第一小说网

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第236部分（第1页）

ow　then　shall　we　meet　the　situation？　I　do　not　understand　delay。

〃The　people　are　stretched　and　the　army　exhausted　indeed；　but　confusion　does　not　cease。　If　confusion　does　not　cease；　then；　whether　we　go　on　or　stand　still　the　drain　is　the　same。　Does　it　seems　that　attack　should　not　be　made　yet？　Is　it　that　the　rebels　are　to　be　allowed　to　obtain　a　permanent　hold　on　some　territory？　I　do　not　understand　the　arguments。

〃A　stable　condition　of　affairs　is　indeed　difficult　to　obtain。　Once；　when　the　First　Ruler　was　defeated　in　Jingzhou；　Cao　Cao　patted　himself　on　the　back　and　said　that　the　empire　was　settled。　Yet；　after　that；　the　First　Ruler　obtained　the　support　of　Wu　and　Yue　on　the　east；　took　Ba　and　Shu　on　the　west；　and　undertook　an　expedition　to　the　north；　wherein　Xiahou　Yuan　lost　his　life。　So　Cao　Cao　calculations　proved　erroneous；　and　the　affairs　of　Han　seemed　about　to　prosper。　But；　still　later；　Wu　proved　false　to　pledges；　our　Guan　Yu　was　defeated；　we　sustained　a　check　at　Zigui………and　Cao　Pi　assumed　the　imperial　style。　Such　events　prove　the　difficulty　of　forecast。　I　shall　strive　on　to　the　end；　but　the　final　result；　whether　success　or　failure；　whether　gain　or　loss；　is　beyond　my　powers　to　foresee。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　was　convinced；　and　by　edict　directed　Zhuge　Liang　to　start　on　the　expedition。

Zhuge　Liang　marched　out　with　three　hundred　thousand　well…trained　soldiers；　Wei　Yan　leading　the　first　division；　and　made　all　haste　to　Chencang。

The　news　soon　reached　Luoyang；　and　Sima　Yi　informed　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　who　called　his　council。

Then　Cao　Zhen　stepped　forth　and　said；　〃In　the　previous　campaign　I　failed　to　hold　West　Valley　Land；　and　my　disgrace　is　terrible　to　bear。　But　now　I　beg　to　be　given　another　mand　that　I　may　capture　Zhuge　Liang。　Lately　I　have　found　a　stalwart　soldier　for　a　leader；　a　man　who　wields　a　ninety…pound　sword；　rides　a　swift　and　savage　steed；　bends　the　three…hundred…pound　bow；　and　carries　hidden　about　him　when　he　goes　into　battle　three　meteor　maces　with　which　his　aim　is　certain。　So　valorous　is　he　that　none　dare　stand　against　him。　He　es　from　Didao　in　West　Valley　Land　and　is　named　Wang　Shuang。　I　would　remend　him　for　my　leader　of　the　van。〃

Cao　Rui　approved　at　once　and　summoned　this　marvel　to　the　hall。　There　came　a　nine…span　man　with　a　dusky　plexion；　yellowish　eyes；　strong　as　a　bear　in　the　hips　and　with　a　back　supple　as　a　tigers。

〃No　need　to　fear　anything　with　such　a　man！〃　said　Cao　Rui；　laughing。

He　gave　the　new　hero　rich　presents；　a　silken　robe　and　golden　breastplate；　and　gave　him　the　title　General　Who　Possesses　the　Tiger　Majesty。　And　Wang　Shuang　became　Leader　of　the　Van　of　the　new　army。　Cao　Zhen　was　appointed　mander…in…Chief。

Cao　Zhen　took　leave　of　his　master　and　left　the　court。　He　collected　his　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　veterans　and；　in　consultation　with　Guo　Huai　and　Zhang　He；　decided　upon　the　strategic　points　to　be　guarded。

The　first　panies　of　the　army　of　Shu　sent　out　their　scouts　as　far　as　Chencang。　They　came　back　and　reported：　〃A　rampart　has　been　built　and　behind　it　is　a　general　named　Hao　Zhao　in　mand。　The　rampart　is　very　strong　and　is　further　defended　by　thorny　barriers。　Instead　of　taking　Chencang；　which　seems　difficult；　it　would　be　easier　to　go　out　to　Qishan　by　the　Taibo　Mountains；　where　is　a　practicable；　though　winding；　road。〃

But　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Due　north　of　Chencang　is　Jieting；　so　that　I　must　get　this　city　in　order　to　advance。〃

Wei　Yan　was　sent　to　surround　Chencang　and　take　it。　He　went；　but　days　passed　without　success。　Therefore　he　returned　and　told　his　chief　the　place　was　impregnable。　In　his　anger；　Zhuge　Liang　was　going　to　put　Wei　Yan　to　death；　but　an　officer　stepped　forth。

Said　he；　〃I　have　followed　the　Prime　Minister　for　a　long　time；　but　have　not　achieved　worthy　service。　Now　I　want　to　go　to　Chencang　and　persuade　Hao　Zhao　to　yield。　Thus；　our　army　does　not　need　to　use　a　single　bow　or　arrow。〃

Others　turned　their　attention　to　Counselor　Jin　Xiang。

〃How　do　you　think　you　will　persuade　him？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃What　will　you　say？〃

〃Hao　Zhao　and　I　are　both　from　West　Valley　Land　and　pledged　friends　from　boyhood。　If　I　can　get　to　see　him；　I　will　so　lay　matters　before　him　that　he　must　surrender。〃

Jin　Xiang　got　permission　to　try；　and　rode　quickly　to　the　wall　of　Chencang。

Then　he　called　out；　〃Friend　Hao　Zhao；　your　old　chum　Jin　Xiang　has　e　to　see　you！〃

A　sentry　on　the　wall　told　Hao　Zhao；　who　bade　them　let　the　visitor　enter　and　bring　him　up　on　the　wall。

〃Friend；　why　have　you　e？〃　asked　Hao　Zhao。

〃I　am　in　the　service　of　Shu；　serving　under　Zhuge　Liang　as　an　assistant　in　the　Tactical　Department。　I　am　created　exceedingly　well；　and　my　chief　has　sent　me　to　say　something　to　you。〃

Hao　Zhao　was　rather　annoyed；　and　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　my　enemy。　I　serve　Wei　while　you　serve　Shu。　Each　serves　his　own　lord。　We　were　brothers　once；　but　now　we　are　enemies。　So　do　not　say　any　more。〃

And　the　visitor　was　requested　to　take　his　leave。　Jin　Xiang　tried　to　reopen　the　conversation；　but　Hao　Zhao　left　him　and　went　up　on　the　tower。　The　Wei　soldiers　hurried　Jin　Xiang　on　to　his　horse　and　led　him　to　the　gate。　As　he　passed　out；　he　looked　up　and　saw　his　friend　leaning　on　the　guard　rail。

He　pulled　up　his　horse；　pointed　with　his　whip　at　Hao　Zhao；　and　said；　〃My　friend　and　worthy　brother；　why　has　your　friendship　bee　so　thin？〃

〃Brother；　you　know　the　laws　of　Wei；〃　replied　Hao　Zhao。　〃I　have　accepted　their　bounty；　and　if　that　leads　to　death；　so　be　it。　Say　no　more；　but　return　quickly　to　your　master　and　tell　him　to　e　and　attack。　I　am　not　afraid。〃

So　Jin　Xiang　had　to　return　and　report　failure。

〃He　would　not　let　me　begin　to　explain；〃　said　he。