三国演义英文版-第222部分

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ans　and　place　them　in　ambush。　Hu　Ban　will　have　orders　to　flee　before　the　soldiers　of　Wu　and　lead　them　into　my　ambush　if　they　e　out；　and　I　will　cut　off　their　retreat。　We　ought　to　capture　this　precocious　youth。〃
〃A　genius　in　plans；　a　marvel　of　prevision！〃　cried　all　those　about　him　as　this　plan　was　unfolded。　〃None　of　us　can　approach　you　in　cleverness。〃
So　they　felicitated　their　ruler。
But　Ma　Liang　said；　〃They　say　the　Prime　Minister　is　on　a　tour　of　inspection　of　the　defenses　in　the　eastern　portion　of　Shu；　seeing　that　they　are　in　good　order　against　any　attack　on　the　part　of　Wei。　Why　not　send　him　a　sketch　of　your　present　dispositions　of　troops　and　ask　his　opinion？〃
〃I　also　am　not　entirely　ignorant　of　the　art　of　war；　and　I　see　no　reason　to　seek　advice；〃　was　the　cold　reply。
〃There　is　an　old　saying　about　hearing　both　sides；〃　said　Ma　Liang。
〃Well；　then　you　go　round　to　all　the　camps　and　make　a　map　and　take　it　to　the　Prime　Minister。　If　he　finds　any　fault；　you　may　e　and　tell　me。〃
So　Ma　Liang　went；　while　the　First　Ruler　busied　himself　with　getting　his　army　into　shelter　from　the　fierce　heat　of　summer。
His　move　was　no　secret；　and　the　scouts　soon　told　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai；　who　rejoiced　at　the　news　and　soon　went　to　tell　Lu　Xun。
〃All　the　enemies'　forty　camps　had　been　moved　into　the　shade。　Now；　Sir；　you　can　attack！〃　said　they。

That　was　not　a　bad　plan；　an　ambush　to　set；
Thus　thought　he　his　chiefest　opponent　to　get。

Whether　Lu　Xun　acted　upon　the　suggestion　of　his　subordinates　will　be　seen　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　84　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　84
　Chapter　84
Lu　Xun　Burns　All　Consecutive　Camps；
Zhuge　Liang　Plans　The　Eight…Array　Maze。
The　last　chapter　closed　with　the　report　that　the　First　Ruler　had　shifted　camp　in　search　of　cool　shade；　and　the　news　was　very　wele　to　Lu　Xun。　He　went　forthwith　to　assure　himself　of　the　truth　of　the　report　and　observe　the　new　position。　A　level　plain　lay　at　his　feet；　whereon　he　saw　something　short　of　ten　thousand　Shu　troops；　the　greater　part　of　whom　appeared　invalids。　On　the　banner　of　their　leader　he　read　the　name　Van　Leader　Hu　Ban　。
〃We　consider　these　troops　children；〃　said　Zhou　Tai。　〃Let　me　and　General　Han　Dang　go　out　and　smite　them。　I　will　give　the　formal　guarantee　of　victory。〃
The　mander…in…Chief　made　no　reply；　but　remained　gazing　out　before　him。
Presently　he　said；　〃It　seems　to　me　that　an　air　of　slaughter　is　rising　over　there　from　that　valley。　Surely　there　is　an　ambush　there。　These　poor　troops　in　the　foreground　are　nothing　but　a　bait。　No；　Gentlemen；　do　not　leave　your　positions。〃
Those　who　heard　this　took　it　only　as　another　proof　of　the　imbecility　of　their　pedant　mander。
Next　day　Hu　Ban's　soldiers　approached　closer　and　challenged　to　battle；　swaggering　about　and　brandishing　their　weapons　and　shouting　volleys　of　abuse　without　end。　They　manifested　contempt　by　throwing　off　their　armor　and　clothing　and　moving　to　and　fro　with　the　utmost　carelessness；　bare　bodies　and　naked　forms；　blatantly　unready　to　fight。　Some　even　sat　or　lay　asleep。
Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　came　to　the　mander's　tent　to　plain；　saying；　〃Those　Shu　soldiers　despise　us　so　much。　Let　us　go　out　and　punish　them！〃

＇e＇　Sun　Zi　（aka　Sun　Wu；　Sunzi；　Suntzu；　Sun…tzu；　Sun　tzu）　the　author　of　the　famed　treatise　The　Art　of　War。　A　general　of　Wu　in　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　Sun　Zi　made　her　the　mightiest　state　during　his　lifetime　by　defeating　Chu　and　conquering　Yue。　His　treatise　the　Art　of　War　is　still　avidly　read　today　by　many。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Wu　Qi；　aka　Wu　Zi；　a　famous　general　in　the　Warring　States　period。　He　first　served　Lu；　then　went　to　Wei；　his　native；　and　led　Wei　army　against　Qin。　He　made　enemies　in　Wei；　so　he　fled　to　Chu；　where　King　Dao　made　him　prime　minister。　Wu　Qi　made　Chu　a　powerful　state；　expanded　her　territory；　defended　her　against　Wei；　Zhao；　and　Han；　and　attacked　Qin。　Wu　Qi　is　the　author　of　a　military　treatise　named　〃Wu　Qi's　Art　of　War〃。　。。。。。
But　Lu　Xun　only　smiled；　saying；　〃You　see　things　from　the　view　point　of　brute　courage。　You　seem　not　to　know　the　principles　of　war　laid　down　by　Sun　Zi*　and　Wu　Qi*。　This　display　is　only　meant　to　entice　us　into　fight。　You　will　see　the　pretense　yourselves　in　about　three　days。〃
〃In　three　days　the　change　of　camp　will　be　plete；　and　the　enemy　will　be　too　strongly　posted　for　our　success；〃　said　they。
〃I　am　just　letting　them　move　their　camp。〃
Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　left　the　tent　also　sniggering。
But　on　the　third　day　the　officers　were　assembled　at　a　look…out　point；　whence　they　saw　that　the　army　under　Hu　Ban　had　left。
〃There　is　still　a　deadly　look　over　the　valley；〃　said　Lu　Xun；　pointing　to　the　hills。　〃Liu　Bei　will　soon　appear。〃
Very　soon　they　saw　a　whole　army　all　well　accoutered　pass　across　the　field　escorting　the　First　Ruler。　And　the　sight　took　away　all　their　courage。
〃That　is　why　I　would　not　listen　to　those　of　you　who　wanted　to　fight　Hu　Ban；〃　said　Lu　Xun。　〃Now　that　the　ambush　has　been　withdrawn；　we　can　settle　them　in　about　ten　days。〃
〃The　proper　time　to　attack　was　when　they　began　to　transfer　their　camp。　Now　they　are　fully　established　with　encampments　stretching　two　hundred　miles。　Having　spent　seven　or　eight　months　in　strengthening　where　they　might　be　attacked；　will　it　not　be　difficult　to　destroy　them？〃　said　they。
〃I　see　you　do　not　understand　how　to　carry　on　war。　This　man　Liu　Bei　is　a　capable　and　crafty　man。　When　he　first　started　on　this　expedition　his　methods　were　of　the　best；　and　he　kept　them　so　for　a　long　time；　so　we　have　to　avoid　him。　When　his　troops　are　worn　out　and　his　thoughts　cease　to　be　clear；　that　will　be　our　day　to　attack。〃
At　last　they　agreed　with　their　chief。

The　general　discoursed　on　war；
According　to　the　book；
Right　craftily　the　bait　for　whales
Was　put　upon　the　hook。
When　kingdoms　three　were　carved　out；
Though　famous　men　were　many；
Lu　Xun　the　hero　of　Wu
At　least　stands　high　as　any。

Lu　Xun　had　already　had　the　plan　whereby　the　Shu　army　was　to　be　crushed；　and　at　this　stage　he　wrote　to　the　Prince　of　Wu　in　full　details；　even　naming　a　day　for　the　victory。
〃We　have　found　another　remarkably　able　leader；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃and　I　have　no　further　anxiety。　They　all　said　he　was　a　useless　pedant；　and　only　I　knew　better。　Reading　this　letter　shows　him　nothing　at　all　of　a　pedant。〃
Then　the　Prince　of　Wu　mustered　the　remainder　of　his　soldiers　to　hold　in　reserve。
Meanwhile　the　First　Ruler　had　sent　orders　to　hasten　the　marines　down　the　river　and　take　up　stations　along　the　banks　deep　in　the　territory　of　Wu。
However；　Huang　Quan　spoke　against　this；　saying；　〃It　is　easy　enough　for　the　ships　to　go　down；　but　how　about　returning？　Let　me　make　the　first　advance；　and　Your　Majesty　may　follow。　That　will　make　it　more　than　probable　that　nothing　will　go　wrong。〃
〃Those　Wu　enemy　are　afraid；〃　objected　the　First　Ruler；　〃and　I　want　to　make　a　dash　at　them。　Where　is　the　difficulty？〃
Though　many　others　had　spoken　against　the　proposal；　the　First　Ruler　did　not　give　up　the　notion　of　going　into　the　forefront　of　the　attack。　Then　dividing　the　army　into　two　portions；　he　placed　Huang　Quan　in　mand　on　the　North　of　the　Great　River；　to　keep　a　watch　on　Wei；　while　he　manded　on　the　South　of　the　Great　River。　They　made　encampments　and　stations　along　the　bank。
The　spies　of　Wei　duly　reported　these　doings　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei：　〃Shu　marches　against　Wu；　erecting　forty　base　camps　along　two　hundred　miles　of　woods　and　hills。　Moreover；　the　Ruler　of　Shu　places　Huang　Quan　in　mand　of　the　North　of　the　Great　River。　Huang　Quan's　marines　patrolled　as　far　as　thirty　miles　daily。　We　do　not　know　their　intention。〃
The　Ruler　of　Wei　laughed　aloud　when　he　heard　the　details　of　the　long　line　of　camps　and　the　encampments　among　the　trees　and　all　this。
〃Liu　Bei　is　going　to　be　defeated；〃　said　he。
〃How　do　you　know？〃　asked　his　courtiers。
〃Because　Liu　Bei　does　not　know　how　to　wage　war。　How　can　he　beat　off　an　enemy　along　a　front　of　two　hundred　miles？　The　maxims　of　war　forbid　to　camp　in　open　plains；　among　marshes；　amid　precipitous　heights　and　obstacles。　He　will　be　defeated　at　the　hand　of　Lu　Xun；　and　we　shall　hear　of　it　in　about　ten　days。〃
His　officers　felt　more　than　doubtful　and　entreated　their　master　to　prepare　an　army　to　guard　against　Huang　Quan；　and　to　attack　Shu　if　the　occasion　would　allow。
But　the　Ruler　of　Wei　replied；　〃I　do　not　plan　to　attack　Shu。　If　successful；　Lu　Xun　will　lead　all　his　force　westward　into　West　River　Land；　and　the　South　Land　will　be　defenseless。　I　shall　pretend　to　send　an　army　to　help。　I　shall　send　them　in　three　divisions；　and　I　shall　overe　Wu　easily。〃
They　all　bowed　acquiescence　and　approval。　Then　orders　went　out　appointing　Cao　Ren　to　lead　an　army　out　to　Ruxu；　Cao　Xiu　to　take　a　second　out　to　Dongkou；　and　Cao　Zhen　to　mand　a　third　aiming　at　Nanjun；　and　the　three　armies　were　to　bine　on　a　given　date　for　a　sudden　attack　on　Wu。　The　Ruler　of　Wei　would　himself　bring　up　the　reinforcement　in　this　southern　campaign。
Having　reached　Chengdu；　Ma　Liang　lost　no　time　in　seeing　the　Prime　Minister　and　presenting　the　plan　of　the　armies　as　they　were　in　the　field。
Said　Ma　Liang；　〃Now　the　forces　are　on　both　sides　of　the　Great　River　extending　along　a　front　of　two　hundred　miles；　with　forty　stations；　each　beside　a　mountain　stream　or　in　a　pleasantly　shaded　forest。　At　our　lord's　mand；　I　prepared　this　map；　and　he　sent　me　to　ask　your　opinion。〃
〃Who　advised　such　an　arrangement？　He　ought　to　be　put　to　death；　whoever　it　was！〃　cried　Zhuge　Liang；　tapping　the　table　at　his　side。
〃It　is　entirely　our　lord's　own　work。　No　other　had　any　hand　in　it；〃　said　Ma　Liang。
〃The　life　and　energy　of　the　Hans　are　done　indeed；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　sorrowfully。　〃Our　lord　has　mitted　those　very　faults　which　the　rules　of　the　Art　of　War　lay　down　as　to　be　particularly　avoided。　The　camps　are　made　where　free　movement　is　impossible；　and　nothing　can　save　him　if　the　enemy　use　fire。　Beside；　what　defense　is　possible　along　a　two…hundred…mile　front？　Disaster　is　at　hand；　and　Lu　Xun　sees　it　all；　which　explains　his　obstinate　refusal　to　e　out　into　the　open。　Go　back　as　quickly　as　you　can；　and　tell　our　lord　that　this　will　not　do；　that　it　must　be　changed　at　once。〃
〃But　if　I　am　too　late………if　Wu　has　already　attacked　and　won………；　what　then？〃
〃The　enemy　will　not　dare　to　follow　up　their　victory　by　a　march　on　Chengdu。　So　this　capital　is　secure。〃
〃Why　will　they　not？〃
〃Wei　is