小说园

第228部分（第2页）

〃You　know；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　smiling。　〃Those　dark　clouds　and　the　strong　north　wind　mean　snow。　Then　I　can　do　what　I　wish。〃

The　two　leaders；　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　were　sent　into　ambush；　and　Jiang　Wei　went　out　to　offer　battle。　But　he　was　to　retire　before　the　iron　chariots。　At　the　entrance　to　the　camp　were　displayed　many　flags；　but　the　soldiers　that　should　serve　under　them　were　not　there。

It　was　now　full　winter；　the　twelfth　month；　and　the　snow　had　e。　The　army　of　Shu　went　out　to　offer　battle。　When　the　iron　chariots　came　forward；　they　retired　and　thus　led　the　Qiangs　to　the　gate　of　the　camp；　Jiang　Wei　going　to　its　rear。　The　Qiangs　came　to　the　gate　and　stopped　to　look。　They　heard　the　strumming　of　a　lute；　but　there　were　no　soldiers　there；　the　flags　meant　nothing。　They　told　Yue　Ji；　and　he　suspected　some　ruse。　Instead　of　entering；　he　went　back　to　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan　and　told　him。

〃It　is　a　ruse；〃　said　Ya　Dan。　〃Zhuge　Liangs　base　trick　is　the　pretense　of　a　pretense；　and　you　had　better　attack。〃

So　Yue　Ji　led　his　troops　again　to　the　camp　gate；　and　there　he　saw　Zhuge　Liang　with　a　lute　just　getting　into　his　chariot。　With　a　small　escort；　he　went　toward　the　back　of　the　camp。　The　tribesmen　rushed　into　the　camp　and　caught　sight　of　the　light　chariot　again　just　as　it　disappeared　into　a　wood。

Then　said　Ya　Dan；　〃There　may　be　an　ambush；　but　I　think　we　need　not　be　afraid　of　these　soldiers。〃

Hence　they　decided　to　pursue。　Ahead　of　them　they　saw　the　division　under　Jiang　Wei　hastening　off　through　the　snow。　Yue　Jis　rage　boiled　up　at　this　sight；　and　he　urged　his　men　to　go　faster。　The　snow　had　filled　in　the　roads　among　the　hills；　making　every　part　look　like　a　level　plain。

As　they　marched；　one　reported　that　some　of　the　enemy　were　appearing　from　the　rear　of　the　hills。　Some　thought　this　meant　an　ambush；　but　Ya　Dan　said　it　did　not　matter；　and　they　need　not　fear。　He　urged　them　to　hasten。

Shortly　after　this　they　heard　a　roaring　as　if　the　hills　were　rending　asunder　and　the　earth　falling　in；　and　the　pursuers　on　foot　fell　one　atop　of　the　other　into　great　pits　that　were　invisible　in　the　snow。　The　iron　chariots；　being　close　behind　and　hurrying　along；　could　not　stop；　and　they　went　into　the　pits　also。　Those　still　farther　in　the　rear　halted；　but　just　as　they　were　facing　about；　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　came　up；　one　on　either　side；　and　attacked。　Myriads　of　bolts　flew　through　the　air。　Then　three　other　divisions　under　Jiang　Wei；　Ma　Dai；　and　Zhang　Yi　arrived　and　confusion　was　worse　than　ever。

The　Qiang　leader；　Yue　Ji；　fled　to　the　rear　and　was　making　for　the　mountains　when　he　met　Guan　Xing；　who　slew　him　in　the　first　encounter。　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan　was　captured　by　Ma　Dai　and　taken　to　the　main　camp。　The　soldiers　scattered。

Hearing　of　the　capture　of　one　leader；　Zhuge　Liang　took　his　seat　in　his　tent　and　bade　them　bring　the　prisoner。　He　told　the　guards　to　loose　his　bonds；　and　he　had　wine　brought　to　refresh　him　and　soothed　him　with　kindly　words。

Ya　Dan　was　grateful　for　this　kindness；　and　felt　more　so　when　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃My　master；　the　Emperor　of　the　Great　Han；　sent　me　to　destroy　those　who　are　in　revolt。　Why　are　you　helping　them？　But　I　will　release　you；　and　you　will　return　to　your　master　and　say　that　we　are　neighbors　and　we　will　swear　an　oath　of　everlasting　friendship；　and　tell　him　to　listen　no　more　to　the　words　of　those　rebels。〃

Ya　Dan　was　released　and　so　were　all　the　soldiers　that　had　been　captured；　and　all　their　stuff　was　given　back　to　them。　They　left　for　their　own　country。

The　Qiangs　being　thus　disposed　of；　Zhuge　Liang　quickly　marched　again　to　Qishan。　He　sent　letters　to　Capital　Chengdu　announcing　his　success。

Meanwhile　Cao　Zhen　anxiously　waited　for　news　of　his　expected　allies。　Then　a　scout　came　in　with　the　news　that　the　army　of　Shu　had　broken　camp　and　were　marching　away。

〃That　is　because　the　Qiangs　have　attacked；〃　said　Guo　Huai　gleefully；　and　the　two　made　ready　to　pursue。

They　saw　ahead　of　them　the　army　of　Shu　seemed　to　be　in　confusion。　The　Van　Leader　Cao　Zun　led　the　pursuit。

Suddenly；　as　he　pressed　on；　there　came　a　roll　of　drums；　followed　by　the　appearance　of　a　cohort　led　by　Wei　Yan；　who　cried；　〃Stop！　You　rebels！〃

But　Cao　Zun　did　not　obey　the　summons。　He　dashed　forward　to　meet　the　attack。　He　was　killed　in　the　third　encounter。　His　colleague　Zhu　Zan　in　similar　fashion　fell　in　with　a　cohort　under　Zhao　Yun；　to　whose　long　spear　he　soon　fell　victim。　The　loss　of　these　two　made　Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　hesitate；　and　they　made　to　retire。

But　before　they　could　face　about；　they　heard　the　drums　of　an　army　in　their　rear；　and　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　came　out　and　surrounded　them。　Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　made　a　stand　for　a　time；　but　were　soon　worsted　and　fled。　The　army　of　Shu　pursued　the　beaten　enemy　to　the　bank　of　River　Wei；　where　they　took　possession　of　the　Wei　camp。

Cao　Zhen　was　greatly　chagrined　at　his　defeat　and　sad　at　the　loss　of　his　generals。　He　send　a　report　of　his　misfortune　to　his　master　and　asked　for　reinforcements。

At　the　court　of　Wei　one　of　the　ministers　told　the　story；　saying；　〃Cao　Zhen　has　been　defeated　repeatedly；　and　his　two　Van　Leaders　were　slain。　Further；　his　Qiang　allies　have　suffered　great　loss。　Cao　Zhen　is　sending　for　help；　and　the　case　is　very　urgent。〃

Cao　Rui　was　alarmed　and　asked　for　someone　to　say　how　to　drive　off　the　victorious　foe。

Thereupon　Hua　Xin　said；　〃It　will　be　necessary　for　Your　Majesty　to　go　in　person。　You　should　call　together　all　the　nobles；　and　each　will　have　to　exert　himself。　Unless　this　is　done；　Capital　Changan　will　be　lost　and　the　whole　Land　Within　the　Passes　be　in　danger。〃

But　Imperial　Guardian　Zhong　Yao　opposed　him。

Said　he；　〃The　knowledge　of　every　leader　must　exceed　that　of　those　led；　then　only　will　he　be　able　to　control　them。　Sun　Zi　the　Strategist　sums　it　up　very　briefly：　Know　the　enemy；　know　thyself；　and　every　battle　is　a　victory。　I　know　Cao　Zhen　has　had　great　experience　in　the　field；　but　he　is　n