三国演义英文版-第336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！


Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　think　my　recall　was　not　on　your　own　initiative。　Some　slanderous　persons　has　hinted　that　I　cherished　ulterior　objects。〃
The　Latter　Ruler；　who　indeed　felt　guilty　and　ill　at　ease；　made　no　reply。
Zhuge　Liang　continued；　〃Your　late　father　laid　me　under　an　obligation　which　I　am　pledged　to　fulfill　to　the　death。　But　if　vile　influences　are　permitted　to　work　at　home；　how　can　I　destroy　the　rebels　without？〃
〃The　fact　is　I　recalled　you　because　of　the　talk　of　the　eunuchs。　But　I　understand　now　and　am　unutterably　sorry；〃　said　the　Latter　Ruler。
Zhuge　Liang　interrogated　the　eunuchs　and　thus　found　out　the　base　rumors　that　had　been　spread　abroad　by　Gou　An。　He　sent　to　arrest　this　man；　but　Gou　An　had　already　fled　and　gone　over　to　Wei。　The　eunuchs　who　had　influenced　the　Emperor　were　put　to　death；　and　all　the　other　eunuchs　who　were　involved　were　expelled　from　the　Palace。
The　Prime　Minister　also　upbraided　Jiang　Wan　and　Fei　Yi　for　not　having　looked　into　the　matter　and　set　the　Son　of　God　right。　The　two　Ministers　bowed　their　heads　and　admitted　their　fault。
Zhuge　Liang　then　took　leave　of　the　Latter　Ruler　and　returned　to　the　army。　He　wrote　to　Li　Yan　to　see　to　the　necessary　supplies　and　began　preparations　for　a　new　expedition。
Yang　Yi　said；　〃The　soldiers　are　wearied　by　the　many　expeditions；　and　the　supplies　are　not　regular。　I　think　a　better　plan　would　be　to　send　half　the　army　to　Qishan　for　three　months；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　exchange　them　for　the　other　half；　and　so　on　alternately。　For　example；　if　you　have　two　hundred　thousand　troops；　let　one　hundred　thousand　go　into　the　field　and　one　hundred　thousand　remain。　In　this　way；　using　ten　legions　and　ten　legions；　their　energies　will　be　conserved　and　you　can　gradually　work　toward　the　Middle　Land。〃
〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Our　attack　is　not　a　matter　to　be　achieved　in　haste。　The　suggestion　for　an　extended　campaign　is　excellent！〃
Wherefore　the　army　was　divided；　and　each　half　went　out　for　one　hundred　days'　service　at　a　time；　when　it　was　relieved　by　the　other　half。　Full　penalties　were　provided　for　any　laxity　and　failure　to　maintain　the　periods　of　active　service。
In　the　spring　of　the　ninth　year　of　Beginning　Prosperity；　the　Shu　army　once　more　took　the　held　against　Wei。　In　Wei　it　was　the　fifth　year　of　Calm　Peace　（AD　231）。
When　the　Ruler　of　Wei　heard　of　this　new　expedition；　he　called　Sima　Yi　and　asked　his　advice。
〃Now　that　my　friend　Cao　Zhen　is　no　more；　I　am　willing　to　do　all　that　one　man　can　to　destroy　the　rebels　against　Your　Majesty's　authority；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
Cao　Rui　was　gratified　by　this　ready　offer；　and　honored　Sima　Yi　with　a　banquet。　Next　day　an　edict　was　issued　for　the　army　to　move。　The　Ruler　of　Wei；　riding　in　his　state　chariot；　escorted　Sima　Yi　out　of　the　city；　and；　after　the　farewells；　the　mander　took　the　road　to　Changan；　where　the　force　was　gathering。　There　was　assembled　a　council　of　war。
Zhang　He　offered　his　services；　saying；　〃I　volunteer　to　guard　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　against　the　Shu　army。〃
But　Sima　Yi　said；　〃Our　vanguard　army　is　not　strong　enough　to　face　the　enemy's　whole　force。　Moreover；　to　divide　an　army　is　not　generally　a　successful　scheme。　The　better　plan　will　be　to　leave　a　guard　in　Shanggui　and　send　all　the　others　to　Qishan。　Will　you　undertake　the　Leadership　of　the　Van？〃
Zhang　He　consented；　saying；　〃I　have　always　been　most　loyal　and　will　devote　my　energies　entirely　to　the　service　of　the　state。　So　far　I　have　not　had　an　adequate　opportunity　to　prove　my　sincerity。　But　now　that　you　confer　upon　me　a　post　of　such　responsibility；　I　can　only　say　that　no　sacrifice　can　be　too　great　for　me；　and　I　will　do　my　utmost。〃
So　Zhang　He　was　appointed　Van　Leader；　and　then　Guo　Huai　was　set　over　the　defense　of　the　counties　of　West　Valley　Land。　Other　generals　were　distributed　to　other　posts；　and　the　march　began　toward　Qishan。
The　spies　reported：　〃The　main　force　of　Shu　is　directed　toward　Qishan；　and　the　Leaders　of　the　Van　are　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni。　The　route　chosen　for　their　march　is　from　Chencang　across　San　Pass　and　to　the　Xie　Valley。〃
Hearing　this；　Sima　Yi　said　to　Zhang　He；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　advancing　in　great　force　and　certainly　intends　to　reap　the　wheat　in　West　Valley　Land　for　his　supply。　You　get　sufficient　troops　to　hold　Qishan；　while　Guo　Huai　and　I　go　to　Tianshui　and　foil　the　enemy's　plan　to　gather　the　wheat。〃
So　Zhang　He　took　forty　thousand　troops　to　hold　Qishan；　and　Sima　Yi　set　out　westwards　to　the　West　Valley　Land。
When　Zhuge　Liang　reached　Qishan　and　had　settled　his　army　in　camp；　he　saw　that　the　bank　of　River　Wei　had　been　fortified　by　his　enemy。
〃That　must　be　the　work　of　Sima　Yi；〃　remarked　Zhuge　Liang　to　his　generals。　〃But　we　have　not　enough　food　in　camp。　I　have　written　to　Li　Yan　to　send　grain；　but　it　has　not　yet　arrived。　The　wheat　in　West　Valley　Land　is　now　just　ripe；　and　we　will　go　and　reap　it。〃
Leaving　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　Hu　Ban；　and　Wu　Yi　to　guard　for　the　camps；　Zhuge　Liang；　with　Wei　Yan；　Jiang　Wei；　and　several　other　generals；　went　over　to　Lucheng。　The　Governor　of　that　city　knew　he　could　not　offer　any　real　defense；　so　he　opened　the　gates　and　yielded。
After　calming　the　people；　Zhuge　Liang　asked；　〃Where　is　the　ripe　wheat　to　be　found？〃
The　Governor　replied；　〃Longshang　is　the　place。〃
So　Zhang　Yi　and　Ma　Zheng　were　left　to　guard　the　city；　and　the　remainder　of　the　army　went　to　Longshang。
But　soon　the　leading　body　returned　to　say；　〃Sima　Yi　has　already　occupied　that　city。〃
〃He　guessed　what　I　intended　to　do！〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　taken　aback。
Zhuge　Liang　then　retired；　bathed　and　put　on　another　dress。　Next　he　bade　them　bring　out　three　four…wheeled　chariots；　all　exactly　alike；　that　were　among　the　impedimenta　of　the　army。　They　had　been　built　in　Shu　some　time　before。
Jiang　Wei　was　told　off　to　lead　a　thousand　troops　as　escort　for　one　chariot；　and　five　hundred　drummers　were　appointed　to　acpany　it。　The　chariot　with　its　escort　and　drummers　was　sent　away　behind　the　city。　In　like　manner　two　other　chariots　were　equipped　and　sent　east　and　west　of　the　city　under　Ma　Dai　and　Wei　Yan。　Each　chariot　was　propelled　by　a　team　of　twenty…four　men；　all　dressed　in　black；　barefooted　and　with　loosened　hair。　Each　one　of　the　team　also　had　in　hand　a　sword　and　a　black　seven…starred　flag。
While　the　chariots　were　taking　up　their　positions；　thirty　thousand　soldiers　were　ordered　to　prepare　wagons　and　sickles　to　cut　and　carry　away　the　grain。
Next　Zhuge　Liang　selected　twenty…four　good　soldiers；　whom　he　dressed　and　armed　like　those　sent　away　with　the　three　chariots。　These　were　to　push　his　own　chariot。　Guan　Xing　was　told　to　dress　up　as　the　God　of　Clouds　and　to　walk　in　front　of　Zhuge　Liang's　chariot　holding　a　black　seven…starred　flag。　These　preparations　plete；　Zhuge　Liang　mounted；　and　the　chariot　took　the　road　toward　the　Wei　camp。
The　appearance　of　a　chariot　with　such　attendants　more　than　startled　the　enemy's　scouts；　who　did　not　know　whether　the　apparition　was　that　of　a　human　or　a　demon。　They　hastened　to　their　mander　and　told　him。
Sima　Yi　came　out　himself　and　saw　the　cavalcade；　and　its　central　figure　being　Zhuge　Liang；　dressed　as　a　Taoist　mystic；　with　headdress；　white　robe；　and　a　feather　fan。　Around　the　chariot　were　twenty…four　hair…loosened　beings；　each　with　a　sword　in　hand；　and　leading　was　a　being　as　a　heaven…sent　god　with　the　seven…starred　flag。
〃Some　of　Zhuge　Liang's　odd　doings；〃　said　he。
And　Sima　Yi　ordered　two　thousand　troops；　saying；　〃Chase　as　fast　as　you　can；　and　bring　in　the　chariot；　escort；　and　the　seated　figure。〃
The　soldiers　went　out　to　do　their　bidding。　But　as　soon　as　they　appeared；　the　chariot　retired　and　took　a　road　leading　to　the　Shu　camp。　Although　the　Wei　soldiers　were　mounted；　they　could　not　e　up　with　the　cavalcade。　What　they　did　meet　with　was　a　chilly　breeze　and　a　cold　mist　that　rolled　about　them。
They　found　it　uncanny　and　halted；　saying　one　to　another；　〃How　extraordinary　it　is　that　we　have　been　pressing　on　and　yet　we　got　no　nearer。　What　does　it　mean？〃
When　Zhuge　Liang　saw　that　the　pursuit　had　ceased；　he　had　his　chariot　pushed　out　again　to　the　front　and　passed　within　sight　of　the　halted　troops。　At　first　they　hesitated；　but　presently　took　up　the　pursuit　once　more。　Whereupon　the　chariot　again　retired；　proceeding　slowly；　but　always　keeping　out　of　reach。　And　thus　more　than　seven　mil