三国演义英文版-第301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！


ed　bearing　an　invitation　to　a　banquet　in　the　Palace。　Sun　Chen　rose　from　his　couch；　and；　as　he　did　so；　fell　flat　on　the　ground　as　though　he　had　been　pushed　from　behind。　This　accident　troubled　him；　and　he　felt　apprehensive；　so　he　called　half　a　score　of　his　trusty　guards　to　act　as　his　escort　to　the　Palace。
As　he　was　leaving　home；　his　family　besought　him　not　to　go　out；　saying；　〃The　storm　last　night　and　the　fall　this　morning　are　fearful　omens。　You　should　not　go　to　that　banquet。〃
However；　he　made　light　of　their　fears　and　said；　〃My　brothers　are　holding　the　army。　Who　will　dare　e　near　me？　But　if　there　is　anything　amiss；　you　just　give　a　fire　signal　from　the　Prime　Minister's　residence。〃
So　Sun　Chen　took　his　seat；　and　the　carriage　set　out。　When　he　reached　the　court；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　rose　from　his　place　to　wele　him；　and　at　table　Sun　Chen　sat　in　the　seat　of　honor。　The　banquet　proceeded。
〃There　is　a　fire　outside：　What　does　that　mean？〃　said　a　guest　presently。
Sun　Chen　rose　to　go　out；　but　the　Ruler　of　Wu　said；　〃There　is　no　danger；　and　there　are　plenty　of　soldiers　outside　to　take　care　of　that。〃
Just　at　that　moment　Zhang　Bu　entered　at　the　head　of　thirty　armed　guards。　He　rushed　up　the　banquet　chamber；　shouting；　〃I　hold　a　mand　to　slay　the　rebel　Sun　Chen！〃

＇e＇　Jiaozhou　was　a　deep…south　region；　which　is　now　northern　Vietnam。
Instantly　the　Prime　Minister　was　seized。　He　fell　prostrate　before　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　knocking　his　head　on　the　ground　and　crying；　〃Spare　my　life！　Exile　me　to　Jiaozhou*；　where　I　will　do　plow　work。〃
〃Did　you　exile　any　of　your　victims………Teng　Yin；　Lu　Ju；　Wang　Chun；　and　others？〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　angrily。
The　order　went　forth　to　carry　out　the　execution；　and　Sun　Chen　was　hustled　out　and　put　to　death。　No　single　person　of　his　servants　raised　a　hand　to　help　him。
Then　Zhang　Bu　read　an　edict：　〃Sun　Chen　is　the　only　culprit；　and　no　other　will　be　questioned。〃
Then　at　Zhang　Bu's　request；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　went　up　on　the　Tower　of　the　Five　Phoenixes。　Zhang　Bu；　Wei　Miao；　and　Shi　Shuo　brought　the　brothers　of　the　Prime　Minister　before　Sun　Xiu；　and　he　condemned　them　to　death。　After　this　their　families　were　slain；　so　that　many　hundreds　suffered　death。　Not　content　with　all　these　things；　the　tomb　of　Sun　Jun　was　broken　open　and　his　corpse　beheaded。
Magnificent　tombs　were　raised　to　his　victims………Zhuge　Ke；　Teng　Yin；　Lu　Ju；　Wang　Chun；　and　others。　Thus　at　last　loyalty　was　rewarded；　and　the　banished　were　permitted　to　return　home　with　full　pardon。　The　conspirators　were　rewarded。
News　of　this　revolution　was　sent　into　Chengdu；　and　the　Latter　Ruler　sent　an　envoy　into　Wu　with　felicitations。　In　return；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　sent　Xue　Xu　as　his　envoy　to　Shu。
When　Xue　Xu　returned；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　questioned　about　affairs　in　the　west；　and　Xue　Xu　said；　〃All　affairs　of　state　are　in　the　hands　of　a　certain　eunuch　named　Huang　Hao；　and　all　the　courtiers　look　up　to　him　as　to　a　father。　At　court　plain　truth　is　never　heard；　and　the　country　people　look　sallow　and　starved。　The　whole　country　appears　on　the　verge　of　destruction。　The　birds　on　the　roof　do　not　know　that　the　building　is　about　to　be　burned。〃
〃Ah　！　If　only　Zhuge　Liang　the　Martial　Lord　was　still　alive………how　different　all　would　be！〃　said　Sun　Xiu；　with　a　sigh。
Letters　were　prepared　saying　that　beyond　doubt　Sima　Zhao　intended　usurpation；　and　when　that　came　about　in　Wei；　both　Wu　and　Shu　would　be　invaded。　Wherefore　both　should　be　ready。
On　the　arrival　of　these　letters；　Jiang　Wei　hastened　to　seek　permission　to　attempt　another　expedition。　Consent　being　given；　a　large　army　marched　into　Hanzhong　in　the　winter　of　the　first　year　of　Wonderful　Sight　（AD　258）。　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi　were　appointed　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　as　manders　of　the　Left　Army；　and　Jiang　Shu　and　Fu　Qian　as　manders　of　the　Right　Army；　while　Jiang　Wei　and　Xiahou　Ba　led　the　main　column。
Asked　what　he　thought　should　be　the　first　objective；　Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃There　is　no　better　fighting　ground　than　Qishan；　as　the　tactics　of　the　late　Prime　Minister　made　evident；　and　it　is　the　only　good　exit。〃
So　thither　three　armies　marched；　and　they　made　three　camps　at　the　entrance　to　the　valley。　At　this　time　Deng　Ai　had　a　training　camp　at　Qishan　drilling　the　Longyou　troops。
The　scouts　told　him：　〃The　Shu　army　have　pitched　three　camps　in　the　valley。〃
He　ascended　a　hill　to　see　and　verify　their　reports。　He　seemed　pleased　when　he　saw　the　enemy　camp。
〃They　have　just　done　as　I　foresaw；〃　said　Deng　Ai。
Now　Deng　Ai　had　carefully　considered　the　topography　of　the　countryside；　and　so　had　not　interfered　with　the　Shu　army　when　it　was　on　the　march　or　settling　into　camp。　Moreover；　he　had　excavated　a　subterranean　road　to　the　spot　where　he　had　thought　they　would　halt；　and　their　left　camp　had　been　pitched　just　on　it。　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　manded　in　that　camp。
Deng　Ai　called　his　son　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan　and　sent　them　with　ten　thousand　troops　each　to　attack　the　left　camp；　one　on　each　flank。　Then　he　sent　Zheng　Lun　and　five　hundred　troops　into　the　underground　road；　which　opened　in　rear　of　the　camp　of　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin。
As　the　newly　made　camp　was　not　yet　well　fortified；　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　exercised　great　care　and　kept　their　troops　under　arms　all　night；　watching　with　vigilance。　So　when　the　alarm　was　given；　they　had　but　to　seize　their　weapons　and　go　out。　But　as　the　two　leaders　were　mounting　their　steeds；　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan　had　attacked　from　without；　and　Zheng　Lun　from　within。　Thus　attacked　from　three　sides；　soon　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　found　the　position　untenable　and　fled。
When　Jiang　Wei　saw　that　his　left　camp　had　been　attacked　on　three　sides；　he　mounted　and　took　his　position　in　front　of　the　center　camp。
〃Let　no　one　move　on　pain　of　death！〃　he　shouted。　〃Stand　still。　When　the　enemy　approaches；　shoot！〃
The　right　camp　was　ordered　to　stand　fast。　His　defense　was　effective。　A　dozen　of　times　the　troops　of　Wei　came　forward；　only　to　be　driven　back　before　the　arrows　and　bolts　of　the　defenders。　Daylight　found　the　Shu　camps　still　firm；　and　the　Wei　troops　drew　off。
〃Jiang　Wei　has　indeed　learned　of　Zhuge　Liang；〃　said　Deng　Ai。　〃His　soldiers　stood　the　night　attack　without　flinching；　and　the　leaders　took　the　chances　of　battle　quite　calmly。　He　is　able。〃
Next　day；　when　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　went　to　confess　their　fault；　Jiang　Wei　said；　〃It　was　less　your　fault　than　mine；　for　I　did　not　clearly　recognize　the　nature　of　the　terrain。〃
So　no　penalty　was　inflicted。　The　camp　was　made　stronger；　and　the　subterranean　passage　was　filled　with　the　bodies　of　the　slain。
A　challenge　to　battle　for　the　following　day　was　sent　to　Deng　Ai；　who　accepted　it　joyfully。
Next　day　the　two　armies　were　arrayed　in　front　of　the　Qishan　Mountains。　The　troops　of　Shu　arrayed　according　to　the　〃Eight　Formations〃　designed　by　Zhuge　Liang；　which　are　called　Heaven；　Earth；　Wind；　Cloud；　Bird；　Serpent；　Dragon；　and　Tiger。　While　the　maneuver　was　in　progress；　Deng　Ai　recognized　it　as　the　Eight　Gates　Formation　and　placed　his　troops　accordingly。
Jiang　Wei　then　gripped　his　spear　and　rode　out；　saying；　〃You　have　made　a　good　imitation　of　my　eight；　but　can　you　work　variations？〃
〃You　call　these　yours！　Did　you　think　that　you　alone　held　the　secret？　Since　I　have　made　it；　of　course　I　know　the　variations。〃
Deng　Ai　reentered　his　ranks；　gave　the　signal　officers　certain　orders；　and　the　eight　gates　were　evolved　in　rapid　succession　into　sixty…four　gates。　Then　he　rode　to　the　front　again。
〃What　of　my　evolution？〃　asked　Deng　Ai。
〃Not　so　bad。　Would　you　like　to　try　a　surrounding　move　with　me？〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。
〃Why　not？〃
The　two　armies　moved　in　orderly　ranks。　Deng　Ai　stood　in　the　midst　of　his　army　giving　the　necessary　orders。　Then　the　clash　came；　but　his　tactics　did　not　grip。　Then　Jiang　Wei　waved　a　certain　signal　flag；　and　his　force　suddenly　assumed　the　form　of　a　serpent　coiled　on　the　ground　with　Deng　Ai　in　the　center。　Shouts　arose　all　about　him；　and　Deng　Ai　could　not　understand　what　had　happened　and　began　to　feel　afraid。　Gradually　the　troops　of　Shu　closed　in　upon　him；　and　he　saw　no　way　of　escape。
〃Deng　Ai；　you　must　surrender！〃　cried　the　soldiers。
〃Indeed　a　moment　of　pride　had　led　me　into　the　trap　of　Jiang　Wei！〃　he　sighed。
Suddenly　from　the　northwest　a　cohort　dashed　in。　To　Deng　Ai's　great　joy　they　were　soldiers　of　Wei；　and　they　forced　over　the　battle　array　and　released　him。　The　leader　was　Sima　Wang。
But　although　Deng　Ai　had　been　rescued；　his　nine　camps　were　seized　by　his　enemy　and　he　had　to　retire。　He　led　his　army　to　the　south　of　River　Wei　and　made　a　camp。
〃How　did　you　know　exactly　where　to　strike　in　that　maze？〃　asked　Deng　Ai　of　his　rescuer。
Sima　Wang　replied；　〃In　my　youth　I　went　to　study　in　Jingzhou　and　was　friendly　with　Shi　Guangyuan　and　Cui　Zhouping。　They　explained　that　formation　to　me。　Jiang　Wei　used　what　is　known　as　'The　Serpent　Coil'；　and　the　only　way　to　break　it　is　to　attack　the　head；　which　I　saw　was　in　the　northwest。〃
Deng　Ai　replied；　〃Although　I　have　studied　formations；　I　do　not　know　all　the　modifications。　But　since　you　know　about　this；　we　may　be　able　to　recover　our　camps。〃
〃I　fear　the　little　I　have　learned　will　not　be　enough　to　overe　Jiang　Wei。〃
〃Tomorrow　you　shall　contend　with　him；　and　while　his　attention　is　engaged；　I　will　attack　the　rear　of　Qishan；　and　we　will　recover　our　camps。〃
So　a　force　was　prepared　to　attack　on　the　morrow；　and　Deng　Ai　sent　a　letter　of　challenge　to　a　contest　in　tactics　for　the　same　day。　Jiang　Wei　marked　in　to　accept。
Jiang　Wei　said　to　his　officers；　〃In　the　secret　book　that　I　received　from　the　Prime　Minister；　the　variations　of　the　formation　are　three　hundred　and　sixty…five；　corresponding　to　the　circuit　of　the　heavens。　This　challenge　from　them　is　as　one　going　to　teach　hewing　to　the　God　of　Carpenters。　I　think　some　ruse　lies　behind　this。　Can　you　guess　what　it　is？〃
Liao　Hua　replied；　〃While　they　engage　your　attention　in　this　petition；　they　intend　to　attack　our　rear。〃
〃Just　so；　that　is　also　my　opinion；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。
So　he　prepared　a　counter…stroke　by　sending　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi　to　lie　in　wait　at　the　back　of　the　hills　with　ten　thousand　troops。
Next　day　Jiang　Wei　led　all　the　troops　from　the　nine　camps　out　and　drawn　up　in　front　of　the　hills。　Sima　Wang　came　out　on　the　other　side　and　presently　rode　to　the　front　to　parley。
〃You　have　challenged　me　to　a　contest。　Now　draw　up　your　army　for　me　to　see；〃　said