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第239部分（第2页）

Leaving　Zhang　He　to　guard　Changan；　Guo　Huai　sent　Sun　Li　to　Yongcheng；　and　he　himself　set　out　at　once　for　Meicheng。　He　sent　an　urgent　report　to　Luoyang。

At　Weis　next　court　the　Emperor　was　informed　of　all　the　misfortunes　in　the　west：　〃Chencange　has　fallen；　and　Hao　Zhao　has　died。　Zhuge　Liang　has　captured　San　Pass。　He　is　camping　at　Qishan　and　is　planning　to　invade　Wei。〃

Cao　Rui　was　alarmed。

Just　then　Man　Chong　reported；　〃Sun　Quan　has　declared　himself　Emperor；　and　Lu　Xun　is　drilling　his　army　in　Wuchang。　An　invasion　from　the　east　can　be　expected　soon。〃

Cao　Rui　was　embarrassed　and　frightened。　Cao　Zhen；　being　ill；　could　not　be　consulted；　and　Sima　Yi　was　called。　He　was　ready　with　a　proposal。

〃In　my　humble　opinion；　Wu　will　not　attack　us；〃　said　Sima　Yi。

〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃　asked　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

〃Because　Zhuge　Liang　still　resents；　and　wishes　to　avenge；　the　event　at　Xiaoting。　He　never　ceases　to　desire　to　absorb　Wu。　His　only　fear　is　that　we　may　swoop　down　upon　Shu。　That　is　why　there　is　an　alliance　with　Wu。　Lu　Xun　knows　it　also　quite　well；　and　he　is　only　making　a　show　of　raising　an　army　as　they　arranged。　The　truth　is　he　is　sitting　on　the　fence。　Hence　Your　Majesty　may　disregard　the　menace　on　the　east；　and　only　protect　yourself　against　Shu。〃

〃Your　insight　is　very　profound；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

Sima　Yi　was　created　mander…in…Chief　of　all　the　forces　in　the　west；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　directed　a　courtier　to　go　to　Cao　Zhen　for　the　seal。

〃I　would　rather　go　myself；〃　said　Sima　Yi。

So　Sima　Yi　left　the　audience　and　went　to　the　palace　of　Cao　Zhen；　where　presently　he　saw　the　invalid。　First　he　asked　after　his　health　and　then　gradually　opened　his　errand。

〃Shu　and　Wu　have　made　an　alliance　to　invade　Wei　and　share　its　domains；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　at　Qishan　the　third　time。　Have　you　heard；　Illustrious　Sir？〃

〃My　people　have　kept　back　all　news　as　I　am　ill；〃　said　he；　startled。　〃But　if　this　is　true；　the　country　is　in　danger。　Why　have　they　not　made　you　mander…in…Chief　to　stop　this　invasion？〃

〃I　am　unequal　to　the　post；〃　said　Sima　Yi。

〃Bring　the　seal　and　give　it　to　him；〃　said　Cao　Zhen　to　his　attendants。

〃You　are　anxious　on　my　account。　Really　I　am　only　e　to　lend　you　an　arm。　I　dare　not　accept　the　seal。〃

Cao　Zhen　started　up；　saying；　〃If　you　do　not　take　it；　I　shall　have　to　go　to　see　the　Emperor；　ill　as　I　am。　The　Middle　Land　is　in　danger。〃

〃Really　the　Emperor　has　already　shown　his　kindness；　but　I　dare　not　accept　his　offer。〃

〃If　you　have　been　appointed；　then　Shu　will　be　driven　off。〃

Thrice　Sima　Yi　declined　the　seal；　but　eventually　he　received　it　into　his　hands　as　he　knew　Cao　Zhen　was　sincere。　Then　he　took　leave　of　the　Ruler　of　Wei　and　marched　to　Changan。

The　seal　of　office　changes　hands；

Two　armies　now　one　force　bee。

Sima　Yis　success　or　failure　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　99　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　99

Chapter　99

Zhuge　Liang　Defeats　The　Wei　Army；

Sima　Yi　Invades　The　West　River　Land。

The　fourth　month　of　Beginning　Prosperity；　seventh　year　（AD　229）；　found　Zhuge　Liang　camped　at　Qishan　in　three　camps；　waiting　to　attack　Wei。

When　Sima　Yi　reached　Changan；　the　officer　in　mand；　Zhang　He；　told　him　all　that　had　happened。　He　gave　Zhang　He　the　post　of　Leader　of　the　Van；　with　Dai　Ling　as　his　Assistant　General　and　a　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　then　marched　out　toward　the　enemy；　camping　on　River　Weis　south　bank。

When　the　local　manders　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　went　to　see　the　new　mander…in…Chief；　he　asked；　〃Have　you　fought　any　battle　with　Shu？〃

〃Not　yet；〃　said　they。

Sima　Yi　said；　〃The　enemy　had　a　long　march；　their　chance　lay　in　attacking　quickly。　As　they　have　not　attacked；　they　have　some　deep　laid　scheme　to　work　out。　What　news　have　you　from　the　counties　of　West　Valley　Land？〃

Guo　Huai　replied；　〃The　scouts　say　that　the　greatest　care　is　being　taken　in　every　county。　But　there　is　no　news　from　Wudu　and　Yinping。〃

〃I　must　send　someone　to　fight　a　decisive　battle　with　them　there。　You　get　away　as　quickly　and　privily　as　you　can　to　the　rescue　of　those　two　cities；　and　then　attack　the　rear　of　the　Shu　army　so　as　to　throw　them　into　disorder。〃

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