三国演义英文版-第294章

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〃Ah；　then　he　is　not　running　away；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Remain　on　the　defensive　still　more　strictly　and　do　not　advance。〃
Ten　days　passed　without　further　news；　nor　did　the　soldiers　of　Shu　offer　the　usual　challenge。　Again　spies　were　sent　far　afield；　and　they　reported　a　further　retreat　of　ten　miles　and　a　new　encampment。
〃Zhuge　Liang　is　certainly　working　some　scheme；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Do　not　pursue。〃
Another　ten　days　passed　and　spies　went　out。　The　enemy　had　gone　ten　miles　farther　and　encamped。
Zhang　He　said；　〃What　makes　you　so　over…suspicious？　I　can　see　that　Zhuge　Liang　is　retreating　into　Hanzhong；　only　he　is　doing　it　gradually　and　arousing　our　suspicion。　Why　not　pursue　before　it　is　too　late。　Let　me　go　and　fight　one　battle。〃
〃No；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃A　defeat　would　destroy　the　morale　of　our　soldiers；　and　I　will　not　risk　it。　Zhuge　Liang's　vile　tricks　are　innumerable。〃
〃If　I　go　and　get　beaten；　I　will　stand　the　full　rigor　of　military　punishment；〃　said　Zhang　He。
〃Well；　if　you　are　set　on　going；　we　will　divide　the　army。　You　take　your　wing　and　go；　but　you　will　have　to　fight　your　best。　I　will　follow　to　help　in　case　of　need。　Tomorrow　you　should　march　only　halfway　and　rest　your　troops　for　the　battle。〃
So　Zhang　He　got　independent　mand　of　thirty　thousand　troops　and　took　Dai　Ling　as　his　second　in　mand；　and　he　had　a　few　score　of　generals　as　assistants。　Halfway　they　camped。　Then　Sima　Yi；　leaving　a　substantial　guard　for　his　camp；　set　out　along　the　same　road　with　fifty　thousand　troops。
Zhuge　Liang　knew　the　movements　of　the　army　of　Wei　and　when　Zhang　He's　army　camped　to　rest。　In　the　night　he　summoned　his　generals　and　told　them。
〃The　enemy　are　ing　in　pursuit　and　will　fight　desperately。　You　will　have　to　fight　everyone　of　you　like　ten；　but　I　will　set　an　ambush　to　attack　their　rear。　Only　a　wise　and　bold　leader　is　fit　for　this　task。〃
Wang　Ping　stepped　forth　and　said　he　was　willing　to　go　on　this　expedition。
〃But　if　you　fail；　what　then？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
〃Then　there　is　the　military　rule。〃
Zhuge　Liang　sighed。　〃Wang　Ping　is　most　loyal。　He　is　willing　to　risk　wounds　and　death　in　his　country's　service。　However；　the　enemy　are　in　two　divisions；　one　ing　in　front；　the　other　trying　to　get　round　to　the　rear。　Wang　Ping　is　crafty　and　bold；　but　he　cannot　be　in　two　places　at　once；　so　I　must　have　yet　another　general。　Is　it　that　among　you　there　is　no　other　willing　to　devote　himself　to　death？〃
He　did　not　wait　long　for　a　reply。　Zhang　Yi　stepped　to　the　front。
〃Zhang　He　is　a　most　famous　leader　in　Wei　and　valorous　beyond　all　pare。　You　are　not　a　match　for　him；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
〃If　I　fail；　may　my　head　fall　at　the　tent　door；〃　said　Zhang　Yi。
〃Since　you　wish　to　go；　I　accept　you。　Each　of　you　shall　have　ten　thousand　veterans。　You　will　hide　in　the　valleys　till　the　enemy　e　up；　and　you　will　let　them　pass。　Then　you　will　fall　upon　their　rear。　If　Sima　Yi　es；　you　must　divide　the　army；　Zhang　Yi　to　hold　the　rear　and　Wang　Ping　to　check　the　advance。　But　they　will　fight　desperately；　and　I　must　find　a　way　to　aid　you。〃
When　they　had　gone；　Jiang　Wei　and　Liao　Hua　were　called；　and　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　am　going　to　give　you　a　silken　bag。　You　are　to　proceed　secretly　into　those　mountains　in　front。　When　you　see　that　Zhang　Yi　and　Wang　Ping　are　in　great　straits　with　the　enemy；　then　open　the　bag　and　you　will　find　a　plan　of　escape。〃
After　this　he　gave　secret　instructions　to　four　other　generals………Hu　Ban；　Wu　Yi；　Ma　Zheng；　and　Zhang　Ni………to　observe　the　enemy　and；　if　the　enemy　seemed　confident　of　victory；　to　retire；　fighting　at　intervals；　till　they　saw　Guan　Xing　e　up；　when　they　could　turn　and　fight　their　best。
Then　calling　Guan　Xing；　he　said　to　them；　〃Hide　in　the　valleys　with　five　thousand　troops　till　you　see　a　red　flag　flutter　out；　and　then　fall　on　the　enemy。〃
Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　hurried　along　like　a　rain　squall　till　they　were　suddenly　confronted　by　Ma　Zheng；　Zhang　Ni；　Wu　Yi；　and　Hu　Ban。　Zhang　He　dashed　toward　his　enemy；　and　then　they　retired；　stopping　at　intervals　to　fight。　The　Wei　army　pursued　for　about　seven　miles。
It　was　the　sixth　moon　and　very　hot；　so　that　soldiers　and　horses　sweated　profusely。　When　they　had　gone　ten　miles　farther；　the　soldiers　and　horses　were　panting　and　nearly　spent。　Then　Zhuge　Liang；　who　had　watched　the　fighting　from　a　hill；　gave　the　signal　for　Guan　Xing　to　emerge　and　join　battle。　Ma　Zheng；　Zhang　Ni；　Hu　Ban；　and　Wu　Yi　all　led　on　their　troops。　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　fought　well；　but　they　could　not　extricate　themselves　and　retire。
Presently；　with　a　roll　of　drums；　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Yi　came　out　and　made　for　the　rear　to　cut　the　retreat。
〃Why　do　you　not　fight　to　death？〃　shouted　Zhang　He　to　his　generals　when　he　saw　the　new　dangers。
The　soldiers　of　Wei　dashed　this　way　and　that；　but　were　stayed　at　every　attempt。　Then　there　was　heard　another　roll　of　drums；　and　Sima　Yi　came　up　in　the　rear。　He　at　once　signaled　to　his　generals　to　surround　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Yi。
〃Our　minister　is　truly　wonderful。　The　battle　goes　just　as　he　foretold；〃　cried　Zhang　Yi。　〃He　will　surely　send　help　now；　and　we　will　fight　to　the　death。〃
Thereupon　the　Shu　force　were　divided　into　two　parties。　Wang　Ping　led　one　army　to　hold　up　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling；　Zhang　Yi　led　the　other　division　to　oppose　Sima　Yi。　On　both　sides　the　fighting　was　keen　and　continued　all　the　day。
From　their　station　on　a　hill；　Jiang　Wei　and　Liao　Hua　watched　the　battle。　They　saw　that　the　Wei　force　was　very　strong　and　their　side　was　in　danger　and　slowly　giving　way。
〃Now　surely　is　the　moment　to　open　the　bag；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。
So　the　bag　was　opened；　and　they　read　the　letter。　It　said：
〃If　Sima　Yi　es　and　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Yi　seem　hard　pressed；　you　are　to　divide　forces　and　go　off　to　attack　Sima　Yi's　camp；　which　will　cause　him　to　retire；　and　then　you　can　attack　him　as　his　army　is　in　disorder。　The　actual　capture　of　the　camp　is　not　of　great　moment。〃
So　Jiang　Wei　and　Liao　Hua　divided　the　force　and　started　for　the　enemy's　camp。
Now　Sima　Yi　had　really　feared　that　he　would　fall　victim　to　some　ruse　of　Zhuge　Liang；　so　he　had　arranged　for　messengers　and　news　to　meet　him　at　intervals　along　the　road。
Sima　Yi　was　pressing　his　troops　to　fight　when　a　messenger　galloped　up　to　report：　〃The　soldiers　of　Shu　are　making　for　the　main　camp　by　two　directions。〃
Sima　Yi　was　frightened　and　changed　color。　He　turned　on　his　generals；　saying；　〃I　knew　Zhuge　Liang　would　plan　some　trick；　but　you　did　not　believe　me。　You　forced　me　to　pursue；　and　now　the　whole　scheme　has　gone　astray。〃
Thereupon　he　gathered　in　his　army　and　turned　to　retire。　The　troops　went　hurriedly　and　got　into　disorder。　Zhang　Yi　came　up　behind；　causing　huge　damage　to　the　Wei　army。　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling；　having　but　few　troops　left；　sought　refuge　among　the　hills。　The　victory　was　to　Shu；　and　Guan　Xing　came　up　helping　in　the　rout　wherever　there　appeared　a　chance　to　strike。
Sima　Yi；　defeated；　hurried　to　the　camp。　But　when　he　reached　it；　the　army　of　Shu　had　already　left。　He　gathered　in　his　broken　army　and　abused　his　generals　as　the　cause　of　his　failure。
〃You　are　all　ignorant　of　the　proper　way　to　wage　war；　and　think　it　simply　a　matter　of　valor　and　rude　strength。　This　is　the　result　of　your　unbridled　desire　to　go　out　and　give　battle。　For　the　future　no　one　of　you　will　move　without　definite　orders；　and　I　will　apply　strict　military　law　to　any　who　disobey。〃
They　were　all　greatly　ashamed　and　retired　to　their　quarters。　In　this　fight　the　losses　of　Wei　were　very　heavy；　not　only　in　soldiers；　but　in　horses　and　weapons。
Zhuge　Liang　led　his　victorious　army　to　their　camp。　He　intended　to　advance　again；　when　a　messenger　arrived　from　Capital　Chengdu　with　the　sad　news　that　Zhang　Bao　had　died。　When　they　told　Zhuge　Liang　he　uttered　a　great　cry；　blood　gushed　from　his　mouth　and　he　fell　in　a　swoon。　He　was　raised　and　taken　to　his　tent；　but　he　was　too　ill　to　march　and　had　to　keep　his　bed。　His　generals　were　much　grieved。
A　later　poet　sang：

Fierce　and　valiant　was　Zhang　Bao；
Striving　hard　to　make　a　name；
Sad　the　gods　should　interfere
And　withhold　a　hero's　fame！
Zhuge　Liang　wept　his　end
In　the　western　winds　blowing。
For　he　knew　the　warrior　gone；
This　grieving　is　beyond　knowing。

Zhuge　Liang's　illness　continued。　Ten　days　later　he　summoned　to　his　tent　Dong　Jue　and　Fan　Jian；　and　said；　〃I　feel　void　and　am　too　ill　to　carry　on；　and　the　best　thing　for　me　is　to　return　into　Hanzhong　and　get　well。　You　are　to　keep　my　absence　perfectly　secret；　for　Sima　Yi　will　certainly　attack　if　he　hears。〃
Zhuge　Liang　issued　orders　to　break　up　the　camp　that　night；　and　the　army　retired　into　Hanzhong　forthwith。　Sima　Yi　only　heard　of　it　five　days　later；　and　he　knew　that　again　he　had　been　outwitted。
〃The　man　appears　like　a　god　and　disappears　like　a　demon。　He　is　too　much　for　me；〃　sighed　Sima　Yi。
Sima　Yi　set　certain　generals　over　the　camp　and　placed　others　to　guard　the　manding　positions；　and　he　also　marched　homeward。
As　soon　as　the　Shu　army　was　settled　in　Hanzhong；　Zhuge　Liang　went　to　Chengdu　for　treatment。　The　officials　of　all　ranks　came　to　greet　him　and　escort　him　to　his　palace。　The　Latter　Ruler　also　came　to　inquire　after　his　condition　and　sent　his　own　physicians　to　treat　him。　So　gradually　he　recovered。
In　Beginning　Prosperity；　eighth　year　and　seventh　month　（AD　230）；　Cao　Zhen；　the　Grand　mander　in　Wei；　had　recovered；　and　he　sent　a　memorial　to　his　master；　saying；
〃Shu