三国演义英文版-第289部分

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Then　he　bade　Wang　Chang　and　Guanqiu　Jian　each　to　take　ten　thousand　troops　and　place　themselves　right　and　left；　but　not　to　advance　till　Dongxing　had　been　captured。　When　that　city　had　fallen；　these　two　were　to　go　forward　at　the　same　time。　Hu　Zun　was　to　lead　the　van。　The　first　step　was　to　construct　a　floating　bridge　to　storm　the　rampart。　The　two　walls　should　then　be　captured。
News　of　the　danger　soon　came　to　Wu；　and　Zhuge　Ke　called　a　council　to　take　measures。
Then　said　Ding　Feng；　General　Who　Pacifies　the　North；　〃Dongxing　is　of　the　utmost　importance　as　its　loss　would　endanger　Wuchang。〃
〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Zhuge　Ke。　〃You　say　just　what　I　think。　You　should　lead　three　thousand　marines　up　the　river　in　thirty　ships；　while　on　land　Lu　Ju；　Tang　Zi；　and　Liu　Zang　will　follow　in　three　directions　with　ten　thousand　troops　each。　The　signal　for　the　general　attack　will　be　a　cluster　of　bombs。〃
Ding　Feng　received　the　mand；　and；　with　three　thousand　marines　and　thirty　battleships；　he　sailed　in　the　Great　River　to　Dongxing。
Hu　Zun；　the　Van　Leader　of　Wei；　crossed　on　the　floating　bridge；　took　and　camped　on　the　rampart。　He　then　sent　Huan　Jia　and　Han　Zong　to　assault　the　left　and　right　flanking　forts；　which　were　held　by　the　Wu　Generals　Quan　Yi　and　Liu　Lue。　These　forts　had　high　walls　and　strong；　and　made　a　good　resistance；　so　that　the　Wei　force　could　not　overe。　But　Quan　Yi　and　Liu　Lue　dared　not　venture　out　to　attack　so　strong　a　force　as　was　attacking　them。
Hu　Zun　made　a　camp　at　Xutang。　It　was　then　the　depth　of　winter　and　intensely　cold。　Heavy　snow　fell。　Thinking　that　no　warlike　operations　were　possible　in　such　weather；　Hu　Zun　and　his　officers　made　a　great　feast。
In　the　midst　of　the　feasting　came　one　to　report：　〃Thirty　ships　are　ing　in　the　river。〃
Hu　Zun　went　out　to　look　and　saw　them　e　into　the　bank。　He　made　out　a　hundred　troops　on　each。
As　they　were　so　few；　he　returned　to　the　feast　and　told　his　officers；　〃Only　three　thousand　sailors。　There　is　nothing　to　be　alarmed　at。〃
Giving　orders　to　keep　a　careful　watch；　they　all　returned　to　enjoy　themselves。
Ding　Feng's　ships　were　all　drawn　up　in　line。　Then　he　said　to　his　officers；　〃Today　there　is　indeed　a　grand　opportunity　for　a　brave　soldier　to　distinguish　himself。　We　shall　need　the　utmost　freedom　of　movement；　so　throw　off　your　armor；　leave　your　helmets；　cast　aside　your　long　spears；　and　reject　your　heavy　halberds。　Short　swords　are　the　weapons　for　today。〃
From　the　shore　the　soldiers　of　Wei　watched　the　Wu　marines　with　amusement；　taking　no　trouble　to　prepare　against　an　attack。　But　suddenly　a　cluster　of　bombs　exploded；　and　simultaneously　with　the　roar　Ding　Feng　sprang　ashore　at　the　head　of　his　troops。　They　dashed　up　the　bank　and　made　straight　for　the　Wei　camp。
The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　taken　pletely　by　surprise　and　were　helpless。　Han　Zong　grasped　one　of　the　halberds　that　stood　by　the　door　of　the　mander's　tent；　but　Ding　Feng　stabbed　him　in　the　breast；　and　he　rolled　over。　Huan　Jia　went　round　and　came　up　on　the　left。　Just　as　he　poised　his　spear　to　thrust；　Ding　Feng　gripped　it　under　his　arm。　Huan　Jia　let　go　and　turned　to　flee；　but　Ding　Feng　sent　his　sword　flying　after　him　and　caught　him　in　the　shoulder。　He　turned　and　was　thrust　through　by　Ding　Feng's　spear。
The　three　panies　of　Wu　marines　went　to　and　fro　in　the　camp　of　Wei　slaying　as　they　would。　Hu　Zun　mounted　a　horse　and　fled。　His　troops　ran　away　across　the　floating　bridge；　but　that　gave　way　and　many　were　thrown　into　the　water　and　drowned。　Dead　bodies　lay　about　on　the　snow　in　large　numbers。　The　spoil　of　military　gear　that　fell　to　Wu　was　immense。
Sima　Zhao；　Wang　Chang；　and　Guanqiu　Jian；　seeing　the　Dongxing　front　had　been　broken；　decided　to　retreat。
Zhuge　Ke　marched　his　army　to　Dongxing；　and　he　made　great　feastings　and　distribution　of　rewards　in　celebration　of　victory。
Then　he　said　to　his　leaders；　〃Sima　Zhao　has　suffered　a　defeat　and　retreated　to　the　north。　It　is　time　to　take　the　Middle　Land！〃
So　he　told　his　officers　that　this　was　his　intention；　and　also　sent　away　letters　to　Shu　to　engage　the　aid　of　Jiang　Wei；　promising　that　the　empire　should　be　divided　between　them　when　they　had　taken　it。
An　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops　was　told　off　to　invade　the　Middle　Land。　Just　as　it　was　starting；　a　stream　of　white　vapor　was　seen　emerging　from　the　earth；　and　as　it　spread　it　gradually　enveloped　the　whole　army　so　that　people　could　not　see　each　other。
〃It　is　a　white　rainbow；〃　said　Jiang　Yan；　〃and　it　bodes　ill　to　the　army。　I　advise　you；　O　Imperial　Guardian；　to　return　and　not　march　against　Wei。〃
〃How　dare　you　utter　such　ill…omened　words　and　blunt　the　keenness　of　my　army？〃　cried　Zhuge　Ke；　angrily。
He　bade　the　lictors　take　Jiang　Yan　out　and　put　him　to　death。　But　Jiang　Yan's　colleagues　interceded　for　him；　and　he　was　spared；　but　he　was　stripped　of　all　rank。　Orders　were　issued　to　march　quickly。
Then　Ding　Feng　offered　a　suggestion；　saying；　〃Wei　depends　on　Xincheng　for　the　defense　of　its　passes。　It　would　be　a　severe　blow　to　Sima　Shi　if　Xincheng　falls。〃
Zhuge　Ke　weled　this　suggestion　and　gave　orders　to　march　on　Xincheng。　They　came　up　and　found　the　city　gates　closed；　wherefore　they　began　to　besiege　the　city。　The　mander　in　the　city；　Zhang　Te；　saw　the　legions　of　Wu　at　the　walls；　held　a　strict　defense。
A　hasty　messenger　was　sent　to　Luoyang；　and　Secretary　Yu　Song　told　the　Prime　Minister；　Sima　Shi。
Yu　Song　said；　〃Zhuge　Ke　is　laying　siege　to　Xincheng。　The　city　should　not　try　to　repulse　the　attack；　but　simply　hold　out　as　long　as　possible。　When　the　besiegers　have　exhausted　their　provisions；　they　will　be　pelled　to　retire。　As　they　retreat；　we　can　smite　them。　However；　it　is　necessary　to　provide　against　any　invasion　from　Shu。〃
Accordingly　Sima　Zhao　was　sent　to　reinforce　Guo　Huai　so　as　to　keep　off　Jiang　Wei；　while　Guanqiu　Jian　and　Hu　Zun　kept　the　army　of　Wu　at　bay。
For　months　the　army　of　Zhuge　Ke　battered　at　Xincheng　without　success。　He　urged　his　generals　to　strenuous　efforts；　threatening　to　put　to　death　anyone　who　was　dilatory。　At　last　his　attacks　looked　like　succeeding；　for　the　northeast　corner　of　the　wall　seemed　shaken。
Then　Zhang　Te；　the　mander　of　Xincheng；　thought　of　a　device。　He　sent　a　persuasive　messenger　with　all　the　register　documents　to　Zhuge　Ke。
And　the　messenger　said；　〃It　is　a　rule　in　Wei　that　if　a　city　holds　out　against　attack　for　a　hundred　days　and　reinforcement　has　not　arrived；　then　its　mander　may　surrender　without　penalty　to　his　family。　Now　Xincheng　has　held　out　for　over　ninety　days；　and　my　master　hopes　you　will　allow　him　to　withstand　the　few　days　necessary　to　plete　the　hundred；　when　he　will　yield。　Here　are　all　register　documents　that　he　desires　to　tender　first。〃
Zhuge　Ke　had　no　doubts　that　the　story　was　genuine。　He　ordered　the　army　to　retreat　temporarily；　and　the　defenders　enjoyed　a　rest。　But　all　Zhang　Te　really　desired　was　time　wherein　to　strengthen　the　weak　angle　of　the　wall。　As　soon　as　the　attacks　ceased；　the　defenders　pulled　down　the　houses　near　the　corner　and　repaired　the　wall　with　the　material。
As　soon　as　the　repairs　were　plete；　Zhang　Te　threw　off　all　pretense　and　cried　from　the　wall；　〃I　have　half　a　year's　provisions　yet　and　will　not　surrender　to　any　curs　of　Wu！〃
The　defense　became　as　vigorous　as　before　the　truce。　Zhuge　Ke　was　enraged　at　being　so　tricked；　and　urged　on　the　attack。　But　one　day　one　of　the　thousands　of　arrows　that　flew　from　the　rampart　struck　him　in　the　forehead；　and　he　fell。　He　was　borne　to　his　tent；　but　the　wound　inflamed；　and　he　became　very　ill。
Their　leader's　illness　disheartened　the　troops；　and；　moreover；　the　weather　became　very　hot。　Sickness　invaded　the　camp；　so　that　soldiers　and　leaders　alike　wished　to　go　home。
When　Zhuge　Ke　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　resume　mand；　he　urged　on　the　attack；　but　the　generals　said；　〃The　soldiers　are　sick　and　unfit　for　battle。〃
Zhuge　Ke　burst　into　fierce　anger；　and　said；　〃The　next　person　who　mentions　illness　will　be　beheaded。〃
When　the　report　of　this　threat　got　abroad；　the　soldiers　began　to　desert　freely。　Presently　mander　Cai　Lin；　with　his　whole　pany；　went　over　to　the　enemy。　Zhuge　Ke　began　to　be　alarmed　and　rode　through　the　camps　to　see　for　himself。　Surely　enough；　the　soldiers　all　looked　sickly；　with　pale　and　puffy　faces。
The　siege　had　to　be　raised；　and　Zhuge　Ke　retired　into　his　own　country。　But　scouts　brought　the　news　of　retreat　to　Guanqiu　Jian　who　led　the　Wei's　grand　army　to　follow　and　harass　Zhuge　Ke's　march　and　inflicted　a　severe　defeat。
Mortified　by　the　course　of　events；　after　his　return　Zhuge　Ke　did　not　attend　court　held　by　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　but　pretended　illness。
Sun　Liang；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　went　to　the　residence　to　see　his　general；　and　the　officers　came　to　call。　In　order　to　silence　ment；　Zhuge　Ke　assumed　an　attitude　of　extreme　severity；　investigating　everyone's　conduct　very　minutely；　punishing　rigorously　any　fault　or　shorting　and　meting　out　sentences　of　banishment；　or　death　with　exposure；　till　everyone　walked　in　terror。　He　also　placed　two　of　his　own　cliques………Zhang　Yue　and　Zhu　En………over　the　royal　guards；　making　them　the　teeth　and　claws　of　his　vengeance。
Now　Sun　Jun　was　a　son　of　Sun　Gong　and　a　great　grandson　of　Sun　Jing；　brother　of　Sun　Jian。　Sun　Quan　loved　him　and　had　put　him　in　mand　of　the　guards。　Sun　Jun　was　enraged　at　being　superseded　by　Zhang　Yue　and　Zhu　En；　the　two　creatures　of　Zhuge　Ke。
Minister　Teng　Yin；　who　had　an　old　quarrel　with　Zhuge　Ke；　said　to　Sun　Jun；　〃This　Zhuge　Ke　is　as　cruel　as　he　is　powerful。　He　abuses　his　authority；　and　no　one　is　safe　against　him。　I　also　think　he　is　aiming　at　something　yet　higher　and　you；　Sir；　as　one　of　the　ruling　family　ought　to　put　a　stop　to　it。〃
〃I　agree　with　you；　and　I　want　to　get　rid　of　him；〃　replied　Sun　Jun。　〃Now　I　will　obtain　an　edict　condemning　him　to　death。〃
Both　went　in　to　see　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Liang；　and　they　laid　the　matter　before　him。
〃I　am　afraid　of　him；　too；〃　replied　Sun　Liang。　〃I　have　wanted　to　remove　him　for　some　time；　but　have　found　no　opportunity。　If　you　would　prove　your　loyalty；　you　would　do　it　for　me。〃
Then　said　Teng　Yin；　〃Your　Majesty　can　give　a　banquet　and　invite　him；　and　let　a　few　braves　be　ready　hidden　behind　the　curtains。　At　a　signal；　as　the　dropping　of　a　wine　cup；　they　might　jump　out　and　slay　him；　and　all　further　trouble　would　be　avoided。〃
Sun　Liang　agreed。
Zhuge　Ke　had　never　been　to　court　since　his　return　from　the　unfortunate　expediti