第一小说网

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ley　Land；　and　the　convoy　was　manded　by　Sun　Li。

〃What　is　known　of　this　Sun　Li？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

A　certain　man　of　Wei　replied；　〃He　is　a　bold　man。　Once　he　was　out　hunting　with　the　Ruler　of　Wei　on　Great　Rock　Hill；　and　a　tiger　suddenly　appeared　in　front　of　his　masters　chariot。　He　jumped　off　his　horse　and　dispatched　the　beast　with　his　sword。　He　was　rewarded　with　a　mandership。　He　is　an　intimate　friend　of　Cao　Zhen。〃

〃This　is　a　ruse；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃They　know　we　are　short　of　food；　and　those　carts　are　only　a　temptation。　They　are　laden　with　bustibles。　How　can　they　imagine　that　I　shall　be　deceived　by　this　sort　of　thing；　when　I　have　fought　them　with　fire　so　many　times？　If　we　go　to　seize　the　convoy；　they　will　e　and　raid　our　camp。　But　I　will　meet　ruse　with　ruse。〃

Then　Zhuge　Liang　sent　Ma　Dai　with　order：　〃You　and　three　thousand　troops　are　to　make　your　way　to　the　enemys　store　camp　and；　when　the　wind　serves；　to　start　a　fire。　When　the　stores　are　burning；　the　soldiers　of　Wei　will　e　to　surround　our　camp。　That　is　how　we　will　provoke　a　battle。〃

He　also　sent　Ma　Zheng　and　Zhang　Ni　with　five　thousand　troops　each　to　halt　near　the　camp　so　that　they　might　attack　from　without。

These　having　gone；　he　called　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　and　said；　〃The　outermost　camp　of　Wei　is　on　the　main　road。　This　night；　when　the　enemy　see　a　blaze；　our　camp　will　be　attacked；　so　you　two　are　to　lie　in　wait　on　the　two　sides　of　the　Wei　camp　and　seize　it　when　they　have　left。〃

Calling　Hu　Ban　and　Wu　Yi；　he　said；　〃You　are　to　lie　in　wait　outside　the　camp　to　cut　off　the　retreat　of　the　force　of　Wei。〃

All　these　arrangements　made；　Zhuge　Liang　betook　himself　to　a　summit　of　the　Qishan　Mountains　to　watch　the　results。

The　soldiers　of　Wei　heard　that　their　enemies　were　ing　to　seize　the　grain　convoy　and　ran　to　tell　Sun　Li；　who　sent　on　a　message　to　Cao　Zhen。

Cao　Zhen　sent　to　the　chief　camp　for　Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen　and　told　them；　〃Look　out　for　a　signal　blaze；　that　would　mean　the　ing　of　the　army　of　Shu；　and　then　you　are　to　raid　the　Shu　camp　immediately。〃

Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen　sent　watchers　on　the　tower　to　look　out　for　the　promised　blaze。

Meanwhile　Sun　Li　marched　over　and　hid　in　the　west　hills　to　await　the　ing　of　the　men　of　Shu。　That　night；　at　the　second　watch；　Ma　Dai　came　with　his　three　thousand　troops　all　silent；　the　soldiers　with　gags；　the　horses　with　a　lashing　round　their　muzzles。　They　saw　tier　after　tier　of　carts　on　the　hills；　making　an　enclosure　like　a　walled　camp；　and　on　the　carts　were　planted　many　flags。

They　waited。　Presently　the　southwest　wind　came　up；　and　then　they　launched　the　fire。　Soon　all　the　carts　were　in　a　blaze　that　lit　up　the　sky。　Sun　Li　saw　the　blaze　and　could　only　conclude　that　the　troops　of　Shu　had　arrived　and　his　own　side　were　giving　the　signal；　so　he　dashed　out　to　attack。　But　soon　two　parties　of　soldiers　were　heard　behind　him　closing　in。　These　were　Ma　Zheng　and　Zhang　Ni；　who　soon　had　Sun　Li　as　in　a　net。　Then　he　heard　a　third　ominous　roll　of　drums；　which　heralded　the　approach　of　Ma　Dai　from　the　direction　of　the　blaze。

Under　these　several　attacks；　the　troops　of　Wei　quailed　and　gave　way。　The　fire　grew　more　and　more　fierce。　Soldiers　ran　and　horses　stampeded；　and　the　dead　were　too　many　to　count。　Sun　Li　made　a　dash　through　the　smoke　and　fire　of　the　battle　and　got　away。

When　Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen　saw　the　fire；　they　threw　open　the　gates　of　their　camp　and　sallied　forth　to　help　defeat　the　army　of　Shu　by　seizing　their　camp。　But　when　they　reached　the　Shu　camp；　they　found　it　empty。　So　they　hurried　to　set　out　to　return。　That　was　the　moment　for　Hu　Ban　and　Wu　Yi　to　appear　and　cut　off　their　retreat。　However；　they　fought　bravely　and　got　through。　But　when　at　length　they　reached　their　own　camp；　they　were　met　by　arrows　flying　thick　as　locusts。　For　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　had　taken　possession　in　their　absence。

They　could　only　set　out　for　headquarters　to　report　their　mishap。　As　they　neared　Cao　Zhens　camp；　they　met　another　remnant　marching　up。　They　were　Sun　Lis　soldiers；　and　the　two　parties　went　into　camp　together　and　told　the　tale　of　their　victimization。　Cao　Zhen　thereafter　looked　to　his　defenses　and　attacked　no　more。

Thus　victorious；　the　soldiers　of　Shu　went　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　at　once　dispatched　secret　directions　to　Wei　Yan。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　gave　orders　to　break　camp　and　retreat。

This　move　was　not　understood；　and　Yang　Yi　asked　the　leader；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　you　have　just　scored　a　victory；　and　the　enemy　have　lost　their　bravery；　why　retreat？〃

〃Because　we　are　short　of　food；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Our　success　lay　in　swift　victory；　but　the　enemy　will　not　fight；　and　thus　they　weaken　us　day　by　day。　Though　we　have　worsted　them　now；　they　will　soon　be　reinforced；　and　their　light　horse　can　cut　off　our　provisions。　Then　we　could　not　retreat　at　all。　For　a　time　they　will　not　dare　look　at　us；　and　we　must　take　the　occasion　to　do　what　they　do　not　expect；　and　retreat。　But　I　am　solicitous　about　Wei　Yan；　who　is　on　the　Chencang　road　to　keep　off　Wang　Shuang。　I　fear　he　cannot　get　away。　So　I　have　sent　him　certain　orders　to　slay　Wang　Shuang；　and　then　the　force　of　Wei　will　not　dare　to　pursue。〃

Therefore　the　retreat　began；　but　to　deceive　the　enemy　the　watchmen　were　left　in　the　empty　camp　to　beat　the　watches　through　the　night。

Cao　Zhen　was　depressed　at　his　recent　misfortune。　Then　they　told　him　Zhang　He；　General　of　the　Left　Army；　had　e。　Zhang　He　came　up　to　the　gate；　dismounted；　and　entered。

When　he　saw　Cao　Zhen；　he　said；　〃I　have　received　a　royal　mand　to　e　and　to　be　into　your　arrangements。〃

〃Did　you　take　leave　of　friend　Sima　Yi？〃　asked　Cao　Zhen。

Zhang　He　said；　〃His　said　to　me　that　if　you　won　the　field　the　Shu　army　would　stay；　but　if　you　did　not；　the　Shu　army　would　retreat。　It　seems　that　our　side　has　missed　success。　Have　you　since　found　out　what　the　troops　of　Shu　are　doing？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

So　Cao　Zhen　sent　out　some　scouts；　and　they　found　empty　camps。　There　were　flags　flying；　but　the　army　had　been　gone　two　days。　Cao　Zhen　was　disgusted。

When　Wei　Yan　received　his　secret　orders；　he　broke　up　camp　that　night　and　hastened　toward　Hanzhong。　Wang　Shuangs　scouts　heard　this　and　told　their　chief；　who　hurried　in　pursuit。　After　about　seven　miles；　he　came　in　sight　of　Wei　Yans　ensigns。