第一小说网

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第263部分（第1页）

Ding　Fengs　ships　were　all　drawn　up　in　line。　Then　he　said　to　his　officers；　〃Today　there　is　indeed　a　grand　opportunity　for　a　brave　soldier　to　distinguish　himself。　We　shall　need　the　utmost　freedom　of　movement；　so　throw　off　your　armor；　leave　your　helmets；　cast　aside　your　long　spears；　and　reject　your　heavy　halberds。　Short　swords　are　the　weapons　for　today。〃

From　the　shore　the　soldiers　of　Wei　watched　the　Wu　marines　with　amusement；　taking　no　trouble　to　prepare　against　an　attack。　But　suddenly　a　cluster　of　bombs　exploded；　and　simultaneously　with　the　roar　Ding　Feng　sprang　ashore　at　the　head　of　his　troops。　They　dashed　up　the　bank　and　made　straight　for　the　Wei　camp。

The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　taken　pletely　by　surprise　and　were　helpless。　Han　Zong　grasped　one　of　the　halberds　that　stood　by　the　door　of　the　manders　tent；　but　Ding　Feng　stabbed　him　in　the　breast；　and　he　rolled　over。　Huan　Jia　went　round　and　came　up　on　the　left。　Just　as　he　poised　his　spear　to　thrust；　Ding　Feng　gripped　it　under　his　arm。　Huan　Jia　let　go　and　turned　to　flee；　but　Ding　Feng　sent　his　sword　flying　after　him　and　caught　him　in　the　shoulder。　He　turned　and　was　thrust　through　by　Ding　Fengs　spear。

The　three　panies　of　Wu　marines　went　to　and　fro　in　the　camp　of　Wei　slaying　as　they　would。　Hu　Zun　mounted　a　horse　and　fled。　His　troops　ran　away　across　the　floating　bridge；　but　that　gave　way　and　many　were　thrown　into　the　water　and　drowned。　Dead　bodies　lay　about　on　the　snow　in　large　numbers。　The　spoil　of　military　gear　that　fell　to　Wu　was　immense。

Sima　Zhao；　Wang　Chang；　and　Guanqiu　Jian；　seeing　the　Dongxing　front　had　been　broken；　decided　to　retreat。

Zhuge　Ke　marched　his　army　to　Dongxing；　and　he　made　great　feastings　and　distribution　of　rewards　in　celebration　of　victory。

Then　he　said　to　his　leaders；　〃Sima　Zhao　has　suffered　a　defeat　and　retreated　to　the　north。　It　is　time　to　take　the　Middle　Land！〃

So　he　told　his　officers　that　this　was　his　intention；　and　also　sent　away　letters　to　Shu　to　engage　the　aid　of　Jiang　Wei；　promising　that　the　empire　should　be　divided　between　them　when　they　had　taken　it。

An　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops　was　told　off　to　invade　the　Middle　Land。　Just　as　it　was　starting；　a　stream　of　white　vapor　was　seen　emerging　from　the　earth；　and　as　it　spread　it　gradually　enveloped　the　whole　army　so　that　people　could　not　see　each　other。

〃It　is　a　white　rainbow；〃　said　Jiang　Yan；　〃and　it　bodes　ill　to　the　army。　I　advise　you；　O　Imperial　Guardian；　to　return　and　not　march　against　Wei。〃

〃How　dare　you　utter　such　ill…omened　words　and　blunt　the　keenness　of　my　army？〃　cried　Zhuge　Ke；　angrily。

He　bade　the　lictors　take　Jiang　Yan　out　and　put　him　to　death。　But　Jiang　Yans　colleagues　interceded　for　him；　and　he　was　spared；　but　he　was　stripped　of　all　rank。　Orders　were　issued　to　march　quickly。

Then　Ding　Feng　offered　a　suggestion；　saying；　〃Wei　depends　on　Xincheng　for　the　defense　of　its　passes。　It　would　be　a　severe　blow　to　Sima　Shi　if　Xincheng　falls。〃

Zhuge　Ke　weled　this　suggestion　and　gave　orders　to　march　on　Xincheng。　They　came　up　and　found　the　city　gates　closed；　wherefore　they　began　to　besiege　the　city。　The　mander　in　the　city；　Zhang　Te；　saw　the　legions　of　Wu　at　the　walls；　held　a　strict　defense。

A　hasty　messenger　was　sent　to　Luoyang；　and　Secretary　Yu　Song　told　the　Prime　Minister；　Sima　Shi。

Yu　Song　said；　〃Zhuge　Ke　is　laying　siege　to　Xincheng。　The　city　should　not　try　to　repulse　the　attack；　but　simply　hold　out　as　long　as　possible。　When　the　besiegers　have　exhausted　their　provisions；　they　will　be　pelled　to　retire。　As　they　retreat；　we　can　smite　them。　However；　it　is　necessary　to　provide　against　any　invasion　from　Shu。〃

Accordingly　Sima　Zhao　was　sent　to　reinforce　Guo　Huai　so　as　to　keep　off　Jiang　Wei；　while　Guanqiu　Jian　and　Hu　Zun　kept　the　army　of　Wu　at　bay。

For　months　the　army　of　Zhuge　Ke　battered　at　Xincheng　without　success。　He　urged　his　generals　to　strenuous　efforts；　threatening　to　put　to　death　anyone　who　was　dilatory。　At　last　his　attacks　looked　like　succeeding；　for　the　northeast　corner　of　the　wall　seemed　shaken。

Then　Zhang　Te；　the　mander　of　Xincheng；　thought　of　a　device。　He　sent　a　persuasive　messenger　with　all　the　register　documents　to　Zhuge　Ke。

And　the　messenger　said；　〃It　is　a　rule　in　Wei　that　if　a　city　holds　out　against　attack　for　a　hundred　days　and　reinforcement　has　not　arrived；　then　its　mander　may　surrender　without　penalty　to　his　family。　Now　Xincheng　has　held　out　for　over　ninety　days；　and　my　master　hopes　you　will　allow　him　to　withstand　the　few　days　necessary　to　plete　the　hundred；　when　he　will　yield。　Here　are　all　register　documents　that　he　desires　to　tender　first。〃

Zhuge　Ke　had　no　doubts　that　the　story　was　genuine。　He　ordered　the　army　to　retreat　temporarily；　and　the　defenders　enjoyed　a　rest。　But　all　Zhang　Te　really　desired　was　time　wherein　to　strengthen　the　weak　angle　of　the　wall。　As　soon　as　the　attacks　ceased；　the　defenders　pulled　down　the　houses　near　the　corner　and　repaired　the　wall　with　the　material。

As　soon　as　the　repairs　were　plete；　Zhang　Te　threw　off　all　pretense　and　cried　from　the　wall；　〃I　have　half　a　years　provisions　yet　and　will　not　surrender　to　any　curs　of　Wu！〃

The　defense　became　as　vigorous　as　before　the　truce。　Zhuge　Ke　was　enraged　at　being　so　tricked；　and　urged　on　the　attack。　But　one　day　one　of　the　thousands　of　arrows　that　flew　from　the　rampart　struck　him　in　the　forehead；　and　he　fell。　He　was　borne　to　his　tent；　but　the　wound　inflamed；　and　he　became　very　ill。

Their　leaders　illness　disheartened　the　troops；　and；　moreover；　the　weather　became　very　hot。　Sickness　invaded　the　camp；　so　that　soldiers　and　leaders　alike　wished　to　go　home。

When　Zhuge　Ke　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　resume　mand；　he　urged　on　the　attack；　but　the　generals　said；　〃The　soldiers　are　sick　and　unfit　for　battle。〃

Zhuge　Ke　burst　into　fierce　anger；　and　said；　〃The　next　person　who　mentions　illness　will　be　beheaded。〃

When　the　report　of　this　threat　got　abroad；　the　soldiers　began　to　desert　freely。　Presently　mander　Cai　Lin；　with　his　whole　pany；　went　over　to　the　enemy。　Zhuge　Ke　began　to　be　alarmed　and　rode　through　the　camps　to　see　for　himself。　Surely　enough；　the　soldiers　all　looked　sickly；　with　pale　and　puffy　faces。

The　siege　had　to　be　raised；　and　Zhuge　Ke　retired　into　his　own　country。　But　scouts　brought　the　news　of　retreat　to　Guanqiu　Jian　who　led　the　Weis　grand　army　to　follow　and　harass　Zhuge　Kes　march　and　inflicted　a　severe　defeat。