第一小说网

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第227部分（第2页）

These　two　having　gone　away　to　carry　out　their　portions　of　the　plan；　Zhuge　Liang　next　called　up　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao：　〃You　are　to　take　each　ten　thousand　troops　and　hide　in　the　high　road　to　the　mountain。　When　the　troops　of　Wei　e；　let　them　pass　and　then　march　along　the　road　they　came　by　to　their　camp　that　they　have　just　left。〃

These　two　having　left；　Zhuge　Liang　placed　Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　and　Zhang　Yi　in　ambush　about　the　camp。

Within　the　camp　the　tents　and　shelters　were　left　standing　as　if　the　camp　was　occupied；　while　wood　and　straw　were　heaped　up　ready　to　give　the　signal。　This　done；　Zhuge　Liang　and　his　officers　retired　to　the　rear　of　the　camp　to　watch　the　proceedings。

On　the　side　of　Wei　the　two　Van　Leaders；　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan；　left　at　dusk　and　hastened　toward　the　camp　of　Shu。　About　the　second　watch　they　saw　troops　busily　moving　about　in　front　of　the　hill。

Cao　Zun　thought　to　himself；　〃General　Guo　Huai　is　an　excellent　strategist　and　of　wonderful　prevision。〃

Then　he　hastened　the　march；　and　in　the　third　watch　reached　the　camp　of　Shu。　He　at　once　dashed　into　the　enclosure；　but　only　to　find　it　totally　deserted。　Not　a　man　was　visible。　At　once　he　knew　he　had　stumbled　into　a　trap；　and　began　to　withdraw。　Then　the　flames　sprang　up。　Zhu　Zan　arrived　already　to　fight；　and　the　two　bodies　of　troops；　thrown　into　confusion；　fought　with　each　other　till　the　two　leaders　met；　when　they　found　out　they　were　fighting　their　own　men。

As　they　were　restoring　order；　on　came　the　four　bodies　of　troops　of　Shu　under　Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　and　Zhang　Yi　who　had　lain　in　ambush　ready　for　them。　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan；　with　more　than　a　hundred　of　those　nearest　to　them；　ran　away　to　get　to　the　high　road。　But　before　long　the　rolling　drums　announced　another　body　of　their　enemy；　and　their　flight　was　stopped　by　Zhao　Yun。

〃Whither　go　ye；　O　rebel　leaders？〃　cried　Zhao　Yun。　〃Stop；　for　here　is　death！〃

But　Cao　Zun　and　Zhu　Zan　still　fled。　Then　came　up　a　force　led　by　Wei　Yan　and　pleted　the　defeat。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　wholly　beaten　and　ran　away　to　their　own　camp。　But　the　guard　left　in　the　camp　thought　they　were　the　enemy　who　e　to　raid；　so　they　lit　the　fires；　and　at　this　signal　Cao　Zhen　rushed　up　from　one　side　and　Guo　Huai　from　the　other；　and　a　fierce　fight　with　their　own　troops　began。

While　this　was　going　on；　three　cohorts　under　Wei　Yan；　Guan　Xing；　and　Zhang　Bao　arrived　from　three　points；　and　a　great　and　confused　battle　began。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　driven　off　and　chased　for　three　miles。

In　the　fight　Wei　lost　many　leaders；　and　Zhuge　Liang　gained　a　great　success。　Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　got　together　their　beaten　troops　and　went　back　to　their　own　camp。

When　they　discussed　the　fight；　Cao　Zhen　said；　〃The　enemy　are　too　strong　for　us。　Have　you　any　plan　to　drive　them　away？〃

Replied　Guo　Huai；　〃Our　defeat　is　one　of　the　ordinary　events　of　war。　Let　us　not　be　cast　down。　I　have　a　plan　to　suggest　that　will　disorder　them　so　that　one　body　cannot　help　the　other；　and　they　will　all　be　pelled　to　flee。〃

Wei　leaders　fail　and　sadly　send

To　pray　tribespeople　help　to　lend。

The　plan　will　be　unfolded　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　94　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　94

Chapter　94

Zhuge　Liang　Defeats　The　Qiangs　In　A　Snowstorm；

Sima　Yi　Quickly　Captures　Meng　Da。

Guo　Huai　laid　before　his　colleague　the　scheme　to　overe　the　army　of　Shu；　saying；　〃The　Qiang　tribes　have　paid　tribute　regularly　since　the　days　of　the　Founder　of　Wei。　Emperor　Pi　regarded　them　with　favor。　Now　let　us　hold　such　points　of　vantage　as　we　may；　while　we　send　secret　emissaries　to　engage　their　help　in　exchange　for　kindly　treatment。　We　may　get　the　Qiangs　to　attack　Shu　and　engage　their　attention；　while　we　gather　a　large　army　to　smite　them　at　another　place。　Thus　attacking；　how　can　we　help　gaining　a　great　victory？〃

A　messenger　was　sent　forthwith　bearing　letters　to　the　Qiang　tribespeople。

The　King　of　the　western　Qiangs　was　named　Cheli　Ji。　He　had　rendered　yearly　tribute　since　the　days　of　Cao　Cao。　He　had　two　ministers；　one　for　civil　and　the　other　for　military　affairs；　named；　respectively；　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan　and　Chief　Leader　Yue　Ji。

The　letter　was　acpanied　by　presents　of　gold　and　pearls；　and　when　the　messenger　arrived；　he　first　sought　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan；　to　whom　he　gave　gifts　and　whose　help　he　begged。　Thus