三国演义英文版-第317章

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ween　his　two　leaders。
So　he　called　Gao　Xiang　to　him　and　said；　〃Northeast　of　Jieting　is　a　city　named　Liliu；　and　near　it　an　unfrequented　hill　path。　There　you　are　to　camp　and　make　a　stockade。　I　will　give　you　ten　thousand　troops　for　this　task。　If　Jieting　should　be　threatened；　you　may　go　to　the　rescue。〃
After　Gao　Xiang　had　left；　and　as　Zhuge　Liang　thought　Gao　Xiang　was　not　a　match　for　his　opponent　Zhang　He；　he　decided　there　ought　to　be　additional　strength　on　the　west　in　order　to　make　Jieting　safe。　So　he　summoned　Wei　Yan　and　bade　him　lead　his　army　to　the　rear　of　Jieting　and　camp　there。
But　Wei　Yan　thought　this　rather　a　slight；　and　said；　〃As　Leader　of　the　Van；　I　should　go　first　against　the　enemy。　Why　am　I　sent　to　a　place　where　there　is　nothing　to　do？〃
〃The　leadership　of　the　van　is　really　a　second…rate　task。　Now　I　am　sending　you　to　support　Jieting　and　take　post　on　the　most　dangerous　road　to　Yangping　Pass。　You　are　the　chief　keeper　of　the　throat　of　Hanzhong。　It　is　a　very　responsible　post　and　not　at　all　an　idle　one。　Do　not　so　regard　it　and　spoil　my　whole　plan。　Be　particularly　careful。〃
Wei　Yan；　satisfied　now　that　he　was　not　being　slighted；　went　his　way。
Zhuge　Liang's　mind　was　at　rest；　and　he　called　up　Zhao　Yun　and　Deng　Zhi；　to　whom　he　said；　〃Now　that　Sima　Yi　is　in　mand　of　the　army；　the　whole　outlook　is　different。　Each　of　you　will　lead　a　force　out　to　Gu　Valley　and　move　about　so　as　to　mislead　the　enemy。　Whether　you　meet　and　engage　them　or　not；　you　will　certainly　cause　them　uneasiness。　I　am　going　to　lead　the　main　army　through　the　Xie　Valley　to　Meicheng。　If　I　can　capture　that；　Changan　will　fall。〃
Zhao　Yun　and　Deng　Zhi　took　the　orders　and　went　off。
Zhuge　Liang　appointed　Jiang　Wei　as　Leader　of　the　Van；　and　they　marched　to　the　Xie　Valley。
When　Ma　Su　and　Wang　Ping　had　reached　Jieting　and　saw　what　manner　of　place　it　was；　Ma　Su　smiled；　saying；　〃Why　was　the　Prime　Minister　so　extremely　anxious？　How　would　the　Wei　armies　dare　to　e　to　such　a　hilly　place　as　this？〃
Wang　Ping　replied；　〃Though　they　might　not　dare　to　e；　we　should　set　our　camp　at　this　meeting　of　many　roads。〃
So　Wang　Ping　ordered　his　soldiers　to　fell　trees　and　build　a　strong　stockade　as　for　a　permanent　stay。
But　Ma　Su　had　a　different　idea。
〃What　sort　of　a　place　is　a　road　to　make　a　camp　in？　Here　is　a　hill　standing　solitary　and　well　wooded。　It　is　a　heaven…created　point　of　vantage；　and　we　will　camp　on　it。〃
〃You　are　wrong；　Counselor；〃　replied　Wang　Ping。　〃If　we　camp　on　the　road　and　build　a　strong　wall；　the　enemy　cannot　possibly　get　past。　If　we　abandon　this　for　the　hill；　and　the　troops　of　Wei　e　in　force；　we　shall　be　surrounded；　and　how　then　be　safe？〃
〃You　look　at　the　thing　like　a　child；〃　said　Ma　Su；　laughing。　〃The　rules　of　war　say　that　when　one　looks　down　from　a　superior　position；　one　can　overe　the　enemy　as　easily　as　cleaving　bamboo。　If　they　e；　I　will　see　to　it　that　not　a　breastplate　ever　goes　back　again。〃
〃I　have　followed　our　mander…in…Chief　in　many　campaigns；　and　always　has　he　explained　in　details　about　the　topography　and　given　out　well…thought　orders。　Now　I　have　studied　this　hill　carefully；　and　it　is　a　critical　spot。　If　we　camp　thereon　and　the　enemy　cut　off　our　water　supply；　we　shall　have　a　mutiny。〃
〃No　such　thing！〃　said　Ma　Su。　〃Sun　Zi　says　that　victory　lies　in　desperate　positions。　If　they　cut　off　our　water；　will　not　our　soldiers　be　desperate　and　fight　to　the　death？　Then　everyone　of　them　will　be　worth　a　hundred。　I　have　studied　the　books；　and　the　Prime　Minister　has　always　asked　my　advice。　Why　do　you　presume　to　oppose　me？〃
〃If　you　are　determined　to　camp　on　the　hill；　then　give　me　part　of　the　force　to　camp　there　on　the　west　so　that　I　can　support　you　in　case　the　enemy　e。〃
But　Ma　Su　refused。　Just　then　a　lot　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　hills　came　running　along　saying　that　the　Wei　soldiers　had　e。
Wang　Ping　was　still　bent　on　going　his　own　way；　and　so　Ma　Su　said　to　him；　〃Since　you　will　not　obey　me；　I　will　give　you　five　thousand　troops　and　you　can　go　and　make　your　own　camp。　But　when　I　report　my　success　to　the　Prime　Minister；　you　shall　have　no　share　of　the　merit。〃
Wang　Ping　marched　about　three　miles　from　the　hill　and　made　his　camp。　He　drew　a　plan　of　the　place　and　sent　it　quickly　to　Zhuge　Liang　with　a　report　that　Ma　Su　had　camped　on　the　hill。
While　Sima　Yi　was　marching　toward　Jieting；　he　sent　his　younger　son　to　reconnoiter　the　road　and　to　find　out　whether　it　had　a　garrison。
Said　Sima　Yi；　〃If　there　is　a　garrison；　do　not　advance　further。〃
Sima　Zhao　returned　to　report：　〃Jieting　has　already　been　occupied　by　Shu。〃
〃Zhuge　Liang　is　rather　more　than　human；〃　said　his　father　regretfully　when　Sima　Zhao　gave　in　his　report。　〃He　is　too　much　for　me。〃
〃Why　are　you　despondent；　Father？　I　think　Jieting　is　not　so　difficult　to　take。〃
〃How　dare　you　utter　such　bold　words？〃
〃Because　I　have　seen。　There　is　no　camp　on　the　road；　but　the　enemy　are　camped　on　the　hill。〃
This　was　glad　news。
〃If　they　are　on　the　hill；　then　Heaven　means　a　victory　for　me；〃　said　his　father。
At　night　Sima　Yi　changed　into　another　dress；　took　a　small　escort；　and　rode　out　to　see　for　himself。　The　moon　shone　brilliantly；　and　he　rode　to　the　hill　whereon　was　the　camp　and　looked　all　round　it；　thoroughly　reconnoitering　the　neighborhood。　Ma　Su　saw　him；　but　only　laughed。
〃If　Sima　Yi　has　any　luck；　he　will　not　try　to　surround　this　hill；〃　said　he。
Ma　Su　issued　an　order　to　his　generals：　〃In　case　the　enemy　e；　you　are　to　look　to　the　summit　for　a　signal　with　a　red　flag；　when　you　shall　rush　down　on　all　sides。〃
Sima　Yi　returned　to　his　camp　and　sent　out　to　inquire　who　manded　in　Jieting。
They　told　him；　〃He　is　Ma　Su；　brother　of　Ma　Liang。〃
〃A　man　of　false　reputation　and　very　ordinary　ability；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃If　Zhuge　Liang　uses　such　as　Ma　Su；　he　will　fail。〃
Then　he　asked；　〃Are　there　any　other　camps　near　the　place？〃
And　they　reported；　〃Wang　Ping's　camp　is　about　three　miles　off。〃
Wherefore　Zhang　He　was　ordered　to　go　and　check　Wang　Ping　from　ing　to　rescue。　Zhang　He　marched　out　and　placed　himself　between　Wang　Ping　and　the　hill。
This　done；　Sima　Yi　ordered　Shen　Yi　and　Shen　Dan　to　surround　the　hill　and　to　block　the　road　to　the　water　supply。　Lack　of　water　would　cause　a　mutiny；　and　when　that　occurred；　it　would　be　time　to　attack。
Then　Sima　Yi　led　the　main　body　to　attack　the　hill　on　all　sides。
From　the　summit　of　his　hill；　Ma　Su　could　see　the　banners　of　his　enemy　all　round；　and　the　country　about　was　full　of　soldiers。　Presently　the　hemming　in　was　plete；　and　the　soldiers　of　Shu　became　dejected。　They　dared　not　descend　to　attack　although　Ma　Su　hoisted　the　red　flag　signaling　for　them　to　move。　The　generals　stood　huddled　together；　no　one　daring　to　go　first。　Ma　Su　was　furious。　He　cut　down　two　generals；　which　frightened　the　others　to　the　point　of　descending　and　making　one　desperate　rush。　But　the　troops　of　Wei　would　stand　firm　against　their　attack；　and　they　reascended　the　hill。
Ma　Su　saw　that　matters　were　going　ill；　so　he　issued　orders　to　bar　the　gates　and　defend　till　help　should　e　from　outside。
When　Wang　Ping　saw　the　hill　surrounded；　he　started　to　go　to　the　rescue；　but　Zhang　He　checked　him；　and　after　exchanging　some　ten　encounters　Wang　Ping　was　pelled　to　retire　whence　he　had　e。
The　Wei　troops　kept　a　close　siege。　The　Shu　soldiers　in　the　hill　camp；　having　no　water；　were　unable　to　prepare　food；　and　disorder　broke　out。　The　shouting　was　audible　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　and　went　on　far　into　the　night。　The　soldiers　on　the　south　side　got　out　of　hand；　opened　the　gates　and　surrendered。　The　men　of　Wei　went　round　the　hill　setting　fire　to　the　wood；　which　led　to　still　greater　confusion　in　the　beleaguered　garrison。　At　last　Ma　Su　decided　to　make　a　dash　for　safety　toward　the　west。
Sima　Yi　allowed　him　to　pass；　but　Zhang　He　was　sent　to　pursue　and　chased　him　for　ten　miles。　But　then　there　came　an　unexpected　roll　of　drums。　Zhang　He　was　stopped　by　Wei　Yan　while　Ma　Su　got　past。　Whirling　up　his　sword；　Wei　Yan　dashed　toward　Zhang　He；　who　retired　within　his　ranks　and　fled。　Wei　Yan　followed　and　drove　Zhang　He　backward　toward　Jieting。
The　pursuit　continued　for　fifteen　miles；　and　then　Wei　Yan　found　himself　in　an　ambush；　Sima　Yi　on　one　side　and　Sima　Zhao　on　the　other。　They　went　around　the　hill　and　closed　in　behind　Wei　Yan；　and　he　was　surrounded。　Zhang　He　then　turned　back；　and　the　attack　was　now　on　thr