三国演义英文版-第302部分

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　front　to　parley。
〃You　have　challenged　me　to　a　contest。　Now　draw　up　your　army　for　me　to　see；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。
Sima　Wang　did　so　and　arrayed　the　eight　diagrams。
〃That　is　what　we　know　as　the　Octagon；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃But　it　is　nothing　wonderful；　only　a　sort　of　array　fit　for　a　brigand's　raid。〃
〃You　also　have　only　stolen　another　man's　tactics；〃　replied　his　adversary。
〃How　many　modifications　of　this　are　there？〃　asked　Jiang　Wei。
〃Since　I　have　arranged　this；　naturally　I　know　the　variations；　of　which　there　are　nine　nines；　making　eighty…one。〃
〃Try　them。〃
Sima　Wang　returned　to　his　array　and　evolved　many；　finally　riding　out　and　asking　his　opponent　if　he　recognized　them。
〃My　formation　admits　of　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　variations。　You　are　but　a　frog　in　a　well　and　know　nothing　of　the　deeper　mysteries。〃
Now　Sima　Wang　knew　that　so　many　variations　were　possible；　but　had　not　studied　them。　However；　he　put　on　a　bold　air　and　said　contemptuously；　〃I　do　not　believe　you。　Prove　it！〃
〃Go　and　call　Deng　Ai；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　〃I　will　display　them　to　him。〃
〃General　Deng　Ai　has　excellent　plans　and　does　not　think　much　of　such　tactics。〃
〃What　plans？　I　suppose　you　mean　a　plan　to　keep　me　here　while　he　tries　a　surprise　attack　in　the　rear。〃
Sima　Wang　was　aghast。　He　made　a　sudden　dash　forward；　and　a　melee　began。　Jiang　Wei　made　a　signal　with　his　whip；　and　his　force　poured　in　from　both　wings。　The　troops　of　Wei　were　seized　with　sudden　panic；　threw　down　their　weapons　and　fled。
Now　Deng　Ai　had　hurried　on　Zheng　Lun　to　make　the　first　attack。　As　Zheng　Lun　turned　the　corner　of　the　hill；　a　bomb　exploded。　At　once　the　drums　rolled　and　an　ambush　discovered　itself。　Liao　Hua　was　in　mand。　Neither　side　stayed　to　parley；　and　the　leaders　engaged　in　single　bat。　In　the　first　encounter　Liao　Hua　cut　Zheng　Lun　down。
Deng　Ai　had　not　expected　such　preparation；　and　he　hastened　to　withdraw。　Then　Zhang　Yi　came　forth　and　attacked　on　the　other　side。　The　army　of　Wei　was　worsted。　Deng　Ai　fought　his　way　out；　but　he　bore　four　arrow　wounds　upon　his　body。　He　got　to　the　river；　where　he　found　Sima　Wang；　and　they　discussed　how　to　get　away。
But　Sima　Wang　proposed　another　form　of　attack。
〃Recently　the　Ruler　of　Shu　has　had　a　favorite；　Eunuch　Huang　Hao；　in　whom　he　places　all　his　trust　and　with　whom　he　spends　his　time　in　one　round　of　pleasure。　Let　us　use　the　eunuch　to　sow　distrust　between　the　Emperor　and　his　general　and　so　get　Jiang　Wei　recalled。　In　that　way　we　shall　retrieve　our　defeat。〃
So　Deng　Ai　assembled　his　advisers　and　asked　who　could　go　into　Shu　and　get　into　munication　with　Huang　Hao。
Dang　Jun　volunteered　at　once。　Deng　Ai　entrusted　gold　and　pearls　and　precious　things　to　him；　and　sent　him　into　Shu　to　win　the　treacherous　alliance　of　the　eunuch。　As　Dang　Jun　went；　he　also　disseminated　reports　that　Jiang　Wei　was　angry　and　intended　to　go　over　to　Wei。
These　rumors　became　the　mon　talk　in　Chengdu；　and　everyone　believed　them。　Huang　Hao　carried　them　to　the　Emperor；　and　a　messenger　was　sent　to　call　the　general　to　the　capital。
Meanwhile　Jiang　Wei　tried　every　day　to　bring　the　enemy　to　give　battle；　but　they　remained　obstinately　behind　their　defenses。　Jiang　Wei　began　to　think　some　evil　scheme　was　afoot；　when　suddenly　he　was　recalled　by　Imperial　Edict。　Although　ignorant　of　the　reason；　he　could　not　disobey；　and　when　he　began　the　retreat；　Deng　Ai　and　Sima　Wang　knew　that　their　plot　had　succeeded。　They　broke　camp　and　set　out　to　attack　the　retreating　army。

＇e＇　Yue　Yi　was　a　general　of　Yan。　Yue　Yi　helped　Yan　overe　Qi；　which　was　a　dominant　state　during　the　Warring　States　period。　But　he　fell　victim　to　court　slanderers。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Yue　Fei　（AD　1103…1142）　a　great　general　during　the　Song　Dynasty。　During　his　time；　northern　China　was　invaded　by　the　Jin　（northeast）　armies。　Yue　Fei；　as　mander　of　the　northern　expedition；　was　winning　victories；　when　the　emperor　recalled　him　because　the　emperor　feared　Yue　Fei's　growing　power　and　that　Jin　would　release　his　father　and　brother　（both　former　emperors）。　Yue　Fei　was　later　executed　due　to　false　charges。　。。。。。

Because　of　court　intrigues
Yue　Yi*　and　Yue　Fei*　failed。

How　matters　went　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　114　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　114
　Chapter　114
Driving　To　The　South　Gate；　Cao　Mao　Plunges　Into　Death；
Abandoning　Stores；　Jiang　Wei　Defeats　The　Wei　Army。
When　the　order　to　retreat　was　given；　Liao　Hua　said；　〃A　leader　in　the　field　is　independent　and　need　not　obey　even　the　mand　of　his　prince。〃
Zhang　Yi　said；　〃The　country　begins　to　resent　these　many　years　of　war。　Rather　take　the　occasion　of　the　victory　you　have　just　won　to　return　and　pacify　the　people。〃
〃It　is　good；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。
A　systematic　and　orderly　retirement　began。　The　army　of　Wei；　loth　to　forgo　an　opportunity；　followed；　but　the　absence　of　the　least　confusion　gave　them　no　chance。
As　he　saw　his　enemy　disappearing　in　perfect　order；　Deng　Ai　sighed；　〃Jiang　Wei　is　a　worthy　inheritor　of　the　warlike　methods　of　Zhuge　Liang。〃
Deng　Ai　did　not　pursue　but　returned　to　his　camp　on　Qishan。
On　his　return　to　Chengdu；　Jiang　Wei　had　audience　with　the　Latter　Ruler；　whereat　he　inquired；　saying；　〃Your　Majesty　has　manded　me　to　return　for　an　important　reason？〃
The　Latter　Ruler　replied；　〃Because　you　have　been　so　long　on　the　frontier；　Noble　Sir。　I　thought　the　soldiers　must　be　weary。　There　was　no　other　reason。〃
〃Your　Majesty；　thy　servant　had　got　his　camps　on　Qishan　and　was　on　the　eve　of　plete　success。　To　leave　off　thus　in　the　middle　just　played　into　the　hands　of　our　enemies。　Surely　Deng　Ai　found　means　of　sowing　distrust　in　me。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　sat　lost　in　thought；　and　silent。
Jiang　Wei　continued；　〃I　am　pledged　to　destroy　those　rebels　and　prove　my　devotion　to　my　country。　Your　Majesty　should　not　listen　to　the　babble　of　mean　persons　till　distrust　grows　in　your　heart。〃
〃I　do　not　distrust　you；〃　said　the　Latter　Ruler　after　a　long　pause。　〃You　may　return　into　Hanzhong　and　await　the　next　favorable　opportunity。〃
Jiang　Wei　left　the　court　and　betook　himself　into　Hanzhong　to　the　army。
Dang　Jun　went　back　to　the　Qishan　camp　and　reported　his　success。
Deng　Ai　and　Sima　Wang　rejoiced；　saying；　〃In　the　River　Lands；　trouble　is　not　far　off　when　the　ruler　and　his　servants　do　not　live　in　harmony。〃
They　sent　Dang　Jun　to　Luoyang　to　tell　his　own　story　to　Sima　Zhao；　who　also　rejoiced；　for　he　ardently　desired　to　subdue　Shu。
On　this　matter　Sima　Zhao　consulted　Jia　Chong；　mander　of　the　Center　Guard。
〃What　do　you　think　of　an　attack　upon　Shu？〃
〃Not　to　be　considered；〃　said　Jia　Chong。　〃The　Emperor　does　not　trust　you；　and　your　departure　would　be　the　beginning　of　trouble　for　you。　Last　year；　when　a　yellow　dragon　was　seen　in　the　Ningling　well　and　all　the　officers　were　felicitating　the　Emperor　upon　such　a　very　auspicious　occurrence；　the　Emperor　said；　'It　is　not　auspicious；　just　the　reverse。　The　dragon　symbolizes　the　ruler。　To　be　neither　in　heaven；　nor　on　earth　among　the　people；　but　to　be　in　a　well；　is　a　dark　portent　and　bodes　evil。'　He　wrote　some　verses；　and　one　stanza　undoubtedly　points　to　you；　my　lord。　It　reads：

〃The　dragon　like　a　prisoner　is；
No　longer　leaps　he　in　the　abyss。
He　soars　not　to　the　Milky　Way
Nor　can　he　in　the　meadows　play；
But　coiled　within　a　dismal　well；
With　slimy　creatures　he　must　dwell；
Must　close　his　jaws；　his　claws　retract；
Alas！　Quite　like　myself　in　fact。〃

The　recital　of　the　poem　annoyed　Sima　Zhao。
〃This　fellow　is　very　like　Cao　Fang；　and　if　I　do　not　remove　him　he　will　hurt　me；〃　said　he。
〃I　will　see　to　it　for　you；〃　said　Jia　Chong。
In　the　fifth　year　of　Sweet　Dew；　in　Wei　calendar　（AD　261）；　during　the　fourth　month；　in　summer；　Sima　Zhao　had　the　effrontery　to　go　to　court　armed。　However；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　received　him　with　exaggerated　courtesy。
The　courtiers　said；　〃The　services　of　the　Regent　Marshal　are　so　magnificent；　and　his　virtue　so　high　that　he　should　be　rewarded　with　the　title　'Duke　of　Jin'　and　the　Nine　Dignities。〃
Cao　Mao　hung　his　head　and　kept　silent。
And　Sima　Zhao　himself　said　discontentedly；　〃My　father　and　my　brother　have　all　given　great　services　to　Wei；　and　yet　I　deserves　not　being　a　mere　Duke　of　Jin？〃
〃Should　I　dare　not　do　what　you　requested？〃　said　Cao　Mao。
〃That　poem　about　the　Lurking　Dragon　called　us　slimy　creatures。　What　sort　of　politeness　is　that？〃　said　Sima　Zhao。
The　Ruler　of　Wei　had　nothing　to　say；　and　the　haughty　minister　left　the　chamber；　smiling　cruelly。
Cao　Mao　retired；　taking　with　him　Minister　Wang　Jing；　Adviser　Wang　Shen；　and　General　of　the　Cavalry　Wang　Ye；　and　they　went　to　a　privy　chamber　to　consult。　Cao　Mao　was　very　sad。
He　said；　〃There　is　no　doubt　that　Sima　Zhao　intends　to　usurp　the　throne………everybody　knows　that。　But　I　will　not　sit　thereon　patiently　awaiting　the　indignity　of　being　pushed　off。　Cannot　you　gentlemen　help　me　to　kill　him？〃
〃He　may　not　be　slain；〃　said　Wang　Jing。　〃That　will　not　do。　In　the　old　state　of　Lu；　King　Zhao　could　not　bear　with　the　Ji　family；　and　ran　away；　thus　losing　his　country。　But　this　Sima　Zhao　and　his　family　have　been　in　power　very　long　and　have　innumerable　supporters；　many　of　whom　are　quite　independent　of　any　act　of　his　whether　loyal　or　disloyal。　They　support　him　under　any　conditions。　Your　Majesty's　guards　are　few　and　weak　and　incapable………not　the　ones　for　any　desperate　effort。　It　would　be　most　lamentable　if　Your　Majesty　could　not　bear　this　trial。　The　correct　course　is　to　wait　and　not　act　hastily。〃
〃If　I　can　bear　this；　what　cannot　I　bear？〃　said　Cao　Mao。　〃But　I　will　do　something；　and　if　I　die；　what　matters？〃
He　went　into　the　private　apartments　and　spoke　to　the　Empress　Dowager。
Wang　Shen；　Wang　Jing；　and　Wang　Ye　sat　outside　talking。
〃This　matter　is　ing　to　a　head；　and　unless　we　want　to　be　put　to　death　and　all　our　loved　ones　with　us；　we　had　better　go　and　warn　Sima　Zhao；〃　said　Wang　Shen。
This　advice　angered　Wang　Jing；　and　he　said；　〃The　prince's　sorrow　is　the　minister's　shame；　and　a　shamed　minister　dies。　Dare　you　contemplate　treachery？〃
Wang　Jing　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　this　visit　to　Sima　Zhao；　but　the　other　two　went　to　the　Prime　Minister's　palace　to　betray　their　prince。
Shortly　after；　Cao　Mao　appeared；　called　the　officer　of　the　guard；　Jiao　Bo；　and　bade　him　muster　his　force；　as　many　as　he　could。　Jiao　Bo　got　together　about　three　hundred；　and　this　little　force　marched　out　to　the　beating　of　a　drum　as