三国演义英文版-第306部分

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hong　only　that　he　may　save　his　life。　If　you　send　an　able　leader　and　a　strong　army；　victory　is　certain。　Where　is　the　need　for　an　assassin's　dagger？〃
〃These　are　excellent　words；〃　said　Sima　Zhao；　with　a　laugh；　〃but　if　I　would　attack　Shu；　where　is　the　leader？〃
〃Deng　Ai　is　the　ablest　leader　of　the　day；〃　said　Xun　Xu。　〃Give　him　Zhong　Hui　as　his　second；　and　the　thing　is　done。〃
〃Exactly　what　I　think！〃　said　Sima　Zhao。
So　he　summoned　Zhong　Hui　and　said　to　him；　〃I　desire　to　send　you　as　leader　against　Wu：　Can　you　go？〃
〃My　lord's　design　is　not　against　Wu；　but　Shu；〃　was　his　reply。
〃How　well　you　know　my　inmost　thought！〃　said　Sima　Zhao。　〃But　how　would　you　conduct　an　expedition　against　Shu？〃
〃Thinking　that　my　lord　would　desire　to　attack　Shu；　I　have　already　prepared　plans。　Here　they　are。〃
He　laid　out　his　maps；　and　thereon　were　shown　the　camps；　and　storehouses；　and　roads　all　plete。
Sima　Zhao　was　highly　pleased。
〃You　are　an　excellent　leader；〃　said　he。　〃What　say　you　to　going　with　Deng　Ai？〃
〃The　River　Lands　is　large；　and　there　is　space　for　more　than　one　set　of　operations。　Deng　Ai　can　be　sent　along　another　line。〃
Zhong　Hui　was　given　the　title　of　General　Who　Conquers　the　West　and　the　insignia　of　a　mander…in…Chief　over　the　forces　of　the　Land　Within　the　Passes　and　control　of　the　armies　of　Qingzhou；　Xuzhou；　Yanzhou；　Yuzhou；　Jingzhou；　and　Yangzhou。　At　the　same　time　a　mission　with　authority　ensign　was　sent　to　Deng　Ai　giving　him　mand　of　the　forces　beyond　the　pass；　with　the　title　of　General　Who　Conquers　the　West。　And　the　time　for　an　attack　on　Shu　was　settled。
When　Sima　Zhao　was　settling　the　plans　in　the　court；　Deng　Dun；　General　of　the　Front　Army；　said；　〃Why　are　you　sending　our　armies　into　a　distant　and　dangerous　country　and　thus　inviting　trouble？　Jiang　Wei　has　invaded　this　country　many　times；　and　the　wars　have　cost　us　many　lives。　We　should　rather　seek　safety　in　defense。〃
〃I　am　sending　a　righteous　army　against　an　unrighteous　ruler。　How　dare　you　oppose　my　designs？〃
Sima　Zhao　ordered　the　executioners　to　put　Deng　Dun　to　death　forthwith；　and　they　soon　returned　to　lay　his　head　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　This　frightened　all　those　present；　and　they　turned　pale。
Sima　Zhao　said；　〃It　is　six　years　since　I　conquered　the　east；　and　the　six　years　have　been　spent　in　preparation。　I　have　long　intended　to　reduce　both　Wu　and　Shu。　Now　I　will　destroy　Shu；　and　then　like　a　flood　I　will　descend　upon　Wu　and　conquer　that。　That　is　the　method　'destroy　Guo　to　capture　Yu'。　I　can　tell　very　nearly　what　forces　they　have　in　Shu。　There　are　eighty　or　ninety　thousand　troops　in　the　garrison　of　Capital　Chengdu；　forty　or　fifty　thousand　on　the　frontier；　while　Jiang　Wei　has　about　sixty　thousand　in　his　cantonments。　Against　them　we　can　pit　one　hundred　thousand　troops　beyond　the　pass　under　Deng　Ai；　enough　to　hold　Jiang　Wei　and　keep　him　from　moving　east；　and　Zhong　Hui　has　two　or　three　hundred　thousand　veterans　within　the　pass。　And　they　will　march　in　three　divisions　through　Luo　Valley　and　straight　into　Hanzhong。　Liu　Shan；　the　Ruler　of　Shu；　is　an　oblivious　fool　with　his　frontier　cities　in　ruins；　the　populace　and　officials　quaking　with　fear。　The　state　will　not　last　long。〃
The　assembly　praised　this　perspicacity。
Zhong　Hui　marched　as　soon　as　he　received　his　seal　of　office。　Lest　his　real　object　should　be　known；　he　gave　out　that　his　force　was　directed　against　Wu。　To　give　color　to　the　pretense；　he　had　many　large　ships　built　in　Qingzhou；　Yanzhou；　Yuzhou；　Jingzhou；　and　Yangzhou。　He　also　sent　Tang　Zi　along　the　coastal　regions　of　Dengzhou　and　Laizhou　to　collect　vessels。
Even　his　chief；　Sima　Zhao；　was　deceived　and　called　him　to　ask：　〃I　manded　you　to　invade　the　Riverlands　by　land　march。　Why　are　you　collecting　ships？〃
Zhong　Hui　replied；　〃If　Shu　hears　that　we　intend　to　attack　the　west；　they　will　ask　assistance　from　Wu。　So　I　pretend　to　attack　Wu；　and　Wu　will　not　dare　to　move　under　a　year。　When　Shu　is　beaten；　the　ships　will　be　ready　and　useful　for　an　expedition　into　the　east。〃
Sima　Zhao　was　pleased。　The　day　chosen　for　the　march　was　the　third　day　of　the　seventh　month　in　the　fourth　year　of　Wonderful　Beginning；　in　Wei　calendar　（AD　264）。　Sima　Zhao　escorted　his　leader　out　of　the　city　for　three　miles　and　then　took　his　leave。
Shao　Ti；　Minister　of　the　Western　Affairs；　whispered　a　word　of　warning。
〃My　lord　has　sent　Zhong　Hui　with　a　large　army　against　Shu。　I　think　he　is　too　ambitious　to　be　trusted　with　such　powers？〃
〃Think　you　I　do　not　know？〃　said　Sima　Zhao。
〃Then　why　have　you　sent　him　alone　and　without　a　colleague？〃
Sima　Zhao　said　a　few　words　to　Shao　Ti　which　put　his　doubts　at　rest。

Zhong　Hui　went　alone；　although　his　master　knew；
Occasion　serving；　he　would　be　untrue。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　the　reader　what　Shao　Ti　heard。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　116　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　116
　Chapter　116
On　Hanzhong　Roads；　Zhong　Hui　Divides　The　Army；
In　Dingjun　Mountain；　The　Martial　Lord　Shows　His　Apparition。
The　words　whispered　in　the　ear　of　Shao　Ti　proved　Sima　Zhao's　subtlety。
Said　Sima　Zhao；　〃This　morning　the　officers　all　maintained　that　Shu　should　not　be　attacked；　because　they　are　timid。　If　I　let　them　lead　the　army；　they　would　surely　be　defeated。　You　saw　Zhong　Hui　was　set　upon　his　plan；　and　he　is　not　afraid。　Shu　must　therefore　be　beaten；　and　then　the　Shu　people's　hearts　will　be　torn。　Beaten　leaders　cannot　boast；　and　the　officers　of　a　broken　state　are　no　fit　guardians　of　its　welfare。　When　Zhong　Hui　turns　against　us；　the　people　of　Shu　cannot　support　him。　Further；　our　troops　being　victors；　they　will　wish　to　return　home　and　will　not　follow　their　leader　into　revolt。　Hence　there　is　nothing　to　be　feared。　I　know　this；　as　you　do；　but　it　must　remain　our　secret。〃
Shao　Ti　showed　his　admiration　for　Sima　Zhao。
In　his　camp；　just　prior　to　his　march；　Zhong　Hui　assembled　his　officers；　among　them　were　Army　Inspector　Wei　Guan；　Assistant　General　Hu　Lie；　Generals　Tian　Xu；　Tian　Zhang；　Yuan　Xing；　Qiu　Jian；　Xiahou　Xian；　Wang　Mai；　Huangfu　Kai；　Gou　Ai；　and　others；　some　eighty　of　them。
〃Firstly　I　want　a　Leader　of　the　Van；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃He　must　be　skilled　in　making　roads　and　repairing　bridges。〃
〃I　will　take　that　post；〃　said　a　voice；　and　the　speaker　was　Xu　Yi；　son　of　the　Tiger　Leader　Xu　Chu。
〃Nobody　is　fitter！〃　cried　all　present。
〃You　shall　have　the　seal；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃You　are　lithe　and　strong　and　have　the　renown　of　your　father　to　maintain。　Beside；　all　your　colleagues　remend　you。　Your　force　shall　be　five　thousand　of　cavalry　and　a　thousand　of　footmen。　You　are　to　march　into　Hanzhong　in　three　divisions；　the　center　you　will　lead　through　the　Xie　Valley；　the　other　two　passing　through　the　Luo　and　Ziwu　Valleys。　You　must　level　and　repair　the　roads；　put　the　bridges　in　order；　bore　tunnels　and　break　away　rocks。　Use　all　diligence；　for　any　delay　will　entail　punishment。〃
Xu　Yi　was　told　to　set　out　immediately；　and　his　chief　would　follow　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops。
In　West　Valley　Land；　as　soon　as　Deng　Ai　received　his　orders　to　attack　Shu；　he　sent　Sima　Wang　to　keep　the　Qiangs　in　check。　Next　he　summoned　Zhuge　Xu；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yongzhou；　Wang　Qi；　Governor　of　Tianshui；　Qian　Hong；　Governor　of　Longxi；　and　Yang　Xin；　Governor　of　Jincheng；　and　soon　soldiers　gathered　in　the　West　Valley　Land　like　clouds。
One　night　Deng　Ai　dreamed　a　dream　wherein　he　was　climbing　a　lofty　mountain　on　the　way　into　Hanzhong。　Suddenly　a　spring　of　water　gushed　out　at　his　feet　and　boiled　up　with　great　force　so　that　he　was　alarmed。
He　awoke　all　in　a　sweat　and　did　not　sleep　again；　but　sat　awaiting　the　dawn。　At　daybreak　he　summoned　his　guard　Shao　Yuan；　who　was　skilled　in　the　Book　of　Changes；　told　him　the　dream　and　asked　the　interpretation。
Shao　Yuan　replied；　〃According　to　the　book；　'water　on　a　mountain'　signifies　the　diagram　Jian；　whereunder　we　find　that　the　southwest　augurs　well；　but　the　northeast　is　unpropitious。　Confucius　said　of　Jian　that　it　meant　advantage　in　the　southwest；　that　is；　success；　but　the　northeast　spelt　failure；　that　is；　there　was　no　road。　In　this　expedition；　General；　you　will　overe　Shu；　but　you　will　not　have　a　road　to　return。〃
Deng　Ai　listened；　growing　more　and　more　sad　as　the　interpretation　of　his　dream　was　unfolded。
Just　then　came　dispatches　from　Zhong　Hui　asking　him　to　advance　into　Hanzhong　together。　Deng　Ai　at　once　sent　Zhuge　Xu　with　fifteen　thousand　troops　to　cut　off　Jiang　Wei's　retreat；　and　Wang　Qi　was　to　lead　fifteen　thousand　troops　to　attack　Tazhong　from　the　left；　Qian　Hong　was　to　march　fifteen　thousand　troops　to　attack　Tazhong　from　the　right；　and　Yang　Xin　with　fifteen　thousand　troops　was　to　block　Jiang　Wei　at　Gansong。　Deng　Ai　took　mand　of　a　force　to　go　to　and　fro　and　reinforce　whatever　body　needed　help。
Meanwhile　in　the　camp　of　Zhong　Hui；　all　the　officials　came　out　to　see　him　depart。　It　was　a　grand　sight；　the　gay　banners　shutting　out　the　sun；　breastplates　and　helmets　glittering。　The　soldiers　were　fit　and　the　horses　in　good　condition。　They　all　felicitated　the　leader。
All　save　one；　for　Adviser　Liu　Shi　was　silent。　He　smiled　grimly。
Then　Grand　mander　Wang　Xiang　made　his　way　through　the　crowd　and　said；　〃Do　you　think　these　two………Zhong　Hui　and　Deng　Ai………will　overe　Shu？〃
Said　Liu　Shi；　sighing；　〃With　such　brave　soldiers　and　bold　leaders　and　their　talents；　they　will　overe　Shu　certainly。　Only　I　think　neither　will　ever　e　back。〃
〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
But　Liu　Shi　did　not　reply；　he　only　smiled。　And　the　question　was　not　repeated。
The　armies　of　Wei　were　on　the　march　when　Jiang　Wei　heard　of　the　intended　attack。　He　at　once　sent　up　a　memorial：
Your　Majesty　need　to　make　defensive　arrangements　by　manding　Zhang　Yi；　Left　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　to　guard　the　Yangping　Pass；　and　Liao　Hua；　Right　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　to　guard　the　Yinping　Bridge　in　Yinping。　These　two　places　are　the　most　important　points　upon　which　depend　the　security　of　Hanzhong。　Send　also　to　engage　the　help　of　Wu。　I；　thy　humble　servant；　shall　gather　soldiers　in　Tazhong　ready　for　the　march。〃
That　year　in　Shu　the　reign…style　had　been　changed　from　Wonderful　Sight；　the　fifth　year；　to　Joyful　Prosperity；　the　first　year　（AD　263）。　When　the　memorial　of　Jiang　Wei　came　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　it　found　him　as　usual　amusing　himself　with　his　favorite　Huang　Hao。
He　read　the　document　and　said　to　the　eunuch；　〃Here　Jiang　Wei　says　that　the　Wei　armies　under　Deng　A