三国演义英文版-第384章

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The　delinquent　was　sentenced　to　death。
The　other　generals　tried　to　beg　him　off；　pleading；　〃His　father　is　Xu　Chu　who　had　rendered　good　services　to　the　state！〃
〃How　can　discipline　be　maintained　if　the　laws　are　not　enforced？〃　said　Zhong　Hui。
The　sentence　was　carried　out；　and　the　unhappy　Xu　Yi's　head　was　exposed　as　a　warning。　This　severity　put　fear　into　the　hearts　of　the　officers。
On　the　side　of　Shu；　Wang　Han　manded　at　Yuecheng；　and　Jiang　Bin　was　in　Hancheng。　As　the　enemy　came　in　great　force；　they　dared　not　go　out　to　meet　them；　but　stood　on　the　defensive　with　the　gates　of　the　cities　closed。
Zhong　Hui　issued　an　order；　〃Speed　is　the　soul　of　war：　No　halts。〃
Li　Du　was　ordered　to　lay　siege　to　Yuecheng；　and　Xun　Kai　was　to　surround　Hancheng。　The　main　army　under　Zhong　Hui　would　capture　the　Yangping　Pass。
The　Shu　General　Fu　Qian　manded　at　the　pass。　He　discussed　plans　with　Jiang　Shu；　his　second　in　mand；　and　Jiang　Shu　was　wholly　in　favor　of　defense；　saying；　〃The　enemy　is　too　strong　to　think　of　any　other　course。〃
〃I　do　not　agree；〃　replied　Fu　Qian。　〃They　are　now　fatigued　with　marching；　and　we　need　not　fear　them。　Unless　we　go　out　and　attack；　Yuecheng　and　Hancheng　will　fall。〃
Jiang　Shu　made　no　reply。　Soon　the　enemy　arrived；　and　both　officers　went　up　to　the　wall　and　looked　out。
As　soon　as　Zhong　Hui　saw　them；　he　shouted；　〃We　have　here　a　host　of　one　hundred　thousand。　If　you　yield；　you　shall　have　higher　rank　than　you　hold　now。　But　if　you　persist　in　holding　out　then；　when　we　take　the　pass；　you　shall　all　perish。　Jewels　and　pebbles　will　share　the　same　destruction！〃
This　threat　angered　Fu　Qian。　He　bade　Jiang　Shu　guard　the　walls；　and　he　went　down　to　give　battle；　taking　three　thousand　troops。　He　attacked；　and　Zhong　Hui　retreated。　Fu　Qian　pursued。　But　soon　the　army　of　Wei　closed　up　their　ranks　and　counterattacked。　Fu　Qian　turned　to　retire。　But　when　he　reached　his　own　defenses；　he　saw　they　flew　the　flags　of　Wei………the　banners　of　Shu　had　gone。
〃I　have　yielded！〃　cried　Jiang　Shu　from　the　ramparts。
Fu　Qian　shouted　angrily；　〃Ungrateful　and　treacherous　rogue！　How　can　you　ever　face　the　world　again？〃
But　that　did　no　good。　Fu　Qian　turned　to　go　once　more　into　the　battle。　He　was　soon　surrounded。　He　fought　desperately；　but　could　not　win　clear。　His　troops　fell　one　by　one；　and　when　they　were　reduced　to　one　out　of　ten；　he　cried；　〃Alive　I　have　been　a　servant　of　Shu；　dead　I　will　be　one　of　their　spirits！〃
Fu　Qian　forced　his　way　into　the　thickest　of　the　fight。　Then　his　steed　fell；　and　as　he　was　grievously　wounded；　he　put　an　end　to　his　own　life。

The　loyalty　Fu　Qian　showed　in　stressful　days
Won　him　a　thousand　autumns'　noble　praise；
The　base　Jiang　Shu　lived　on；　a　life　disgraced；
One　would　prefer　the　death　that　Fu　Qian　faced。

With　the　Yangping　Pass　falling　into　the　hands　of　Zhong　Hui　were　great　booty　of　grain　and　weapons。　He　feasted　the　army；　and　that　night　they　rested　in　the　city　of　Yangan。　However；　the　night　was　disturbed　by　sounds　as　of　people　shouting；　so　that　Zhong　Hui　got　up　and　went　out　thinking　there　must　be　an　attack。　But　the　sounds　ceased；　and　he　returned　to　his　couch。　However；　he　and　his　army　could　not　sleep。
Next　night　the　same　thing　happened；　shoutings　in　the　southwest。　As　soon　as　day　dawned　scouts　went　out　to　search；　but　they　came　back　to　say　they　had　gone　three　miles　and　found　no　sign　of　any　Shu　soldier。　Zhong　Hui　did　not　feel　satisfied；　so　he　took　a　hundred　cavalrymen　and　rode　in　the　same　direction　to　explore。
Presently　they　happened　upon　a　hill　of　sinister　aspect　overhung　by　angry　clouds；　while　the　summit　was　wreathed　in　mist。
〃What　hill　is　that？〃　asked　Zhong　Hui；　pulling　up　to　question　the　guides。
〃It　is　known　as　the　Dingjun　Mountain；〃　was　the　reply。　〃It　is　where　Xiahou　Yuan　met　his　death。〃
This　did　not　sound　cheering　at　all；　and　Zhong　Hui　turned　back　to　camp　greatly　depressed。　Rounding　the　curve　of　a　hill；　he　came　full　into　a　violent　gust　of　wind　and　there　suddenly　appeared　a　large　body　of　horse　ing　down　the　wind　as　if　to　attack。
The　whole　party　galloped　off　panic…stricken；　Zhong　Hui　leading　the　way。　Many　generals　fell　from　their　steeds。　Yet　when　they　arrived　at　the　pass；　not　a　man　was　missing；　although　there　were　many　with　bruises　and　cuts　from　the　falls　and　many　had　lost　helmets。　Everyone　had　seen　phantom　horsemen；　who　did　no　harm　when　they　came　near；　but　melted　away　in　the　wind。
Zhong　Hui　called　the　surrendered　General　Jiang　Shu　and　asked；　〃Is　there　any　temple　to　any　supernatural　being　on　the　Dingjun　Mountain？〃
〃No；〃　replied　he；　〃there　is　nothing　but　the　tomb　of　Zhuge　Liang。〃
〃Then　this　must　have　been　a　manifestation　of　Zhuge　Liang；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃I　ought　to　sacrifice　to　him。〃
So　he　prepared　presents　and　slew　an　ox　and　offered　sacrifice　at　the　tomb；　and　when　the　sacrifice　had　been　pleted；　the　wind　calmed；　and　the　dark　clouds　dispersed。　There　followed　a　cool　breeze　and　a　gentle　shower；　and　the　sky　cleared。　Pleased　with　the　evidence　of　the　acceptance　of　their　offerings；　the　sacrificial　party　returned　to　camp。
That　night　Zhong　Hui　fell　asleep　in　his　tent　with　his　head　resting　on　a　small　table。　Suddenly　a　cool　breeze　began　to　blow；　and　he　saw　a　figure　approaching　clad　in　Taoist　garb；　turban；　feather　fan；　white　robe　of　Taoist　cut　bound　with　a　black　girdle。　The　countenance　of　the　figure　was　as　refined　as　jade；　the　lips　a　deep　red　and　the　eyes　clear。　The　figure　moved　with　the　calm　serenity　of　a　god。
〃Who　are　you；　Sir？〃　asked　Zhong　Hui；　rising。
〃Out　of　gratitude　for　your　kindly　visit　this　morning；　I　would　make　a　munication。　Though　the　Hans　have　declined　and　the　mandate　of　the　Eternal　cannot　be　disobeyed；　yet　the　people　of　the　west；　exposed　to　the　inevitable　miseries　of　war；　are　to　be　pitied。　After　you　have　passed　the　frontier；　do　not　slay　ruthlessly。〃
Then　the　figure　disappeared　with　a　flick　of　the　sleeves　of　its　robe；　nor　would　it　stay　to　answer　any　questions。
Zhong　Hui　awoke　and　knew　that　he　had　been　dreaming；　but　he　felt　that　the　spirit　of　Zhuge　Liang　the　Martial　Lord　had　visited　him；　and　he　was　astonished。
He　issued　an　order　that　the　leading　division　of　his　army　should　bear　a　white　flag　with　six　words　plainly　written　thereon；　Secure　the　state；　fort　the　people　；　so　that　all　might　know　that　no　violence　was　to　be　feared。　If　anyone　was　slain　wantonly；　then　the　offender　should　pay　with　his　own　life。　This　tender　care　was　greatly　appreciated；　so　that　the　invaders　were　weled　in　every　step。　Zhong　Hui　soothed　the　people；　and　they　suffered　no　injury。

Those　phantom　armies　circling　in　the　gleam
Moved　Zhong　Hui　to　sacrifice　at　Zhuge　Liang's　tomb；
For　the　Lius　had　Zhuge　Liang　wrought　unto　the　end；
Though　dead；　he　would　the　Han　people　still　defend。

Jiang　Wei　at　Tazhong　heard　of　the　invasion　and　wrote　to　his　three　generals………Zhang　Yi；　Liao　Hua；　and　Dong　Jue………to　march　against　the　enemy；　while　he　prepared　to　repulse　them　if　they　came　to　his　station。
Soon　they　came；　and　he　went　out　to　encounter　them。　Their　leader　was　Wang　Qi；　Governor　of　Tianshui。
When　near　enough；　Wang　Qi　shouted；　〃Our　forces　are　numbered　by　millions；　our　generals　by　thousands。　Two　hundred　thousand　are　marching　against　you；　and　Chengdu　has　already　fallen。　In　spite　of　this　you　do　not　yield；　wherefore　it　is　evident　you　do　not　recognize　the　divine　mand！〃
Jiang　Wei　cut　short　this　tirade　by　galloping　out　with　his　spear　set。　Wang　Qi　stood　three　bouts　and　then　fled。　Jiang　Wei　pursued；　but　seven　miles　away　he　met　a　cohort　drawn　up　across　the　road。　On　the　banner　he　read　Qian　Hong；　Governor　of　Longxi　。
〃Dead　rat！　No　match　for　me；〃　said　Jiang　Wei；　smiling。
Despising　this　antagonist；　he　led　his　army　straight　on；　and　the　enemy　fell　back。　He　drove　them　before　him　for　three　more　miles；　and　then　came　upon　Deng　Ai。　A　battle　at　once　began；　and　the　lust　of　battle　held　out　in　the　breast　of　Jiang　Wei　for　a　score　of　bouts。　But　neither　could　overbear　the　other。　Then　in　the　Shu　rear　arose　the　clang　of　gongs　and　other　signs　of　ing　foes。
Jiang　Wei　retired　the　way　he　had　e；　and　presently　one　came　to　report：　〃The　Governor　of　Jincheng；　Yang　Xin；　has　destroyed　the　camps　at　Gansong。〃
This　was　evil　tidings。　He　bade　his　generals　keep　his　own　standard　flying　and　hold　Deng　Ai　while　he　went　to　try　to　recover　the　camps。　On　the　way　he　met　Yang　Xin；　but　Yang　Xin　had　no　stomach　for　a　fight　with　Jiang　We