三国演义英文版-第288部分

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That　night　a　strong　north　wind　brought　a　heavy　fall　of　snow；　and　the　besieged　were　thus　temporarily　relieved　from　the　water　famine。　They　melted　the　snow　and　prepared　food。
Li　Xin；　severely　wounded；　made　his　way　west　along　the　hill　paths。　After　two　days　he　fell　in　with　Jiang　Wei。
He　dismounted；　prostrated　himself；　and　told　his　story：　〃Qushan　had　been　surrounded　and　cut　off　water　supplies。　By　luck　it　snowed；　and　our　soldiers　were　partly　relieved。　But　the　situation　was　very　urgent。〃
〃The　delay　is　not　due　to　my　slackness。　The　Qiang　allies　we　depended　upon　have　not　e；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。
Jiang　Wei　sent　an　escort　with　the　wounded　Li　Xin　to　conduct　him　to　Chengdu；　where　his　wounds　could　be　treated。
Turning　to　Xiahou　Ba；　Jiang　Wei　asked；　〃The　Qiangs　do　not　e；　and　the　Wei　army　is　besieging　Qushan。　General；　do　you　have　any　plan　to　propose？〃
Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃If　we　wait　for　the　ing　of　the　Qiangs；　it　looks　as　if　we　shall　be　too　late　to　relieve　Qushan。　It　is　very　probable　that　Yongzhou　has　been　left　undefended；　wherefore　I　propose　that　you　go　toward　Ox　Head　Hills　and　work　round　to　the　rear　of　Yongzhou；　which　will　cause　the　Wei　army　to　fall　back　to　relieve　Yongzhou　and　so　relieve　our　force。〃
〃The　plan　appears　excellent；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　And　he　set　out。
When　Chen　Tai　knew　that　Li　Xin　had　escaped；　he　said　to　his　chief；　〃Now　that　this　man　has　got　out；　he　will　tell　Jiang　Wei　of　the　danger　and　Jiang　Wei　will　conclude　that　our　efforts　are　concentrated　on　the　ramparts　and　will　endeavor　to　attack　our　rear。　Therefore　I　suggest；　General；　that　you　go　to　River　Yao　and　stop　the　supplies　of　our　enemies；　while　I　go　to　the　Ox　Head　Hills　and　smite　them。　They　will　retreat　as　soon　as　they　know　their　supplies　are　threatened。〃
So　Guo　Huai　marched　secretly　to　River　Yao；　while　Chen　Tai　went　to　the　hills。
When　the　Shu　army　led　by　Jiang　Wei　came　near　the　Ox　Head　Hills；　they　heard　a　great　shouting　in　front；　and　the　scouts　came　in　to　report　that　the　road　was　barred。　Jiang　Wei　himself　rode　out　to　look。
〃So　you　intended　to　attack　Yongzhou；　did　you？〃　shouted　Chen　Tai。　〃But　we　know　it　and　have　been　watching　for　you　a　long　time。〃
Jiang　Wei　rode　forth　to　attack。　Chen　Tai　advanced　with　a　flourish　of　his　sword；　and　they　engaged。　Chen　Tai　soon　ran　away。　Then　the　soldiers　of　Shu　came　forward　and　fell　on；　driving　the　soldiers　of　Wei　back　to　the　summit　of　the　hills。　But　they　halted　there；　and　Jiang　Wei　encamped　at　the　foot　of　the　hills；　whence　he　challenged　the　enemy　every　day。　But　he　could　gain　no　victory。
Seeing　no　result　after　some　days　of　this；　Xiahou　Ba　said；　〃This　is　no　place　to　remain　in。　We　can　get　no　victory　and　are　tempting　fate　by　remaining　open　to　a　surprise。　I　think　we　should　retire　till　some　better　plan　can　be　tried。〃
Just　then　it　was　reported：　〃The　supplies　road　by　River　Yao　has　fallen　into　the　hands　of　Guo　Huai！〃
Shocked　with　the　news；　Jiang　Wei　bade　Xiahou　Ba　march　away　first；　and　he　covered　the　retreat。　Chen　Tai　pursued　in　five　divisions　along　five　different　roads；　but　Jiang　Wei　got　possession　of　the　meeting　point　and　held　them　all　in　check；　finally　forcing　them　back　on　the　hills。　But　from　this　position　Chen　Tai　ordered　his　troops　to　shoot　heavy　discharges　of　arrows　and　stones　so　that　Jiang　Wei　was　forced　to　abandon　his　position。　He　went　to　River　Yao；　where　Guo　Huai　led　his　force　out　to　attack。　Jiang　Wei　went　to　and　fro　smiting　where　he　could；　but　he　was　surrounded　and　only　got　out　by　a　desperate　effort　and　after　suffering　more　than　half　of　his　force。
Jiang　Wei　hastened　toward　Yangping　Pass；　but　fell　in　with　another　body　of　the　enemy；　at　the　head　of　which　he　saw　a　fierce；　youthful　leader；　who　at　once　rode　out　furiously　to　attack。　This　leader　had　a　round　face；　long　ears；　and　a　square　mouth　with　thick　lips。　Below　his　left　eye　was　a　large　hairy　mole。　It　was　the　elder　son　of　Sima　Yi。　He　was　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　Sima　Shi。
〃Simpleton！　How　dare　you　stand　in　my　way？〃　yelled　Jiang　Wei；　as　he　rode　forward　with　his　spear　set。
Sima　Shi　met　the　attack；　and　a　few　bouts　were　fought　before　Sima　Shi　fled。　Jiang　Wei　came　off　victor　and　so　was　free　to　continue　his　way。　Presently　he　reached　the　pass　and　was　weled　within　its　sheltering　walls。　Sima　Shi　soon　followed　and　attacked　the　Pass　after　his　arrival；　but　those　within　the　ramparts　replied　with　the　multiple　crossbows　which　threw　ten　bolts　at　each　discharge。　For　the　army　of　Shu　had　made　these　engines　of　war　after　the　design　left　by　Zhuge　Liang。

Owing　to　superior　weapons；　Shu　defeated　Wei；
Wei　would　never　recover　what　was　lost　that　day。

What　befell　Sima　Shi　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　108　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　108
　Chapter　108
In　The　Snow；　Ding　Feng　Wins　A　Victory；
At　A　Banquet；　Sun　Jun　Executes　A　Secret　Plan。
As　has　been　said；　Jiang　Wei；　in　his　retreat；　fell　in　with　a　force　under　Sima　Shi；　barring　his　road。　It　came　about　thus。　After　Jiang　Wei　invaded　Yongzhou；　Guo　Huai　had　sent　a　flying　messenger　to　the　capital；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　summoned　Sima　Yi　for　advice。　It　had　then　been　decided　to　send　reinforcements　to　Yongzhou；　and　fifty　thousand　troops　had　marched；　led　by　the　son　of　the　Prime　Minister。　On　the　march　Sima　Shi　had　heard　that　the　Shu　army　had　been　beaten　back；　and　he　had　concluded　they　were　weak。　So　he　decided　to　meet　them　on　the　road　and　give　battle。　Near　the　Yangping　Pass；　however；　the　roads　had　been　lined　with　troops　armed　with　the　multiple　crossbows　designed　by　Zhuge　Liang。　Since　Zhuge　Liang's　death；　large　numbers　of　these　weapons　had　been　made；　and　the　bolts　from　them；　which　went　in　flights　of　ten；　were　poisoned。　Consequently　the　Wei　losses　were　very　heavy；　and　Sima　Shi　himself　barely　escaped　with　life。　However；　eventually　he　returned　to　Luoyang。
From　the　walls　of　Qushan；　the　Shu　general；　Gou　Ai；　watched　anxiously　for　the　expected　help。　As　it　came　not；　he　ultimately　surrendered。　And　Jiang　Wei；　with　a　loss　of　twenty　to　thirty　thousand　soldiers；　marched　back　into　Hanzhong。
In　the　third　year　of　Domestic　Calm　（AD　251）；　in　the　eighth　month；　Sima　Yi　fell　ill。　His　sickness　increased　rapidly；　and；　feeling　that　his　end　was　near；　he　called　his　two　sons　to　his　bedside　to　hear　his　last　words。
〃I　have　served　Wei　many　years　and　reached　the　highest　rank　possible　among　ministers。　People　have　suspected　me　of　ulterior　aims；　and　I　have　always　felt　afraid　of　that。　After　my　death　the　government　will　be　in　your　hands；　and　you　must　be　doubly　careful。〃
Sima　Yi　passed　away　even　as　he　said　these　last　words。　The　sons　informed　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　who　conferred　high　honors　upon　the　dead　and　advanced　his　sons；　Sima　Shi　to　the　rank　of　Regent　Marshal　with　the　leadership　of　the　Chairs　of　the　Boards；　and　Sima　Zhao　to　the　rank　of　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry。
Meanwhile　in　the　South　Land；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Quan；　had　named　his　son　Sun　Deng　as　his　heir。　His　mother　was　Lady　Xu。　But　Sun　Deng　died　in　the　fourth　year　of　the　Red　Crow　Era　（AD　241）。　So　the　second　son　Sun　He　was　chosen　his　successor。　His　mother　was　Lady　Wang。　A　quarrel　arose　between　Sun　He　and　Princess　Quan；　who　maligned　him　and　intrigued　against　him；　so　that　he　was　set　aside。　Sun　He　died　of　mortification。　Then　the　third　son　Sun　Liang　was　named　the　Heir　Apparent。　His　mother　was　Lady　Pan。
At　this　time　old　officials　like　Lu　Xun　and　Zhuge　Jin　were　dead；　and　the　business　of　the　government；　great　and　small；　was　in　the　hands　of　Zhuge　Ke；　son　of　Zhuge　Jin。
In　the　first　year　of　Grand　Beginning　Era　（AD　251）；　on　the　first　of　the　eighth　month；　a　great　storm　passed　over　Wu。　The　waves　rose　to　a　great　height；　and　the　water　stood　eight　feet　deep　over　the　low…lying　lands。　The　pines　and　cypresses；　which　grew　at　the　cemetery　of　the　Imperial　Ancestors　of　Wu；　were　uprooted　and　carried　to　the　South　Gate　of　Jianye；　where　they　stuck；　roots　upward；　in　the　road。
Sun　Quan　was　frightened　and　fell　ill。　In　the　early　days　of　the　next　year　his　illness　became　serious；　whereupon　he　called　in　Imperial　Guardian　Zhuge　Ke　and　Regent　Marshal　Lu　Dai　to　hear　the　declaration　of　his　last　wishes。　Soon　after　he　died；　at　the　age　of　seventy…one。　He　had　reigned　for　twenty…four　years。　In　Shu…Han　calendar　it　was　the　fifteenth　year　of　Long　Enjoyment　（AD　252）。

A　hero；　green…eyed　and　purple…bearded；
He　called　forth　devotion　from　all。
He　lorded　the　east　without　challenge
Till　death's　one　imperative　call。

Zhuge　Ke　immediately　placed　his　late　lord's　son　Sun　Liang　on　the　throne；　and　the　opening　of　the　new　reign　was　marked　by　the　adoption　of　the　style　Great　Prosperity　Era；　the　first　year　（AD　252）。　A　general　amnesty　was　proclaimed。　The　late　ruler　received　the　posthumous　style　of　Sun　Quan　the　Great　Emperor　and　was　buried　in　Jiangling。
When　these　things　were　reported　in　the　Wei　capital；　Sima　Shi's　first　thought　was　to　attack　the　South　Land。
But　his　plans　were　opposed　by　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Fu　Gu；　saying；　〃Remember　what　a　strong　defense　to　Wu　is　the　Great　River。　The　country　has　been　many　times　attacked　by　our　ancestors；　but　never　conquered。　Rather　let　us　all　hold　what　we　have　till　the　time　be　expedient　to　possess　the　whole　empire。〃
Sima　Shi　replied；　〃The　way　of　Heaven　changes　thrice　in　a　century；　and　no　three…part　division　is　permanent。　I　wish　to　attack　Wu。〃
Sima　Zhao；　his　brother；　was　in　favor　of　attack；　saying　〃The　occasion　is　most　opportune。　Sun　Quan　is　newly　dead；　and　the　present　ruler　is　a　child。〃
An　expedition　was　decided　upon。　Wang　Chang；　General　Who　Conquers　the　South；　was　sent　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops　against　Nanjun。　Guanqiu　Jian；　General　Who　Guards　the　South；　was　given　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　go　against　Wuchang。　Hu　Zun；　General　Who　Conquers　the　East；　led　one　hundred　thousand　troops　against　Dongxing。　They　marched　in　three　divisions。　Sima　Zhao　was　made　mander…in…Chief　of　the　campaign。
In　the　winter　of　that　year；　the　tenth　month；　Sima　Zhao　marched　the　armies　near　to　the　Wu　frontiers　and　camped。　Sima　Zhao　called　together　Wang　Chang；　Guanqiu　Jian；　Hu　Zun；　and　various　other　manders　to　decide　upon　plans。
He　said；　〃The　county　of　Dongxing　is　most　important　to　Wu。　They　have　built　a　great　rampart；　with　walls　right　and　left　to　defend　Lake　Chaohu　from　an　attack　in　the　rear。　You　gentlemen　will　have　to　exercise　extreme　care。〃
Then　he　bade　Wang　Chang　and　Guanqiu　Jian　each　to　take　ten　thousand　troops　and　place　themselves　ri