第一小说网

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第269部分（第1页）

out　by　way　of　Longxi　and　Nanan；　they　have　the　grain　of　the　Qiangs　to　depend　upon；　and　if　they　choose　Qishan；　they　have　the　wheat　there。　These　are　the　five　reasons　why　they　should　make　another　expedition。〃

Chen　Tai　was　overe　with　the　clear　vision　of　his　new　colleague。

〃Sir；　your　foresight　is　godlike。　I　think　we　need　feel　no　anxiety　about　what　the　enemy　can　achieve。〃

The　two　leaders　became　the　best　of　friends　in　spite　of　the　difference　of　age。　Deng　Ai　spent　his　time　in　training　the　army；　and　garrisons　were　placed　at　all　points　where　surprise　attacks　seemed　possible。

There　was　feasting　also　at　Zhongti；　and　the　occasion　was　taken　to　discuss　a　new　attack　on　Wei。

But　Assistant　Fan　Jian　opposed。　〃General；　your　expeditions　have　partly　failed　many　times；　you　have　never　scored　a　plete　victory。　But　now　on　River　Yao　the　army　of　Wei　recognize　your　superiority；　and　why　should　you　try　again？　There　is　small　chance　of　success；　and　you　risk　all　you　have　gained。〃

Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃You　all　regard　only　the　largeness　and　population　of　Wei　and　the　time　necessary　for　conquest；　but　you　do　not　see　five　reasons　for　victory。〃

The　assembly　asked　what　these　were。

〃First；　the　fighting　spirit　of　the　soldiers　of　Wei　has　been　badly　broken　on　River　Yao；　while　that　of　our　soldiers；　although　we　retired；　is　unimpaired。　If　we　attack；　we　shall　certainly　succeed。　Second；　our　soldiers　can　travel　in　boats　and　so　will　not　be　wearied　with　marching；　their　soldiers　have　to　march　to　meet　us。　Third；　our　soldiers　are　thoroughly　trained；　theirs　are　recruits；　a　mere　flock　of　crows；　quite　undisciplined。　Fourth；　when　we　go　out　by　Qishan；　we　can　seize　upon　the　autumn　wheat　for　food。　Finally；　they　are　scattered；　having　to　defend　various　points；　while　we　can　concentrate　on　any　point　we　wish；　and　they　will　find　it　difficult　to　bring　up　reinforcements。　If　we　miss　this　chance；　can　we　hope　for　a　better？〃

Xiahou　Ba　said；　〃Deng　Ai　is　young；　but　he　is　deep　and　crafty。　He　has　certainly　taken　great　pains　to　secure　the　regions　under　his　charge　as　General　Who　Pacifies　the　West。　Victory　will　not　be　so　easy　as　it　was　before。〃

〃Why　should　I　fear　him？〃　cried　Jiang　Wei；　angrily。　〃You　should　not　laud　the　spirit　of　the　enemy　and　belittle　that　of　our　own　soldiers。　But　in　any　case　I　have　made　up　my　mind　and　shall　take　West　Valley　Land。〃

No　one　dared　to　offer　any　further　opposition。　Jiang　Wei　himself　led　the　first　army；　the　others　followed　in　due　order；　and　thus　the　soldiers　of　Shu　marched　out　of　Zhongti　to　Qishan。

Before　they　could　reach　Qishan；　the　scouts　reported　the　hills　already　occupied　by　the　armies　of　Wei。　Jiang　Wei　rode　forward　to　verify　this；　and；　surely　enough；　he　saw　the　Wei　camps；　nine　in　number；　stretching　over　the　hills　like　a　huge　serpent；　and　all　arranged　to　give　each　other　support。

〃Xiahou　Ba　spoke　only　too　well；〃　said　he。　〃The　plan　of　those　camps　is　excellent　and　only　our　Zhuge　Liang　could　have　laid　them　out　with　equal　skill。〃

Returning　to　his　own　army；　he　said　to　his　officers；　〃They　must　have　known　of　my　ing；　and　I　think　Deng　Ai　is　here　too。　Now　from　this　as　base　you　are　to　send　out　daily　small　reconnoitering　parties　showing　my　banner；　but　different　flags　and　uniforms；　blue；　yellow；　red；　white；　and　black；　in　turns。　While　you　are　thus　distracting　attention；　I　will　lead　the　main　army　by　Dongting　to　attack　Nanan。〃

Bao　Su　was　sent　to　camp　at　the　mouth　of　the　Qishan　Mountains　Valley　while　the　main　army　marched。

As　soon　as　Deng　Ai　had　heard　that　the　enemy　would　e　out　at　Qishan；　he　had　camped　there　with　his　colleague　Chen　Tai。　But　when　days　had　passed　without　anyone　ing　to　fling　a　challenge；　he　sent　out　spies　to　find　out　where　the　Shu　army　was　lurking。　They　could　find　nothing；　and　so　Deng　Ai　went　to　the　summit　of　a　hill　to　look　around。

He　came　to　the　conclusion；　saying；　〃Jiang　Wei　must　not　be　in　this　camp。　He　must　be　on　his　way　to　capture　Nanan。　Those　soldiers　in　the　Shu　camp　were　nothing　but　a　feint；　accentuated　by　the　daily　change　of　uniform。　Going　to　and　fro　for　days；　the　horses　look　tired；　and　their　leaders　are　certainly　none　of　the　ablest。　Therefore；　General；　I　advise　an　attack　here。　If　that　succeeds；　the　Dongting　road　can　be　occupied；　and　Jiang　Wei　will　be　unable　to　retreat。　I　think　I　ought　to　try　to　relieve　Nanan。　I　will　go　by　the　Wucheng　Mountain；　and　if　I　occupy　that；　the　enemy　will　try　to　take　Shanggui。　Near　that　place　is　a　narrow　and　precipitous　valley　called　Block　Valley；　just　the　place　for　an　ambush；　where　I　shall　lie　in　wait　till　Jiang　Wei　es　to　take　the　Wucheng　Mountain。〃

Chen　Tai　replied；　〃I　have　been　here　over　twenty　years　and　have　never　known　so　much　of　the　military　possibilities　of　the　place。　You　are　very　wonderful　and　must　carry　out　your　plan。〃

So　Deng　Ai　marched　toward　Nanan　by　double　marches。　Soon　they　came　to　the　Wucheng　Mountain；　where　they　camped　without　opposition。　He　sent　his　son　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan；　each　leading　five　thousand　troops；　to　lie　in　wait　in　the　Block　Valley　and　not　to　betray　their　presence。

In　the　meantime　Jiang　Wei　was　marching　between　Dongting　and　Nanan。

Near　the　Wucheng　Mountain；　he　turned　to　Xiahou　Ba　and　said；　〃That　hill　is　our　point；　and　Nanan　is　close。　I　fear　lest　the　artful　Deng　Ai　may　seize　and　fortify　it。〃