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手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第240部分（第1页）

They　set　out　to　obey　these　orders；　and　on　the　way　they　fell　to　discussing　Sima　Yi。

〃How　does　Sima　Yi　pare　with　Zhuge　Liang？〃　said　Guo　Huai。

〃Zhuge　Liang　is　by　far　the　better；〃　replied　Sun　Li。

〃Though　Zhuge　Liang　may　be　the　cleverer；　yet　this　scheme　of　our　leaders　shows　him　to　be　superior　to　most　people。　The　enemy　may　have　got　those　two　cities。　Yet　when　we　unexpectedly　fall　upon　their　rear；　they　will　certainly　be　disordered。〃

Soon　after　this　a　scout　came　in　to　report：　〃Wang　Ping　has　captured　Yinping；　and　Wudu　is　in　possession　of　Jiang　Wei。　Furthermore；　the　Shu　army　is　not　far　in　front。〃

Said　Sun　Li；　〃There　is　some　crafty　scheme　afoot。　Why　are　they　prepared　for　battle　in　the　open　when　they　hold　two　cities？　We　had　better　retire。〃

Guo　Huai　agreed；　and　they　issued　orders　to　face　about　and　retreat。　Just　then　a　bomb　exploded；　and；　at　the　same　time；　there　suddenly　appeared　from　the　cover　of　some　hills　a　small　body　of　troops。　On　the　flag　that　came　forward　they　read　Han　Prime　Minister　Zhuge　Liang　；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　pany　they　saw　him；　seated　in　a　small　chariot。　On　his　left　was　Guan　Xing；　and　on　his　right　Zhang　Bao。

They　were　quite　taken　aback。

Zhuge　Liang　laughed　and　said；　〃Do　not　run　away！　Did　you　think　that　your　leaders　ruse　would　take　me　in？　Sima　Yi　sent　a　challenge　to　fight　every　day；　indeed；　while　you　were　to　slip　round　behind　my　army　and　attack！　I　have　the　two　cities………Wudu　and　Yinping。　If　you　have　not　e　to　surrender；　then　hurry　up　and　fight　a　battle　with　me。〃

By　now　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　were　really　frightened。　Then　behind　them　there　rose　a　shout　as　of　battle；　and　Wang　Ping　and　Jiang　Wei　began　to　smite　them　in　the　rear；　while　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　bore　down　upon　them　in　front。　They　were　soon　utterly　broken；　and　the　two　leaders　escaped　by　scrambling　up　the　hillside。

Zhang　Bao　saw　them；　and　was　urging　his　steed　forward　to　catch　them；　when　unhappily　he　and　his　horse　went　over　together　into　a　gully。　When　they　picked　him　up；　they　found　that　he　had　been　kicked　in　the　head　and　was　badly　hurt。

Zhuge　Liang　sent　him　back　to　Chengdu。

It　has　been　said　that　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　escaped。　They　got　back　to　Sima　Yis　camp　and　said；　〃Wudu　and　Yinping　were　both　in　the　enemys　possession；　and　Zhuge　Liang　had　prepared　an　ambush；　so　that　we　were　attacked　front　and　rear。　We　lost　the　day　and　only　escaped　on　foot。〃

〃It　is　no　fault　of　yours；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃The　fact　is　he　is　sharper　than　I。　Now　go　to　defend　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　and　remain　on　the　defensive。　Do　not　go　out　to　give　battle。　I　have　a　plan　to　defeat　them。〃

These　two　having　left；　Sima　Yi　called　in　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　and　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　captured　Wudu　and　Yinping。　He　must　restore　order　and　confidence　among　the　people　of　these　places　and　so　will　be　absent　from　his　camp。　You　two　will　take　ten　thousand　troops　each；　start　tonight　and　make　your　way　quietly　to　the　rear　of　the　Shu　army。　Then　you　will　attack　vigorously。　When　you　have　done　that；　I　shall　lead　out　the　army　in　front　of　them　and　array　ready　for　battle。　While　they　are　in　disorder；　I　shall　make　my　attack。　Their　camp　ought　to　be　captured。　If　I　can　win　the　advantage　of　these　hills；　their　defeat　will　be　easy。〃

These　two　left；　Dai　Ling　marching　on　the　left　and　Zhang　He　on　the　right。　They　took　by…roads　and　got　well　to　the　rear　of　the　Shu　army。　In　the　third　watch　they　struck　the　high　road　and　joined　forces。　Then　they　marched　toward　the　enemy。　After　about　ten　miles　there　was　a　halt　in　front。　The　two　leaders　galloped　up　to　see　what　had　caused　it；　and　found　many　straw…carts　drawn　across　the　road。

〃The　enemy　has　been　prepared；〃　said　Zhang　He。　〃We　should　return。〃

Just　as　they　ordered　the　troops　to　turn　about；　torches　broke　into　flame　all　over　the　hills；　the　drums　rolled；　trumpets　blared；　and　soldiers　sprang　out　on　every　side。

At　the　same　time　Zhuge　Liang　shouted　from　the　hill…top；　〃Dai　Ling　and　Zhang　He；　listen　to　my　words！　Your　master　reckoned　that　I　should　be　busy　restoring　order　in　the　two　cities　and　so　should　not　be　in　my　camp。　Wherefore　he　sent　you　to　take　the　camp；　and　you　have　just　fallen　into　my　snare。　As　you　are　leaders　of　no　great　importance；　I　shall　not　harm　you。　Dismount　and　yield。〃

Zhang　Hes　wrath　blazed　forth　at　this；　and　he　pointed　at　Zhuge　Liang；　crying；　〃You　peasant　out　of　the　woods；　invader　of　our　great　country！　How　dare　you　use　such　words　to　me？　Wait　till　I　catch　you：　I　will　tear　you　to　shreds！〃

He　galloped　forward　to　ascend　the　hill；　his　spear　ready　for　the　thrust。　But　the　arrows　and　stones　pelted　too　quickly。　Then　he　turned　and　dashed　in　among　the　Shu　soldiers；　scattering　them　right　and　left。　He　got　clear；　but　he　saw　Dai　Ling　was　not　with　him。　At　once　he　turned　back；　fought　his　way　to　his　rade　and　brought　Dai　Ling　out　safely。

Zhuge　Liang　on　the　hill…top　watched　this　warrior　and　saw　he　was　a　right　doughty　fighting　man。

〃I　have　heard　that　soldiers　stood　aghast　when　Zhang　Fei　fought　his　great　fight　with　Zhang　He。　Now　I　can　judge　Zhang　Hes　valor　for　myself。　He　will　do　harm　to　Shu　one　day　if　I　spare　him。　He　will　have　to　be　removed。〃

Then　Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　his　camp。

By　this　time　Sima　Yi　had　pleted　his　battle　line　and　was　waiting　the　moment　of　disorder　in　the　Shu　army　to　attack。　Then　he　saw　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　e　limping　back　dejected　and　crestfallen。

They　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　forestalled　us。　He　was　well　prepared；　and　so　we　were　quite　defeated。〃

〃He　is　more　than　human！〃　exclaimed　Sima　Yi。　〃We　must　retreat。〃

So　the　whole　army　retired　into　the　fortified　camps　and　would　not　e　out。

Thus　a　great　victory　fell　to　Shu；　and　their　booty　was　immense：　Weapons　and　horses　innumerable。　Zhuge　Liang　led　his　army　back　to　camp。　Thereafter　he　sent　parties　to　offer　a　challenge　at　the　gate　of　the　Wei　camp　every　day；　but　the　soldiers　remained　obstinately　behind　their　shelters　and　would　not　appear。　When　this　had　continued　half　a　month　Zhuge　Liang　grew　sad。

Then　came　Fei　Yi　from　Capital　Chengdu　with　an　edict　of　the　Emperor。　Fei　Yi　was　received　with　all　respect；　and　incense　was　burnt　as　propriety　demanded。　This　done；　the　mand　was　unsealed；　and　Zhuge　Liang　read：

〃The　failure　at　Jieting　was　really　due　to　the　fault　of　Ma　Su。　However；　you　held　yourself　responsible　and　blamed　yourself　very　severely。　It　would　have　been　a　serious　matter　for　me　to　have　withstood　your　intentions；　and　so　I　did　what　you　insisted　on。