三国演义英文版-第373章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


f　Sima　Zhao。

The　loyal　servant　flees　not　in　the　day　of　disaster；
Such　were　they　who　followed　Zhuge　Dan　to　the　shades。
Ever　and　again　begins　the　Song　of　Life's　Brevity。
Faithful　unto　death　were　they；　even　as　Tian　Heng's　people*。
＇e＇　Tian　Heng　a　warrior　of　Qi　at　the　end　of　the　Warring　States　period　and　Qin　Dynasty。　In　his　bid　to　regain　the　lost　kingdom　of　Qi；　Tian　Heng　rebelled　against　Qin　and　fought　both　Liu　Bang　and　Xiang　Yu。　Rather　than　submitting　to　Liu　Bang；　Tian　Heng　mitted　suicide　so　that　his　five　hundred　soldiers　could　be　pardoned。　But　on　learning　of　his　death；　all　of　his　five　hundred　followers　killed　themselves。　。。。。。
As　has　been　said；　many　of　the　troops　of　Wu　surrendered。
Then　said　Pei　Xiu；　〃The　parents　and　children　of　these　soldiers　are　living　all　over　River　Huai。　If　you　spare　them　and　they　return　home；　they　will　foment　rebellion　by　and　by。　The　best　way　is　to　bury　them。〃
But　Zhong　Hui　said；　〃No。　When　the　ancients　made　war；　their　policy　was　to　maintain　the　state　as　a　whole；　and　so　they　only　put　to　death　the　originators　of　trouble。　It　would　be　inhumane　to　slay　all。　Rather　let　them　return　home　as　witnesses　to　your　liberal　policy。〃
〃That　is　better　advice；〃　said　Sima　Zhao。　So　the　soldiers　of　Wu　were　released　and　allowed　to　return　home。
Tang　Zi　dared　not　return　to　his　own　place　in　Wu　for　fear　of　the　cruel　Sun　Chen；　so　he　went　over　to　Wei；　taking　his　pany　with　him。　He　was　well　received；　and　his　people　were　employed　over　the　counties　of　the　three　rivers。
The　country　about　River　Huai　being　now　quiet；　Sima　Zhao　decided　to　march　homeward。
Just　then　the　news　came：　〃Jiang　Wei；　the　Shu　General；　is　attacking　Changcheng　and　interfering　with　the　supplies。〃
And　so　a　council　was　called　to　discuss　this　matter。
At　this　time　in　Shu；　the　reign　style　was　changed　from　Long　Enjoyment；　the　twentieth　year；　to　Wonderful　Sight；　the　first　year　（AD　258）。　In　Hanzhong　Jiang　Wei　had　recruited　two　generals；　Fu　Qian　and　Jiang　Shu；　both　of　whom　he　loved　greatly；　and　set　them　to　train　the　army；　horse　and　foot。
Then　came　the　news：　〃Zhuge　Dan　has　set　out　to　destroy　Sima　Zhao；　Sun　Chen　of　Wu　has　supported　him　with　a　large　army；　and　Sima　Zhao　has　led　the　army　himself；　bringing　with　him　the　Empress　Dowager　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei。〃
Jiang　Wei　said；　〃The　great　opportunity　has　e　at　last！〃
So　he　asked　the　Latter　Ruler's　authority　to　make　another　expedition。
But　Minister　Qiao　Zhou　heard　this　with　grief；　for　internal　affairs　were　not　well。
Said　he；　〃The　court　is　sunk　in　dissipation；　and　the　Emperor's　confidence　is　given　to　that　eunuch；　Huang　Hao。　State　affairs　are　neglected　for　pleasure；　which　is　the　Emperor's　sole　aim。　Jiang　Wei　has　led　many　expeditions　and　wasted　the　lives　of　many　soldiers；　so　that　the　state　is　falling。〃
Qiao　Zhou　then　wrote　an　essay　on　〃Enemy　Kingdoms；〃　which　he　sent　to　Jiang　Wei。

＇e＇　King　Wen；　aka　the　Scholar　King；　founder　of　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　father　of　King　Wu。　King　Wen　did　not　actually　founded　the　dynasty；　but　he　laid　the　foundation　for　Zhou。　At　the　end　of　Shang　Dynasty；　the　state　Zhou　of　King　Wen　had　already　possessed　two…thirds　of　the　empire；　but　King　Wen　still　faithfully　served　the　last　emperor　of　Shang。　The　final　conquest　was　pleted　by　King　Wu　and　King　Wu's　brother；　the　Duke　of　Zhou。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Gou　Jian　was　king　of　Yue　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　Gou　Jian　had　been　defeated　and　humiliated　by　Wu；　but　later　he　was　able　to　fight　back　and　conquer　Wu。　。。。。。
＇e＇　When　facing　the　prospect　of　a　bloody　battle；　Liu　Bang　and　Xiang　Yu　agreed　to　a　truce；　and　they　divided　the　empire　into　two　parts；　each　part　for　one　of　them。　The　Great　Canal　was　the　division　line。
＇e＇　Zhang　Liang　was　Liu　Bang's　master　strategist；　who　helped　Liu　Bang　defeat　Xiang　Yu　and　win　the　empire。　。。。。。
＇e＇　King　Tang　founder　of　the　Shang　Dynasty。　。。。。。
＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。
〃When　one　asks　by　what　means　the　weak　overcame　the　strong　in　past　times；　the　answer　is　that　those　responsible　for　the　strong　state　made　no　struggle　against　general　laxity；　while　those　in　power　in　a　weak　state　took　careful　steps　for　improvement。　Confusion　followed　upon　laxity　and　efficiency　grew　out　of　diligence；　as　is　the　universal　rule。　King　Wen　of　Zhou*　devoted　himself　to　the　welfare　of　his　people；　and　with　a　small　number　achieved　great　results；　Gou　Jian*　sympathized　with　all；　and　with　a　weak　force　overcame　a　powerful　opponent。　These　were　their　methods。
〃One　may　recall　that　in　the　past　Chu　was　strong　and　Han　weak　when　the　empire　was　divided　by　agreement　at　the　Great　Canal*。　Then；　seeing　that　his　people　were　satisfied　and　settled　in　their　minds；　Zhang　Liang*　went　in　pursuit　of　Xiang　Yu　and　destroyed　him。
〃But　is　it　necessary　to　act　like　King　Wen　and　Gou　Jian？　Listen　to　the　reply。　In　the　days　of　Shang　and　Zhou；　when　imperial　ranks　had　long　existed　and　the　relations　between　prince　and　minister　were　firmly　established；　even　such　as　the　Founder　of　the　Hans　could　not　have　carved　his　way　to　a　throne。　But　when　the　dynasty　of　Qin　had　suppressed　the　feudal　nobles　and　set　up　mere　representatives　of　its　own　power；　and　the　people　were　weak　and　enslaved；　the　empire　was　rived　asunder；　and　there　succeeded　a　time　of　contention；　when　every　bold　soul　strove　with　his　neighbor。
〃But　we　are　now　in　other　times。　Since　there　is　not　the　state　of　confusion　that　waited　on　the　end　of　Qin；　but　a　state　of　things　more　nearly　like　that　of　the　period　of　the　Warring　States；　in　which　six　kingdoms　contended　for　the　mastery；　therefore　one　may　play　the　part　of　King　Wen。　If　one　would　found　a　dynasty；　then　must　that　one　wait　upon　time　and　favorable　destiny。　With　these　in　his　favor；　the　consummation　will　follow　forthwith；　as　the　armies　of　Kings　Tang*　and　Wu*　fought　but　one　battle。　Therefore　have　real　passion　for　the　people　and　wait　on　opportunity。　If　wars　are　constant；　and　a　mishap　e；　even　the　wisest　will　be　unable　to　show　the　way　of　safety。〃
〃An　effusion　from　the　pen　of　a　rotten　pedant？〃　cried　Jiang　Wei　wrathfully　as　he　finished　reading；　and　he　dashed　the　essay　on　the　ground　in　contempt。
The　protest　was　disregarded；　and　the　army　marched。
〃In　your　opinion　where　should　we　begin？〃　asked　he　of　Fu　Qian。
Fu　Qian　replied；　〃The　great　storehouse　of　Wei　is　at　Changcheng；　and　we　ought　to　burn　their　grain　and　forage。　Let　us　go　out　by　the　Luo　Valley　and　cross　the　Shen　Ridge。　After　the　capture　of　Changcheng；　we　can　go　on　to　Qinchuan；　and　the　conquest　of　the　Middle　Land　will　be　near。〃
〃What　you　say　just　fits　in　with　my　secret　plans；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。
So　the　army　marched　to　the　Luo　Valley　and　crossed　the　Shen　Ridge。
The　mander　in　Changcheng　was　Sima　Wang；　a　cousin　of　Sima　Zhao。　Huge　stores　of　grain　were　in　the　city；　but　its　defenses　were　weak。　So　when　Sima　Wang　heard　of　the　approach　of　the　Shu　army；　he　and　his　two　leaders；　Wang　Zhen　and　Li　Peng；　made　a　camp　seven　miles　from　the　walls　to　keep　any　attack　at　a　distance。
When　the　enemy　came　up；　Sima　Wang　and　his　two　generals　went　forth　from　the　ranks　to　meet　them。
Jiang　Wei　stood　in　the　front　of　his　army　and　said；　〃Sima　Zhao　has　forced　his　prince　to　go　with　him　to　war；　which　plainly　indicates　that　he　intends　to　emulate　the　deeds　of　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si。　My　government　has　manded　me　to　punish　this　fault。　Wherefore　I　say　to　you　yield　at　once。　For　if　you　persist　in　the　way　of　error；　you　and　yours　shall　all　be　put　to　death！〃
Sima　Wang　shouted　back；　〃You　and　yours　are　wholly　strangers　to　any　feeling　of　rectitude。　You　have　repeatedly　invaded　a　superior　state's　territory。　If　you　do　not　at　once　retire；　I　will　see　to　it　that　not　even　a　breastplate　returns！〃
With　these　words　General　Wang　Zhen　rode　out；　his　spear　set　ready　to　thrust。　From　the　host　of　Shu　came　Fu　Qian　to　take　the　challenge；　and　the　two　champions　engaged。　After　a　few　encounters　Fu　Qian　tempted　his　opponent　by　feigning　weakness。　Wang　Zhen　thrust　at　the　opening　he　gave。　Fu　Qian　evaded　the　blow；　snatched　Wang　Zhen　out　of　the　saddle；　and　bore　him　off。
Seeing　this；　his　colleague；　Li　Peng　whirled　up　his　sword　and　went　pounding　down　toward　the　captor。　Fu　Qian　went　but　slowly；　thus　luring　Li　Peng　into　rash　pursuit。　When　Li　Peng　was　near　enough；　Fu　Qian　dashed　his　prisoner　with　all　his　strength　to　the　earth；　took　a　firm　grip　on　his　four…edg