小说园

第282部分（第1页）

His　son；　Zhuge　Shang；　then　nineteen；　offered　himself；　saying；　〃Since　my　father　mands　the　army；　I　volunteer　to　lead　the　van！〃

Zhuge　Shang　had　studied　military　books　and　made　himself　an　adept　in　the　various　exercises。　So　he　was　appointed；　and　the　army　marched　to　find　the　enemy。

In　the　meantime　the　surrender　general；　Ma　Miao；　had　given　Deng　Ai　a　very　plete　map　of　the　country　showing　the　whole　sixty　miles　of　road　to　Chengdu。　However；　Deng　Ai　was　dismayed　when　he　saw　the　difficulties　ahead　of　him。

〃If　they　defend　the　hills　in　front；　I　shall　fail；　for　if　I　am　delayed；　Jiang　Wei　will　e　up；　and　my　army　will　be　in　great　danger。　The　army　must　press　on。〃

He　called　Shi　Zuan　and　his　son　Deng　Zhong　and　said；　〃Lead　one　army　straight　to　Mianzhu　to　keep　back　any　Shu　soldiers　sent　to　stop　our　march。　I　will　follow　as　soon　as　I　can。　But　hasten；　for　if　you　let　the　enemy　forestall　you；　I　will　put　you　to　death。〃

They　went。　Nearing　Mianzhu　they　met　the　army　under　Zhuge　Zhan。　Both　sides　prepared　for　battle。　The　Shu　armies　adopted　the　Eight　Diagrams　formation　and　presently；　after　the　usual　triple　roll　of　drums；　Shi　Zuan　and　Deng　Zhong　saw　their　opponents　ranks　open　in　the　center；　and　therefrom　emerge　a　light　carriage　in　which　sat　a　figure　looking　exactly　as　Zhuge　Liang　used　to　look　when　he　appeared　on　the　battlefield。　Everybody　knew　the　Taoist　robes　and　the　feather　fan。　The　standard　bore　his　name　and　titles　The　Han　Prime　Minister　Zhuge　Liang　。

The　sight　was　too　much　for　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan。　The　cold　sweat　of　terror　poured　down　them；　and　they　stammered　out。

〃If　Zhuge　Liang　is　still　alive；　that　is　the　end　of　us！〃

They　led　their　army　to　flee。　The　troops　of　Shu　came　on；　and　the　army　of　Wei　was　driven　away　in　defeat　and　chased　a　distance　of　seven　miles。　Then　the　pursuers　sighted　Deng　Ai；　and　they　turned　and　retired。

When　Deng　Ai　had　camped；　he　called　the　two　leaders　before　him　and　reproached　them　for　retreating　without　fighting。

〃We　saw　Zhuge　Liang　leading　the　enemy；〃　said　Deng　Zhong；　〃So　we　ran　away。〃

〃Why　should　we　fear；　even　if　they　bring　Zhuge　Liang　to　life　again？　You　ran　away　without　cause；　and　we　have　lost。　You　ought　both　to　be　put　to　death。〃

However；　they　did　not　die；　for　their　fellows　pleaded　for　them；　and　Deng　Ais　wrath　was　mollified。

Then　the　scouts　came　in　to　say：　〃The　leader　of　the　army　is　a　son　of　Zhuge　Liang；　Zhuge　Zhan。　The　Van　Leader　is　Zhuge　Zhangs　son；　Zhuge　Shang。　They　had　set　up　on　the　carriage　the　old　wooden　image　of　the　late　strategist。〃

Deng　Ai；　however；　said　to　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan；　〃This　is　the　critical　stage。　If　you　lose　the　next　battle；　you　will　certainly　lose　your　lives　with　it！〃

At　the　head　of　ten　thousand　troops；　they　went　out　to　battle　once　more。　This　time　they　met　the　vanguard　led　by　Zhuge　Shang；　who　rode　out　alone；　boldly　offering　to　repulse　the　leaders　of　Wei。　At　Zhuge　Zhans　signal　the　two　wings　advanced　and　threw　themselves　against　the　Wei　line。　The　center　portion　of　the　Wei　line　met　them；　and　the　battle　went　to　and　fro　many　times；　till　at　length　the　force　of　Wei；　after　great　losses；　had　to　give　way。　Both　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan　being　badly　wounded；　they　fled　and　the　army　of　Shu　pursued　and　drove　the　invaders　into　their　camp。

Shi　Zuan　and　Deng　Zhong　had　to　acknowledge　a　new　defeat；　but；　when　Deng　Ai　saw　both　were　severely　wounded；　he　forbore　to　blame　them　or　decree　any　penalty。

To　his　officers　Deng　Ai　said；　〃This　Zhuge　Zhan　well　continues　the　paternal　tradition。　Twice　they　have　beaten　us　and　slain　great　numbers。　We　must　defeat　them；　and　that　quickly；　or　we　are　lost。〃

Then　Military　Inspector　Qiu　Ben　said；　〃Why　not　persuade　their　leader　with　a　letter？〃

Deng　Ai　agreed　and　wrote　a　letter；　which　he　sent　by　the　hand　of　a　messenger。　The　warden　of　the　Shu　camp　gate　led　the　messenger　in　to　see　Zhuge　Zhan；　who　opened　the　letter　and　read：

〃Deng　Ai；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　writes　to　Zhuge　Zhan；　General　of　the　Guard　and　Leader　of　the　army　in　the　field。

〃Now　having　carefully　observed　all　the　talents　of　the　time；　I　see　not　one　of　them　is　equal　to　your　most　honored　father。　From　the　moment　of　his　emergence　from　his　retreat；　he　said　that　the　country　was　to　be　in　tripod　division。　He　conquered　Jingzhou　and　Yizhou　and　Hanzhong　and　thus　established　a　position。　Few　have　been　his　equal　in　all　history。　He　made　six　expeditions　from　Qishan；　and；　if　he　failed；　it　was　not　that　he　lacked　skill………it　was　the　will　of　Heaven。

〃But　now　this　Latter　Ruler　is　dull　and　weak；　and　his　kingly　aura　is　already　exhausted。　I　have　a　mand　from　the　Son　of　Heaven　to　smite　Shu　with　severity；　and　I　already　possess　the　land。　Your　capital　must　quickly　fall。　Why　then　do　you　not　bow　to　the　will　of　Heaven　and　fall　in　with　the　desires　of　people　by　acting　rightly　and　ing　over　to　our　side？　I　will　obtain　the　rank　of　Prince　of　Langye　for　you；　whereby　your　ancestors　will　be　rendered　illustrious。　These　are　no　vain　words　if　happily　you　will　consider　them。〃

The　letter　made　Zhuge　Zhan　furiously　angry。　He　tore　it　to　fragments　and　ordered　the　bearer　thereof　to　be　put　to　death　immediately。　He　also　ordered　the　escort　to　bear　the　head　of　the　messenger　to　the　camp　of　Wei　and　lay　it　before　Deng　Ai。

Deng　Ai　was　very　angry　at　this　insult　and　wished　to　go　forth　at　once　to　battle。　But　Qiu　Ben　dissuaded　him。

〃Do　not　go　out　to　battle；〃　said　he。　〃Rather　overe　him　by　some　unexpected　stroke。〃

So　Deng　Ai　laid　his　plans。　He　sent　Wang　Qi；　Governor　of　Tianshui；　and　Qian　Hong；　Governor　of　Longxi；　to　lie　in　wait　in　the　rear　while　he　led　the　main　body。

Zhuge　Zhan　happened　to　be　close　at　hand　seeking　battle。　When　he　heard　the　enemy　was　near；　he　led　out　his　army　eagerly　and　rushed　into　the　midst　of　the　invaders。　Then　Deng　Ai　fled　as　though　worsted；　so　luring　on　Zhuge　Zhan。　But　when　the　pursuit　had　lasted　some　time；　the　pursuers　were　attacked　by　those　who　lay　in　wait；　and　the　Shu　troops　were　defeated。　They　ran　away　into　Mianzhu。

Therefore　Deng　Ai　besieged　Mianzhu；　and　the　troops　of　Wei　shouted　about　the　city　and　watched　the　ramparts；　thus　keeping　the　defenders　close　shut　in　as　if　held　in　an　iron　barrel。

Zhuge　Zhan　was　desperate；　seeing　no　way　of　escape　without　help　from　outside。　Wherefore　he　wrote　a　letter　to　East　Wu　begging　for　assistance；　and　he　gave　this　letter　to　Peng　He　to　bear　through　the　besiegers。

Peng　He　fought　his　way　through　and　reached　Wu；　where　he　saw　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Xiu。　And　he　presented　the　letter　showing　the　wretched　plight　of　Zhuge　Zhan　and　his　urgent　need。

Then　the　Ruler　of　Wu　assembled　his　officers　and　said　to　them；　〃The　land　of　Shu　being　in　danger；　I　cannot　sit　and　look　on　unconcerned。〃