第一小说网

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第248部分（第1页）

ers　from　left　and　right。　Wei　Yan　and　Ma　Dai　fought　desperately　to　extricate　themselves；　but　many　of　the　soldiers　of　Shu　fell　into　the　river　and　drowned。　The　others　scattered。　However；　Wu　Yi　came　up　and　rescued　the　force　from　entire　destruction；　and　moved　across　the　river　to　make　camp。

Hu　Ban　set　half　his　troops　to　navigate　the　rafts　down　the　river　to　the　bridges。　But　Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen　stationed　near　the　bridges　shot　clouds　of　arrows　at　them；　and　the　Shu　leader；　Hu　Ban；　was　wounded。　He　fell　into　the　river　and　was　drowned。　The　crews　of　the　rafts　jumped　into　the　water　and　got　away。　The　rafts　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　soldiers　of　Wei。

At　this　time　the　front　division　under　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni　were　ignorant　of　the　defeat　of　their　Beiyuan　army；　and　they　went　straight　for　the　camps　of　Wei。　They　arrived　in　the　second　watch。

They　heard　loud　shouting；　and　Wang　Ping　said　to　Zhang　Ni；　〃We　do　not　know　whether　the　cavalry　sent　to　Beiyuan　has　been　successful　or　not。　It　is　strange　that　we　do　not　see　a　single　soldier　of　the　enemy。　Surely　Sima　Yi　has　found　out　the　plan　and　prepared　to　frustrate　the　attack。　Let　us　wait　here　till　the　bridges　have　been　set　on　fire　and　we　see　the　flames。〃

So　they　halted。　Soon　after；　a　mounted　messenger　came　up　with　orders：　〃The　Prime　Minister　bade　you　retire　immediately；　as　the　attack　on　the　bridges　has　failed。〃

Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni　attempted　to　withdraw；　but　a　bomb　exploded　and　the　troops　of　Wei；　who　had　taken　a　by…road　to　their　rear；　at　once　attacked。　A　great　fire　started　also。　A　disorderly　battle　ensued；　from　which　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni　eventually　forced　their　ways　out；　but　only　with　great　loss。

And　when　Zhuge　Liang　collected　his　army　at　Qishan　once　more　he　found；　to　his　sorrow；　that　he　had　lost　more　than　ten　thousand　troops。

Just　at　this　time　Fei　Yi　arrived　front　Chengdu。

Zhuge　Liang　received　him　and；　after　the　ceremonies　were　over；　said；　〃I　would　trouble　you；　Sir；　to　carry　a　letter　for　me　into　East　Wu。　Will　you　undertake　the　mission？〃

〃Could　I　possibly　decline　any　task　you　laid　upon　me？〃　said　Fei　Yi。

So　Zhuge　Liang　wrote　a　letter　and　sent　it　to　Sun　Quan。　Fei　Yi　took　it　and　hastened　to　Capital　Jianye；　where　he　saw　Sun　Quan；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　and　presented　this　letter：

〃The　Hans　have　been　unfortunate；　and　the　line　of　rulers　has　been　broken。　The　Cao　party　have　usurped　the　seat　of　government　and　still　hold　the　mand。　My　late　master；　Emperor　Bei；　confided　a　great　task　to　me；　and　I　must　exhaust　every　effort　to　achieve　it。　Now　my　army　is　at　Qishan；　and　the　rebels　are　on　the　verge　of　destruction　on　River　Wei。　I　hope　Your　Majesty；　in　accordance　with　your　oath　of　alliance；　will　send　a　leader　against　the　north　to　assist　by　taking　the　Middle　Land；　and　the　empire　can　be　shared。　The　full　circumstances　cannot　be　told；　but　I　hope　you　will　understand　and　act。〃

Sun　Quan　was　pleased　at　the　news　and　said　to　the　envoy；　〃I　have　long　desired　to　set　my　arm　in　motion；　but　have　not　been　able　to　arrange　with　Zhuge　Liang。　After　this　letter　I　will　lead　an　expedition　myself；　and　go　to　Juchao　and　capture　Xincheng　of　Wei。　Moreover；　I　will　send　Lu　Xun　and　Zhuge　Jin　to　camp　at　Miankou　and　Jiangxia；　and　take　Xiangyang。　I　will　also　send　another　army　under　Sun　Shao　and　Zhang　Cheng　into　Guangling　to　capture　Huaiyang。　The　total　number　will　be　three　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　they　shall　start　at　once。〃

Fei　Yi　thanked　him　and　said；　〃In　such　a　case　the　Middle　Land　will　fall　forthwith。〃

A　banquet　was　prepared。　At　this；　Sun　Quan　said；　〃Whom　did　the　Prime　Minister　send　to　lead　the　battle？〃

Fei　Yi　replied；　〃Wei　Yan　was　the　chief　leader。〃

〃A　man　brave　enough；　but　crooked。　One　day　he　will　work　a　mischief　unless　Zhuge　Liang　is　present。　But　surely　Zhuge　Liang　knows。〃

〃Your　Majestys　words　are　to　the　point；〃　said　the　envoy。　〃I　will　return　at　once　and　lay　them　before　Zhuge　Liang。〃

Fei　Yi　quickly　took　leave　and　hastened　to　Qishan　with　his　news　of　the　intended　expedition　of　Wu　against　Wei　with　three　hundred　thousand　troops　in　three　directions。

〃Did　the　Ruler　of　Wu　say　nothing　else？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

Then　Fei　Yi　told　him　what　had　been　said　about　Wei　Yan。

〃Truly　a　prehending　ruler；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　appreciatively。　〃But　I　could　not　be　ignorant　of　this。　However；　I　value　Wei　Yan　because　he　is　very　bold。〃

〃Then　Sir；　you　ought　to　decide　soon　what　to　do　with　him。〃

〃I　have　a　scheme　of　my　own。〃

Fei　Yi　returned　to　Chengdu；　and　Zhuge　Liang　resumed　the　ordinary　camp　duties　of　a　leader。

When　Zhuge　Liang　was　in　a　council　with　his　manders；　suddenly　a　certain　Wei　leader　came　and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　surrender。　Zhuge　Liang　had　the　man　brought　in　and　questioned　him。

〃I　am　a　leader；　Zheng　Wen　by　name。　General　Qin　Lang　and　I　are　old　colleagues。　Recently　Sima　Yi　transferred　us　and；　showing　great　partiality　for　my　colleague；　appointed　him　Leader　of　the　Van　and　threw　me　out　like　a　weed。　I　was　disgusted　and　left；　and　I　wish　to　join　your　ranks　if　you　will　accept　my　service。〃

Just　at　that　moment　a　soldier　came　in　to　say　that　Qin　Lang　with　a　pany　had　appeared　in　front　of　the　tents　and　was　challenging　Zheng　Wen。

Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃How　does　this　man　stand　with　you　in　fighting　skill？〃

〃I　should　just　kill　him；〃　said　Zheng　Wen。

〃If　you　were　to　slay　him；　that　would　remove　my　doubts。〃

Zheng　Wen　accepted　the　proposer　with　alacrity；　mounted　his　horse；　and　away　he　went。　Zhuge　Liang　went　out　to　see　the　fight。　There　was　the　challenger　shaking　his　spear　and　reviling　his　late　friend　as　rebel　and　brigand　and　horse…thief。

〃Traitor！　Give　me　back　my　horse　you　stole！〃　cried　Qin　Lang；　galloping　toward　Zheng　Wen　as　soon　as　he　appeared。