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第233部分（第1页）

But　then　one　of　the　courtiers　suddenly　said；　〃Your　servant　can　propose　a　plan　by　which　Shu　will　be　overe　and　Wu　submits。〃

The　generals　lead　their　beaten　soldiers　home；

The　victors　plan　new　deeds　for　days　to　e。

Who　offered　this　plan？　Succeeding　chapters　will　tell。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　96　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　96

Chapter　96

Shedding　Tears；　Zhuge　Liang　Puts　Ma　Su　To　Death；

Cutting　Hair；　Zhou　Fang　Beguiles　Cao　Xiu。

The　proposer　of　the　great　plan　that　was　to　conquer　the　empire　was　the　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　named　Sun　Zu。

〃Noble　Sir；　expound　your　excellent　scheme；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

And　Sun　Zu　said；　〃When　your　great　progenitor；　Emperor　Cao；　first　got　Zhang　Lu；　he　was　at　a　critical　stage　in　his　career；　but　thenceforward　all　went　well。　He　used　to　say　the　land　of　Nanzheng　is　really　a　natural　hell。　In　the　Xie　Valley　there　are　one　hundred　fifty　miles　of　rocks　and　caves；　so　that　it　is　an　impossible　country　for　an　army。　If　Wei　be　denuded　of　soldiers　in　order　to　conquer　Shu；　then　for　sure　we　shall　be　invaded　by　Wu　on　the　east。　My　advice　is　to　divide　the　army　among　the　various　generals　and　appoint　each　a　place　of　strategic　value　to　hold；　and　let　them　train　their　forces。　In　a　few　years　the　Middle　Land　will　be　prosperous　and　wealthy；　while　the　other　two　Shu　and　Wu；　will　have　been　reduced　by　mutual　quarrels　and　will　fall　an　easy　prey。　I　hope　Your　Majesty　will　consider　whether　this　is　not　a　superior　plan。〃

〃What　does　the　General　think？〃　said　Cao　Rui　to　Sima　Yi。

He　replied；　〃Chairman　Sun　Zu　says　well。〃

So　Cao　Rui　bade　Sima　Yi　draw　up　a　scheme　of　defense　and　station　the　soldiers；　leaving　Guo　Huai　and　Zhang　He　to　guard　Changan。　And　having　rewarded　the　army；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　returned　to　Luoyang。

When　Zhuge　Liang　got　back　to　Hanzhong　and　missed　Zhao　Yun　and　Deng　Zhi；　the　only　two　generals　who　had　not　arrived；　he　was　sad　at　heart　and　bade　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　go　back　to　afford　them　assistance。　However；　before　the　reinforcing　parties　could　leave；　the　missing　men　arrived。　Furthermore；　they　came　with　their　army　in　excellent　condition　and　not　a　man　short；　nor　a　horse　nor　any　of　their　equipment。

As　they　drew　near；　Zhuge　Liang　went　out　of　the　city　to　wele　them。

Thereupon　Zhao　Yun　hastily　dismounted　and　bowed　to　the　earth；　saying；　〃The　Prime　Minister　should　not　have　e　forth　to　wele　a　defeated　general。〃

But　Zhuge　Liang　lifted　him　up　and　took　his　hand　and　said；　〃Mine　was　the　fault。　Mine　were　the　ignorance　and　unwisdom　that　caused　all　this。　But　how　is　it　that　amid　all　the　defeat　and　loss　you　have　e　through　unscathed？〃

And　Deng　Zhi　replied；　〃It　was　because　friend　Zhao　Yun　sent　me　ahead；　while　he　guarded　the　rear　and　warded　off　every　attack。　One　leader　he　slew；　and　this　frightened　the　others。　Thus　nothing　was　lost　or　left　by　the　way。〃

〃A　really　great　general！〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

He　sent　Zhao　Yun　a　gift　of　fifty　ounces　of　gold；　and　to　his　army　ten　thousand　rolls　of　silk。

But　these　were　returned　as　Zhao　Yun　said；　〃All　armies　have　acplished　nothing；　and　that　is　also　our　fault。　The　rules　for　reward　and　punishment　must　be　strictly　kept。　I　pray　that　these　things　be　kept　in　store　till　the　winter；　when　they　can　be　distributed　among　the　army。〃

〃When　the　First　Ruler　lived；　he　never　tired　of　extolling　Zhao　Yuns　virtues。　The　First　Ruler　was　perfectly　right；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

And　his　respect　for　the　veteran　was　doubled。

Then　came　the　turn　of　the　four　unfortunate　leaders　Ma　Su；　Wang　Ping；　Wei　Yan；　and　Gao　Xiang　to　render　account。　Wang　Ping　was　called　to　the　mander…in…Chiefs　tent　and　rebuked。

〃I　ordered　you　and　Ma　Su　to　guard　Jieting。　Why　did　you　not　remonstrate　with　him　and　prevent　this　great　loss？〃

〃I　did　remonstrate　many　times。　I　wished　to　build　a　rampart　down　in　the　road　and　construct　a　solid　camp；　but　the　Counselor　would　not　agree　and　showed　ill　temper。　So　I　led　five　thousand　troops　and　camped　some　three　miles　off。　When　the　army　of　Wei　came　in　crowds　and　surrounded　my　colleague；　I　led　my　army　to　attack　them　a　score　of　times。　But　I　could　not　penetrate；　and　the　catastrophe　came　quickly。　Many　of　our　troops　surrendered；　and　mine　were　too　few　to　stand。　Wherefore　I　went　to　friend　Wei　Yan　for　help。　Then　we　were　intercepted　and　imprisoned　in　a　valley　and　only　got　out　by　fighting　most　desperately。　We　got　back　to　my　camp　to　find　the　enemy　in　possession；　and　so　we　set　out　for　Liliu。　On　the　road　I　met　Gao　Xiang；　and　we　three　tried　to　raid　the　enemys　camp；　hoping　to　recover　Jieting。　But　as　there　was　no　one　soldier　there；　I　grew　suspicious。　From　a　hill　I　saw　Wei　Yan　and　Gao　Xiang　had　been　hemmed　in　by　the　soldiers　of　Wei；　so　I　went　to　rescue　them。　Thence　we　hastened　to　Yangping　Pass　to　try　to　prevent　that　from　falling。　It　was　not　that　I　failed　to　remonstrate。　And　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　can　get　confirmation　of　my　words　from　any　of　the　officers。〃

Zhuge　Liang　bade　him　retire；　and　sent　for　Ma　Su。　He　came；　bound　himself；　and　threw　himself　on　the　earth　at　the　tent　door。

Zhuge　Liang　got　angry；　saying；　〃You　have　filled　yourself　with　the　study　of　the　books　on　war　ever　since　you　were　a　boy。　You　know　them　thoroughly。　I　enjoined　upon　you　that　Jieting　was　most　important；　and　you　pledged　yourself　and　all　your　family　to　do　your　best　in　the　enterprise。　Yet　you　would　not　listen　to　Wang　Ping；　and　thus　you　caused　this　misfortune。　The　army　is　defeated；　generals　have　been　slain　and　cities　and　territory　lost；　all　through　you。　If　I　do　not　make　you　an　example　and　vindicate　the　law；　how　shall　I　maintain　a　proper　state　of　discipline？　You　have　offended；　and　you　must　pay　the　penalty。　After　your　death　the　little　ones　of　your　family　shall　be　my　care；　and　I　will　see　that　they　get　a　monthly　allowance。　Do　not　let　their　fate　cause　you　anxiety。〃

Zhuge　Liang　told　the　executioners　to　take　Ma　Su　away。