三国演义英文版-第312章

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　lose　your　rank。　The　state　will　have　tranquillity　and　the　people　rejoice。　Is　not　that　a　desirable　consummation？〃
Zhuge　Liang　laughed。
Said　he；　〃I　regarded　you　as　an　old　and　tried　servant　of　the　Han　Dynasty　and　thought　you　would　hold　some　noble　discourse。　Could　I　imagine　you　would　talk　so　foully？　I　have　a　word　to　say　that　all　the　armies　may　hear。　In　the　days　of　Emperors　Huan　and　Ling　the　rule　of　Han　declined；　the　officers　of　state　were　the　authors　of　evil；　the　government　fell　into　confusion；　and　misfortune　settled　on　the　country。　Trouble　was　rife　in　every　quarter。　The　Yellow　Scaves；　Dong　Zhuo；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　and　other　rebels　arose　one　after　another；　deposing　the　emperor　and　afflicting　the　people。　Because　the　household　officers　were　corrupt　and　foolish；　and　the　court　officials　were　as　brute　beasts；　living　only　that　they　might　feed；　because　high　people；　wolfishly　cruel　in　their　hearts；　savagely　mean　in　their　conduct；　were　in　office　one　after　another；　and　slavish　flatterers　bending　slavish　knees　confounded　the　administration；　therefore　the　Throne　became　as　a　waste　heap；　and　the　people　were　trodden　into　the　mire。
〃I　know　all　about　you。　You　came　from　the　eastern　seashore。　You　got　into　office　with　a　remendation　of　filial　piety　and　integrity；　you　properly　aided　your　sovereign　and　supported　the　state；　cared　for　the　tranquillity　of　Han　and　magnified　the　Lius。　But　could　one　have　imagined　that　you　would　turn　and　assist　rebels　and　enter　into　a　plot　to　usurp　the　Throne？　Indeed　your　crime　is　great　and　your　guilt　heavy。　Heaven　and　earth　will　not　suffer　you。　The　inhabitants　of　this　land　would　devour　you。
〃But　happily　the　design　of　Heaven　is　to　retain　the　glorious　dynasty。　The　late　Emperor　Bei　continued　the　line　in　the　River　Lands；　and　I　have　been　entrusted　by　the　present　Emperor　with　the　task　of　destroying　you　rebels。
〃Since　you　are　such　a　false　and　specious　minister；　you　have　but　to　hide　your　body　and　cover　your　head；　concern　yourself　about　your　belly　and　your　back。　Do　not　e　out　before　the　armies　to　rave　about　the　decrees　of　Heaven。　You　fool　and　rebel！　Mark　you；　today　is　your　last　day。　This　day　even　you　descend　to　the　Nine　Golden　Springs。　How　will　you　stand　before　the　twenty…four　emperors　of　Latter　Han　that　you　will　meet　there？　Retire；　you　rebel！　Go　tell　your　rebellious　panions　to　e　and　fight　one　battle　with　me　that　shall　decide　the　victory。〃
Fierce　wrath　filled　the　old　man's　breast。　With　one　despairing　cry　Wang　Lang　fell　to　the　earth　dead。
This　exploit　of　Zhuge　Liang's　has　been　lauded　in　verse：

In　west　Qin；　when　the　armies　met　in　the　field；
He；　the　bold　one；　singly　faced　a　myriad　warriors；
And　with　a　simple　weapon；　just　his　tongue；
He　did　to　death　a　wicked　minister。

After　Wang　Lang　had　fallen；　Zhuge　Liang　waved　the　fan　toward　Cao　Zhen　and　said；　〃As　for　you；　I　leave　you　alone　for　this　occasion。　Go　and　get　your　army　in　order　for　tomorrow's　battle。〃
The　chariot　turned　and　left　the　ground。　Both　armies　retired　for　that　day。　To　Cao　Zhen　fell　the　melancholy　duty　of　rendering　the　last　services　to　the　aged　Minister　and　setting　his　coffin　on　its　journey　to　Changan。
Then　said　General　Guo　Huai；　〃Zhuge　Liang　will　certainly　think　the　army　occupied　with　mourning　and　make　a　night　attack。　Let　us　anticipate　him　and　set　out　an　ambush　about　our　camp。　Let　two　bodies　of　our　troops　be　hidden　outside　and　two　others　take　the　occasion　to　raid　the　camp　of　the　enemy。〃
〃I　thought　of　such　a　scheme　myself；〃　said　Cao　Zhen。　〃It　exactly　suits　my　plans。〃
So　Cao　Zhen　gave　order　to　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan：　〃You　are　to　take　ten　thousand　troops　each；　get　away　by　the　rear　of　the　mountain；　and　look　out　for　the　passing　of　the　soldiers　of　Shu。　When　they　have　gone　by；　you　are　to　make　for　their　camp。　But　you　are　only　to　attempt　a　raid　if　they　have　left。〃
Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan　took　the　order　and　left。　Then　the　mander…in…Chief　arranged　with　Guo　Huai　each　to　lead　a　force　and　hide　outside　the　camp　to　wait　for　the　raid　of　Shu。　Only　a　few　soldiers　were　to　be　left　within　to　make　a　fire　if　the　enemy　were　seen　to　be　ing。　And　all　generals　set　about　the　necessary　preparations。
When　Zhuge　Liang　reached　his　tent；　he　called　to　him　Zhao　Yun　and　Wei　Yan；　and　said　to　them；　〃You　two　are　to　make　a　night　attack。〃
〃Cao　Zhen　is　a　man　of　experience　and　will　be　on　the　lookout；〃　ventured　Wei　Yan。
〃But　that　is　just　what　I　want：　I　want　him　to　know　we　shall　attack　tonight。　He　will　then　put　some　troops　in　hiding　in　rear　of　the　Qishan　Mountains；　who　will　make　for　our　camp　as　soon　as　they　see　us　pass　toward　theirs。　I　am　sending　you　to　let　yourselves　be　seen　passing　the　hill。　but　you　are　to　camp　behind　it　and　at　a　distance。　When　the　soldiers　of　Wei　attack　this　camp；　you　will　see　a　signal。　Then　Wei　Yan　will　hold　the　approach　to　the　hill；　and　Zhao　Yun　will　make　his　way　back　in　fighting　order。　He　will　meet　the　army　of　Wei　returning　and　will　let　them　pass。　The　enemy　will　assuredly　fall　to　fighting　among　themselves；　and　we　shall　finish　the　battle。〃
These　two　having　gone　away　to　carry　out　their　portions　of　the　plan；　Zhuge　Liang　next　called　up　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao：　〃You　are　to　take　each　ten　thousand　troops　and　hide　in　the　high　road　to　the　mountain。　When　the　troops　of　Wei　e；　let　them　pass　and　then　march　along　the　road　they　came　by　to　their　camp　that　they　have　just　left。〃
These　two　having　left；　Zhuge　Liang　placed　Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　and　Zhang　Yi　in　ambush　about　the　camp。
Within　the　camp　the　tents　and　shelters　were　left　standing　as　if　the　camp　was　occupied；　while　wood　and　straw　were　heaped　up　ready　to　give　the　signal。　This　done；　Zhuge　Liang　and　his　officers　retired　to　the　rear　of　the　camp　to　watch　the　proceedings。
On　the　side　of　Wei　the　two　Van　Leaders；　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan；　left　at　dusk　and　hastened　toward　the　camp　of　Shu。　About　the　second　watch　they　saw　troops　busily　moving　about　in　front　of　the　hill。
Cao　Zun　thought　to　himself；　〃General　Guo　Huai　is　an　excellent　strategist　and　of　wonderful　prevision。〃
Then　he　hastened　the　march；　and　in　the　third　watch　reached　the　camp　of　Shu。　He　at　once　dashed　into　the　enclosure；　but　only　to　find　it　totally　deserted。　Not　a　man　was　visible。　At　once　he　knew　he　had　stumbled　into　a　trap；　and　began　to　withdraw。　Then　the　flames　sprang　up。　Zhu　Zan　arrived　already　to　fight；　and　the　two　bodies　of　troops；　thrown　into　confusion；　fought　with　each　other　till　the　two　leaders　met；　when　they　found　out　they　were　fighting　their　own　men。
As　they　were　restoring　order；　on　came　the　four　bodies　of　troops　of　Shu　under　Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　and　Zhang　Yi　who　had　lain　in　ambush　ready　for　them。　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan；　with　more　than　a　hundred　of　those　nearest　to　them；　ran　away　to　get　to　the　high　road。　But　before　long　the　rolling　drums　announced　another　body　of　their　enemy；　and　their　flight　was　stopped　by　Zhao　Yun。
〃Whither　go　ye；　O　rebel　leaders？〃　cried　Zhao　Yun。　〃Stop；　for　here　is　death！〃
But　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan　still　fled。　Then　came　up　a　force　led　by　Wei　Yan　and　pleted　the　defeat。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　wholly　beaten　and　ran　away　to　their　own　camp。　But　the　guard　left　in　the　camp　thought　they　were　the　enemy　who　e　to　raid；　so　they　lit　the　fires；　and　at　this　signal　Cao　Zhen　rushed　up　from　one　side　and　Guo　Huai　from　the　other；　and　a　fierce　fight　with　their　own　troops　began。
While　this　was　going　on；　three　cohorts　under　Wei　Yan；　Guan　Xing；　and　Zhang　Bao　arrived　from　three　points；　and　a　great　and　confused　battle　began。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　driven　off　and　chased　for　three　miles。
In　the　fight　Wei　lost　many　leaders；　and　Zhuge　Liang　gained　a　great　success。　Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　got　together　their　beaten　troops　and　went　back　to　their　own　camp。
When　they　discussed　the　fight；　Cao　Zhen　said；　〃The　enemy　are　too　strong　for　us。　Have　you　any　plan　to　drive　them　away？〃
Replied　Guo　Huai；　〃Our　defeat　is　one　of　the　ordinary　events　of　war。　Let　us　not　be　cast　down。　I　have　a　plan　to　suggest　that　will　disorder　them　so　that　one　body　cannot　help　the　other；　and　they　will　all　be　pelled　to　flee。〃
Wei　leaders　fail　and　sadly　send
To　pray　tribespeople　help　to　lend。

The　plan　will　be　unfolded　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　94　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　94
　Chapter　94
Zhuge　Liang　Defeats　The　Qiangs　In　A　Snowstorm；
Sima　Yi　Quickly　Captures　Meng　Da。
Gu