三国演义英文版-第359章

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〃And　who　are　these　two？〃
〃One　is　named　Zhong　Hui；　a　man　of　Changsha。　He　is　a　son　of　the　former　Imperial　Guardian　Zhong　Yao。　As　a　mere　boy　he　was　noted　for　being　bold　and　smart。　His　father　used　to　take　him　and　his　brother；　Zhong　Yu；　to　court。　Zhong　Hui　was　seven　and　his　brother　a　year　older。　Emperor　Pi　noticed　one　day　that　the　elder　boy　was　sweating　and　asked　him　the　reason。　Zhong　Yu　replied；　'Whenever　I　am　frightened；　the　sweat　pours　out。'　Then　Emperor　Pi　said　to　the　other　boy；　'You　do　not　seem　frightened。'　And　Zhong　Hui　replied；　'I　am　so　frightened　that　the　sweat　cannot　e　out。'　The　Emperor　was　discerned　the　extraordinary　ability　of　the　boy。　A　little　later　Zhong　Hui　was　always　studying　books　on　war　and　tactics；　and　became　an　able　strategist；　so　that　he　won　admiration　from　both　Sima　Yi　and　Jiang　Ji。　Zhong　Hui　is　being　a　secretary　in　the　Palace。
〃The　second　man　is　Deng　Ai　from　Yiyang。　He　was　left　an　orphan　very　early；　but　he　was　ambitious　and　enterprising。　If　he　saw　lofty　mountains　or　wide　marshes；　he　always　looked　for　those　points　where　soldiers　might　be　stationed　or　depots　of　provisions　made　or　bustibles　laid。　People　ridiculed　him；　but　Sima　Yi　saw　there　was　much　to　admire　and　employed　the　young　man　on　his　staff。　Deng　Ai　had　an　impediment　in　his　speech；　so　that　he　called　himself　'Deng…eng…eng…Ai'；　and　Sima　Yi　used　to　make　fun　of　him　and　asked　him　one　day　how　many　there　were　of　him　since　he　called　himself　'Deng…eng…eng…Ai'。　Deng　Ai　at　once　replied；　'There　is　only　one　phoenix　when　they　say　'O　Phoenix！　O　Phoenix！''　This　ready　repartee　shows　the　quickness　of　his　intellect；　and　you　may　well　be　on　your　guard　against　him　and　the　other；　for　they　are　to　be　feared。〃
〃I　do　not　think　them　worth　even　talking　about；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。
Jiang　Wei　took　Xiahou　Ba　to　Chengdu　and　presented　him　to　the　Latter　Ruler。
Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Sima　Yi　had　slain　Cao　Shuang；　and　he　wanted　to　bait　Xiahou　Ba；　who　yielded　to　Shu。　Now　the　Simas；　father　and　sons；　are　holding　the　supreme　power；　the　young　Ruler　Cao　Fang　is　a　weakling；　and　Wei's　fortune　is　near　its　end。　For　many　years　in　Hanzhong；　our　troops　have　been　well　trained；　and　our　stores　and　depots　filled　with　ample　supplies。　Now　I　wish　to　lead　an　expedition；　using　Xiahou　Ba　as　guide；　to　conquer　the　Middle　Land　and　to　reestablish　the　House　of　Han　in　its　old　capital。　This　is　how　I　could　show　my　gratitude　to　Your　Majesty　and　fulfill　the　desire　of　the　late　Prime　Minister。〃
But　Fei　Yi；　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　opposed　any　expedition；　saying；　〃We　have　lately　lost　by　death　two　trusty　ministers；　Jiang　Wan　and　Dong　Yun；　and　there　is　no　one　left　fit　to　take　care　of　the　government。　The　attempt　should　be　postponed；　no　hasty　move　should　be　made。〃
〃Not　so；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　〃Life　is　short。　Our　days　flash　by　as　the　glint　of　a　white　horse　across　a　chink　in　the　door。　We　are　waiting　and　waiting。　Are　we　never　to　try　to　restore　Han　to　its　old　glory？〃
〃Remember　the　saying　of　the　wise　Sun　Zi：　'Know　thyself　and　know　thine　enemy；　then　is　victory　sure。'　We　are　not　the　equals　of　the　late　Prime　Minister；　and　where　he　failed；　are　we　likely　to　succeed？〃
Jiang　Wei　said；　〃I　would　enlist　the　aid　of　the　Qiangs。　I　have　lived　near　them　in　Longshang　and　know　them　well。　With　their　help；　even　if　we　do　not　gain　the　whole　empire；　we　can　at　least　conquer　and　hold　all　west　of　Changan。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　here　closed　the　discussion；　saying；　〃Sir；　as　you　desire　to　conquer　Wei；　do　your　best。　I　will　not　damp　your　enthusiasm。〃
Thus　the　Latter　Ruler's　consent　was　given。　Then　Jiang　Wei　left　the　court　and　betook　himself；　with　Xiahou　Ba；　into　Hanzhong　to　prepare　for　a　new　expedition。
〃We　will　first　send　an　envoy　to　the　Qiangs　to　make　a　league　with　them；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃Then　we　will　march　out　by　the　Xiping　Pass　to　Yongzhou；　where　we　will　build　up　two　ramparts　in　Qushan　in　Qushan　Mountains　and　garrison　them。　The　position　is　a　point　of　vantage。　Then　we　will　send　supplies　beyond　the　pass　by　land　and　waterways；　and　advance　gradually；　according　to　the　plan　devised　by　the　late　Prime　Minister。〃
In　the　autumn　of　the　year　（AD　249）　they　sent　the　two　Shu　generals；　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai；　with　fifteen　thousand　troops；　to　construct　the　two　ramparts　in　Qushan　in　Qushan　Mountains；　of　which　Gou　Ai　was　to　hold　the　eastern　and　Li　Xin　the　western。
When　the　news　reached　Yongzhou；　the　Imperial　Protector；　Guo　Huai；　sent　a　report　to　Luoyang　and　also　dispatched　Chen　Tai　with　a　force　of　fifty　thousand　troops　to　oppose　the　troops　of　Shu。　When　that　army　arrived；　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai　led　their　troops　to　meet　it。　But　their　armies　were　too　weak　to　stand　such　a　large　force；　and　they　once　more　retired　into　the　city。　Chen　Tai　ordered　his　army　to　lay　siege　and　occupy　the　road　that　led　to　Hanzhong；　so　that　supplies　were　cut　off。
After　some　days；　and　when　the　soldiers　of　Shu　began　to　feel　the　pinch　of　hunger；　Guo　Huai　came　to　see　what　progress　his　general　was　making。
At　sight　of　the　position　he　rejoiced　exceedingly；　and　when　he　returned　to　camp　he　said　to　Chen　Tai；　〃In　this　high　country　the　city　must　be　short　of　water；　which　means　that　the　besieged　must　e　out　for　supplies。　Let　us　cut　off　the　streams　that　supply　them；　and　they　will　perish　of　thirst。〃
So　the　Wei　soldiers　were　set　to　work　to　divert　the　streams　above　the　city；　and　the　besieged　were　soon　distressed。　Li　Xin　led　out　a　strong　force　to　try　to　seize　the　water　sources　and　fought　stubbornly；　but　was　at　length　worsted　and　driven　back　within　the　walls。　After　that　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai　joined　their　forces　and　made　another　attempt　to　go　out　and　fight。　But　the　Yongzhou　troops　surrounded　them；　and　a　melee　ensured　until　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai　fought　their　way　back　to　the　city。
Meanwhile　the　soldiers　were　parched　with　thirst。
Gou　Ai　discussed　the　circumstance　with　Li　Xin；　saying；　〃I　do　not　understand　the　delay　of　mander　Jiang　Wei's　reinforcements。〃
Li　Xin　said；　〃Let　me　try　to　fight　my　way　out　and　get　help。〃
So　the　gates　were　opened；　and　Li　Xin　rode　out　with　some　twenty　horsemen。　These　were　opposed　and　had　to　fight　every　inch　of　the　way；　but　eventually　Li　Xin　won　though　severely　wounded。　All　his　followers　had　fallen。
That　night　a　strong　north　wind　brought　a　heavy　fall　of　snow；　and　the　besieged　were　thus　temporarily　relieved　from　the　water　famine。　They　melted　the　snow　and　prepared　food。
Li　Xin；　severely　wounded；　made　his　way　west　along　the　hill　paths。　After　two　days　he　fell　in　with　Jiang　Wei。
He　dismounted；　prostrated　himself；　and　told　his　story：　〃Qushan　had　been　surrounded　and　cut　off　water　supplies。　By　luck　it　snowed；　and　our　soldiers　were　partly　relieved。　But　the　situation　was　very　urgent。〃
〃The　delay　is　not　due　to　my　slackness。　The　Qiang　allies　we　depended　upon　have　not　e；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。
Jiang　Wei　sent　an　escort　with　the　wounded　Li　Xin　to　conduct　him　to　Chengdu；　where　his　wounds　could　be　treated。
Turning　to　Xiahou　Ba；　Jiang　Wei　asked；　〃The　Qiangs　do　not　e；　and　the　Wei　army　is　besieging　Qushan。　General；　do　you　have　any　plan　to　propose？〃
Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃If　we　wait　for　the　ing　of　the　Qiangs；　it　looks　as　if　we　shall　be　too　late　to　relieve　Qushan。　It　is　very　probable　that　Yongzhou　has　been　left　undefended；　wherefore　I　propose　that　you　go　toward　Ox　Head　Hills　and　work　round　to　the　rear　of　Yongzhou；　which　will　cause　the　Wei　army　to　fall　back　to　relieve　Yongzhou　and　so　relieve　our　force。〃
〃The　plan　appears　excellent；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　And　he　set　out。
When　Chen　Tai　knew　that　Li　Xin　had　escaped；　he　said　to　his　chief；　〃Now　that　this　man　has　got　out；　he　will　tell　Jiang　Wei　of　the　danger　and　Jiang　Wei　will　conclude　that　our　efforts　are　concentrated　on　the　ramparts　and　will　endeavor　to　attack　our　rear。　Therefore　I　suggest；　General；　that　you　go　to　River　Yao　and　stop　the　supplies　of　our　enemies；　while　I　go　to　the　Ox　Head　Hills　and　smite　them。　They　will　retreat　as　soon　as　they　know　their　supplies　are　threatened。〃
So　Guo　Huai　marched　secretly　to　River　Yao；　while　Chen　Tai　went　to　the　hills。
When　the　Shu　army　led　by　Jiang　Wei　came　near　the　Ox　Head　Hills；　they　heard　a　great　shouting　in　front；　and　the　scouts　came　in　to　report　that　the　road　was　barred。　Jiang　Wei　himself　rode　out　to　look。
〃So　you　intended　to　attack　Yongzhou；　did　you？〃　shouted　Chen　Tai。　〃But　we　know　it　and　have　been　watching　for　you　a　long　time。〃
Jiang　Wei　rode　forth　to　attack。　Chen　T