第一小说网

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第224部分（第2页）

〃He　is　one　Yang　Ling；　a　cousin　of　Yang　Fu。　Being　neighboring　counties；　we　are　very　good　friends。〃

〃I　wish　to　trouble　you　to　persuade　him　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao。　Can　you？〃

〃If　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　order　me　to　do　this；　I　would　ask　you　to　withdraw　your　troops　and　let　me　go　into　the　city　to　speak　with　him。〃

Zhuge　Liang　consented　and　ordered　the　besiegers　to　draw　off　seven　miles　and　camp。　Cui　Liang　himself　went　to　the　city　and　hailed　the　gate。　He　entered　and　went　forthwith　to　his　friends　residence。　As　soon　as　he　had　finished　the　salutations；　he　related　what　had　happened。

〃After　the　kindness　we　have　received　from　Wei；　we　cannot　be　traitors；〃　said　Yang　Ling。　〃But　we　will　meet　ruse　with　ruse。〃

He　led　Cui　Liang　to　the　mander…in…Chief　and　told　the　whole　story。

〃What　ruse　do　you　propose？〃　asked　Xiahou　Mao。

〃Let　us　pretend　to　offer　the　city；　and　let　the　army　of　Shu　in。　Once　they　are　in；　we　can　massacre　them。〃

Xiahou　Mao　agreed　to　plot　the　scheme。

Cui　Liang　went　back　to　Zhuge　Liangs　camp；　where　he　said；　〃Yang　Ling　wants　to　offer　the　Prime　Minister　the　city。　He　also　wants　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao；　but　he　is　so　afraid　of　having　few　soldiers　that　he　has　made　no　hasty　move。〃

〃That　is　simple　enough；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Your　hundred　troops　are　here。　We　can　mix　with　them　some　of　my　generals　dressed　as　your　officers　and　so　let　them　get　into　the　city。　They　can　hide　in　Xiahou　Maos　dwelling　and　arrange　with　Yang　Ling　to　open　the　gates　in　the　night。　And　my　grand　army　will　e　in　to　make　the　capture　for　you。〃

Cui　Liang　thought　within　himself；　〃If　I　do　not　take　the　Shu　generals；　they　will　arouse　suspicion。　I　would　rather　take　them　and　will　kill　them　as　soon　as　they　get　within　the　walls。　Then；　I　will　give　the　signal　and　beguile　Zhuge　Liang　to　enter；　and　so　dispose　of　him。〃

So　Cui　Liang　consented　to　Zhuge　Liangs　proposal。

Zhuge　Liang　gave　him　instructions；　saying；　〃I　will　send　my　trusty　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　with　you。　You　will　pass　them　off　as　the　rescuers　just　to　set　Xiahou　Maos　mind　at　rest。　But　when　you　raise　a　fire；　I　shall　take　that　as　my　signal　and　e　in。〃

At　dusk　the　two　trusty　generals；　having　received　their　secret　orders；　put　on　their　armor；　mounted；　took　their　weapons；　and　got　in　among　the　Anding　troops。　Cui　Liang　led　the　small　force　to　the　gate。　Yang　Ling　was　on　the　wall。　The　drawbridge　was　hoisted。　He　leaned　over　the　guard　rail　and　scanned　those　below。

〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　he。

〃We　are　rescuers　from　Anding。〃

Now　Cui　Liang　shot　an　arrow　over　the　wall；　to　which　a　secret　letter　was　bound；　saying：

〃Zhuge　Liang　is　sending　two　generals　into　the　city　that　they　may　help　him　to　get　in；　but　do　nothing　till　we　get　inside　lest　the　ruse　gets　known　and　the　game　be　spoiled。〃

Yang　Ling　went　to　show　this　letter　to　Xiahou　Mao；　who　said；　〃Then　Zhuge　Liang　is　going　to　be　our　victim。　Put　a　pany　of　ax　and　bill　men　in　the　palace；　and　as　soon　as　these　two　generals　get　inside；　shut　the　gates　and　fall　on。　Then　give　the　signal。　As　soon　as　Zhuge　Liang　gets　inside　the　gate；　seize　him。〃

All　arrangements　being　made；　Yang　Ling　went　back　to　the　wall　and　said；　〃Since　you　are　Anding　troops；　you　may　be　allowed　in。〃

The　gate　was　thrown　open　and；　while　Guan　Xing　followed　close　after　Cui　Liang；　Zhang　Bao　was　a　little　way　behind。　Yang　Ling　came　down　to　the　gate　to　wele　them。　As　soon　as　Guan　Xing　got　near；　he　lifted　his　sword　and　smote　Yang　Ling；　who　fell　headless。　Cui　Liang　was　startled　and　lashed　his　steed　to　flee。

But　Zhang　Bao　rushed　forth　and　cried；　〃Scoundrel！　Did　you　think　your　vile　plot　would　be　hidden　from　the　eyes　of　our　Prime　Minister？〃

With　that　Cui　Liang　fell　from　a　spear　thrust　of　Zhang　Bao。　Then　Guan　Xing　went　up　on　the　wall　and　lit　the　fire。　Soon　the　army　of　Shu　filled　the　city。　Xiahou　Mao　could　make　no　defense；　so　he　tried　to　fight　his　way　through　the　south　gate。　There　he　met　Wang　Ping　and　was　captured。　Those　with　him　were　slain。

Zhuge　Liang　entered　the　city　of　Nanan　and　at　once　forbade　all　plunder。　The　various　generals　reported　the　deeds　of　valor。　The　captive　mander…in…Chief　was　placed　in　a　prisoners　cart。

Then　Deng　Zhi　asked；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　how　did　you　know　the　treachery　of　Cui　Liang？〃

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　knew　the　man　was　unwilling　in　his　heart　to　yield；　so　I　sent　him　into　the　city　that　he　might　have　a　chance　to　weave　a　counter　plot　with　Xiahou　Mao。　I　saw　by　his　manner　he　was　treacherous；　and　so　I　sent　my　two　trusty　generals　with　him　to　give　him　a　feeling　of　security。　Had　he　been　true　to　me；　he　would　have　opposed　this。　But　he　accepted　it　gaily　and　went　with　them　lest　I　should　suspect　him。　He　thought　they　could　slay　the　two　leaders　and　entice　me　in。　But　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　already　had　orders　of　what　to　do。　Everything　turned　out　as　I　thought；　and　as　they　did　not　expect。〃

The　officers　bowed　their　appreciation　of　his　wonderful　insight。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　sent　one　of　my　trusty　people　to　pretend　he　was　a　certain　Pei　Xu　of　Wei　and　so　deceive　this　Cui　Liang。　Then　I　sent　another　messenger　to　reinforce　the　ruse。　I　also　sent　them　to　Tianshui　to　repeat　the　plan；　but　noth