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第257部分（第2页）

Hu　Zun　was　appointed　to　lead　the　van。　Hu　Zun　went　and　camped　in　Liaodong。　The　scouts　hastened　to　tell　Gongsun　Yuan；　who　sent　Bei　Yan　and　Yang　Zuo　to　camp　at　Liaosui　with　eighty　thousand　troops。　They　surrounded　their　camp　with　a　wall　seven　miles　in　circumference　and　placed　thorny　barriers　outside　the　rampart。　It　seemed　very　secure。

Hu　Zun　saw　these　preparations　and　sent　to　tell　his　chief。　Sima　Yi　smiled。

〃So　the　rebel　does　not　want　to　fight；　but　thinks　to　weary　my　soldiers；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Now　I　am　disposed　to　think　that　most　of　his　army　is　within　that　wall；　so　that　his　stronghold　is　empty　and　undefended。　I　will　make　a　dash　at　Xiangping。　He　will　have　to　go　to　its　rescue；　and　I　will　smite　him　on　the　way。　I　should　score　a　great　success。〃

So　Sima　Yi　hastened　to　Xiangping　along　unfrequented　ways。

Meanwhile　Bei　Yan　and　Yang　Zuo；　the　two　generals　within　the　walled　camp；　discussed　their　plans。

Yang　Zuo　said；　〃When　the　Wei　army　es　near；　we　will　not　fight。　They　will　have　e　a　long　march　and　their　supplies　will　be　short；　so　that　they　cannot　hold　out　long。　When　they　retreat；　we　shall　find　our　opportunity。　These　were　the　tactics　Sima　Yi　used　against　Zhuge　Liang　on　River　Wei；　and　Zhuge　Liang　died　before　the　end　of　the　expedition。　We　will　try　similar　means。〃

Presently　the　scouts　reported　that　the　Wei　army　had　marched　south。

Bei　Yan　at　once　saw　the　danger　and　said；　〃They　are　going　to　attack　Xiangping；　which　they　know　has　few　troops。　If　that　base　be　lost；　this　position　is　useless。〃

So　they　broke　up　their　camp　and　followed　the　enemy。

When　Sima　Yi　heard　it；　he　rejoiced；　saying；　〃Now　they　will　fall　into　the　snare　I　have　laid　for　them。〃

Sima　Yi　sent　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei　to　take　up　position　on　the　River　Ji。　They　were　to　attack　if　the　army　of　Liaodong　came　near　them。　They　had　not　long　to　wait。　As　soon　as　Bei　Yan　and　his　army　approached；　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei　exploded　a　bomb；　beat　the　drums；　waved　their　flags；　and　came　out；　one　force　on　each　side。　Bei　Yan　and　Yang　Zuo　made　a　fight　but　soon　fled　to　Shoushan　Mountain；　where　they　fell　in　with　Gongsun　Yuan　and　joined　the　main　army。　Then　they　turned　to　give　battle　to　the　Wei　army。

Bei　Yan　rode　to　the　front　and　reviled　the　enemy；　shouting；　〃You　rebels！　Do　not　try　trickery；　but　dare　you　fight　in　the　open？〃

Xiahou　Ba　rode　out　to　accept　the　challenge；　and　after　a　few　bouts　Bei　Yan　fell。　In　the　confusion　caused　by　the　death　of　their　leader；　Xiahou　Ba　urged　on　his　troops　and　drove　Gongsun　Yuan　back　to　Xiangping；　and　Gongsun　Yuan　took　refuge　in　the　city。

The　city　was　surrounded。　It　was　autumn；　and　the　rain　fell　day　after　day　without　ceasing。　At　the　end　of　the　month；　the　plain　was　under　three　feet　of　water；　so　that　the　grain　boats　sailed　straight　from　River　Ji　to　the　city　walls。　The　besiegers　suffered　much　from　the　floods。

Pei　Jing；　mander　of　the　Left；　went　to　Sima　Yi　and　asked；　〃The　rain　keeps　pouring　down；　and　tents　cannot　be　pitched　on　mud。　May　the　army　be　moved　to　camp　on　the　higher　ground？〃

But　Sima　Yi　flouted　the　suggestion。

〃How　can　the　army　move　away　just　when　success　is　in　sight？　The　rebels　will　be　conquered　now　any　day。　If　any　other　speaks　about　drawing　off；　he　will　be　put　to　death。〃

Pei　Jing　agreed　and　went　away。

Soon　after；　Chou　Lian；　mander　of　the　Right；　came　to　see　his　chief　and　repeated　the　suggestion；　saying；　〃The　soldiers　are　suffering　from　the　rains。　O　mander；　let　them　camp　on　the　hills。〃

Sima　Yi　got　angry　and　said；　〃I　have　sent　the　mand；　and　you　are　against　it！〃

And　he　ordered　Chou　Lian　to　be　executed。　His　head　was　suspended　at　the　camp　gate　as　a　warning　to　others。　The　soldiers　dared　to　plain　any　more。

Then　Sima　Yi　ordered　the　south　camp　to　be　abandoned；　and　the　army　marched　seven　miles　south；　thus　allowing　the　soldiers　and　people　in　the　city　to　e　out　to　gather　fuel　and　pasture　their　cattle。

The　attacking　army　could　not　understand　this　move；　and　General　Chen　Qun　spoke　about　it。

〃When　you　besieged　Shangyong；　O　mander；　you　attacked　all　round　at　eight　points；　and　the　city　fell　in　eight　days。　Meng　Da　was　taken；　and　you　won　a　great　success。　Now　your　forty　thousand　troops　have　borne　their　armors　many　days　over　long　marches　and　you　do　not　press　the　attack；　but　keep　them　in　the　mud　and　mire　and　let　the　enemy　gather　supplies　and　feed　their　cattle。　I　do　not　know　what　your　intention　may　be。〃

〃Sir；〃　replied　the　mander…in…Chief；　〃I　see　you　are　ignorant　of　war　after　all。　You　do　not　understand　the　different　conditions。　Meng　Da　then　had　ample　supplies　and　few　troops；　while　we　were　under　exactly　opposite　conditions。　So　we　had　to　attack　vigorously　and　at　once。　The　suddenness　of　the　attack　defeated　the　enemy。　But　look　at　present　conditions。　The　Liaodong　troops　are　many　and　we　few；　they　are　on　the　verge　of　starvation；　and　we　are　full　fed。　Why　should　we　force　the　attack？　Our　line　is　to　let　the　soldiers　desert　and　capture　the　city。　Therefore　I　leave　a　gate　open　and　the　road　free　that　they　may　run　away。〃

Chen　Qun　then　understood　and　acknowledged　the　correctness　of　the　strategy。　Sima　Yi　sent　to　Luoyang　to　hasten　supplies；　that　there　should　be　no　shortage。

However；　the　war　was　not　supported　in　the　capital；　for　when　the　messenger　arrived　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　summoned　his　courtiers；　they　said；　〃In　Liaodong　the　rain　has　been　continuous　for　a　month；　and　the　soldiers　are　in　misery。　Sima　Yi　ought　to　be　recalled；　and　the　war　renewed　at　a　more　convenient　season。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　replied；　〃The　leader　of　our　army　is　most　capable　and　best　able　to　decide　upon　what　should　be　done。　He　understands　the　conditions　and　is　teeming　with　magnificent　plans。　He　will　certainly　succeed。　Wherefore；　Noble　Sirs；　wait　a　few　days　and　let　us　not　be　anxious　about　the　result。〃

So　Cao　Rui　heeded　not　the　voice　of　the　dissentients；　but　took　care　that　provisions　were　sent。

After　a　few　days　the　rain　ceased；　and　fine；　clear　weather　followed。　That　night　Sima　Yi　went　out　of　his　tent　that　he　might　study　the　sky。　Suddenly　he　saw　a　very　large　and　bright　star　start　from　a　poin