迪文小说

第156部分（第1页）

dge；　where　all　the　passers…by　would　be　reminded　of　his　loyalty。

Next　day　the　army　moved　on　to　Luocheng；　Yan　Yan　and　the　other　generals　who　had　submitted　leading　the　way。

At　the　gate　they　hailed　the　defenders；　〃Open　the　gates　and　surrender；　whereby　the　city　should　be　saved　from　utter　destruction！〃

From　the　wall；　Liu　Gui　abused　the　treacherous　Yan　Yan　and　took　his　bow　to　shoot。　But　just　as　Liu　Gui　was　fitting　the　arrow　to　the　string；　another　man　cut　him　down。　Soon　the　gates　were　thrown　open　and　the　city　had　yielded。

As　Liu　Bei　entered　the　city　by　one　gate；　Liu　Xun；　who　had　shared　the　mand　of　the　city；　escaped　by　another　gate　and　set　off　for　Chengdu。

Liu　Bei　put　forth　proclamations　to　allay　the　fears　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　city。　He　inquired　who　had　been　on　his　side　in　cutting　down　Liu　Gui　and　was　told　it　was　Zhang　Yi　of　Wuyang。　Zhang　Yi　and　all　who　had　helped　in　the　capture　were　amply　rewarded。

〃Our　next　city　is　Chengdu；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃However；　in　the　meantime　there　may　be　some　trouble　in　pacifying　the　outlying　counties；　and　hence　it　will　be　well　for　you　to　send　Zhang　Fei　and　Zhao　Yun　with　Wu　Yi；　Zhang　Yi；　Yan　Yan；　and　Zhuo　Ying　leading　the　way；　into　the　country　along　the　river　and　Changyang；　Deyang；　and　Baxi　to　reassure　the　people　and　to　repress　any　rising　that　may　take　place。　There　will　be　no　need　for　any　especial　precautions　in　the　neighborhood　of　Chengdu。〃

The　warriors　went　their　ways；　and　then　Zhuge　Liang　began　to　make　careful　inquiries　concerning　the　road　to　Chengdu。

Those　who　had　given　in　their　allegiance　to　the　invaders　said；　〃The　only　place　where　you　can　expect　any　serious　defense　is　Mianzhu。　Once　you　have　passed　this；　the　capital　lies　at　your　mercy。〃

Then　Fa　Zheng　was　consulted。

Said　he；　〃With　the　fall　of　Luocheng；　the　West　River　Land　passed　to　you。　Let　our　lord　only　deal　with　the　people　kindly　and　justly；　and　there　will　be　no　need　of　weapons。　I　can　write　such　a　letter　to　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Zhang　as　shall　make　him　surrender　at　call。〃

〃That　would　be　most　excellent；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

The　letter　was　written　and　sent　by　the　hand　of　a　messenger。

Liu　Xun；　son　of　the　Imperial　Protector；　presently　reached　Chengdu　and　told　his　father　of　the　loss　of　Luocheng。　The　Imperial　Protector　at　once　called　his　counselors　together。

Adviser　Zheng　Du　said；　〃Although　Liu　Bei　has　been　successful　and　captured　cities　and　towns；　yet　his　army　is　but　small；　his　hosts　are　not　near　him；　and　he　depends　upon　chance　for　his　grain　and　has　no　proper　supplies。　Therefore　our　best　plan　is　to　remove　the　people　of　Baxi　and　Zitong　to　the　farther　side　of　River　Fu；　burn　all　the　granaries；　fortify　the　city；　and　let　starvation　defeat　him。　Let　us　reject　all　challenges　to　battle；　and　in　a　hundred　days　his　troops　will　go　off　of　their　own　accord。　Then　we　can　do　with　him　as　we　will。〃

〃I　like　not　the　plan；〃　said　Liu　Zhang。　〃Oppose　invaders　in　order　that　tranquillity　may　prevail　is　a　well…worn　maxim；　but　till　now　I　have　never　heard　of　disturbing　the　people　in　order　to　oppose　the　march　of　an　enemy。　Your　words　are　not　such　as　safety。〃

Just　at　the　moment　the　letter　from　Fa　Zheng　arrived。　It　was　opened　and　the　Imperial　Protector　read：

〃I　was　sent　to　Jingzhou　to　negotiate　an　alliance；　but　the　opposition　of　those　about　you　to　their　lord　has　resulted　in　the　present　situation。　However；　the　ruler　of　Jingzhou　still　remembers　old　friendship　and　is　mindful　of　the　ties　of　relationship。　If　you；　my　master；　could　reverse　your　policy　and　lend　your　support　to　your　relative；　I　think　you　would　be　generously　treated。　I　hope　you　will　consider　this　carefully。〃

Liu　Zhang　flew　into　a　passion。　He　tore　the　letter　to　fragments　and　began　to　abuse　its　writer；　crying；　〃That　traitor；　ingrate；　and　renegade！　How　dares　he　talk　thus　to　me？〃

And　Liu　Zhang　drove　the　bearer　of　the　letter　from　his　presence。　He　then　sent　an　army　under　the　leadership　of　Fei　Guan；　his　wifes　brother；　to　reinforce　Mianzhu。

Fei　Guan　at　once　remended　as　his　assistant　one　Li　Yan　of　Nanyang；　and　the　two　mustered　their　troops；　thirty　thousand；　and　set　out　for　the　city。

At　this　juncture　Dong　He；　the　Governor　of　Yizhou　City；　wrote　advising　to　borrow　aid　from　Hanzhong。

But　Liu　Zhang　rejected　this　plan；　saying；　〃It　will　be　useless　to　try　to　obtain　help　from　a　region　under　the　influence　of　our　relentless　enemy　Zhang　Lu。〃

Dong　He　replied；　〃He　may　be　an　enemy；　but　Liu　Bei　is　in　possession　of　Luocheng；　and　the　situation　is　extremely　dangerous。　When　the　lips　are　gone；　the　teeth　are　cold。　If　you　clearly　indicate　the　dangers　to　him；　he　must　e　to　our　help。〃

So　a　letter　was　written　and　sent　to　Hanzhong。

Two　years　had　elapsed　since　Ma　Chao　had　been　defeated　and　gone　over　to　the　Qiang　tribes　in　the　northwest。　He　had　made　friends　with　them　and　with　their　aid　had　conquered　portions　of　the　West　Valley　Land。　His　expeditions　had　been　very　successful；　the　people　opening　their　gates　at　the　first　summons。　Only　Jicheng　had　stood　out；　but　ever　this　was　on　the　point　of　yielding。　The　Governor　of　Jicheng；　Wei　Kang；　had　sent　many　urgent　appeals　for　help　to　Xiahou　Yuan　in　Changan；　who；　however；　would　do　nothing　without　his　masters　order。　Wei　Kang　was　in　despair；　and　at　a　council　his　officers　advised　him　to　yield。

However；　one　of　them；　Yang　Fu；　earnestly　opposed　yielding；　saying；　〃We　cannot　surrender　to　a　lot　of　rebels　such　as　Ma　Chao　and　his　colleagues。〃