三国演义英文版-第304部分

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d　to　show　flags　belonging　to　the　Shu　transport　corps。　Then　Jiang　Wei　and　Xiahou　Ba　went　into　the　valleys　in　ambush；　while　Jiang　Shu　was　ordered　to　march　to　the　Xie　Valley；　and　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi　were　sent　to　capture　Qishan。
The　letter；　apparently　from　Wang　Guan；　was　sufficient　for　Deng　Ai；　and　he　wrote　back　to　say　it　was　agreed。　So　on　the　fifteenth　day；　Deng　Ai　led　out　fifty　thousand　veteran　troops　and　moved　in　sight　near　Yunshan　Valley。　And　the　scouts　saw　endless　carts　of　grain　and　fodder　in　the　distance　zigzagging　through　the　mountains。　When　Deng　Ai　got　closer；　he　distinguished　the　uniforms　of　Wei。
His　staff　urged　him；　saying；　〃It　is　getting　dark；　O　General。　Hurry　to　help　Wang　Guan　escort　the　convoy　out　of　the　valley！〃
〃The　mountains　ahead　are　hazardous；〃　said　the　general。　〃If　by　any　chance　an　ambush　has　been　laid；　we　could　hardly　escape。　We　will　wait　here。〃
But　just　then　two　horsemen　came　up　at　a　gallop　and　said；　〃Just　as　General　Wang　Guan　was　crossing　the　frontier　with　the　convoy；　he　was　pursued；　and　reinforcements　are　urgently　needed！〃
Deng　Ai；　realizing　the　importance　of　the　request；　gave　orders　to　press　onward。　It　was　the　first　watch；　and　a　full　moon　was　shining　as　bright　as　day。　Shouting　was　heard　behind　the　hills；　and　he　could　only　conclude　it　was　the　noise　of　the　battle　in　which　Wang　Guan　was　engaged。
So　Deng　Ai　dashed　over　the　hills。　But　suddenly　a　body　of　troops　came　out　from　the　shelter　of　a　grove　of　trees；　and　at　their　head　rode　the　Shu　leader；　Fu　Qian。
〃Deng　Ai；　you　are　stupid！　You　have　just　fallen　into　the　trap　set　for　you　by　our　general。　Dismount　and　prepare　for　death！〃
Deng　Ai　halted　and　turned　to　flee。　Then　the　wagons　burst　into　flame。　That　flame　was　a　signal；　and　down　came　the　army　of　Shu。
He　heard　shouts　all　round　him；　〃A　thousand　ounces　of　gold　for　anyone　who　captures　Deng　Ai；　and　a　lordship　of　ten　thousand　households　as　well！〃
Terrified；　Deng　Ai　dropped　his　arms；　threw　aside　his　armor；　slipped　from　his　steed；　mingled　with　the　footmen；　and　with　them　scrambled　up　the　hills。　The　generals　of　Shu　only　looked　for　him　among　the　mounted　leaders；　never　guessing　that　he　had　got　away　among　the　mon　soldiers。　So　he　was　not　captured。
Jiang　Wei　gathered　in　his　victorious　army　and　went　to　meet　Wang　Guan　and　his　convoy。
Having　made　all　arrangements；　as　he　thought；　plete；　Wang　Guan　was　patiently　awaiting　the　development　of　his　scheme。
But　suddenly　a　trusted　subordinate　came　and　told　him；　〃The　ruse　has　been　discovered；　and　Deng　Ai　has　already　suffered　defeat！〃
Wang　Guan　sent　out　some　scouts；　and　the　report　was　confirmed；　with　the　addition　that　the　Shu　armies　were　ing　against　him。　Moreover；　clouds　of　dust　were　rising。　There　was　no　way　of　escape；　so　Wang　Guan　ordered　his　troops　to　set　fire　to　the　convoy；　and　soon　huge　flames　were　rising　high　into　the　air。
〃The　case　is　desperate；〃　cried　Wang　Guan。　〃It　is　a　fight　to　the　death！〃
He　led　his　force　westward；　but　the　army　of　Shu　came　in　pursuit。　Jiang　Wei　thought　Wang　Guan　would　try　at　all　costs　to　get　back　to　his　own　side；　but　instead；　Wang　Guan　went　on　toward　Hanzhong。　As　his　troops　were　too　few　to　risk　a　battle；　Wang　Guan　ordered　them　to　burn　and　destroy　all　military　stations　and　even　the　Plank　Trail　as　he　went。　Fearing　the　loss　of　Hanzhong；　Jiang　Wei　made　all　haste　along　the　by…roads　after　Wang　Guan。　Surrounded　on　all　sides；　Wang　Guan　jumped　into　the　Black　Dragon　River　and　so　died。　Those　of　his　soldiers　who　survived　were　slain　by　Jiang　Wei。
Though　a　victory　had　been　won　and　Wang　Guan　killed；　it　was　costly。　Many　wagons　and　much　grain　had　been　lost；　and　the　Plank　Trail　had　been　destroyed。　Jiang　Wei　led　his　army　into　Hanzhong。
Deng　Ai　made　his　way　back　to　Qishan。　From　there　he　reported　his　defeat　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei　and　asked　for　degradation　as　a　penalty。　However；　Sima　Zhao　saw　that　Deng　Ai　had　rendered　good　services；　so　he　did　not　degrade　the　general；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　sent　him　magnificent　gifts；　which　Deng　Ai　distributed　to　the　families　of　the　soldiers　who　had　been　killed。　Sima　Zhao　also　sent　him　fifty　thousand　troops　as　reinforcement　lest　Shu　should　attack　again。
Jiang　Wei　set　about　the　restoration　of　the　Plank　Trail　ready　for　the　next　expedition。

Repair　the　roads　for　marching　feet　to　tread；
The　strife　will　only　cease　when　all　are　dead。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　who　won。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　115　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　115
　Chapter　115
Listening　To　Slander；　The　Latter　Ruler　Recalls　His　Army；
Living　In　Farms；　Jiang　Wei　Avoids　Disaster。
In　the　autumn　of　the　fifth　year　of　Wonderful　Sight；　in　Shu…Han　calendar　（AD　262）；　Jiang　Wei　was　occupied　with　preparations　for　the　renewal　of　an　attack：　Mending　the　hill　roads；　gathering　stores；　and　mobilizing　his　boats　on　the　waterways　of　Hanzhong。　These　things　done；　he　memorized　the　Throne；　asking　permission　to　go　again　to　the　attack：
〃Although　I　have　not　been　wholly　victorious　nor　acplished　great　things；　yet　I　have　put　fear　into　the　hearts　of　the　Wei　armies。　Our　soldiers　have　been　long　under　training；　and　they　must　now　be　used；　or　the　army　will　go　to　pieces　for　lack　of　exercise。　The　soldiers　are　ready　to　die；　the　officers　prepared　for　all　risks；　and　I　am　determined　to　conquer　or　perish。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　did　not　consent　at　once。
As　he　was　hesitating；　Qiao　Zhou　stood　forth　and　said；　〃I　have　observed　the　heavens。　I　have　seen　the　leadership　stars　in　Shu　dull　and　obscured。　This　expedition　will　be　disastrous；　and　I　hope　Your　Majesty　will　not　approve。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　replied；　〃Let　us　see　the　results　of　this　campaign。　If　it　fails；　then　the　war　shall　cease。〃
Qiao　Zhou　tried　to　dissuade　the　Latter　Ruler　two　or　three　more　times；　but　he　failed。　In　despair　he　withdrew　to　his　home；　and　retired　on　the　pretext　of　illness。
As　the　final　preparations　were　being　made；　Jiang　Wei　said　to　Liao　Hua；　〃We　are　pledged　to　get　through　to　the　Middle　Land　this　time。　What　do　you　advise　to　start　with？〃
〃I　dare　not　presume　to　advise　you；　General。　For　years　we　have　been　fighting　and　giving　the　people　no　rest。　In　Deng　Ai　we　find　a　most　formidable　and　resourceful　opponent　and　an　extraordinarily　capable　man；　so　that　you　must　exert　yourself　to　the　very　utmost。〃
Jiang　Wei　was　annoyed。　Said　he；　〃The　late　Prime　Minister　made　six　attempts；　all　for　the　state。　I　have　attacked　eight　times。　Was　anyone　of　those　attacks　to　serve　my　private　ends？　This　time　I　go　to　attack　Taoyang；　and　no　one　shall　say　me　nay。　I　will　punish　opposition　with　death。〃
Jiang　Wei　left　Liao　Hua　in　charge　of　the　base　in　Hanzhong　and　marched　with　three　hundred　thousand　troops　to　Taoyang。　His　movements　were　reported　in　the　Qishan　camps；　and　Deng　Ai's　spies　confirmed　the　news。
It　happened　that　Sima　Wang　was　with　Deng　Ai　discussing　military　matters；　and　the　former；　when　he　heard　it；　said；　〃That　move　is　a　decoy：　He　does　not　mean　it。　What　he　really　intends　is　an　attack　on　Qishan。〃
〃However；　he　has　really　gone　to　Taoyang；〃　said　Deng　Ai。
〃How　can　you　know？〃
〃Formerly　Jiang　Wei　has　always　opened　with　a　march　to　those　parts　of　the　country　where　we　have　stored　supplies。　Taoyang　has　no　stores；　so　he　thinks　we　shall　not　have　taken　care　for　its　defense　as　we　shall　concentrate　our　efforts　on　Qishan。　But；　if　he　can　take　that　place；　he　can　collect　stores　there；　and　get　into　touch　with　the　Qiang　tribespeople　and　finally　work　out　some　grand　plan。〃
〃Supposing　this　true；　what　should　we　do？〃
〃I　advise　the　abandonment　of　this　place　and　a　march　in　two　bodies　toward　Taoyang。　I　know　a　small　town　called　Houxia；　eight　miles　from　Taoyang；　which　is　the　throat　of　the　place。　You　go　to　Taoyang；　hide　your　force；　and　open　the　gates。　Then　act　as　I　shall　tell　you　presently。　I　will　lie　in　wait　at　Houxia。　We　shall　score　a　victory。〃
Deng　Ai　gave　Shi　Zuan　the　mand　of　the　camps　in　Qishan　when　the　main　body　left。
Meanwhile　Xiahou　Ba　led　the　van　of　the　Shu　army　toward　Taoyang。　As　he　drew　near；　he　noticed　the　place　seemed　to　have　no　defenses；　not　a　flag　staff　reared　its　head。　The　gates　stood　wide　open。
He　was　too　wary　to　go　straight　in　however；　and　said；　〃Is　there　any　ruse　in　there？〃
His　generals　said；　〃We　think　the　city　was　deserted　when　they　heard　your　army　ing。　A　few　people　were　running　away　along　the　southern　road。〃
Xiahou　Ba　rode　south　and　saw　there　that　the　northwest　road；　at　a　little　distance　from　the　city；　was　crowded　with　fugitives。
〃The　city　is　really　empty；〃　said　Xiahou　Ba。
He　led　the　way　in　all　ready　to　fight；　and　the　troops　followed。　As　they　came　near　to　the　curtain　wall；　however；　a　bomb　exploded。　At　this　sound　the　drums　beat；　trumpets　blared；　and　flags　suddenly　appeared。　At　the　same　moment　the　drawbridge　rose。
〃Caught！〃　said　Xiahou　Ba。
As　he　turned　to　retire；　the　arrows　and　stones　flew　down　in　clouds；　and　under　these　Xiahou　Ba　and　many　of　his　soldiers　lost　their　lives。

Most　able　strategist　and　brave；
Xiahou　Ba；　outwitted　here
By　Deng　Ai；　more　prudent　still；　and　slain；
Deserves　a　pitying　tear。

The　flights　of　arrows　from　the　ramparts　was　followed　by　a　sortie；　which　broke　up　the　force　of　Shu　entirely；　and　the　troops　fled。　However；　Jiang　Wei　came　up　and　drove　Sima　Wang　back　into　the　city。　The　army　of　Shu　camped　beside　the　walls。　Jiang　Wei　was　very　grieved　at　the　loss　of　Xiahou　Ba。
That　night　Deng　Ai　came　up　secretly　and　attacked　the　Shu　camp。　At　the　same　time　the　defenders　within　the　city　made　a　sortie。　Jiang　Wei　could　not　resist　the　double　attack；　and　left　the　field。　He　marched　some　seven　miles　and　camped。
Twice　beaten；　the　soldiers　of　Shu　were　very　downcast。
Jiang　Wei　tried　to　console　them；　saying；　〃Loss　or　gain　is　the　platitude　of　war。　But　I　am　not　worried　yet　about　our　recent　defeats；　for　a　total　victory　will　surely　e　in　this　expedition　if　all　of　you　strive　your　best。　But　remember；　no　mutiny！　He　who　talks　of　retreat　will　suffer　death。〃
Then　Zhang　Yi　said；　〃With　so　many　troops　of　Wei　here；　their　camp　at　Qishan　must　be　undefended。　I　propose；　General；　that　while　you　continue　the　contest　here　with　Deng　Ai；　I　go　to　try　to　capture　the　nine　camps。　If　I　succeed；　Changan　will　be　at　our　mercy。〃
The　second　division　of　the　army　was　detached　to　march　on　Qishan；　and　Jiang　Wei　went　down　to　Houxia　to　provoke　Deng　Ai　into　fighting。　The　challenge　this　time　was　accepted　forthwith。　Deng　Ai　led　his　troops　out　and　engaged　with　Jiang　Wei　in　a　fight；　but　after　thirty　b