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第237部分（第2页）

〃My　regret　is　that　I　did　not　slay　Cao　Zhen；〃　said　he。

〃Indeed；　yes；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃It　is　a　pity　that　a　great　scheme　should　have　had　so　small　a　result。〃

Cao　Zhen　was　very　sad　when　he　heard　of　the　loss　of　Fei　Yao。　He　consulted　Guo　Huai　as　to　a　new　plan　to　drive　back　the　enemy。

Meanwhile；　flying　messengers　had　gone　to　the　capital　with　news　of　Zhuge　Liangs　arrival　at　Qishan　and　the　defeat。　Cao　Rui　called　Sima　Yi　to　ask　for　a　plan　to　meet　these　new　conditions。

〃I　have　a　scheme　all　ready；　not　only　to　turn　back　Zhuge　Liang；　but　to　do　so　without　any　exertion　on　our　part。　They　will　retire　of　their　own　will。〃

Cao　Zhens　wits　are　dull；　so　he

Fights　on　Sima　Yis　strategy。

The　strategy　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　98　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　98

Chapter　98

Pursuing　The　Shu　Army；　Wang　Shuang　Meets　His　Death；

Raiding　Chencang；　Zhuge　Liang　Scores　A　Victory。

Now　Sima　Yi　spoke　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　saying；　〃I　have　said　repeatedly　that　Zhuge　Liang　would　e　against　us　by　way　of　Chencang；　wherefore　I　set　Hao　Zhao　to　guard　it。　If　an　Zhuge　Liang　did　invade；　he　could　easily　obtain　his　supplies　by　that　road。　But　with　Hao　Zhao　and　Wang　Shuang　on　guard　there；　he　will　not　dare　to　e　that　way。　It　is　very　difficult　to　get　supplies　any　other　way。　Therefore　I　can　give　the　invaders　a　month　to　exhaust　their　food。　Hence　their　advantage　lies　in　forcing　a　battle；　ours　is　postponing　it　as　long　as　possible。　Wherefore　I　pray　Your　Majesty　order　Cao　Zhen　to　hold　passes　and　positions　tenaciously　and　on　no　account　to　seek　battle。　In　a　month　the　enemy　will　have　to　retreat；　and　that　will　be　our　opportunity。〃

Cao　Rui　was　pleased　to　hear　so　succinct　a　statement；　but　he　said；　〃Since；　Noble　Sir；　you　foresaw　all　this　so　plainly；　why　did　you　not　lead　an　army　to　prevent　it？〃

〃It　is　not　because　I　grudged　the　effort；　but　I　had　to　keep　the　army　here　to　guard　against　Lu　Xun　of　Wu。　Sun　Quan　will　declare　himself　Emperor　before　long。　If　he　does；　he　will　be　afraid　of　Your　Majestys　attack；　and　so　he　will　try　to　invade　us　first。　I　shall　be　ready　to　defend　our　frontier。　The　army　is　prepared。〃

Just　then　one　of　the　courtiers　announced　dispatches　from　Cao　Zhen　on　military　affairs；　and　Sima　Yi　closed　his　speech；　saying；　〃Your　Majesty　should　send　someone　especially　to　caution　the　mander　to　be　careful　not　to　be　tricked　by　Zhuge　Liang；　not　to　pursue　rashly；　and　never　to　penetrate　deeply　into　the　enemy　country。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　gave　the　order；　and　he　sent　the　mand　by　the　hand　of　Minister　Han　Ji　and　gave　him　authority　to　warn　Cao　Zhen　against　giving　battle。

Sima　Yi　escorted　the　royal　messenger　out　of　the　city　and；　at　parting；　said；　〃I　am　giving　this　magnificent　opportunity　to　obtain　glory　to　Cao　Zhen；　but　do　not　tell　him　the　suggestion　was　mine；　only　quote　the　royal　mand。　Tell　him　that　defense　is　the　best；　pursuit　is　to　be　most　cautious；　and　he　is　not　to　send　any　impetuous　leader　to　follow　up　the　enemy。〃

Han　Ji　agreed　and　took　leave。

Cao　Zhen　was　deep　in　affairs　connected　with　his　army　when　they　brought　news　of　a　royal　messenger；　but　he　went　forth　to　bid　Han　Ji　wele。　When　the　ceremonial　receipt　of　the　edict　had　e　to　an　end；　he　retired　to　discuss　matters　with　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li。

〃That　is　Sima　Yis　idea；〃　said　Guo　Huai　with　a　laugh。

〃But　what　of　the　idea？〃　asked　Cao　Zhen。

〃It　means　that　he　perfectly　understands　Zhuge　Liangs　plans；　and　he　will　eventually　have　to　be　called　in　to　defeat　Shu。〃

〃But　if　the　Shu　army　holds　its　ground？〃

〃We　will　send　Wang　Shuang　to　reconnoiter　and　keep　on　the　move　along　the　by…roads　so　that　they　dare　not　attempt　to　bring　up　supplies。　They　must　retreat　when　they　have　no　more　to　eat；　and　we　shall　be　able　to　beat　them。〃

Then　said　Sun　Li；　〃Let　me　go　out　to　Qishan　as　if　to　escort　a　convoy　from　the　West　Valley　Land；　only　the　carts　shall　be　laden　with　bustibles　instead　of　grain。　We　will　sprinkle　sulfur　and　saltpeter　over　wood　and　reeds。　The　troops　of　Shu；　who　lack　supplies；　will　surely　seize　the　convoy　and　take　it　to　their　own　camp；　when　we　will　set　fire　to　the　carts。　When　they　are　blazing；　our　hidden　men　can　attack。〃

〃It　seems　an　excellent　plan；〃　said　Cao　Zhen。

And　he　issued　the　requisite　orders：　Sun　Li　to　pretend　to　escort　a　convoy；　Wang　Shuang　to　prowl　about　the　by…roads；　Guo　Huai　and　various　generals　to　mand　in　the　Gu　Valley；　Jieting；　and　other　strategic　points。　Also　Zhang　Hu；　son　of　Zhang　Liao；　was　made　Leader　of　the　Van；　and　Yue　Chen；　son　of　Yue　Jing；　was　his　second。　These　two　were　to　remain　on　guard　in　the　outermost　camp。

Now　at　Qishan；　Zhuge　Liang　sought　to　bring　on　a　battle；　and　daily　sent　champions　to　provoke　a　bat。　But　the　men　of　Wei　would　not　e　out。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　called　Jiang　Wei　and　certain　others　to　him　and　said；　〃I　do　not　know　what　to　do。　The　enemy　refuse　battle；　because　they　know　we　are　short　of　food。　We　can　get　none　by　way　of　Chencang；　and　all　other　roads　are　very　difficult。　I　reckon　the　grain　we　brought　with　us　will　not　last　a　month。〃

While　thus　perplexed；　they　heard　that　many　carts　of　provisions　for　Wei　were　passing　by　from　the　West　Valley　Land；　and　the　con