三国演义英文版-第382章

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　safe。　Thus　you　can　ensure　the　safety　of　the　state　and　yourself。　You　should　lose　no　time。〃
〃Your　speech　is　gold　and　jewels！〃　said　Jiang　Wei；　gratefully。
Without　loss　of　time；　Jiang　Wei　memorialized　the　Throne　and　obtained　the　Latter　Ruler's　consent。　Then　he　returned　to　Hanzhong；　assembled　his　officers；　and　told　them　his　plans。
〃Our　many　expeditions　have　failed　to　achieve　success　owing　to　lack　of　supplies。　Now　I　am　about　to　take　eighty　thousand　troops　to　Tazhong　to　form　a　cantonment　and　grow　wheat　and　corn　ready　for　the　next　expedition。　You　are　spent　with　much　fighting　and　may　now　repose　while　collecting　grain　and　guarding　Hanzhong。　The　armies　of　Wei　are　from　home　and　have　to　drag　their　grain　over　the　mountains。　They　will　be　worn　out　with　the　labor　and　must　soon　retire。　That　will　be　the　time　to　smite　them；　and　success　must　be　ours。〃
Hu　Ji　was　set　over　Hanshou；　Wang　Han　of　Yuecheng；　Jiang　Bin　over　Hancheng；　and　Jiang　Shu　and　Fu　Qian　went　to　guard　the　passes。　After　these　arrangements　had　been　made；　Jiang　Wei　went　off　to　Tazhong　to　grow　grain　and　mature　his　plans。
Deng　Ai　heard　of　these　dispositions　and　discovered　that　the　armies　of　Shu　were　distributed　in　forty　camps；　each　connected　with　the　next　like　the　joints　of　a　huge　serpent。　He　sent　out　his　spies　to　survey　the　country；　and　they　made　a　map　which　was　sent　to　the　capital。
But　when　the　Duke　of　Jin；　Sima　Zhao；　saw　the　memorial　and　the　map；　he　was　very　angry。
〃This　Jiang　Wei　has　invaded　our　country　many　times；　and　we　have　been　unable　to　destroy　him。　He　is　the　one　sorrow　of　my　heart。〃
Said　Jia　Chong；　〃He　has　carried　on　the　work　of　Zhuge　Liang　only　too　thoroughly；　and　it　is　hard　to　force　him　back。　What　you　need　is　some　crafty　brave　to　assassinate　him；　so　remove　this　constant　menace　of　war。〃
But　Assistant　Xun　Xu　said；　〃That　is　not　the　way。　Liu　Shan；　the　Ruler　of　Shu；　is　steeped　in　dissipation　and　has　given　all　his　confidence　to　one　favorite；　Eunuch　Huang　Hao。　The　higher　officers　of　state　are　concerned　solely　with　their　own　safety；　and　Jiang　Wei　has　gone　to　Tazhong　only　that　he　may　save　his　life。　If　you　send　an　able　leader　and　a　strong　army；　victory　is　certain。　Where　is　the　need　for　an　assassin's　dagger？〃
〃These　are　excellent　words；〃　said　Sima　Zhao；　with　a　laugh；　〃but　if　I　would　attack　Shu；　where　is　the　leader？〃
〃Deng　Ai　is　the　ablest　leader　of　the　day；〃　said　Xun　Xu。　〃Give　him　Zhong　Hui　as　his　second；　and　the　thing　is　done。〃
〃Exactly　what　I　think！〃　said　Sima　Zhao。
So　he　summoned　Zhong　Hui　and　said　to　him；　〃I　desire　to　send　you　as　leader　against　Wu：　Can　you　go？〃
〃My　lord's　design　is　not　against　Wu；　but　Shu；〃　was　his　reply。
〃How　well　you　know　my　inmost　thought！〃　said　Sima　Zhao。　〃But　how　would　you　conduct　an　expedition　against　Shu？〃
〃Thinking　that　my　lord　would　desire　to　attack　Shu；　I　have　already　prepared　plans。　Here　they　are。〃
He　laid　out　his　maps；　and　thereon　were　shown　the　camps；　and　storehouses；　and　roads　all　plete。
Sima　Zhao　was　highly　pleased。
〃You　are　an　excellent　leader；〃　said　he。　〃What　say　you　to　going　with　Deng　Ai？〃
〃The　River　Lands　is　large；　and　there　is　space　for　more　than　one　set　of　operations。　Deng　Ai　can　be　sent　along　another　line。〃
Zhong　Hui　was　given　the　title　of　General　Who　Conquers　the　West　and　the　insignia　of　a　mander…in…Chief　over　the　forces　of　the　Land　Within　the　Passes　and　control　of　the　armies　of　Qingzhou；　Xuzhou；　Yanzhou；　Yuzhou；　Jingzhou；　and　Yangzhou。　At　the　same　time　a　mission　with　authority　ensign　was　sent　to　Deng　Ai　giving　him　mand　of　the　forces　beyond　the　pass；　with　the　title　of　General　Who　Conquers　the　West。　And　the　time　for　an　attack　on　Shu　was　settled。
When　Sima　Zhao　was　settling　the　plans　in　the　court；　Deng　Dun；　General　of　the　Front　Army；　said；　〃Why　are　you　sending　our　armies　into　a　distant　and　dangerous　country　and　thus　inviting　trouble？　Jiang　Wei　has　invaded　this　country　many　times；　and　the　wars　have　cost　us　many　lives。　We　should　rather　seek　safety　in　defense。〃
〃I　am　sending　a　righteous　army　against　an　unrighteous　ruler。　How　dare　you　oppose　my　designs？〃
Sima　Zhao　ordered　the　executioners　to　put　Deng　Dun　to　death　forthwith；　and　they　soon　returned　to　lay　his　head　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　This　frightened　all　those　present；　and　they　turned　pale。
Sima　Zhao　said；　〃It　is　six　years　since　I　conquered　the　east；　and　the　six　years　have　been　spent　in　preparation。　I　have　long　intended　to　reduce　both　Wu　and　Shu。　Now　I　will　destroy　Shu；　and　then　like　a　flood　I　will　descend　upon　Wu　and　conquer　that。　That　is　the　method　'destroy　Guo　to　capture　Yu'。　I　can　tell　very　nearly　what　forces　they　have　in　Shu。　There　are　eighty　or　ninety　thousand　troops　in　the　garrison　of　Capital　Chengdu；　forty　or　fifty　thousand　on　the　frontier；　while　Jiang　Wei　has　about　sixty　thousand　in　his　cantonments。　Against　them　we　can　pit　one　hundred　thousand　troops　beyond　the　pass　under　Deng　Ai；　enough　to　hold　Jiang　Wei　and　keep　him　from　moving　east；　and　Zhong　Hui　has　two　or　three　hundred　thousand　veterans　within　the　pass。　And　they　will　march　in　three　divisions　through　Luo　Valley　and　straight　into　Hanzhong。　Liu　Shan；　the　Ruler　of　Shu；　is　an　oblivious　fool　with　his　frontier　cities　in　ruins；　the　populace　and　officials　quaking　with　fear。　The　state　will　not　last　long。〃
The　assembly　praised　this　perspicacity。
Zhong　Hui　marched　as　soon　as　he　received　his　seal　of　office。　Lest　his　real　object　should　be　known；　he　gave　out　that　his　force　was　directed　against　Wu。　To　give　color　to　the　pretense；　he　had　many　large　ships　built　in　Qingzhou；　Yanzhou；　Yuzhou；　Jingzhou；　and　Yangzhou。　He　also　sent　Tang　Zi　along　the　coastal　regions　of　Dengzhou　and　Laizhou　to　collect　vessels。
Even　his　chief；　Sima　Zhao；　was　deceived　and　called　him　to　ask：　〃I　manded　you　to　invade　the　Riverlands　by　land　march。　Why　are　you　collecting　ships？〃
Zhong　Hui　replied；　〃If　Shu　hears　that　we　intend　to　attack　the　west；　they　will　ask　assistance　from　Wu。　So　I　pretend　to　attack　Wu；　and　Wu　will　not　dare　to　move　under　a　year。　When　Shu　is　beaten；　the　ships　will　be　ready　and　useful　for　an　expedition　into　the　east。〃
Sima　Zhao　was　pleased。　The　day　chosen　for　the　march　was　the　third　day　of　the　seventh　month　in　the　fourth　year　of　Wonderful　Beginning；　in　Wei　calendar　（AD　264）。　Sima　Zhao　escorted　his　leader　out　of　the　city　for　three　miles　and　then　took　his　leave。
Shao　Ti；　Minister　of　the　Western　Affairs；　whispered　a　word　of　warning。
〃My　lord　has　sent　Zhong　Hui　with　a　large　army　against　Shu。　I　think　he　is　too　ambitious　to　be　trusted　with　such　powers？〃
〃Think　you　I　do　not　know？〃　said　Sima　Zhao。
〃Then　why　have　you　sent　him　alone　and　without　a　colleague？〃
Sima　Zhao　said　a　few　words　to　Shao　Ti　which　put　his　doubts　at　rest。

Zhong　Hui　went　alone；　although　his　master　knew；
Occasion　serving；　he　would　be　untrue。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　the　reader　what　Shao　Ti　heard。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　116　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　116
　Chapter　116
On　Hanzhong　Roads；　Zhong　Hui　Divides　The　Army；
In　Dingjun　Mountain；　The　Martial　Lord　Shows　His　Apparition。
The　words　whispered　in　the　ear　of　Shao　Ti　proved　Sima　Zhao's　subtlety。
Said　Sima　Zhao；　〃This　morning　the　officers　all　maintained　that　Shu　should　not　be　attacked；　because　they　are　timid。　If　I　let　them　lead　the　army；　they　would　surely　be　defeated。　You　saw　Zhong　Hui　was　set　upon　his　plan；　and　he　is　not　afraid。　Shu　must　therefore　be　beaten；　and　then　the　Shu　people's　hearts　will　be　torn。　Beaten　leaders　cannot　boast；　and　the　officers　of　a　broken　state　are　no　fit　guardians　of　its　welfare。　When　Zhong　Hui　turns　against　us；　the　people　of　Shu　cannot　support　him。　Further；　our　troops　being　victors；　they　will　wish　to　return　home　and　will　not　follow　their　leader　into　revolt。　Hence　there　is　nothing　to　be　feared。　I　know　this；　as　you　do；　but　it　must　remain　our　secret。〃
Shao　Ti　showed　his　admiration　for　Sima　Zhao。
In　his　camp；　just　prior　to　his　march；　Zhong　Hui　assembled　his　officers；　among　them　were　Army　Inspector　Wei　Guan；　Assistant　General　Hu　Lie；　Generals　Tian　Xu；　Tian　Zhang；　Yuan　Xing；　Qiu　Jian；　Xiahou　Xian；　Wang　Mai；　Huangfu　Kai；　Gou　Ai；　and　others；　some　eighty　of　them。
〃Firstly　I　want　a　Leader　of　the　Van；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃He　must　be　skilled　in　making　roads　and　repairing　bridges。〃
〃I　will　take　that　post；〃　said　a　voice；　and　the　speaker　was　Xu　Yi；　son　of　the　Tiger　Leader　Xu