三国演义英文版-第303章

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r　of　the　enemy。　Surely　Sima　Yi　has　found　out　the　plan　and　prepared　to　frustrate　the　attack。　Let　us　wait　here　till　the　bridges　have　been　set　on　fire　and　we　see　the　flames。〃
So　they　halted。　Soon　after；　a　mounted　messenger　came　up　with　orders：　〃The　Prime　Minister　bade　you　retire　immediately；　as　the　attack　on　the　bridges　has　failed。〃
Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni　attempted　to　withdraw；　but　a　bomb　exploded　and　the　troops　of　Wei；　who　had　taken　a　by…road　to　their　rear；　at　once　attacked。　A　great　fire　started　also。　A　disorderly　battle　ensued；　from　which　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni　eventually　forced　their　ways　out；　but　only　with　great　loss。
And　when　Zhuge　Liang　collected　his　army　at　Qishan　once　more　he　found；　to　his　sorrow；　that　he　had　lost　more　than　ten　thousand　troops。
Just　at　this　time　Fei　Yi　arrived　front　Chengdu。
Zhuge　Liang　received　him　and；　after　the　ceremonies　were　over；　said；　〃I　would　trouble　you；　Sir；　to　carry　a　letter　for　me　into　East　Wu。　Will　you　undertake　the　mission？〃
〃Could　I　possibly　decline　any　task　you　laid　upon　me？〃　said　Fei　Yi。
So　Zhuge　Liang　wrote　a　letter　and　sent　it　to　Sun　Quan。　Fei　Yi　took　it　and　hastened　to　Capital　Jianye；　where　he　saw　Sun　Quan；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　and　presented　this　letter：
〃The　Hans　have　been　unfortunate；　and　the　line　of　rulers　has　been　broken。　The　Cao　party　have　usurped　the　seat　of　government　and　still　hold　the　mand。　My　late　master；　Emperor　Bei；　confided　a　great　task　to　me；　and　I　must　exhaust　every　effort　to　achieve　it。　Now　my　army　is　at　Qishan；　and　the　rebels　are　on　the　verge　of　destruction　on　River　Wei。　I　hope　Your　Majesty；　in　accordance　with　your　oath　of　alliance；　will　send　a　leader　against　the　north　to　assist　by　taking　the　Middle　Land；　and　the　empire　can　be　shared。　The　full　circumstances　cannot　be　told；　but　I　hope　you　will　understand　and　act。〃
Sun　Quan　was　pleased　at　the　news　and　said　to　the　envoy；　〃I　have　long　desired　to　set　my　arm　in　motion；　but　have　not　been　able　to　arrange　with　Zhuge　Liang。　After　this　letter　I　will　lead　an　expedition　myself；　and　go　to　Juchao　and　capture　Xincheng　of　Wei。　Moreover；　I　will　send　Lu　Xun　and　Zhuge　Jin　to　camp　at　Miankou　and　Jiangxia；　and　take　Xiangyang。　I　will　also　send　another　army　under　Sun　Shao　and　Zhang　Cheng　into　Guangling　to　capture　Huaiyang。　The　total　number　will　be　three　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　they　shall　start　at　once。〃
Fei　Yi　thanked　him　and　said；　〃In　such　a　case　the　Middle　Land　will　fall　forthwith。〃
A　banquet　was　prepared。　At　this；　Sun　Quan　said；　〃Whom　did　the　Prime　Minister　send　to　lead　the　battle？〃
Fei　Yi　replied；　〃Wei　Yan　was　the　chief　leader。〃
〃A　man　brave　enough；　but　crooked。　One　day　he　will　work　a　mischief　unless　Zhuge　Liang　is　present。　But　surely　Zhuge　Liang　knows。〃
〃Your　Majesty's　words　are　to　the　point；〃　said　the　envoy。　〃I　will　return　at　once　and　lay　them　before　Zhuge　Liang。〃
Fei　Yi　quickly　took　leave　and　hastened　to　Qishan　with　his　news　of　the　intended　expedition　of　Wu　against　Wei　with　three　hundred　thousand　troops　in　three　directions。
〃Did　the　Ruler　of　Wu　say　nothing　else？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。
Then　Fei　Yi　told　him　what　had　been　said　about　Wei　Yan。
〃Truly　a　prehending　ruler；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　appreciatively。　〃But　I　could　not　be　ignorant　of　this。　However；　I　value　Wei　Yan　because　he　is　very　bold。〃
〃Then　Sir；　you　ought　to　decide　soon　what　to　do　with　him。〃
〃I　have　a　scheme　of　my　own。〃
Fei　Yi　returned　to　Chengdu；　and　Zhuge　Liang　resumed　the　ordinary　camp　duties　of　a　leader。
When　Zhuge　Liang　was　in　a　council　with　his　manders；　suddenly　a　certain　Wei　leader　came　and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　surrender。　Zhuge　Liang　had　the　man　brought　in　and　questioned　him。
〃I　am　a　leader；　Zheng　Wen　by　name。　General　Qin　Lang　and　I　are　old　colleagues。　Recently　Sima　Yi　transferred　us　and；　showing　great　partiality　for　my　colleague；　appointed　him　Leader　of　the　Van　and　threw　me　out　like　a　weed。　I　was　disgusted　and　left；　and　I　wish　to　join　your　ranks　if　you　will　accept　my　service。〃
Just　at　that　moment　a　soldier　came　in　to　say　that　Qin　Lang　with　a　pany　had　appeared　in　front　of　the　tents　and　was　challenging　Zheng　Wen。
Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃How　does　this　man　stand　with　you　in　fighting　skill？〃
〃I　should　just　kill　him；〃　said　Zheng　Wen。
〃If　you　were　to　slay　him；　that　would　remove　my　doubts。〃
Zheng　Wen　accepted　the　proposer　with　alacrity；　mounted　his　horse；　and　away　he　went。　Zhuge　Liang　went　out　to　see　the　fight。　There　was　the　challenger　shaking　his　spear　and　reviling　his　late　friend　as　rebel　and　brigand　and　horse…thief。
〃Traitor！　Give　me　back　my　horse　you　stole！〃　cried　Qin　Lang；　galloping　toward　Zheng　Wen　as　soon　as　he　appeared。
Zheng　Wen　whipped　up　his　horse；　waved　his　sword；　and　went　to　meet　the　attack。　In　the　first　bout　he　cut　down　Qin　Lang。　The　Wei　soldiers　then　ran　away。　The　victor　hacked　off　the　head　of　his　victim　and　returned　to　lay　it　at　Zhuge　Liang's　feet。
Seated　in　his　tent；　Zhuge　Liang　summoned　Zheng　Wen　and　burst　out：　〃Take　him　away　and　behead　him！〃
〃I　have　done　nothing　wrong！〃　cried　Zheng　Wen。
〃As　if　I　do　not　know　Qin　Lang！　The　man　you　have　just　killed　was　not　Qin　Lang。　How　dare？　you　try　to　deceive　me？〃
Zheng　Wen　said；　〃I　will　own　up。　But　this　was　his　brother　Qin　Ming。〃
Zhuge　Liang　smiled。
〃Sima　Yi　sent　you　to　try　this　on　for　some　reason　of　his　own；　but　he　could　not　throw　dust　in　my　eyes。　If　you　do　not　tell　the　truth；　I　will　put　you　to　death。〃
Thus　caught；　the　false　deserter　confessed　and　begged　his　life。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃You　can　save　your　life　by　writing　a　letter　to　Sima　Yi　telling　him　to　e　to　raid　our　camp。　I　will　spare　you　on　this　condition。　And　if　I　capture　Sima　Yi；　I　will　give　you　all　the　credit　and　reward　you　handsomely。〃
There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　agree；　and　the　letter　was　written。　Then　Zheng　Wen　was　placed　in　confinement。
But　Fan　Jian　asked；　〃How　did　you　know　this　was　only　a　pretended　desertion？〃
〃Sima　Yi　looks　to　his　people；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃If　he　made　Qin　Lang　a　leading　general；　Qin　Lang　was　certainly　a　man　of　great　military　skill　and　not　the　sort　of　man　to　be　overe　by　this　fellow　Zheng　Wen　in　the　first　encounter。　So　Zheng　Wen's　opponent　certainly　was　not　Qin　Lang。　That　is　how　I　knew。〃
They　congratulated　him　on　his　perspicacity。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　selected　a　certain　persuasive　speaker　from　among　his　officers　and　whispered　certain　instructions　in　his　ear。　The　officer　at　once　left　and　carried　the　letter　just　written　to　the　Wei　camp；　where　he　asked　to　see　the　mander…in…Chief。　He　was　admitted；　and　the　letter　was　read。
〃Who　are　you？〃　said　Sima　Yi。
〃I　am　a　man　from　the　Middle　Land；　a　poor　fellow　stranded　in　Shu。　Zheng　Wen　and　I　are　fellow　villagers。　Zhuge　Liang　has　given　Zheng　Wen　a　Van　Leadership　as　a　reward　for　what　he　has　done；　and　Zheng　Wen　got　me　to　bring　this　letter　to　you　and　to　say　that　he　will　show　a　light　tomorrow　evening　as　a　signal；　and　he　hopes　you　will　lead　the　attack　yourself。　Zheng　Wen　will　work　from　the　inside　in　your　favor。〃
Sima　Yi　took　great　pains　to　test　the　reliability　of　these　statements；　and　he　examined　the　letter　minutely　to　see　if　it　bore　any　signs　of　fabrication；　but　he　found　it　was　Zheng　Wen's　writing。
Presently　he　ordered　in　refreshments　for　the　bearer　of　the　letter；　and　then　he　said；　〃We　will　fix　today　at　the　second　watch　for　the　raid；　and　I　will　lead　in　person。　If　it　succeeds；　I　will　give　you　a　good　appointment　as　a　reward。〃
Taking　leave；　the　soldier　retraced　his　steps　to　his　own　camp　and　reported　the　whole　interview　to　Zhuge　Liang。
Zhuge　Liang　held　his　sword　aloft　toward　the　North　Star；　took　the　proper　paces　for　an　incantation；　and　prayed。
This　done；　he　summoned　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　Wei　Yan；　Ma　Dai；　Ma　Zheng；　and　Jiang　Wei；　to　whom　he　gave　certain　instructions。　When　they　had　gone　to　carry　them　out；　he　ascended　a　hill；　taking　with　him　a　few　score　guards　only。
Sima　Yi　had　been　taken　in　by　Zheng　Wen's　letter　and　intended　to　lead　the　night　raid。　But　the　elder　of　his　sons；　Sima　Shi；　expostulated　with　his　father。
〃Father；　you　are　going　on　a　dangerous　expedition　on　the　faith　of　a　mere　scrap　of　paper；〃　said　his　son。　〃I　think　it　imprudent。　What　if　something　goes　unexpectedly　wrong？　Let　some　general　go　in　your　place；　and　you　e　up　in　rear　as　a　reserve。〃
Sima　Yi　saw　there　was　reason　in　this　proposal；　and　he　finally　decided　to　send　Qin　Lang；　with　ten　thousand　troops；　and　Sima　Yi　himself　would　mand　the　reserve。
The　night　was　fine　with　a　bright　moon。　But　about　the　middle　of　the　second　watch　the　sky　clouded　over；　and　it　became　very　black；　so　that　a　man　could　not　see　his　next　neighbor。
〃This　is　providential；〃　chuckled　Sima　Yi。
The　expedition　duly　started；　soldiers　with　gags；　and　horses　with　cords　round　their　muzzles。　They　moved　swiftly　and　silently；　and　Qin　Lang　made　straight　for　the　camp　of　Shu。
But　when　he　reached　it　and　entered；　and　saw　not　a　soldier；　he　knew　he　had　been　tricked。　He　yelled　to　his　troops　to　retire；　but　lights　sprang　up　all　round；　and　attacks　began　from　four　sides。　Fight　as　he　would；　Qin　Lang　could　not　free　himself。
From　behind　the　battle　area　Sima　Yi　saw　flames　rising　from　the　camp　of　Shu　and　heard　continuous　shouting；　but　he　knew　not　whether　it　meant　victory　for　his　own　army　or　to　his　enemy。　He　pressed　forward　toward　the　fire。　Suddenly；　a　shout；　a　roll　of　drums；　and　a　blare　of　trumpets　close　at　hand；　a　bomb　that　seemed　to　rend　the　earth；　and　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Wei　bore　down　upon　Sima