第一小说网

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Deng　Ai　replied；　〃They　are　victors　on　River　Yao。　If　they　enlist　the　aid　of　the　Qiangs　to　cause　a　diversion　in　the　West　Valley　Land　and　the　Land　Within　the　Passes　and　also　obtain　the　support　of　the　four　counties；　it　will　be　a　misfortune　for　us。　If　they　do　not　think　of　that；　but　try　to　take　Didao；　they　will　only　fritter　away　their　energies　against　a　place　too　strongly　fortified　for　them　to　capture。　Let　us　now　array　our　force　along　the　Xiangling　Mountain；　and　then　we　can　advance　and　smite　them。　We　shall　get　a　victory。〃

〃That　is　well　said！〃　cried　Chen　Tai。

Then　twenty　cohorts　of　fifty　soldiers　each　were　told　off　to　find　their　way　secretly　to　the　southeast　of　Didao　and　there　hide　in　the　valleys。　They　were　then　to　display　many　ensigns　and　sound　trumpets　as　if　they　were　a　very　large　force；　and　make　huge　fires　at　night；　so　as　to　cause　anxiety　among　the　enemy。　And　thus　they　waited　for　the　troops　of　Shu　to　e；　while　Chen　Tai　and　Deng　Ai　marched　with　forty　thousand　troops　against　the　Shu　army。

The　army　of　Shu　had　marched　to　Didao　and　begun　the　siege　around　the　whole　circuit　of　the　walls。　At　the　end　of　many　days　the　fall　of　the　city　seemed　no　nearer；　and　Jiang　Wei　began　to　fret。　He　could　think　of　no　plan　likely　to　succeed。

One　eventide　a　horseman　came　in　to　report：　〃Two　armies　are　approaching　rapidly；　and　the　names　on　the　banners　were　General　Who　Conquers　the　West　Chen　Tai　and　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou　Deng　Ai　。〃

Jiang　Wei　called　in　his　colleague　Xiahou　Ba；　who　said；　〃I　have　spoken　to　you　of　Deng　Ai　many　times。　He　is　perspicacious；　valiant；　resourceful；　and　has　always　delighted　in　the　study　of　military　topography。　As　he　is　ing；　we　shall　have　to　put　forth　all　our　energies。〃

Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃We　will　attack　before　he　can　get　a　foothold　and　while　his　soldiers　are　fatigued　with　the　march。〃

So　Zhang　Yi　was　left　to　carry　on　the　siege　while　the　two　leaders　went　out　to　meet　the　new　armies。　Jiang　Wei　went　against　Deng　Ai；　and　Xiahou　Ba　against　Chen　Tai。

Before　Jiang　Wei　had　marched　far；　the　stillness　was　broken　by　the　roar　of　a　bomb；　and　at　once　all　about　the　Shu　army　arose　the　rolling　of　drums　and　the　blare　of　trumpets；　soon　followed　by　flames　that　shot　up　to　the　very　sky。　Jiang　Wei　rode　to　the　front　and　saw　the　ensigns　of　Wei　all　about　him。

〃I　have　fallen　into　a　trap　set　by　Deng　Ai！〃　cried　he。

He　sent　orders　to　Xiahou　Ba　and　Zhang　Yi　to　withdraw　immediately　while　he　would　cover　their　retreat。　When　they　had　retired；　he　followed　them　into　Hanzhong；　harassed　all　along　the　road　by　the　sounds　of　marching　soldiers　and　glimpses　of　enemy　banners。　But　these　enemies　never　attacked。　It　was　only　after　the　army　had　retreated　to　Saber　Pass　that　Jiang　Wei　knew　all　this　was　make…believe。

He　camped　in　Zhongti。　For　his　services　and　success　on　River　Yao；　Jiang　Wei　was　rewarded　with　the　rank　of　Regent　Marshal。　As　soon　as　the　ceremonies　connected　with　his　promotion　were　ended；　he　began　again　to　talk　of　an　expedition　against　Wei。

Remember　enough　is　as　good　as　a　feast；

Having　sketched　a　good　snake　dont　add　legs　to　the　beast；

And　in　fighting　remember　that　others　are　bold；

And　tigers　have　claws　though　their　teeth　may　be　old。

The　result　of　the　new　expedition　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　111　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　111

Chapter　111

Deng　Ai　Outwits　Jiang　Wei；

Zhuge　Dan　Battles　Sima　Zhao。

Jiang　Wei　camped　at　Zhongti。　The　army　of　Wei　camped　outside　Didao。　Wang　Jing　weled　Chen　Tai　and　Deng　Ai　and　prepared　a　banquet　to　celebrate　the　raising　of　the　siege　and　also　rewarded　the　army　with　gifts。　Then　Chen　Tai　sent　up　a　memorial　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　Cao　Mao；　eulogizing　the　magnificent　services　of　Deng　Ai；　who　was　rewarded　with　the　title　General　Who　Pacifies　the　West。　For　the　time；　Deng　Ai　was　left　in　the　west。　He　and　Chen　Tai　placed　their　men　in　cantonments　in　Yongzhou；　Liangzhou；　and　the　counties　round　about。

After　Deng　Ai　had　rendered　his　thanks　to　the　Emperor；　Chen　Tai　spread　a　great　feast　in　his　honor；　and　in　congratulating　his　guest；　said；　〃Jiang　Wei　slipped　off　in　the　night　because　he　was　broken；　and　he　will　never　dare　to　return。〃

〃I　think　he　will；〃　replied　Deng　Ai；　smiling。　〃I　can　give　five　reasons　why　he　should。〃

〃What　are　they？〃

〃First；　although　the　soldiers　of　Shu　have　retired；　they　have　the　self…possessed　and　confident　look　of　holding　the　victory；　our　soldiers　are　really　weak　and　broken。　Second；　the　soldiers　of　Shu　were　trained　and　inspirited　by　Zhuge　Liang　and　are　easy　to　mobilize；　our　generals　are　all　of　different　periods　of　service；　and　our　army　indifferently　trained。　Third；　the　Shu　soldiers　often　use　boats　for　traveling；　and　so　they　move　at　leisure　and　the　troops　arrive　fresh；　ours　do　all　their　journeys　on　land；　and　they　arrive　fatigued　with　marching。　Fourth；　again；　Didao；　Longxi；　Nanan；　and　Qishan　are　all　places　suitable　for　defense　or　use　as　battle　fields；　and　thus　the　army　of　Shu　can　conceal　their　intentions　and　strike　where　they　will；　we　have　to　remain　on　guard　at　many　points；　thus　dividing　our　forces；　when　they　concentrate；　they　have　only　to　reckon　with　a　part　of　our　force。　And　fifth；　if　they　e　out　by　way　of　Longxi　and　Nanan；　they　have　the　grain　of　the　Qiangs　to　depend　upon；　and　if　they