迪文小说

第242部分（第1页）

ine　weather；　but　with　no　effect。

Minister　Wang　Su　sent　up　a　memorial：

〃The　histories　say　that　when　supplies　have　to　be　conveyed　a　long　distance；　the　soldiers　are　starved；　if　they　have　to　gather　brushwood　before　they　can　cook；　then　the　army　is　not　full　fed。　This　applies　to　ordinary　expeditions　in　an　ordinary　country。　If；　in　addition；　the　army　has　to　march　through　a　difficult　country　and　roads　have　to　be　cut；　the　labor　is　doubled。　Now　this　expedition　is　hindered　by　rain　and　steep　and　slippery　hills；　movement　is　cramped　and　supplies　can　only　be　maintained　with　difficulty。　All　is　most　unpropitious　to　the　army。

〃Cao　Zhen　has　been　gone　over　a　month　and　has　only　got　half　through　the　valley。　Road　making　is　monopolizing　all　energies；　and　the　fighting　soldiers　have　to　work　on　them。　The　state　of　affairs　is　the　opposite　to　ideal；　and　the　fighting　soldiers　dislike　it。

＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。

〃I　may　quote　certain　parallels。　King　Wu　of　Zhou　attacked　the　last　king　of　Shang　Dynasty；　he　went　through　the　pass；　but　returned。　In　recent　times　Emperors　Cao　and　Pi；　attacking　Sun　Quan；　reached　the　river；　and　went　no　farther。　Did　they　not　recognize　limitations　and　act　accordingly？　I　pray　Your　Majesty　remember　the　grave　difficulties　caused　by　the　rain　and　put　an　end　to　this　expedition。　By　and　by　another　occasion　will　arise　for　using　force；　and　in　the　joy　of　overing　difficulties　the　people　will　forget　death。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　could　not　make　up　his　mind；　but　two　other　memorials　by　Yang　Fu　and　Hua　Xin　followed；　and　then　he　issued　the　mand　to　return；　which　was　sent　to　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi。

Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　had　already　discussed　the　abandonment　of　the　expedition。

Cao　Zhen　had　said；　〃We　have　had　rain　for　a　whole　month；　and　the　soldiers　are　downhearted　and　think　only　of　getting　home　again。　How　can　we　stop　them？〃

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃Return　is　best。〃

〃If　Zhuge　Liang　pursue；　how　shall　we　repulse　him？〃

〃We　can　leave　an　ambush。〃

While　they　were　discussing　this　matter；　the　Emperors　mand　arrived。　Whereupon　they　faced　about　and　marched　homeward。

Now　Zhuge　Liang　had　reckoned　upon　this　month　of　rain　and　so　had　had　his　troops　camped　in　a　safe　place。　Then　he　ordered　the　main　army　to　assemble　at　Red　Slope　and　camp　there。

He　summoned　his　officers　to　his　tent　and　said；　〃In　my　opinion　the　enemy　must　retire；　for　the　Ruler　of　Wei　will　issue　such　an　order。　To　retreat　needs　preparation；　and　if　we　pursue；　we　will　fall　in　their　trap。　So　we　will　let　them　retire　without　molestation。　Some　other　plan　must　be　evolved。〃

So　when　Wang　Ping　sent　news　of　the　retreat　of　the　enemy；　the　messenger　carried　back　the　order　not　to　pursue。

It　is　only　lost　labor　to　cover　retreat

When　your　enemy　does　not　pursue。

By　what　means　Zhuge　Liang　intended　to　defeat　Wei　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　100　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　100

Chapter　100

Raiding　A　Camp；　The　Shu　Soldiers　Defeat　Cao　Zhen；

Contesting　Array　Battles；　Zhuge　Liang　Shames　Sima　Yi。

When　the　Shu　officers　got　to　know　that　the　Wei　army　had　gone　but　they　were　not　to　pursue；　they　were　inclined　to　discontent　and　went　in　a　body　to　the　Prime　Ministers　tent　and　said；　〃The　rain　has　driven　the　enemy　away。　Surely　it　is　the　moment　to　pursue。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Sima　Yi　is　an　able　leader　who　would　not　retreat　without　leaving　an　ambush　to　cover　it。　If　we　pursue　we　shall　fall　victims。　Let　him　go　in　peace；　and　I　shall　then　get　through　the　Xie　Valley　and　take　Qishan；　making　use　of　the　enemys　lack　of　defense。〃

〃But　there　are　other　ways　of　taking　Changan；〃　said　they。　〃Why　only　take　Qishan？〃

〃Because　Qishan　is　the　first　step　to　Changan；　and　I　want　to　gain　the　advantage　of　position。　And　every　transportation　from　the　West　Valley　Land　must　e　this　way。　It　rests　on　River　Wei　in　front　and　is　backed　by　the　Xie　Valley。　It　gives　the　greatest　freedom　of　movement　and　is　a　natural　maneuvering　ground。　That　is　why　I　want　it。〃

They　bowed　to　his　wisdom。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　dispatched　Wei　Yan；　Zhang　Ni；　Du　Qiong；　and　Chen　Shi　for　Gu　Valley；　and　he　sent　Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Yi；　and　Ma　Zheng　for　the　Xie　Valley；　all　were　to　meet　at　the　Qishan　Mountains。　He　led　the　main　army　himself；　with　Guan　Xing　and　Liao　Hua　in　the　van。

When　the　Wei　army　retreated；　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　remained　in　the　rear　superintending　the　movement。　They　sent　a　reconnoitering　party　along　the　old　road　to　Chencang；　and　they　returned　saying　no　enemy　was　to　be　seen。　Ten　days　later　the　leaders；　who　had　manded　in　the　ambush；　joined　the　main　body　saying　that　they　had　seen　no　sign　of　the　enemy。

＇e＇　The　mountainous　roads　to　Shu　were　very　difficult。　People　had　to　lay　planks　on　the　earth　to　make　roads。

Cao　Zhen　said；　〃This　continuous　autumn　rain　has　rendered　all　the　plank　trails*　impassable。　How　could　the　soldiers　of　Shu　know　of　our　retreat？〃

〃They　will　appear　later；〃　said　Sima　Yi。

〃How　can　you　know？〃

〃These　late　five　dry　days　they　have　not　pursued；　because　they　think　we　shall　have　left　a　rearguard　in　ambush。　Therefore　they　have　let　us　get　well　away。　But　after　we　have　gone；　they　will　try　to　occupy　Qishan。〃