三国演义英文版-第268部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ily　will　soon　be　exterminated　by　Han。　Your　ancestors　were　servants　of　Han　and　for　generations　ate　of　their　bounty。　Yet；　instead　of　giving　grateful　service；　you　assist　usurpers。　Are　you　not　ashamed？〃
The　flush　of　shame　spread　over　Sima　Yi's　face；　but　he　replied；　〃We　will　try　the　test　of　battle。　If　you　can　conquer；　I　pledge　myself　to　be　no　longer　a　leader　of　armies。　But　if　you　are　defeated；　then　you　will　retire　at　once　to　your　own　village　and　I　will　not　harm　you。〃
〃Do　you　desire　a　contest　of　generals；　or　of　weapons；　or　of　battle　array？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。
〃Let　us　try　a　contest　of　battle　array；〃　replied　Sima　Yi。
〃Then　draw　up　your　array　that　I　may　see；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
Sima　Yi　withdrew　within　the　line　and　signaled　to　his　officers　with　a　yellow　flag　to　draw　up　their　troops。
When　he　had　finished；　he　rode　again　to　the　front；　saying；　〃Do　you　recognize　my　formation？〃
〃The　least　of　my　generals　can　do　as　well；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　smiling。　〃This　is　called　the　'Disorder…in…Order'　formation。〃
〃Now　you　try　while　I　look　on；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
Zhuge　Liang　entered　the　lines　and　waved　his　fan。　Then　he　came　out　and　said；　〃Do　you　recognize　that？〃
〃Of　course。　This　is　the　'Eight　Arrays'。〃
〃Yes；　you　seem　to　know　it。　But　dare　you　attack？〃
〃Why　not；　since　I　know　it？〃　replied　Sima　Yi。
〃Then　you　need　only　try。〃
Sima　Yi　entered　the　ranks　and　called　to　him　three　generals………Dai　Ling；　Zhang　Hu；　and　Yue　Chen………to　whom　he　said；　〃That　formation　consists　of　eight　gates………Birth；　Exit；　Expanse；　Wound；　Fear；　Annihilation；　Obstacle；　and　Death。　You　will　go　in　from　the　east　at　the　Gate　of　Birth；　turn　to　the　southwest　and　make　your　way　out　by　the　Gate　of　Annihilation。　Then　enter　at　the　north；　at　the　Exit　Gate；　and　the　formation　will　be　broken　up。　But　be　cautious。〃
They　started　with　Zhang　Hu　leading；　Dai　Ling　next；　and　Yue　Chen　in　rear；　each　with　thirty　horsemen。　They　made　their　way　in　at　the　Gate　of　Birth　amid　the　applause　of　both　sides。　But　when　they　had　got　within　they　found　themselves　facing　a　wall　of　troops　and　could　not　find　a　way　out。　They　hastily　led　their　men　round　by　the　base　of　the　line　toward　the　southwest　to　rush　out　there。　But　they　were　stopped　by　a　flight　of　arrows。　They　became　confused　and　saw　many　gates；　but　they　had　lost　their　bearings。　Nor　could　they　aid　each　other。　They　dashed　hither　and　thither　in　disorder；　but　the　formation　was　as　if　gathering　clouds　and　rolling　mists。　Then　a　shout　arose；　and　each　one　was　seized　and　bound。
They　were　taken　to　the　center；　where　Zhuge　Liang　sat　in　his　tent；　and　the　three　leaders　with　their　ninety　men　were　ranged　in　front。
〃Indeed　you　are　prisoners。　Are　you　surprised？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　smiling。　〃But　I　will　set　you　free　to　return　to　your　leader；　and　tell　him　to　read　his　books　again；　and　study　his　tactics；　before　he　es　to　try　conclusions　with　me。　You　are　pardoned；　but　leave　your　weapons　and　horses　here。〃
So　they　were　stripped　of　their　arms　and　armors　and　their　faces　inked。　Thus　were　they　led　on　foot　out　of　the　array。　Sima　Yi　lost　his　temper　at　sight　of　his　people　thus　put　to　shame。
Said　he；　〃After　this　disgrace；　how　can　I　face　the　other　officers　in　the　Middle　Land？〃
He　gave　the　signal　for　the　army　to　fall　on　and　attack　the　enemy；　and；　grasping　his　sword；　led　his　brave　generals　into　the　fray　and　manded　the　attack。　But　just　as　the　two　armies　came　to　blows；　Guan　Xing　came　up　fromt　the　southwest；　his　drums　rolling　and　troops　shouting；　and　attacked。　Sima　Yi　told　off　a　division　from　the　rear　to　oppose　Guan　Xing；　and　again　turned　to　urge　on　his　main　body。
Then　the　army　of　Wei　was　thrown　into　confusion　by　another　attack　from　Jiang　Wei；　who　came　up　silently　and　joined　in　the　battle。　Thus　three　sides　of　the　Wei　army　were　attacked　by　three　different　divisions　of　the　enemy；　and　Sima　Yi　decided　to　retire。　However；　this　was　difficult。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　hemmed　him　in　and　came　closer　every　moment。　At　last；　by　a　desperate　push；　he　cut　an　alley　toward　the　south　and　freed　his　army。　But　he　had　lost　six　or　seven　out　of　every　ten　of　his　soldiers。
The　Wei　army　withdrew　to　the　south　bank　of　River　Wei　and　camped。　They　strengthened　their　position　and　remained　entirely　on　the　defensive。
Zhuge　Liang　mustered　his　victorious　army　and　returned　to　Qishan。
Now　Li　Yan　sent　an　officer；　General　Gou　An；　from　Baidicheng　with　a　convoy　of　grain。　Gou　An　was　a　drunkard　and　loitered　on　the　road　so　that　he　arrived　ten　days　late。
Zhuge　Liang；　angry　at　the　delay；　upbraided　him；　saying；　〃This　grain　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　the　army　and　you　delay　it。　Three　days'　delay　ought　to　mean　the　death　penalty。　What　can　you　say　to　this　delay　of　ten？〃
Gou　An　was　sentenced　to　death　and　hustled　out。
But　Yang　Yi　ventured　to　intervene；　saying；　〃Gou　An　is　a　servant　of　Li　Yan；　and　Li　Yan　has　sent　large　supplies　of　all　sorts　from　the　West　River　Land。　The　road　is　long　and　difficult。　If　you　put　this　man　to　death；　perhaps　others　will　not　undertake　transport　duty。〃
Zhuge　Liang　then　bade　the　executioners　loose　the　offender；　give　him　eighty　blows；　and　let　him　go。
This　punishment　filled　Gou　An's　heart　with　bitter　resentment；　and；　in　the　night；　he　deserted　to　the　enemy；　he　and　his　half　dozen　personal　staff。　He　was　taken　before　Sima　Yi　and　told　the　tale　of　his　wrongs。
〃Your　tale　may　be　true；　but　it　is　hard　to　trust　it；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　full　of　guile。　However；　you　may　render　me　a　service；　and　if　you　do；　I　will　ask　the　Ruler　of　Wei　that　you　may　be　allowed　to　serve　him　and　obtain　a　post　for　you。〃
〃Whatever　you　ask；　I　will　do　the　best　I　can；〃　replied　the　deserter。
〃Then　go　to　Chengdu　and　spread　a　lying　report　that　Zhuge　Liang　is　angry　with　the　powers　there　and　means　to　make　himself　emperor。　This　will　get　him　recalled；　and　that　will　be　a　merit　to　you。〃
Gou　An　accepted　the　treacherous　mission。　In　Chengdu　he　got　hold　of　the　eunuchs；　and　told　them　his　lying　tale　that　the　Prime　Minister　was　too　proud　of　his　services　and　was　about　to　use　his　sweeping　powers　to　usurp　the　Throne。
The　eunuchs　became　alarmed　for　their　own　safety　and　told　the　Emperor　all　these　things。
〃In　such　a　case　what　am　I　to　do？〃　asked　the　Latter　Ruler。
〃Recall　him　to　the　capital；〃　said　the　eunuchs；　〃and　take　away　his　military　powers　so　that　he　cannot　rebel。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　issued　an　edict　recalling　the　army。
But　Jiang　Wan　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃The　Prime　Minister　has　rendered　many　great　services　since　he　led　out　the　army。　Wherefore　is　he　recalled？〃
〃I　have　a　private　matter　to　consult　him　about；〃　said　the　Latter　Ruler。　〃I　must　see　him　personally。〃
So　the　edict　was　issued　and　sent　to　Zhuge　Liang。　The　messenger　was　at　once　received　as　soon　as　he　reached　Qishan。
〃The　Emperor　is　young；　and　there　is　some　jealous　persons　by　his　side；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　sadly。　〃I　was　just　going　to　achieve　some　solid　success。　Why　am　I　recalled？　If　I　go　not；　I　shall　insult　my　Prince。　If　I　retire；　I　shall　never　get　such　a　chance　again。〃
〃If　the　army　retire；　Sima　Yi　will　attack；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。
〃I　will　retire　in　five　divisions。　Thus　today　this　camp　goes。　Supposing　that　there　are　a　thousand　soldiers　in　the　camp；　then　I　shall　have　two　thousand　cooking　places　prepared；　or　if　there　are　three　thousand　soldiers；　then　four　thousand　cooking　plates　shall　be　got　ready；　and　so　on；　increasing　the　cooking　arrangements　as　the　troops　are　sent　away。〃

＇e＇　Sun　Bin　military　strategist；　a　descendant　of　Sun　Zi。　Sun　Bin　served　as　military　counselor　during　the　Warring　States　period　in　Qi。　He　wrote　a　treatise　named　The　Art　of　War　of　Sun　Bin。　。。。。。
Yang　Yi　said；　〃In　the　days　of　old；　when　Sun　Bin*　was　attacking　Pang　Juan；　Sun　Bin　decreased　the　cooking　arrangements　as　the　soldiers　were　increased。　Why　do　you　reverse　this；　O　Prime　Minister？〃
〃Because　Sima　Yi　is　an　able　leader　and　would　pursue　if　he　knew　we　were　retreating。　But　he　would　recognize　the　probability　of　an　ambush；　and　if　he　sees　an　increase　in　the　cooking　arrangements　in　a　camp；　he　will　be　unable　to　conclude　whether　the　troops　have　gone　or　not；　and　he　will　not　pursue。　Thus　I　shall　gradually　withdraw　without　loss。〃
The　order　for　retreat　was　given。
Confident　of　the　effect　that　Gou　An's　lying　report　would　produce；　Sima　Yi　waited　for　the　retreat　of　the　Shu　army　to　begin。　He　was　still　waiting　when　the　scouts　told　him　the　enemy's　camps　were　empty。　Wishing　to　make　sure；　he　rode　out　himself　with　a　small　reconnoitering　party　and　inspected　the　empty　camps。　Then　he　bade　them　count　the　stoves。　Next　day　he　paid　a　second　visit　to　another　empty　camp；　and　again　the　cooking　stoves　were　counted。　The　count　showed　an　increase　of　a　half。
〃I　felt　sure　that　Zhuge　Liang　would　have　more　troops　ready。　He　has　increased　the　cooking　arrangements；　and　so；　if　we　pursue；　he　will　be　ready　for　us。　No；　we　also　will　retire　and　await　another　opportunity。〃
So　there　was　no　pursuit；　and　Zhuge　Liang　did　not　lose　a　soldier　on　his　retreat　to　Hanzhong。
By　and　by；　people　came　in　from　the　River　Lands　to　say　that　the　retreat　was　a　fact；　and　that　only　the　cooking　arrangements　had　been　increased；　not　the　soldiers。
Sima　Yi　knew　that　he　had　been　tricked；　and　looking　up　the　sky；　he　sighed；　〃Zhuge　Liang　imitated　the　ruse　of　Sun　Bin　to　rouse　my　suspicion。　His　thinking　is　superior　to　mine。〃
And　Sima　Yi　set　out　for　Changan。

When　players　of　equal　skill　are　matched；
Then　victory　hovers　between；
Perhaps　your　opponent's　a　genius；
So　put　on　your　lowliest　mien。

What　happened　when　Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　Chengdu　will　be　told　next。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　101　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　101
　Chapter　101
Going　Out　From　Longshang；　Zhuge　Liang　Dresses　As　A　God；
Dashing　Toward　Saber　Pass；　Zhang　He　Falls　Into　A　Snare。
By　means　of　the　artifice　just　described；　Zhuge　Liang　withdrew　his　army　safely　into　Hanzhong；　while　Sima　Yi　retreated　upon　Changan。　Zhuge　Liang　distributed　the　rewards　for　success　and　then　went　to　Capital　Chengdu　for　audience。
〃Your　Majesty　recalled　me　just　as　I　was　about　to　advance　upon　Changan。　What　is　the　important　matter？〃　said　the　Prime　Minister。
For　a　long　time　the　Latter　Ruler　made　no　reply。
Presently　he　said；　〃I　longed　to　see　your　face　once　more；　that　is　the　only　reason。〃
Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　think　my　recall　was　not　on　your　own　initiative。　Some　slanderous　persons　has　hinted　that　I　cherished　ulterior　objects。〃
The　Latter　Ruler；　who　indeed　felt　guilty　and　ill　at