三国演义英文版-第266部分

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When　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　approached　Chencang　and　entered　the　city；　they　could　not　find　a　single　house。
They　questioned　some　of　the　people　near；　who　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　had　burned　everything　before　he　left。〃
Then　Cao　Zhen　proposed　to　advance　along　the　road；　but　Sima　Yi　opposed；　saying　that　the　stars　foretold　much　rain。
〃I　have　watched　the　Heaven；　and　the　stars'　movement　signals　long　rains。　If　we　get　deep　in　a　difficult　country　and　are　always　victorious；　it　is　all　very　well。　But　if　we　lose；　we　shall　not　get　out　again。　Better　remain　in　this　city　and　build　what　shelter　we　can　against　the　rains。〃
Cao　Zhen　followed　his　advice。　In　the　middle　of　the　month　the　rain　began；　and　came　down　in　a　deluge　so　that　the　surrounding　country　was　three　feet　under　water。　The　equipment　of　the　soldiers　was　soaked；　and　the　soldiers　themselves　could　get　no　place　to　sleep。　For　a　whole　month　the　rain　continued。　The　horses　could　not　be　fed；　and　the　soldiers　grumbled　incessantly。　They　sent　to　Luoyang；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　himself　ceremonially　prayed　for　fine　weather；　but　with　no　effect。
Minister　Wang　Su　sent　up　a　memorial：
〃The　histories　say　that　when　supplies　have　to　be　conveyed　a　long　distance；　the　soldiers　are　starved；　if　they　have　to　gather　brushwood　before　they　can　cook；　then　the　army　is　not　full　fed。　This　applies　to　ordinary　expeditions　in　an　ordinary　country。　If；　in　addition；　the　army　has　to　march　through　a　difficult　country　and　roads　have　to　be　cut；　the　labor　is　doubled。　Now　this　expedition　is　hindered　by　rain　and　steep　and　slippery　hills；　movement　is　cramped　and　supplies　can　only　be　maintained　with　difficulty。　All　is　most　unpropitious　to　the　army。
〃Cao　Zhen　has　been　gone　over　a　month　and　has　only　got　half　through　the　valley。　Road　making　is　monopolizing　all　energies；　and　the　fighting　soldiers　have　to　work　on　them。　The　state　of　affairs　is　the　opposite　to　ideal；　and　the　fighting　soldiers　dislike　it。

＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。
〃I　may　quote　certain　parallels。　King　Wu　of　Zhou　attacked　the　last　king　of　Shang　Dynasty；　he　went　through　the　pass；　but　returned。　In　recent　times　Emperors　Cao　and　Pi；　attacking　Sun　Quan；　reached　the　river；　and　went　no　farther。　Did　they　not　recognize　limitations　and　act　accordingly？　I　pray　Your　Majesty　remember　the　grave　difficulties　caused　by　the　rain　and　put　an　end　to　this　expedition。　By　and　by　another　occasion　will　arise　for　using　force；　and　in　the　joy　of　overing　difficulties　the　people　will　forget　death。〃
The　Ruler　of　Wei　could　not　make　up　his　mind；　but　two　other　memorials　by　Yang　Fu　and　Hua　Xin　followed；　and　then　he　issued　the　mand　to　return；　which　was　sent　to　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi。
Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　had　already　discussed　the　abandonment　of　the　expedition。
Cao　Zhen　had　said；　〃We　have　had　rain　for　a　whole　month；　and　the　soldiers　are　downhearted　and　think　only　of　getting　home　again。　How　can　we　stop　them？〃
Sima　Yi　replied；　〃Return　is　best。〃
〃If　Zhuge　Liang　pursue；　how　shall　we　repulse　him？〃
〃We　can　leave　an　ambush。〃
While　they　were　discussing　this　matter；　the　Emperor's　mand　arrived。　Whereupon　they　faced　about　and　marched　homeward。
Now　Zhuge　Liang　had　reckoned　upon　this　month　of　rain　and　so　had　had　his　troops　camped　in　a　safe　place。　Then　he　ordered　the　main　army　to　assemble　at　Red　Slope　and　camp　there。
He　summoned　his　officers　to　his　tent　and　said；　〃In　my　opinion　the　enemy　must　retire；　for　the　Ruler　of　Wei　will　issue　such　an　order。　To　retreat　needs　preparation；　and　if　we　pursue；　we　will　fall　in　their　trap。　So　we　will　let　them　retire　without　molestation。　Some　other　plan　must　be　evolved。〃
So　when　Wang　Ping　sent　news　of　the　retreat　of　the　enemy；　the　messenger　carried　back　the　order　not　to　pursue。

It　is　only　lost　labor　to　cover　retreat
When　your　enemy　does　not　pursue。

By　what　means　Zhuge　Liang　intended　to　defeat　Wei　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　100　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　100
　Chapter　100
Raiding　A　Camp；　The　Shu　Soldiers　Defeat　Cao　Zhen；
Contesting　Array　Battles；　Zhuge　Liang　Shames　Sima　Yi。
When　the　Shu　officers　got　to　know　that　the　Wei　army　had　gone　but　they　were　not　to　pursue；　they　were　inclined　to　discontent　and　went　in　a　body　to　the　Prime　Minister's　tent　and　said；　〃The　rain　has　driven　the　enemy　away。　Surely　it　is　the　moment　to　pursue。〃
Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Sima　Yi　is　an　able　leader　who　would　not　retreat　without　leaving　an　ambush　to　cover　it。　If　we　pursue　we　shall　fall　victims。　Let　him　go　in　peace；　and　I　shall　then　get　through　the　Xie　Valley　and　take　Qishan；　making　use　of　the　enemy's　lack　of　defense。〃
〃But　there　are　other　ways　of　taking　Changan；〃　said　they。　〃Why　only　take　Qishan？〃
〃Because　Qishan　is　the　first　step　to　Changan；　and　I　want　to　gain　the　advantage　of　position。　And　every　transportation　from　the　West　Valley　Land　must　e　this　way。　It　rests　on　River　Wei　in　front　and　is　backed　by　the　Xie　Valley。　It　gives　the　greatest　freedom　of　movement　and　is　a　natural　maneuvering　ground。　That　is　why　I　want　it。〃
They　bowed　to　his　wisdom。
Then　Zhuge　Liang　dispatched　Wei　Yan；　Zhang　Ni；　Du　Qiong；　and　Chen　Shi　for　Gu　Valley；　and　he　sent　Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Yi；　and　Ma　Zheng　for　the　Xie　Valley；　all　were　to　meet　at　the　Qishan　Mountains。　He　led　the　main　army　himself；　with　Guan　Xing　and　Liao　Hua　in　the　van。
When　the　Wei　army　retreated；　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　remained　in　the　rear　superintending　the　movement。　They　sent　a　reconnoitering　party　along　the　old　road　to　Chencang；　and　they　returned　saying　no　enemy　was　to　be　seen。　Ten　days　later　the　leaders；　who　had　manded　in　the　ambush；　joined　the　main　body　saying　that　they　had　seen　no　sign　of　the　enemy。

＇e＇　The　mountainous　roads　to　Shu　were　very　difficult。　People　had　to　lay　planks　on　the　earth　to　make　roads。
Cao　Zhen　said；　〃This　continuous　autumn　rain　has　rendered　all　the　plank　trails*　impassable。　How　could　the　soldiers　of　Shu　know　of　our　retreat？〃
〃They　will　appear　later；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
〃How　can　you　know？〃
〃These　late　five　dry　days　they　have　not　pursued；　because　they　think　we　shall　have　left　a　rearguard　in　ambush。　Therefore　they　have　let　us　get　well　away。　But　after　we　have　gone；　they　will　try　to　occupy　Qishan。〃
Cao　Zhen　was　not　convinced。
〃Why　do　you　doubt？〃　asked　Sima　Yi。　〃I　think　Zhuge　Liang　will　certainly　advance　by　way　of　the　two　valleys；　and　you　and　I　should　guard　the　entrances。　I　give　them　ten　days；　and　if　they　do　not　appear；　I　will　e　to　your　camp　painted　in　the　face　to　own　my　mistake。〃
〃If　the　army　of　Shu　do　appear；　I　will　give　you　the　girdle　and　the　steed　that　the　Emperor　gave　me；〃　replied　Cao　Zhen。
And　they　split　their　force；　Cao　Zhen　taking　up　his　station　on　the　west　of　Qishan　in　the　Xie　Valley；　and　Sima　Yi　going　to　the　east　in　the　Gu　Valley。
As　soon　as　the　camp　was　settled；　Sima　Yi　led　a　cohort　into　hiding　in　the　valley。　The　remainder　of　the　force　was　placed　in　detachments　on　the　chief　roads。
Sima　Yi　disguised　himself　as　a　soldier　and　went　among　the　soldiers　to　get　a　private　survey　of　all　the　camps。
In　one　of　them　he　happened　upon　a　junior　officer　who　was　plaining；　saying；　〃The　rain　has　drenched　us　for　days；　and　they　would　not　retire。　Now　they　have　camped　here　for　a　wager。　They　have　no　pity　for　us　soldiers。〃
Sima　Yi　returned　to　his　tent　and　assembled　his　officers。
Hauling　out　the　grumbler；　Sima　Yi　said　to　him；　angrily；　〃The　state　feeds　and　trains　soldiers　a　thousand　days　for　one　hour's　service。　How　dare　you　give　vent　to　your　spleen　to　the　detriment　of　discipline？〃
The　man　would　not　confess；　so　his　rades　were　called　to　bear　witness。　Still　he　would　not　own　up。
〃I　am　not　here　for　a　wager；　but　to　overe　Shu；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Now　you　all　have　done　well　and　are　going　home；　but　only　this　fellow　plains　and　is　guilty　of　mutinous　conduct。〃
Sima　Yi　ordered　the　lictors　to　put　him　to　death；　and　in　a　short　time　they　produced　his　head。
The　others　were　terrified；　but　Sima　Yi　said；　〃All　you　must　do　your　utmost　to　guard　against　the　enemy。　When　you　hear　a　bomb　explode；　rush　out　on　all　sides　and　attack。〃
With　this　order　they　retired。
Now　Wei　Yan；　Zhang　Ni；　Chen　Shi；　and　Du　Qiong；　with　twenty　thousand　troops；　entered　the　Gu　Valley。　As　they　were　marching；　Adviser　Deng　Zhi　came。
〃I　bear　an　order　from　the　Prime　Minister。　As　you　go　out　of　the　valley；　beware　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Deng　Zhi。
Chen　Shi　said；　〃Why　is　the　Prime　Minister　so　full　of　doubts？　We　know　the　soldiers　of　Wei　have　suffered　severely　from　the　rain　and　must　hasten　home。　They　will　not　lay　any　ambush。　We　are　doing　double　marches　and　shall　gain　a　great　victory。　Why　are　we　to　delay？〃
Deng　Zhi　replied；　〃You　know　the　Prime　Minister's　plans　always　succeed。　How　dare　you　disobey　his　orders？〃
Chen　Shi　smiled；　saying；　〃If　he　was　really　so　resourceful；　we　should　not　have　lost　Jieting。〃
Wei　Yan；　recalling　that　Zhuge　Liang　had　rejected　his　plan；　also　laughed；　and　said；　〃If　he　had　listened　to　me　and　gone　out　through　Ziwu　Valley；　not　only　Changan　but　Luoyang　too　would　be　ours。　Now　he　is　bent　on　taking　Qishan。　What　is　the　good　of　it？　He　gave　us　the　order　to　advance　and　now　he　stops　us。　Truly　the　orders　are　confusing。〃
Then　said　Chen　Shi；　〃I　will　tell　you　what　I　will　do。　I　shall　take　only　five　thousand　troops；　get　through　the　Gu　Valley；　and　camp　at　Qishan。　Then　you　will　see　how　ashamed　the　Prime　Minister　will　look。〃
Deng　Zhi　argued　and　persuaded；　but　to　no　avail：　The　willful　leader　hurried　on　to　get　out　of　the　valley。　Deng　Zhi　could　only　return　as　quickly　as　possible　and　report。
Chen　Shi　proceeded。　He　had　gone　a　few　miles　when　he　heard　a　bomb；　and　he　was　in　an　ambush。　He　tried　to　withdraw；　but　the　valley　was　full　of　the　enemy　and　he　was　surrounded　as　in　an　iron　cask。　All　his　efforts　to　get　out　failed。　Then　there　was　a　shout；　and　Wei　Yan　came　to　the　rescue。　Wei　Yan　saved　his　rade；　but　Chen　Shi's　five　thousand　troops　was　reduced　to　about　five　hundred；　and　these　wounded。　The　Wei　soldiers　pursued；　but　two　other　divisions　of　Zhang　Ni　and　Du　Qiong　prevented　the　pursuit；　and　finally　the　army　of　Wei　retired。
Chen　Shi　and　Wei　Yan　who　had　criticized　Zhuge　Liang's　powers　of　prevision　no　longer　doubted　that　he　saw　very　clearly。　They　regretted　their　own　shortsightedness。
When　Deng　Zhi　told　his　chief　of　the　bad　behavior　of　Chen　Shi　and　Wei　Yan；　Zhuge　Liang　only　laughed。
Said