小说园

第284部分（第1页）

great　effort；　both　leaders　and　led　are　weary　and　unfit　for　immediate　service。　Therefore　of　this　army　twenty　thousand　Wei　troops　should　be　left　west　of　Longyou；　and　with　them　twenty　thousand　Shu　troops；　to　be　employed　in　boiling　salt　so　as　to　improve　the　finances。　Moreover；　ships　should　be　built　ready　for　an　expedition　down　the　river。　When　these　preparations　shall　be　plete；　then　send　an　envoy　into　Wu　to　lay　before　its　ruler　the　truth　about　its　position。　It　is　possible　that　matters　may　be　settled　without　any　fighting。

〃Further；　generous　treatment　of　Liu　Shan　will　tend　to　weaken　Sun　Xiu；　but　if　Liu　Shan　be　removed　to　Luoyang；　the　people　of　Wu　will　be　perplexed　and　doubtful　about　what　may　happen　to　them；　and　they　will　not　be　amenable。　Therefore　it　seems　the　most　fitting　to　leave　the　late　Ruler　of　Shu　here。　Next　year；　in　the　winter　season；　he　might　be　removed　to　the　capital。　For　the　present　I　would　remend　that　he　be　created　Prince　of　Fufeng；　and　granted　a　sufficient　revenue　and　suitable　attendants。　His　sons　also　should　receive　ducal　rank。　In　this　way　would　be　demonstrated　that　favorable　treatment　follows　upon　submission。　Such　a　course　would　inspire　fear　of　the　might　of　Wei　and　respect　for　its　virtue；　and　the　result　will　be　all　that　could　be　desired。〃

Reading　this　memorial；　the　thought　entered　the　mind　of　Sima　Zhao　that　Deng　Ai　was　exaggerating　his　own　importance；　wherefore　he　first　wrote　a　private　letter　and　sent　it　by　the　hand　of　Wei　Guan　to　Deng　Ai　and　then　caused　the　Ruler　of　Wei　to　issue　an　edict　promoting　Deng　Ai。　The　edict　ran　thus：

〃General　Deng　Ai　has　performed　a　glorious　exploit；　penetrating　deeply　into　a　hostile　country　and　reducing　to　submission　a　usurping　potentate。　This　task　has　been　quickly　performed：　The　clouds　of　war　have　already　rolled　away；　and　peace　reigns　throughout　Ba　and　Shu。

＇e＇　Bai　Qi　a　general　of　Qin。　In　BC　278；　the　armies　of　Qin；　led　by　Bai　Qi；　conquered　Chu　and　entered　her　capital　Ying；　destroying　the　Palace　to　the　ground。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Han　Xin　（BC　？…197）　was　a　great　general　of　Liu　Bang。　。。。。。

〃The　merits　of　Deng　Ai　surpass　those　of　Bai　Qi*；　who　subdued　the　mighty　state　of　Chu；　and　Han　Xin*；　who　conquered　the　state　of　Zhao。　Deng　Ai　is　created　Grand　mander；　and　we　confer　upon　him　a　fief　of　twenty　thousand　homesteads；　and　his　two　sons　are　ennobled；　each　with　a　fief　of　one　thousand　homesteads。〃

After　the　edict　had　been　received　with　full　ceremonies；　Wei　Guan　produced　the　private　letter；　which　said　that　Deng　Ais　proposals　would　have　suitable　consideration　in　due　time。

Then　said　Deng　Ai；　〃A　general　in　the　field　may　decline　to　obey　even　the　orders　of　his　prince。　My　mission　was　to　conquer　the　west。　Why　are　my　plans　hindered？〃

So　he　wrote　a　reply　and　sent　it　to　the　capital　by　the　hand　of　the　envoy。　At　that　time　it　was　mon　talk　at　court　that　Deng　Ai　intended　to　rebel；　and　when　Sima　Zhao　read　the　letter；　his　suspicions　turned　to　certainty；　and　he　feared。　This　was　the　letter：

〃Deng　Ai；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　has　reduced　the　chief　of　the　revolt　to　submission；　and　must　have　authority　to　act　according　as　he　sees　best　in　order　to　settle　the　early　stages　of　administration　of　the　new　territory。　To　await　government　orders　for　every　step　means　long　delays。　According　to　the　Spring　and　Autumn　Annals　a　high　officer；　when　abroad；　has　authority　to　follow　his　own　judgment　for　the　safety　of　the　Throne　and　the　advantage　of　the　state。

〃Now　seeing　that　Wu　is　still　unsubdued；　all　interest　centers　upon　this　country；　and　schemes　of　settlement　should　not　be　nullified　by　strict　adherence　to　rules　and　formalities。　In　war　advances　are　made　without　thought　of　reputation；　retreats　without　consideration　of　avoiding　punishment。　Though　I　do　not　possess　the　fortitude　of　the　ancients；　I　shall　not　be　deterred　from　acting　for　the　benefit　of　the　state　by　craven　and　selfish　fears　for　my　own　reputation。〃

In　his　perplexity　Sima　Zhao　turned　to　Jia　Chong　for　advice。

Said　he；　〃Deng　Ai　presumes　upon　his　services　to　be　haughty　and　imperious。　His　recalcitrance　is　very　evident。　What　shall　I　do？〃

〃Why　not　order　Zhong　Hui　to　reduce　him　to　obedience？〃　replied　Jia　Chong。

Sima　Zhao　accepted　the　suggestion　and　issued　an　edict　raising　Zhong　Hui　to　Minister　of　the　Interior。　After　this　he　made　Wei　Guan　the　Inspector　of　the　Forces　and　set　Wei　Guan　over　both　armies；　with　special　orders　to　keep　a　watch　upon　Deng　Ai　and　guard　against　any　attempt　at　insubordination。

The　edict　sent　to　Zhong　Hui　ran　as　follows：

〃Zhong　Hui；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　against　whose　might　none　can　stand；　before　whom　no　one　is　strong；　whose　virtue　conquers　every　city；　whose　wide　net　no　one　escapes；　to　whom　the　valiant　army　of　Shu　humbly　submitted；　whose　plans　never　fail；　whose　every　undertaking　succeeds；　is　hereby　made　Minister　of　the　Interior　and　raised　to　the　rank　of　lordship　of　a　fief　of　ten　thousand　families。　His　two　sons　also　have　similar　rank　with　a　fief　of　one　thousand　families。〃

When　this　edict　reached　Zhong　Hui；　he　called　in　Jiang　Wei　and　said　to　him；　〃Deng　Ai　has　been　rewarded　more　richly　than　I　and　is　a　Grand　mander。　But　Sima　Zhao　suspects　him　of　rebellion　and　has　ordered　Wei　Guan　and　myself　to　keep　him　in　order。　What　does　my　friend　Jiang　Wei　think　ought　to　be　done？〃

Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃They　say　Deng　Ais　origin　was　ignoble　and　in　his　youth　he　was　a　farmer　and　breeder　of　cattle。　However；　he　had　good　luck　and　has　won　a　great　reputation　in　this　expedition。　But　this　is　due　not　to　his　able　plans；　but　to　the　good　fortune　of　the　state。　If　you　had　not　been　pelled　to　hold　me　in　check　at　Saber　Pass；　he　could　not　have　succeeded。　Now　he　wishes　the　late　Ruler　of　Shu　to　be　created　Prince　of　Fufeng；　whereby　he　hopes　to　win　the　goodwill　of　the　people　of　Shu。　But　to　me　it　seems　that　perfidy　lies　therein。　The　Duke　of　Jin　suspects　him；　it　is　evident。〃

Zhong　Hui　plimented　him。　Jiang　Wei　continued；　〃If　you　will　send　away　your　people；　I　have　something　to　say　to　you　in　private。〃

When　this　had　been　done　and　they　two　were　alone；　Jiang　Wei　drew　a　map　from　his　sleeve　and　spread　it　before　Zhong　Hui；　saying；　〃Long　ago；　before　he　had　left　his　humble　cot。　Zhuge　Liang　gave　this　to　the　First　Ruler　and　told　him　of　the　riches　of　Yizhou　and　how　well　it　was　fitted　for　an　independent　state。　Whereupon　Chengdu　was　seized　as　a　first　step　towards　attaining　it。　Now　that　Deng　Ai　has　got　to　the　same　point；　it　is　small　wonder　that　he　has　lost　his　balance。〃

Zhong　Hui　asked　many　questions　about　the　details　of　the　features　of　the　map；　and　Jiang　Wei　explained　in　full。　Toward　the　end；　he　asked　how　Deng　Ai　could　be　got　rid　of。

〃By　making　use　of　the　Duke　of　Jins　suspicions；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　〃Send　up　a　memorial　to　say　that　it　looks　as　if　Deng　Ai　really　contemplated　rebellion。　You　will　receive　direct　orders　to　check　the　revolt。〃

So　a　memorial　was　sent　to　Luoyang。　It　said　that　Deng　Ai　aimed　at　independence；　nourished　base　designs；　was　making　friends　with　the　vanquished；　and　was　about　to　revolt。

At　this　news　the　court　was　much　disturbed。　Then　to　support　his　charges；　Zhong　Huis　soldiers　intercepted　Deng　Ais　letters　and　rewrote　them　in　arrogant　and　rebellious　terms。　Sima　Zhao　was　greatly　angered　and　sent　Jia　Chong　to　lead　an　expedition　into　the　Xie　Valley；　he　ordered　Zhong　Hui　to　arrest　Deng　Ai；　and　he　himself　directing　a　great　march　under　the　leadership　of　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　Cao　Huang；　whom　he　pelled　to　go　with　him。

Then　said　Shao　Ti；　〃Zhong　Huis　army　outnumbers　that　of　Deng　Ai　by　six　to　one。　You　need　not　go。　You　need　only　order　Zhong　Hui　to　arrest　Deng　Ai。〃

〃Have　you　forgotten？〃　said　Sima　Zhao；　smiling。　〃You　said　Zhong　Hui　was　a　danger。　I　am　not　really　going　against　Deng　Ai；　but　against　the　other。〃

〃I　feared　lest　you　had　forgotten；〃　said　Shao　Ti。　〃I　ventured　to　remind　you；　but　the　matter　must　be　kept　secret。〃