迪文小说

第244部分（第2页）

When　players　of　equal　skill　are　matched；

Then　victory　hovers　between；

Perhaps　your　opponents　a　genius；

So　put　on　your　lowliest　mien。

What　happened　when　Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　Chengdu　will　be　told　next。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　101　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　101

Chapter　101

Going　Out　From　Longshang；　Zhuge　Liang　Dresses　As　A　God；

Dashing　Toward　Saber　Pass；　Zhang　He　Falls　Into　A　Snare。

By　means　of　the　artifice　just　described；　Zhuge　Liang　withdrew　his　army　safely　into　Hanzhong；　while　Sima　Yi　retreated　upon　Changan。　Zhuge　Liang　distributed　the　rewards　for　success　and　then　went　to　Capital　Chengdu　for　audience。

〃Your　Majesty　recalled　me　just　as　I　was　about　to　advance　upon　Changan。　What　is　the　important　matter？〃　said　the　Prime　Minister。

For　a　long　time　the　Latter　Ruler　made　no　reply。

Presently　he　said；　〃I　longed　to　see　your　face　once　more；　that　is　the　only　reason。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　think　my　recall　was　not　on　your　own　initiative。　Some　slanderous　persons　has　hinted　that　I　cherished　ulterior　objects。〃

The　Latter　Ruler；　who　indeed　felt　guilty　and　ill　at　ease；　made　no　reply。

Zhuge　Liang　continued；　〃Your　late　father　laid　me　under　an　obligation　which　I　am　pledged　to　fulfill　to　the　death。　But　if　vile　influences　are　permitted　to　work　at　home；　how　can　I　destroy　the　rebels　without？〃

〃The　fact　is　I　recalled　you　because　of　the　talk　of　the　eunuchs。　But　I　understand　now　and　am　unutterably　sorry；〃　said　the　Latter　Ruler。

Zhuge　Liang　interrogated　the　eunuchs　and　thus　found　out　the　base　rumors　that　had　been　spread　abroad　by　Gou　An。　He　sent　to　arrest　this　man；　but　Gou　An　had　already　fled　and　gone　over　to　Wei。　The　eunuchs　who　had　influenced　the　Emperor　were　put　to　death；　and　all　the　other　eunuchs　who　were　involved　were　expelled　from　the　Palace。

The　Prime　Minister　also　upbraided　Jiang　Wan　and　Fei　Yi　for　not　having　looked　into　the　matter　and　set　the　Son　of　God　right。　The　two　Ministers　bowed　their　heads　and　admitted　their　fault。

Zhuge　Liang　then　took　leave　of　the　Latter　Ruler　and　returned　to　the　army。　He　wrote　to　Li　Yan　to　see　to　the　necessary　supplies　and　began　preparations　for　a　new　expedition。

Yang　Yi　said；　〃The　soldiers　are　wearied　by　the　many　expeditions；　and　the　supplies　are　not　regular。　I　think　a　better　plan　would　be　to　send　half　the　army　to　Qishan　for　three　months；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time　exchange　them　for　the　other　half；　and　so　on　alternately。　For　example；　if　you　have　two　hundred　thousand　troops；　let　one　hundred　thousand　go　into　the　field　and　one　hundred　thousand　remain。　In　this　way；　using　ten　legions　and　ten　legions；　their　energies　will　be　conserved　and　you　can　gradually　work　toward　the　Middle　Land。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Our　attack　is　not　a　matter　to　be　achieved　in　haste。　The　suggestion　for　an　extended　campaign　is　excellent！〃

Wherefore　the　army　was　divided；　and　each　half　went　out　for　one　hundred　days　service　at　a　time；　when　it　was　relieved　by　the　other　half。　Full　penalties　were　provided　for　any　laxity　and　failure　to　maintain　the　periods　of　active　service。

In　the　spring　of　the　ninth　year　of　Beginning　Prosperity；　the　Shu　army　once　more　took　the　held　against　Wei。　In　Wei　it　was　the　fifth　year　of　Calm　Peace　（AD　231）。

When　the　Ruler　of　Wei　heard　of　this　new　expedition；　he　called　Sima　Yi　and　asked　his　advice。

〃Now　that　my　friend　Cao　Zhen　is　no　more；　I　am　willing　to　do　all　that　one　man　can　to　destroy　the　rebels　against　Your　Majestys　authority；〃　said　Sima　Yi。

Cao　Rui　was　gratified　by　this　ready　offer；　and　honored　Sima　Yi　with　a　banquet。　Next　day　an　edict　was　issued　for　the　army　to　move。　The　Ruler　of　Wei；　riding　in　his　state　chariot；　escorted　Sima　Yi　out　of　the　city；　and；　after　the　farewells；　the　mander　took　the　road　to　Changan；　where　the　force　was　gathering。　There　was　assembled　a　council　of　war。

Zhang　He　offered　his　services；　saying；　〃I　volunteer　to　guard　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　against　the　Shu　army。〃

But　Sima　Yi　said；　〃Our　vanguard　army　is　not　strong　enough　to　face　the　enemys　whole　force。　Moreover；　to　divide　an　army　is　not　generally　a　successful　scheme。　The　better　plan　will　be　to　leave　a　guard　in　Shanggui　and　send　all　the　others　to　Qishan。　Will　you　undertake　the　Leadership　of　the　Van？〃

Zhang　He　consented；　saying；　〃I　have　always　been　most　loyal　and　will　devote　my　energies　entirely　to　the　service　of　the　state。　So　far　I　have　not　had　an　adequate　opportunity　to　prove　my　sincerity。　But　now　that　you　confer　upon　me　a　post　of　such　responsibility；　I　can　only　say　that　no　sacrifice　can　be　too　great　for　me；　and　I　will　do　my　utmost。〃

So　Zhang　He　was　appointed　Van　Leader；　and　then　Guo　Huai　was　set　over　the　defense　of　the　counties　of　West　Valley　Land。　Other　generals　were　distributed　to　other　posts；　and　the　march　began　toward　Qishan。

The　spies　reported：　〃The　main　force　of　Shu　is　directed　toward　Qishan；　and　the　Leaders　of　the　Van　are　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni。　The　route　chosen　for　their　march　is　from　Chencang　across　San　Pass　and　to　the　Xie　Valley。〃

Hearing　this；　Sima　Yi　said　to　Zhang　He；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　advancing　in　great　force　and　certainly　intends　to　reap　the　wheat　in　West　Valley　Land　for　his　supply。　You　get　sufficient　troops　to　hold　Qishan；　while　Guo　Hu