迪文小说

第239部分（第1页）

im　the　Left　panion　to　the　Heir　Apparent。

Zhang　Zhaos　son；　Zhang　Xi；　was　chosen　for　honor　on　account　of　the　eminent　services　of　his　father；　whose　rank　was　only　below　that　of　Prince。　Then　Gu　Yong　became　Prime　Minister　and　Lu　Xun；　Regent　Marshal。　And　Lu　Xun　assisted　the　Heir　Apparent　in　the　custody　of　Wuchang。　Sun　Quan　himself　returned　to　Jianye。

As　Sun　Quan　seemed　powerful　and　well　established；　the　whole　of　his　court　turned　their　thoughts　toward　the　suppression　of　Wei。　Only　Zhang　Zhao　opposed　it　and　tendered　counsels　of　internal　reform。

〃It　is　not　well　to　begin　Your　Majestys　new　reign　with　fighting。　Rather　improve　learning　and　hide　the　sword；　establish　schools　and　so　give　the　people　the　blessings　of　peace。　Make　a　treaty　with　Shu　to　share　the　empire；　and　lay　your　plans　slowly　and　carefully。〃

Sun　Quan　saw　the　wisdom　of　the　advice。　He　sent　an　envoy　into　the　River　Lands　to　lay　the　scheme　of　an　alliance　before　the　Latter　Ruler。　The　Latter　Ruler　called　his　courtiers　to　discuss　it。　Many　were　opposed　to　Sun　Quan　as　an　upstart　usurper　and　advised　rejection　of　any　friendly　proposals　from　him。

Then　Jiang　Wan　said；　〃We　should　get　the　opinion　of　Zhuge　Liang。〃

So　they　sent　and　put　the　matter　before　the　Prime　Minister。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Send　an　envoy　with　presents　and　felicitations　and　ask　Sun　Quan　to　send　Lu　Xun　against　Wei。　Then　Sima　Yi　will　be　engaged　with　Wu；　and　I　may　once　more　march　to　Qishan　and　attempt　Capital　Changan。〃

Wherefore　the　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Chen　Zhen；　was　sent　with　presents　of　horses；　a　jeweled　belt；　gold　and　pearls；　and　precious　things　into　the　South　Land　to　congratulate　the　Ruler　of　Wu　on　his　newly　assumed　dignity。　And　the　presents　were　accepted；　and　the　bearer　thereof　honored　and　allowed　to　return。

When　this　was　all　over；　Sun　Quan　called　in　Lu　Xun　and　asked　his　opinion　about　the　concerted　attack　on　Wei。　Lu　Xun　saw　through　the　scheme　at　once。

〃We　owe　this　to　Zhuge　Liangs　fear　of　Sima　Yi；〃　said　he。　〃However；　we　must　consent　since　Shu　asks　it。　We　will　make　a　show　of　raising　an　army　and　in　a　measure　support　them。　When　Zhuge　Liang　has　actually　attacked　Wei；　we　will　make　for　the　Middle　Land　ourselves。〃

Orders　went　forth　for　enlisting　and　training　Jingzhou　soldiers　ready　for　an　expedition　to　start　presently。

When　Chen　Zhen　returned　to　Hanzhong　and　reported　to　the　Prime　Minister；　Zhuge　Liang　was　still　worried　that　he　could　not　advanced　hastily　by　the　road　through　Chencang。　So　he　sent　scouts　out　first。

Soon　the　scouts　brought　the　news　back：　〃The　defender　of　the　city；　Hao　Zhao；　is　being　very　ill。〃

〃That　means　success　for　me；〃　cried　he；　cheering。

He　called　in　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Wei；　and　said；　〃Take　five　thousand　troops　and　hasten　to　Chencang。　If　you　see　a　blaze；　then　attack。〃

They　could　hardly　believe　what　the　order　was　meant；　and　came　again　to　see　their　chief　and　asked　the　exact　date　of　departure。

Replied　Zhuge　Liang；　〃In　three　days　you　should　be　ready　to　march。　Do　not　e　to　take　leave　of　me；　but　set　out　as　soon　as　possible。〃

After　they　had　left　his　tent；　he　summoned　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　and　gave　them　secret　instructions。

Now　when　Guo　Huai　heard　that　mander　Hao　Zhao　of　Chencang　was　ill；　he　and　Zhang　He　talked　over　the　matter。

Guo　Huai　said；　〃Hao　Zhao　is　very　ill。　You　had　better　go　and　relieve　him。　I　will　report　to　the　capital　what　we　have　done　that　they　may　arrange。〃

So　Zhang　He　started　with　his　three　thousand　troops　to　relieve　the　sick　man。

Hao　Zhao　was　indeed　at　the　point　of　death；　and　suddenly　they　told　him　that　the　army　of　Shu　had　reached　the　walls。　Hao　Zhao　roused　himself　and　bade　them　go　on　the　ramparts。　But　then　fire　broke　out　at　each　gate；　a　panic　spread　in　the　city；　and　the　noise　of　the　confusion　startled　the　dying　man　so　that　he　passed　away　just　as　the　troops　of　Shu　were　bursting　in。

When　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Wei　reached　the　walls；　they　were　perplexed　to　find　no　sign　of　life。　No　flags　were　flying　and　no　watchmen　struck　the　hours。　They　delayed　their　attack　for　a　time。　Then　they　heard　a　bomb；　and　suddenly　the　wall　was　thick　with　flags；　and　there　appeared　the　well…known　figure　of　the　minister。

〃You　have　e　too　late；〃　cried　Zhuge　Liang。

Both　dropped　out　of　the　saddle　and　prostrated　themselves。

〃Really；　you　are　supernatural；　O　Prime　Minister！〃　they　cried。

They　entered　the　city；　and　then　he　explained　to　them；　saying；　〃I　heard　the　news　that　Hao　Zhao　was　seriously　sick；　so　I　sent　you　with　the　deadline　of　three　days　as　a　decoy　to　calm　the　people　of　this　city。　Then　I　hid　myself　in　the　ranks　of　another　force　under　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　which　came　to　Chencang　by　double　marches。　Also；　I　had　sent　spies　into　the　city　to　start　the　fires　and　throw　the　defenders　into　confusion。　An　army　without　a　leader　could　never　fight；　and　I　could　take　the　city　easily。　This　is　an　instance　of　the　rule　of　war：　Do　the　unexpected；　attack　the　unprepared。〃

They　bowed。　In　miseration　Zhuge　Liang　sent　all　the　family　of　Hao　Zhao；　and　his　coffin；　over　to　Wei；　thus　showing　his　sense　of　the　dead　mans　loyalty。

Turning　once　more　to　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Wei；　he　said；　〃But　do　not　divest　yourself　of　your　armor。　Go　and　attack　San　Pass　and　drive　away　the　guards　while　they　are　in　a　state　of　surprise。　If　you　delay；　Wei　will　have　sent　reinforcements。〃

They　went。　Surely　enough　the　capture　of　San　Pass　was　easy　as　the　Wei　soldiers　scattered。　But　when　they　went　up　to　look　around；　they　saw　a　great　cloud　of　dust　moving　toward　them。　The　Wei　reinforcements　were　already　near。

They　remarked　to　each　other；　〃The　Prime　Ministers　foresight　was　superhuman。〃

When　they　had　looked　a　little　longer；　they　saw　the　leader　of　the　Wei　army　then　approaching　was　Zhang　He。

They　then　divided　their　soldiers　to　hold　the　approaches。　When　Zhang　He　saw　that　all　was　prepared；　he　retired。　Wei　Yan　followed　and　fought　a　battle；　defeating　Zhang　He　heavily。

Wei　Yan　sent　to　report　his　success；　but　Zhuge　Liang　had　already　left　Chencang　and　had　gone　into　the　Xie　Valley　to　capture　the　county　of　Jianwei。　Other　armies　from　Shu　followed。　Moreover；　the　Latter　Ruler　sent　Chen　Shi　to　assist　in　the　campaign。　Zhuge　Liang　then　marched　his　main　force　to　Qishan　and　there　made　a　camp。　Then　he　called　an　assembly　of　officers。

〃Twice　have　I　gone　out　by　Qishan　without　success；　but　at　last　I　am　here。　I　think　Wei　will　resume　the　former　battle　ground　and　oppose　us。　If　so；　they　will　assume　that　I　shall　attack　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　and　send　armies　to　defend　them。　But　I　see　Yinping　and　Wudu　are　connected　with　Hanzhong。　If　I　can　win　these；　I　can　drive　a　wedge　into　the　Wei　force。　Who　will　go　to　take　these　places？〃

Jiang　Wei　and　Wang　Ping　offered　themselves。　The　former　was　sent　with　ten　thousand　troops　to　capture　Wudu；　the　latter；　with　an　equal　force；　went　to　Yinping。

Zhang　He　went　back　to　Changan　and　saw　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li；　to　whom　he　said；　〃Chencang　is　lost；　Hao　Zhao　is　dead；　and　San　Pass　is　taken。　Zhuge　Liang　is　again　at　Qishan；　and　thence　has　sent　out　two　armies。〃

Guo　Huai　was　frightened；　saying；　〃In　that　case；　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　are　in　danger。〃