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第247部分（第2页）

But　loyalty　or　piety

May　give　them　immortality。

The　armies　of　Shu　numbered　three　hundred　forty　thousand　strong；　and　they　marched　in　five　divisions；　with　Jiang　Wei　and　Wei　Yan　in　the　van；　and　when　they　had　reached　Qishan；　Li　Hui；　the　missary　General；　was　instructed　to　convey　stores　into　the　Xie　Valley　in　readiness。

In　Wei　they　had　recently　changed　the　style　of　the　year　period　to　〃Green　Dragon〃；　because　a　green　dragon　had　been　seen　to　emerge　from　Mopo　Well。　The　year　of　the　fighting　was　the　second　year　（AD　234）。

The　courtiers　said　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　〃The　manders　of　the　passes　report　thirty　or　so　legions　advancing　in　five　divisions　from　Shu　upon　Qishan。〃

The　news　distressed　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　who　at　once　called　in　Sima　Yi　and　told　him　of　the　invasion。

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃The　aspect　of　the　sky　is　very　auspicious　for　the　Middle　Land。　The　Wolf　star　has　encroached　upon　the　planet　Venus；　which　bodes　ill　for　the　River　Lands。　Thus　Zhuge　Liang　is　pitting　his　powers　against　Heaven；　and　will　meet　defeat　and　suffer　death。　And　I；　by　virtue　of　Your　Majestys　good　fortune；　am　to　be　the　instrument　of　destruction。　I　request　to　name　four　leaders　to　go　with　me。〃

〃Who　are　they？　Name　them；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

〃They　are　the　four　sons　of　Xiahou　Yuan：　Xiahou　Ba；　Xiahou　Wei；　Xiahou　Hui；　and　Xiahou　He。　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei　are　trained　archers　and　cavaliers；　Xiahou　Hui　and　Xiahou　He　are　deep　strategists。　All　four　desire　to　avenge　the　death　of　their　father。　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei　should　be　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Xiahou　Hui　and　Xiahou　He　should　be　Marching　Generals；　to　discuss　and　arrange　plans　for　the　repulse　of　our　enemy。〃

〃You　remember　the　evil　results　of　employing　the　Dynastic　Son…in…Law　Xiahou　Mao：　He　lost　his　army　and　is　still　too　ashamed　to　return　to　court。　Are　you　sure　these　are　not　of　the　same　kidney？〃

〃They　are　not　like　Xiahou　Mao　in　the　least。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　granted　the　request　and　named　Sima　Yi　as　mander…in…Chief　with　the　fullest　authority。　When　Sima　Yi　took　leave　of　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　he　received　a　mand　in　Cao　Ruis　own　writing：

〃When　you；　Noble　Sir；　reach　the　banks　of　River　Wei　and　have　well　fortified　that　position；　you　are　not　to　give　battle。　The　army　of　Shu；　disappointed　of　their　desire；　will　pretend　to　retire　and　so　entice　you　on；　but　you　will　not　pursue。　You　will　wait　till　their　supplies　are　consumed　and　they　are　pelled　to　retreat；　when　you　may　smite　them。　Then　you　will　obtain　the　victory　without　distressing　the　army　unduly。　This　is　the　best　plan　of　campaign。〃

Sima　Yi　took　it　with　bowed　head。　He　proceeded　forthwith　to　Changan。　When　he　had　mustered　the　forces　assembled　from　all　western　counties；　they　numbered　four　hundred　thousand；　and　they　were　all　camped　on　River　Wei。　In　addition；　fifty　thousand　troops　were　farther　up　the　stream　preparing　nine　floating　bridges。　The　two　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei；　were　ordered　to　cross　the　river　and　camp；　and　in　rear　of　the　main　camp　on　the　east　a　solid　earth　rampart　was　raised　to　guard　against　any　surprises　from　the　rear。

While　these　preparations　were　in　progress；　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　came　to　the　new　camp。

Guo　Huai　said；　〃With　the　troops　of　Shu　at　Qishan；　there　is　a　possibility　of　their　dominating　River　Wei；　going　up　on　the　plain；　and　pushing　out　a　line　to　the　northern　hills　whereby　to　cut　off　all　highways　in　the　West　Valley　Land。〃

〃You　say　well；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃See　to　it。　Take　mand　of　all　the　West　Valley　Land　forces；　occupy　Beiyuan；　and　make　a　fortified　camp　there。　But　adopt　a　defensive　policy。　Wait　till　the　enemys　food　supplies　get　exhausted　before　you　think　of　attack。〃

So　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　left　to　carry　out　these　orders。

Meanwhile　Zhuge　Liang　made　five　main　camps　at　Qishan；　and　between　Xie　Valley　and　Saber　Pass　he　established　a　line　of　fourteen　large　camps。　He　distributed　the　troops　among　these　camps　as　for　a　long　campaign。　He　appointed　inspecting　officers　to　make　daily　visits　to　see　that　all　was　in　readiness。

When　he　heard　that　the　army　of　Wei　had　camped　in　Beiyuan；　he　said　to　his　officers；　〃They　camp　there　fearing　that　our　holding　this　area　will　sever　connection　with　West　Valley　Land。　I　am　pretending　to　look　toward　Beiyuan；　but　really　my　objective　is　River　Wei。　I　am　going　to　build　a　hundred　or　more　large　rafts　and　pile　them　with　straw；　and　I　have　five　thousand　of　marines　to　manage　them。　In　the　darkness　of　the　night　I　shall　attack　Beiyuan。　Sima　Yi　will　e　to　the　rescue。　If　he　is　only　a　little　worsted；　I　shall　cross　the　river　with　the　rear　divisions；　then　the　leading　divisions　will　embark　on　the　rafts；　drop　down　the　river；　set　fire　to　the　floating　bridges；　and　attack　the　rear　of　the　enemy。　I　shall　lead　an　army　to　take　the　gates　of　the　first　camp。　If　we　can　get　the　south　bank　of　the　river；　the　campaign　will　bee　simple。〃

Then　the　generals　took　orders　and　went　to　prepare。

The　spies　carried　information　of　the　doings　of　the　troops　of　Shu　to　Sima　Yi；　who　said　to　his　generals；　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　some　crafty　scheme；　but　I　think　I　know　it。　He　proposes　to　make　a　show　of　taking　Beiyuan；　and　then；　dropping　down　the　river；　he　will　try　to　burn　our　bridges；　throw　our　rear　into　confusion；　and　then　attack　our　camps。〃

So　he　gave　Xiahou　Ba　and　Xiahou　Wei　orders：　〃You　are　to　listen　for　the　sounds　of　battle　about　Beiyuan。　If　you　hear　the　shouting；　you　are　to　march　down　to　the　river；　to　the　hills　on　the　south；　and　lay　an　ambush　against　the　troops　of　Shu　as　they　arrive。〃

Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen　were　to　lead　two　other　forces；　of　two　thousand　of　bowmen　each；　and　lie　in　hiding　on　the　north　bank　near　the　bridges　to　keep　off　the　rafts　that　might　e　down　on　the　current　and　keep　them　from　touching　the　bridges。

Then　he　sent　for　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li；　and　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　ing　to　Beiyuan　to　cross　the　river　secretly。　Your　new　force　is　small；　and　you　can　hide　half　way　along　the　road。　If　the　enemy　cross　the　river　in　the　afternoon；　that　will　mean　an　attack　on　us　in　the　evening。　Then　you　are　to　simulate　defeat　and　run。　They　will　pursue。　You　can　shoot　with　all　your　energy；　and　our　marines　and　land　troops　will　attack　at　once。　If　the　attack　is　in　great　force；　look　out　for　orders。〃

All　these　orders　given；　Sima　Yi　sent　his　two　sons　Sima　Shi　and　Sima　Zhao　to　reinforce　the　front　camp；　while　he　led　his　own　army　to　relieve　Beiyuan。

Zhuge　Liang　sent　Wei　Yan　and　Ma　Dai　to　cross　River　Wei　and　attack　Beiyuan；　while　the　attempt　to　set　fire　to　the　bridges　was　confided　to　Hu　Ban　and　Wu　Yi。　The　general　attack　on　the　Wei　camp　by　River　Wei　was　to　be　made　by　three　divisions：　The　front　division　under　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni；　the　middle　division　under　Jiang　Wei　and　Ma　Zheng；　the　rear　division　under　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi。　The　various　divisions　started　at　noon　and　crossed　the　river；　where　they　slowly　formed　up　in　battle　order。

Wei　Yan　and　Ma　Dai　arrived　Beiyuan　about　dusk。　The　scouts　having　informed　the　defenders　of　their　approach；　Sun　Li　abandoned　his　camp　and　fled。　This　told　Wei　Yan　that　his　attack　was　expected；　and　he　turned　to　retire。　At　this　moment　a　great　shouting　was　heard；　and　there　appeared　two　bodies　of　the　enemy　under　Sima　Yi　and　Guo　Huai　bearing　down　upon　the　attackers　from　left　and　right。　Wei　Yan　and　Ma