94
　Chapter　94
Zhuge　Liang　Defeats　The　Qiangs　In　A　Snowstorm；
Sima　Yi　Quickly　Captures　Meng　Da。
Guo　Huai　laid　before　his　colleague　the　scheme　to　overe　the　army　of　Shu；　saying；　〃The　Qiang　tribes　have　paid　tribute　regularly　since　the　days　of　the　Founder　of　Wei。　Emperor　Pi　regarded　them　with　favor。　Now　let　us　hold　such　points　of　vantage　as　we　may；　while　we　send　secret　emissaries　to　engage　their　help　in　exchange　for　kindly　treatment。　We　may　get　the　Qiangs　to　attack　Shu　and　engage　their　attention；　while　we　gather　a　large　army　to　smite　them　at　another　place。　Thus　attacking；　how　can　we　help　gaining　a　great　victory？〃
A　messenger　was　sent　forthwith　bearing　letters　to　the　Qiang　tribespeople。
The　King　of　the　western　Qiangs　was　named　Cheli　Ji。　He　had　rendered　yearly　tribute　since　the　days　of　Cao　Cao。　He　had　two　ministers；　one　for　civil　and　the　other　for　military　affairs；　named；　respectively；　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan　and　Chief　Leader　Yue　Ji。
The　letter　was　acpanied　by　presents　of　gold　and　pearls；　and　when　the　messenger　arrived；　he　first　sought　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan；　to　whom　he　gave　gifts　and　whose　help　he　begged。　Thus　he　gained　an　interview　with　the　King；　to　whom　he　presented　the　letter　and　the　gifts。　The　King　accepted　both　and　called　his　counselors　to　consider　the　letter。
Ya　Dan　said；　〃We　have　had　regular　intercourse　with　the　Wei　kingdom。　Now　that　Cao　Zhen　asks　our　aid　and　promises　an　alliance；　we　ought　to　accede　to　his　request。〃
Cheli　Ji　agreed　that　it　was　so；　and　he　ordered　his　two　chief　ministers　to　raise　an　army　of　two　hundred　fifty　thousand　of　trained　soldiers；　archers　and　crossbowmen；　spearmen　and　swordsmen；　warriors　who　flung　maces　and　hurled　hammers。　Beside　these　various　weapons；　the　tribesmen　used　chariots　covered　with　iron　plates　nailed　on。　They　prepared　much　grain　and　fodder　and　many　spare　weapons；　all　of　which　they　loaded　upon　these　iron…clad　chariots。　The　chariots　were　drawn　by　camels　or　teams　of　horses。　The　carts　or　chariots　were　known　as　〃iron　chariots〃。
The　two　leaders　took　leave　of　their　King　and　went　straightway　to　Xiping　Pass。
The　mander　in　charge　of　the　Pass；　Han　Zhen；　at　once　sent　intelligence　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　asked；　〃Who　will　go　to　attack　the　Qiangs？〃
Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　said　they　would　go。
Then　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃You　shall　be　sent。　But　as　you　are　ignorant　of　the　road　and　the　people；　Ma　Dai　shall　acpany　you。〃
To　Ma　Dai　he　said；　〃You　know　the　disposition　of　the　Qiangs　from　your　long　residence　there。　You　shall　go　as　guide。〃
They　chose　out　fifty　thousand　of　veterans　for　the　expedition。　When　they　had　marched　a　few　days　and　drew　near　their　enemy；　Guan　Xing　went　in　advance　with　a　hundred　horsemen　and　got　first　sight　of　them　from　a　hill。　The　Qiangs　were　marching；　the　long　line　of　iron　chariots　one　behind　another　in　close　order。　Then　they　halted　and　camped；　their　weapons　piled　all　along　the　line　of　chariots　like　the　ramparts　of　a　moated　city。　Guan　Xing　studied　them　for　a　long　time　quite　at　a　loss　to　think　how　to　overe　them。　He　came　back　to　camp　and　consulted　with　his　two　colleagues。
Ma　Dai　said；　〃We　will　see　tomorrow　what　they　will　do　when　we　make　our　array；　and　discuss　our　plans　when　we　know　more。〃
So　the　next　day　they　drew　up　their　army　in　three　divisions；　Guan　Xing's　division　being　in　the　center；　Zhang　Bao's　in　the　left；　and　Ma　Dai's　in　the　right。　Thus　they　advanced。
The　enemy　also　drew　up　in　battle　order。　Their　Chief　Leader；　Yue　Ji；　had　an　iron　mace　in　his　hand　and　a　graven　bow　hung　at　his　waist。　He　rode　forward　on　a　curvetting　steed　boldly　enough。　Guan　Xing　gave　the　order　for　all　three　divisions　to　go　forward。　Then　the　enemy's　ranks　opened　in　the　center　and　out　rolled　the　iron　chariots　like　a　great　wave。　At　the　same　time　the　Qiangs　shot　arrows　and　bolts；　and　the　men　of　Shu　could　not　stand　against　them。
The　wing　divisions　under　Ma　Dai　and　Zhang　Bao　retired；　and　the　Qiangs　were　thus　enabled　to　surround　the　center。　In　spite　of　every　effort；　Guan　Xing　could　not　get　free；　for　the　iron　chariots　were　like　a　city　wall　and　no　opening　could　be　found。　The　troops　of　Shu　were　absolutely　helpless；　and　Guan　Xing　made　for　the　mountains　in　hope　of　finding　a　road　through。
As　it　grew　dark　a　Qiang　leader　with　a　black　flag　approached；　his　warriors　like　a　swarm　of　wasps　about　him。
Presently　the　leader　cried　out　to　him；　〃Youthful　general；　flee　not。　I　am　Yue　Ji！〃
But　Guan　Xing　only　hastened　forward；　plying　his　whip　to　urge　his　steed。　Then　he　suddenly　came　on　a　deep　gully；　and　there　seemed　nothing　but　to　turn　and　fight。　Yue　Ji　e　close　and　struck　at　him　with　the　mace。　Guan　Xing　evaded　the　blow；　but　it　fell　upon　his　steed　and　knocked　it　over　into　water。　Guan　Xing　went　into　the　water　too。
Presently　he　heard　a　great　noise　again　behind　him。　Yue　Ji　and　his　troops　had　found　a　way　down　into　the　gully　and　were　ing　at　him　down　the　stream。　Guan　Xing　braced　himself　for　a　struggle　in　the　water。
Then　he　saw　Zhang　Bao　and　Ma　Dai　ing　up　on　the　bank　fighting　with；　and　driving　off；　the　Qiangs。　Yue　Ji　was　struck　by　Zhang　Bao；　and　he　too　fell　into　the　gully。　Guan　Xing　gripped　his　sword　and　was　about　to　launch　a　stroke　at　Yue　Ji　as　he　came　up；　when　Yue　Ji　jumped　out　of　the　water　and　ran　away。
At　once　Guan　Xing　caught　the　steed　Yue　Ji　had　left；　led　it　up　the　bank　and　soon　had　it　ready　to　mount。　Then　he　girded　on　his　sword；　got　on　the　horse；　and　joined　the　battle　with　his　colleagues。
After　driving　off　the　Qiangs；　Guan　Xing；　Zhang　Bao；　and　Ma　Dai　gathered　together　and　rode　back。　They　quickly　gained　the　camp。
〃I　do　not　know　how　to　overe　these　men；〃　said　Ma　Dai。　〃Let　me　protect　the　camp　while　you　go　back　and　ask　the　Prime　Minister　what　we　should　do。〃
Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　started　at　once　and　made　the　best　of　their　way　back。　They　told　Zhuge　Liang　what　had　happened。　He　at　once　sent　off　Zhao　Yun　and　Wei　Yan　to　go　into　ambush。　After　this　he　went　himself　with　thirty　thousand　troops　and　Jiang　Wei；　Zhang　Yi；　Guan　Xing；　and　Zhang　Bao　and　soon　came　to　Ma　Dai's　camp。　The　day　after；　from　the　summit　of　a　hill；　Zhuge　Liang　surveyed　the　country　and　the　enemy；　who　were　ing　on　in　a　ceaseless　stream。
〃It　is　not　difficult；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
He　called　up　Ma　Dai　and　Zhang　Yi　and　gave　them　certain　orders。
They　having　gone；　he　turned　to　Jiang　Wei；　saying；　〃My　friend；　do　you　know　how　to　overe　them？〃
〃The　enemy　only　depend　upon　force　and　courage。　They　shall　not　expect　this　fine　strategy；〃　was　the　reply。
〃You　know；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　smiling。　〃Those　dark　clouds　and　the　strong　north　wind　mean　snow。　Then　I　can　do　what　I　wish。〃
The　two　leaders；　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　were　sent　into　ambush；　and　Jiang　Wei　went　out　to　offer　battle。　But　he　was　to　retire　before　the　iron　chariots。　At　the　entrance　to　the　camp　were　displayed　many　flags；　but　the　soldiers　that　should　serve　under　them　were　not　there。
It　was　now　full　winter；　the　twelfth　month；　and　the　snow　had　e。　The　army　of　Shu　went　out　to　offer　battle。　When　the　iron　chariots　came　forward；　they　retired　and　thus　led　the　Qiangs　to　the　gate　of　the　camp；　Jiang　Wei　going　to　its　rear。　The　Qiangs　came　to　the　gate　and　stopped　to　look。　They　heard　the　strumming　of　a　lute；　but　there　were　no　soldiers　there；　the　flags　meant　nothing。　They　told　Yue　Ji；　and　he　suspected　some　ruse。　Instead　of　entering；　he　went　back　to　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan　and　told　him。
〃It　is　a　ruse；〃　said　Ya　Dan。　〃Zhuge　Liang's　base　trick　is　the　pretense　of　a　pretense；　and　you　had　better　attack。〃
So　Yue　Ji　led　his　troops　again　to　the　camp　gate；　and　there　he　saw　Zhuge　Liang　with　a　lute　just　getting　into　his　chariot。　With　a　small　escort；　he　went　toward　the　back　of　the　camp。　The　tribesmen　rushed　into　the　camp　and　caught　sight　of　the　light　chariot　again　just　as　it　disappeared　into　a　wood。
Then　said　Ya　Dan；　〃There　may　be　an　ambush；　but　I　think　we　need　not　be　afraid　of　these　soldiers。〃
Hence　they　decided　to　pursue。　Ahead　of　them　they　saw　the　division　under　Jiang　Wei　hastening　off　through　the　snow。　Yue　Ji's　rage　boiled　up　at　this　sight；　and　he　urged　his　men　to　go　faster。　The　snow　had　filled　in　the　roads　among　the　hills；　making　every　part　look　like　a　level　plain。
As　they　marched；　one　reported　that　some　of　the　enemy　were　appearing　from　the　rear　of　the　hills。　Some　thought　this　meant　an　am