三国演义英文版-第329章

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en　he　called　an　assembly　of　officers。
〃Twice　have　I　gone　out　by　Qishan　without　success；　but　at　last　I　am　here。　I　think　Wei　will　resume　the　former　battle　ground　and　oppose　us。　If　so；　they　will　assume　that　I　shall　attack　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　and　send　armies　to　defend　them。　But　I　see　Yinping　and　Wudu　are　connected　with　Hanzhong。　If　I　can　win　these；　I　can　drive　a　wedge　into　the　Wei　force。　Who　will　go　to　take　these　places？〃
Jiang　Wei　and　Wang　Ping　offered　themselves。　The　former　was　sent　with　ten　thousand　troops　to　capture　Wudu；　the　latter；　with　an　equal　force；　went　to　Yinping。
Zhang　He　went　back　to　Changan　and　saw　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li；　to　whom　he　said；　〃Chencang　is　lost；　Hao　Zhao　is　dead；　and　San　Pass　is　taken。　Zhuge　Liang　is　again　at　Qishan；　and　thence　has　sent　out　two　armies。〃
Guo　Huai　was　frightened；　saying；　〃In　that　case；　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　are　in　danger。〃
Leaving　Zhang　He　to　guard　Changan；　Guo　Huai　sent　Sun　Li　to　Yongcheng；　and　he　himself　set　out　at　once　for　Meicheng。　He　sent　an　urgent　report　to　Luoyang。
At　Wei's　next　court　the　Emperor　was　informed　of　all　the　misfortunes　in　the　west：　〃Chencange　has　fallen；　and　Hao　Zhao　has　died。　Zhuge　Liang　has　captured　San　Pass。　He　is　camping　at　Qishan　and　is　planning　to　invade　Wei。〃
Cao　Rui　was　alarmed。
Just　then　Man　Chong　reported；　〃Sun　Quan　has　declared　himself　Emperor；　and　Lu　Xun　is　drilling　his　army　in　Wuchang。　An　invasion　from　the　east　can　be　expected　soon。〃
Cao　Rui　was　embarrassed　and　frightened。　Cao　Zhen；　being　ill；　could　not　be　consulted；　and　Sima　Yi　was　called。　He　was　ready　with　a　proposal。
〃In　my　humble　opinion；　Wu　will　not　attack　us；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃　asked　the　Ruler　of　Wei。
〃Because　Zhuge　Liang　still　resents；　and　wishes　to　avenge；　the　event　at　Xiaoting。　He　never　ceases　to　desire　to　absorb　Wu。　His　only　fear　is　that　we　may　swoop　down　upon　Shu。　That　is　why　there　is　an　alliance　with　Wu。　Lu　Xun　knows　it　also　quite　well；　and　he　is　only　making　a　show　of　raising　an　army　as　they　arranged。　The　truth　is　he　is　sitting　on　the　fence。　Hence　Your　Majesty　may　disregard　the　menace　on　the　east；　and　only　protect　yourself　against　Shu。〃
〃Your　insight　is　very　profound；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。
Sima　Yi　was　created　mander…in…Chief　of　all　the　forces　in　the　west；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　directed　a　courtier　to　go　to　Cao　Zhen　for　the　seal。
〃I　would　rather　go　myself；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
So　Sima　Yi　left　the　audience　and　went　to　the　palace　of　Cao　Zhen；　where　presently　he　saw　the　invalid。　First　he　asked　after　his　health　and　then　gradually　opened　his　errand。
〃Shu　and　Wu　have　made　an　alliance　to　invade　Wei　and　share　its　domains；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　at　Qishan　the　third　time。　Have　you　heard；　Illustrious　Sir？〃
〃My　people　have　kept　back　all　news　as　I　am　ill；〃　said　he；　startled。　〃But　if　this　is　true；　the　country　is　in　danger。　Why　have　they　not　made　you　mander…in…Chief　to　stop　this　invasion？〃
〃I　am　unequal　to　the　post；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
〃Bring　the　seal　and　give　it　to　him；〃　said　Cao　Zhen　to　his　attendants。
〃You　are　anxious　on　my　account。　Really　I　am　only　e　to　lend　you　an　arm。　I　dare　not　accept　the　seal。〃
Cao　Zhen　started　up；　saying；　〃If　you　do　not　take　it；　I　shall　have　to　go　to　see　the　Emperor；　ill　as　I　am。　The　Middle　Land　is　in　danger。〃
〃Really　the　Emperor　has　already　shown　his　kindness；　but　I　dare　not　accept　his　offer。〃
〃If　you　have　been　appointed；　then　Shu　will　be　driven　off。〃
Thrice　Sima　Yi　declined　the　seal；　but　eventually　he　received　it　into　his　hands　as　he　knew　Cao　Zhen　was　sincere。　Then　he　took　leave　of　the　Ruler　of　Wei　and　marched　to　Changan。

The　seal　of　office　changes　hands；
Two　armies　now　one　force　bee。

Sima　Yi's　success　or　failure　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　99　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　99
　Chapter　99
Zhuge　Liang　Defeats　The　Wei　Army；
Sima　Yi　Invades　The　West　River　Land。
The　fourth　month　of　Beginning　Prosperity；　seventh　year　（AD　229）；　found　Zhuge　Liang　camped　at　Qishan　in　three　camps；　waiting　to　attack　Wei。
When　Sima　Yi　reached　Changan；　the　officer　in　mand；　Zhang　He；　told　him　all　that　had　happened。　He　gave　Zhang　He　the　post　of　Leader　of　the　Van；　with　Dai　Ling　as　his　Assistant　General　and　a　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　then　marched　out　toward　the　enemy；　camping　on　River　Wei's　south　bank。
When　the　local　manders　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　went　to　see　the　new　mander…in…Chief；　he　asked；　〃Have　you　fought　any　battle　with　Shu？〃
〃Not　yet；〃　said　they。
Sima　Yi　said；　〃The　enemy　had　a　long　march；　their　chance　lay　in　attacking　quickly。　As　they　have　not　attacked；　they　have　some　deep　laid　scheme　to　work　out。　What　news　have　you　from　the　counties　of　West　Valley　Land？〃
Guo　Huai　replied；　〃The　scouts　say　that　the　greatest　care　is　being　taken　in　every　county。　But　there　is　no　news　from　Wudu　and　Yinping。〃
〃I　must　send　someone　to　fight　a　decisive　battle　with　them　there。　You　get　away　as　quickly　and　privily　as　you　can　to　the　rescue　of　those　two　cities；　and　then　attack　the　rear　of　the　Shu　army　so　as　to　throw　them　into　disorder。〃
They　set　out　to　obey　these　orders；　and　on　the　way　they　fell　to　discussing　Sima　Yi。
〃How　does　Sima　Yi　pare　with　Zhuge　Liang？〃　said　Guo　Huai。
〃Zhuge　Liang　is　by　far　the　better；〃　replied　Sun　Li。
〃Though　Zhuge　Liang　may　be　the　cleverer；　yet　this　scheme　of　our　leader's　shows　him　to　be　superior　to　most　people。　The　enemy　may　have　got　those　two　cities。　Yet　when　we　unexpectedly　fall　upon　their　rear；　they　will　certainly　be　disordered。〃
Soon　after　this　a　scout　came　in　to　report：　〃Wang　Ping　has　captured　Yinping；　and　Wudu　is　in　possession　of　Jiang　Wei。　Furthermore；　the　Shu　army　is　not　far　in　front。〃
Said　Sun　Li；　〃There　is　some　crafty　scheme　afoot。　Why　are　they　prepared　for　battle　in　the　open　when　they　hold　two　cities？　We　had　better　retire。〃
Guo　Huai　agreed；　and　they　issued　orders　to　face　about　and　retreat。　Just　then　a　bomb　exploded；　and；　at　the　same　time；　there　suddenly　appeared　from　the　cover　of　some　hills　a　small　body　of　troops。　On　the　flag　that　came　forward　they　read　Han　Prime　Minister　Zhuge　Liang　；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　pany　they　saw　him；　seated　in　a　small　chariot。　On　his　left　was　Guan　Xing；　and　on　his　right　Zhang　Bao。
They　were　quite　taken　aback。
Zhuge　Liang　laughed　and　said；　〃Do　not　run　away！　Did　you　think　that　your　leader's　ruse　would　take　me　in？　Sima　Yi　sent　a　challenge　to　fight　every　day；　indeed；　while　you　were　to　slip　round　behind　my　army　and　attack！　I　have　the　two　cities………Wudu　and　Yinping。　If　you　have　not　e　to　surrender；　then　hurry　up　and　fight　a　battle　with　me。〃
By　now　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　were　really　frightened。　Then　behind　them　there　rose　a　shout　as　of　battle；　and　Wang　Ping　and　Jiang　Wei　began　to　smite　them　in　the　rear；　while　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　bore　down　upon　them　in　front。　They　were　soon　utterly　broken；　and　the　two　leaders　escaped　by　scrambling　up　the　hillside。
Zhang　Bao　saw　them；　and　was　urging　his　steed　forward　to　catch　them；　when　unhappily　he　and　his　horse　went　over　together　into　a　gully。　When　they　picked　him　up；　they　found　that　he　had　been　kicked　in　the　head　and　was　badly　hurt。
Zhuge　Liang　sent　him　back　to　Chengdu。
It　has　been　said　that　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　escaped。　They　got　back　to　Sima　Yi's　camp　and　said；　〃Wudu　and　Yinping　were　both　in　the　enemy's　possession；　and　Zhuge　Liang　had　prepared　an　ambush；　so　that　we　were　attacked　front　and　rear。　We　lost　the　day　and　only　escaped　on　foot。〃
〃It　is　no　fault　of　yours；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃The　fact　is　he　is　sharper　than　I。　Now　go　to　defend　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　and　remain　on　the　defensive。　Do　not　go　out　to　give　battle。　I　have　a　plan　to　defeat　them。〃
These　two　having　left；　Sima　Yi　called　in　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　and　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　captured　Wudu　and　Yinping。　He　must　restore　order　and　confidence　among　the　people　of　these　places　and　so　will　be　absent　from　his　camp。　You　two　will　take　ten　thousand　troops　each；　start　tonight　and　make　your　way　quietly　to　the　rear　of　the　Shu　army。　Then　you　will　attack　vigorously。　When　you　have　done　that；　I　shall　lead　out　the　army　in　front　of　them　and　array　ready　for　battle。　While　they　are　in　disorder；　I　shall　make　my　attack。　Their　camp　ought　to　be　captured。　If　I　can　win　the　advantage　of　these　hills；　their　defeat　will　be　easy。〃
These　two　left；　Dai　Ling　marching　on　the　left　and　Zhang　He　on　the　right。　They　took