第一小说网

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第261部分（第2页）

Jiang　Wei　took　Xiahou　Ba　to　Chengdu　and　presented　him　to　the　Latter　Ruler。

Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Sima　Yi　had　slain　Cao　Shuang；　and　he　wanted　to　bait　Xiahou　Ba；　who　yielded　to　Shu。　Now　the　Simas；　father　and　sons；　are　holding　the　supreme　power；　the　young　Ruler　Cao　Fang　is　a　weakling；　and　Weis　fortune　is　near　its　end。　For　many　years　in　Hanzhong；　our　troops　have　been　well　trained；　and　our　stores　and　depots　filled　with　ample　supplies。　Now　I　wish　to　lead　an　expedition；　using　Xiahou　Ba　as　guide；　to　conquer　the　Middle　Land　and　to　reestablish　the　House　of　Han　in　its　old　capital。　This　is　how　I　could　show　my　gratitude　to　Your　Majesty　and　fulfill　the　desire　of　the　late　Prime　Minister。〃

But　Fei　Yi；　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　opposed　any　expedition；　saying；　〃We　have　lately　lost　by　death　two　trusty　ministers；　Jiang　Wan　and　Dong　Yun；　and　there　is　no　one　left　fit　to　take　care　of　the　government。　The　attempt　should　be　postponed；　no　hasty　move　should　be　made。〃

〃Not　so；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　〃Life　is　short。　Our　days　flash　by　as　the　glint　of　a　white　horse　across　a　chink　in　the　door。　We　are　waiting　and　waiting。　Are　we　never　to　try　to　restore　Han　to　its　old　glory？〃

〃Remember　the　saying　of　the　wise　Sun　Zi：　Know　thyself　and　know　thine　enemy；　then　is　victory　sure。　We　are　not　the　equals　of　the　late　Prime　Minister；　and　where　he　failed；　are　we　likely　to　succeed？〃

Jiang　Wei　said；　〃I　would　enlist　the　aid　of　the　Qiangs。　I　have　lived　near　them　in　Longshang　and　know　them　well。　With　their　help；　even　if　we　do　not　gain　the　whole　empire；　we　can　at　least　conquer　and　hold　all　west　of　Changan。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　here　closed　the　discussion；　saying；　〃Sir；　as　you　desire　to　conquer　Wei；　do　your　best。　I　will　not　damp　your　enthusiasm。〃

Thus　the　Latter　Rulers　consent　was　given。　Then　Jiang　Wei　left　the　court　and　betook　himself；　with　Xiahou　Ba；　into　Hanzhong　to　prepare　for　a　new　expedition。

〃We　will　first　send　an　envoy　to　the　Qiangs　to　make　a　league　with　them；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃Then　we　will　march　out　by　the　Xiping　Pass　to　Yongzhou；　where　we　will　build　up　two　ramparts　in　Qushan　in　Qushan　Mountains　and　garrison　them。　The　position　is　a　point　of　vantage。　Then　we　will　send　supplies　beyond　the　pass　by　land　and　waterways；　and　advance　gradually；　according　to　the　plan　devised　by　the　late　Prime　Minister。〃

In　the　autumn　of　the　year　（AD　249）　they　sent　the　two　Shu　generals；　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai；　with　fifteen　thousand　troops；　to　construct　the　two　ramparts　in　Qushan　in　Qushan　Mountains；　of　which　Gou　Ai　was　to　hold　the　eastern　and　Li　Xin　the　western。

When　the　news　reached　Yongzhou；　the　Imperial　Protector；　Guo　Huai；　sent　a　report　to　Luoyang　and　also　dispatched　Chen　Tai　with　a　force　of　fifty　thousand　troops　to　oppose　the　troops　of　Shu。　When　that　army　arrived；　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai　led　their　troops　to　meet　it。　But　their　armies　were　too　weak　to　stand　such　a　large　force；　and　they　once　more　retired　into　the　city。　Chen　Tai　ordered　his　army　to　lay　siege　and　occupy　the　road　that　led　to　Hanzhong；　so　that　supplies　were　cut　off。

After　some　days；　and　when　the　soldiers　of　Shu　began　to　feel　the　pinch　of　hunger；　Guo　Huai　came　to　see　what　progress　his　general　was　making。

At　sight　of　the　position　he　rejoiced　exceedingly；　and　when　he　returned　to　camp　he　said　to　Chen　Tai；　〃In　this　high　country　the　city　must　be　short　of　water；　which　means　that　the　besieged　must　e　out　for　supplies。　Let　us　cut　off　the　streams　that　supply　them；　and　they　will　perish　of　thirst。〃

So　the　Wei　soldiers　were　set　to　work　to　divert　the　streams　above　the　city；　and　the　besieged　were　soon　distressed。　Li　Xin　led　out　a　strong　force　to　try　to　seize　the　water　sources　and　fought　stubbornly；　but　was　at　length　worsted　and　driven　back　within　the　walls。　After　that　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai　joined　their　forces　and　made　another　attempt　to　go　out　and　fight。　But　the　Yongzhou　troops　surrounded　them；　and　a　melee　ensured　until　Li　Xin　and　Gou　Ai　fought　their　way　back　to　the　city。

Meanwhile　the　soldiers　were　parched　with　thirst。

Gou　Ai　discussed　the　circumstance　with　Li　Xin；　saying；　〃I　do　not　understand　the　delay　of　mander　Jiang　Weis　reinforcements。〃

Li　Xin　said；　〃Let　me　try　to　fight　my　way　out　and　get　help。〃

So　the　gates　were　opened；　and　Li　Xin　rode　out　with　some　twenty　horsemen。　These　were　opposed　and　had　to　fight　every　inch　of　the　way；　but　eventually　Li　Xin　won　though　severely　wounded。　All　his　followers　had　fallen。

That　night　a　strong　north　wind　brought　a　heavy　fall　of　snow；　and　the　besieged　were　thus　temporarily　relieved　from　the　water　famine。　They　melted　the　snow　and　prepared　food。

Li　Xin；　severely　wounded；　made　his　way　west　along　the　hill　paths。　After　two　days　he　fell　in　with　Jiang　Wei。

He　dismounted；　prostrated　himself；　and　told　his　story：　〃Qushan　had　been　surrounded　and　cut　off　water　supplies。　By　luck　it　snowed；　and　our　soldiers　were　partly　relieved。　But　the　situation　was　very　urgent。〃

〃The　delay　is　not　due　to　my　slackness。　The　Qiang　allies　we　depended　upon　have　not　e；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

Jiang　Wei　sent　an　escort　with　the　wounded　Li　Xin　to　conduct　him　to　Chengdu；　where　his　wounds　could　be　treated。

Turning　to　Xiahou　Ba；　Jiang　Wei　asked；　〃The　Qiangs　do　not　e；　and　the　Wei　army　is　besieging　Qushan。　General；　do　you　have　any　plan　to　propose？〃

Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃If　we　wait　for　the　ing　of　the　Qiangs；　it　looks　as　if　we　shall　be　too　late　to　relieve　Qushan。　It　is　very　probable　that　Yongzhou　has　been　left　undefended；　wherefore　I　propose　that　you　go　toward　Ox　Head　Hills　and　work　round　to　the　rear　of　Yongzhou；　which　will　cause　the　Wei　army　to　fall　back　to　relieve　Yongzhou　and　so　relieve　our　for