三国演义英文版-第309部分

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　each　other。　But　the　visitor　did　not　like　the　look　on　the　faces　of　his　host's　guards。　He　decided　to　find　out　what　Zhong　Hui　was　thinking。
〃The　capture　of　Hanzhong　is　a　piece　of　excellent　fortune　for　the　state；〃　said　Deng　Ai。　〃The　capture　of　Saber　Pass　can　now　be　acplished　easily。〃
〃What　is　your　own　idea；　General？〃　asked　Zhong　Hui。
Deng　Ai　tried　to　evade　answering　the　question；　admitting　he　had　no　good　suggestion。　But　Zhong　Hui　pressed　him　to　reply。
Finally　he　said；　〃In　my　simple　opinion　one　might　proceed　by　by…roads　from　the　pass　through　the　Yinping　Mountains　to　Deyang　in　Hanzhong；　and　thence　make　a　surprise　march　to　Chengdu。　Jiang　Wei　must　go　to　its　defense；　and　you；　General；　can　take　the　Saber　Pass。〃
〃A　very　good　plan；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃You　may　start　forthwith；　and　I　will　wait　here　till　I　hear　news　of　your　success。〃
They　drank；　and　Deng　Ai　took　his　leave。　Zhong　Hui　went　back　to　his　own　tent　filled　with　contempt　for　Deng　Ai's　plan。　which　he　thought　impracticable。
〃They　say　Deng　Ai　is　able。　I　think　he　is　of　most　ordinary　capacity；〃　said　he　to　his　officers。
〃But　why？〃　said　they。
〃Because　the　by…roads　by　Yinping　Mountains　are　impassable；　nothing　but　lofty　cliffs　and　steep　hills。　A　hundred　defenders　at　a　critical　point　could　cut　all　munications；　and　Deng　Ai's　army　would　starve　to　death。　I　shall　go　by　the　direct　road；　and　there　is　no　fear　about　the　result。　I　shall　overe　Shu。〃
So　he　prepared　scaling　ladders　and　stone…throwing　machines　and　set　himself　to　besiege　Saber　Pass。
Deng　Ai　went　out　to　the　main　gate　of　the　court。　While　mounting；　he　said　to　his　followers；　〃What　did　Zhong　Hui　think　of　me？〃
〃He　looked　as　though　he　held　a　poor　opinion　of　what　you　had　said；　General；　and　disagreed　with　you；　although　his　words　were　fair　enough。〃
〃He　thinks　I　cannot　take　Chengdu。　So　I　shall　take　it！〃
He　was　received　at　his　own　camp　by　Shi　Zuan　and　his　son　Deng　Zhong；　and　a　party　of　others　of　his　generals；　and　they　asked　what　the　conversation　had　been　about。
〃I　told　Zhong　Hui　simple　truth；　but　he　thinks　I　am　just　a　mon　person　of　no　ability　to　speak　of。　He　regards　the　capture　of　Hanzhong　as　an　inparable　feat　of　arms。　Where　would　he　have　been　if　I　had　not　held　up　Jiang　Wei　at　Tazhong？　But　I　think　the　capture　of　Chengdu　will　beat　that　of　Hanzhong。〃
That　night　the　camp　was　broken　up；　and　Deng　Ai　set　his　army　out　upon　a　long　march　along　the　mountainous　paths。　At　twenty　miles　from　Saber　Pass　they　made　a　camp。　The　scouts　told　Zhong　Hui　of　his　movement；　and　Zhong　Hui　laughed　at　the　attempt。
From　his　camp　Deng　Ai　sent　a　letter　to　Sima　Zhao。
Then　he　called　his　officers　to　his　tent　and　asked　them；　saying；　〃I　am　going　to　make　a　dash　for　Chengdu　while　it　is　still　undefended；　and　success　will　mean　unfading　glory　for　us　all。　Will　you　follow　me？〃
〃We　will　follow　you　and　obey　your　orders；〃　cried　they　all。
So　the　final　dispositions　were　made。　Deng　Zhong　and　three　thousand　troops　went　first　to　improve　the　road。　His　troops　wore　no　armor；　but　they　had　axes　and　boring　tools。　They　were　to　level　roads　and　build　bridges。
Next　went　thirty　thousand　troops　furnished　with　dry　grain　and　ropes。　At　every　one　hundred　miles　they　were　to　make　a　post　of　three　thousand。
In　autumn　of　that　year；　they　left　Yinping；　and　in　the　tenth　month　they　were　in　most　precipitous　country　of　the　Yinping　Mountains。　They　had　taken　twenty　days　to　travel　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles。　They　were　in　an　uninhabited　country。　After　garrisoning　the　various　posts　on　the　way；　they　had　only　two　thousand　soldiers　left。　Before　them　stood　a　range　named　Heaven　Cliffs；　which　no　horse　could　ascend。　Deng　Ai　climbed　up　on　foot　to　see　his　son　and　the　troops　with　him　opening　up　a　road。　They　were　exhausted　with　fatigue　and　weeping。
Deng　Ai　asked　why　they　were　so　sad；　and　his　son　replied；　〃We　have　found　an　impassable　precipice　away　to　the　northwest　which　we　cannot　get　through。　All　our　labor　has　been　in　vain。〃
Deng　Ai　said；　〃We　have　got　over　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles；　and　just　beyond　is　Jiangyou。　We　cannot　go　back。　How　can　one　get　tiger　cubs　except　by　going　into　tiger　caves？　Here　we　are；　and　it　will　be　a　very　great　feat　to　capture　Chengdu。〃
They　all　said　they　would　go　on。　So　they　came　to　the　precipice。　First　they　threw　over　their　weapons；　then　the　leader　wrapped　himself　in　blankets　and　rolled　over　the　edge；　next　the　generals　followed　him；　also　wrapped　in　blankets。　Those　who　had　not　blankets　were　let　down　by　cords　round　the　waist；　and　others　clinging　to　trees　followed　one　after　another　till　all　had　descended　and　the　Heaven　Cliffs　was　passed。　Then　they　retook　their　armor　and　weapons　and　went　on　their　way。
They　came　across　a　stone　by　the　roadside。　It　bore　a　mysterious　inscription；　translated　literally　it　read：

＇e＇　Two　Lius　were　just　founded；　armies　pass　by　here。　Deng　Ai　and　Zhong　Hui　pete；　both　soon　die。
〃This　stone　is　a　message　of　Zhuge　Liang　the　Prime　Minister：　Two　fires　were　just　founded；　armies　pass　by　here。　Two　soldiers　pete；　both　soon　die。〃*
Deng　Ai　was　astonished。　Presently　he　bowed　before　the　stone　and　prayed　to　the　spirit　of　Zhuge　Liang。
〃O　Martial　Lord；　immortal！　I　grieve　that　I　am　not　thy　worthy　disciple。〃

The　rugged　lofty　mountain　peaks
Of　Yinping；　pierce　the　sky；
The　somber　crane　with　wearied　wing
Can　scarcely　over　them　fly。
Intrepid　Deng　Ai　in　blankets　wrapped
Rolled　down　the　craggy　steep；
His　feat　Zhuge　Liang　prophesied
By　insight　wondrous　deep。

Having　crossed　this　great　range　of　mountains　without　discovery；　Deng　Ai　marched　forward。　Presently　he　came　to　a　roomy　camp；　empty　and　deserted。　He　was　told　that　while　Zhuge　Liang　lived；　a　thousand　troops　had　been　kept　in　garrison　at　this　point　of　danger；　but　the　Latter　Ruler　had　withdrawn　them。　Deng　Ai　sighed　at　the　thought。
He　said　to　his　troops；　〃Now　retreat　is　impossible；　there　is　no　road　back。　Before　you　lies　Jiangyou　with　stores　in　abundance。　Advance　and　you　live；　retreat　and　you　die。　You　must　fight　with　all　your　strength。〃
〃We　will　fight　to　the　death！〃　they　cried。
The　leader　was　now　afoot；　doing　double　marches　with　his　two　thousand　troops　toward　Jiangyou。
The　mander　at　Jiangyou　was　Ma　Miao。　He　heard　the　East　River　Land　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　Though　some　thing　prepared　for　defense；　yet　his　post　had　a　wide　area　to　cover　and　guard；　and　he　trusted　Jiang　Wei　would　defend　the　Saber　Pass。　So　he　did　not　take　his　military　duties　very　seriously；　just　maintaining　the　daily　drills　and　then　going　home　to　his　wife　to　cuddle　up　to　the　stove　and　drink。
His　wife　was　of　the　Li　family。　When　she　heard　of　the　state　of　things　on　the　frontier；　she　said　to　her　husband；　〃If　there　is　so　great　danger　on　the　borders；　how　is　it　you　are　so　unaffected？〃
〃The　affair　is　in　Jiang　Wei's　hands　and　is　not　my　concern；〃　replied　he。
〃Nevertheless；　you　finally　have　to　guard　the　capital；　and　that　is　a　heavy　responsibility。〃
〃O；　well！　The　Emperor　trusts　his　favorite　Huang　Hao　entirely　and　is　sunk　in　vice　and　pleasure。　Disaster　is　very　near。　If　the　Wei　armies　get　here；　I　shall　yield。　It　is　no　good　taking　it　seriously。〃
〃You　call　yourself　a　man！　Have　you　such　a　disloyal　and　treacherous　heart？　Is　it　nothing　to　have　held　office　and　taken　pay　for　years？　How　can　I　bear　to　look　upon　your　face？〃
Ma　Miao　was　too　ashamed　to　attempt　to　reply。　Just　then　his　house　servants　came　to　tell　him　that　Deng　Ai；　with　his　two　thousand　troops；　had　found　their　way　along　some　road　and　had　already　broken　into　the　city。　Ma　Miao　was　now　frightened　and　hastily　went　out　to　find　the　leader　and　offer　his　formal　submission。
He　went　to　the　Town　Hall　and　bowed　on　the　steps；　crying；　〃I　have　long　desired　to　e　over　to　Wei。　Now　I　yield　myself　and　my　army　and　all　the　town。〃
Deng　Ai　accepted　his　surrender　and　incorporated　his　army　with　his　own　force。　He　took　Ma　Miao　into　his　service　as　guide。
Then　came　a　servant　with　the　news：　〃Lady　Li　has　hanged　herself！〃
Deng　Ai　asked　why　she　had　done　it；　and　Ma　Miao　told　him。　Deng　Ai；　admiring　her　rectitude；　gave　orders　for　an　honorable　burial。　He　also　went　in　person　to　sacrifice。　Everyone　extolled　her　conduct。

When　the　Ruler　of　Shu　had　wandered　from　the　way；
And　the　House　of　Han　fell　lower；
Heaven　sent　Deng　Ai　to　smite　the　land。
Then　did　a　woman　show　herself　most　noble；
So　noble　in　conduct；
That　no　leader　equaled　her。

As　soon　as　Jiangyou　was　taken；　the　posts　along　the　road　by　which　the　army　had　e　were　withdrawn；　and　there　was　a　general　rendezvous　at　this　point。　This　done；　they　marched　toward　Fucheng。
General　Tian　Xu　remonstrated；　saying；　〃We　have　just　finished　a　long　and　perilous　march　and　are　weary　and　worn　out。　We　ought　to　repose　for　a　few　days　to　recover。〃
Deng　Ai　angrily　replied；　〃Speed　is　the　one　important　matter　in　war。　Do　not　encourage　any　discontent。　I　will　not　have　it。〃
Tian　Xu　was　sentenced　to　death。　But　as　many　officers　interceded　for　him；　he　was　pardoned。
The　army　pressed　on　toward　Fucheng。　As　soon　as　they　arrived；　the　officers　yielded　as　if　they　thought　Deng　Ai　had　fallen　from　the　heavens。　Some　took　the　news　to　the　capital；　and　the　Latter　Ruler　began　to　feel　alarmed。　He　hastily　called　for　Huang　Hao；　who　at　once　denied　the　report。
〃That　is　just　false　rumor。　The　spirits　would　not　deceive　Your　Majesty；〃　said　Huang　Hao。
The　Latter　Ruler　summoned　the　wise　woman　to　the　Palace；　but　the　messengers　said　she　had　gone　no　one　knew　whither。
And　now　urgent　memorials　and　letters　fell　in　from　every　side　like　a　snow　storm；　and　messengers　went　to　and　fro　in　constant　streams。　The　Latter　Ruler　called　a　court　to　discuss　the　danger；　but　no　one　had　any　plan　or　suggestion　to　offer。　The　courtiers　just　looked　blankly　into　each　other's　faces。
Finally　Xi　Zheng　spoke　out；　〃In　this　extremity　Your　Majesty　should　call　in　the　help　of　the　son　of　the　Martial　Lord。〃
This　son　of　Zhuge　Liang　was　named　Zhuge　Zhan。　His　mother　was　born　of　the　Huang　family　and　a　daughter　of　Huang　Chenyan。　She　was　singularly　plain　and　extraordinarily　talented。　She　had　studied　everything；　even　books　of　strategy　and　magic。　Zhuge　Liang　in　Nanyang　had　sought　to　marry　her　because　of　her　goodness；　and　she　had　studied　with　him　for　all　their　lives。　She　had　survived　her　husband　but　a　short　time；　and　her　last　words　to　her　son　had　been　〃be　loyal　and　filial〃。
Zhuge　Zhan　had　been　known　as　a　clever　lad　and　had　married　a　daughter　of　the　Latter　Ruler；　so　that　he　was　an　Imperial　Son…in…Law。　His　fath