第一小说网

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第274部分（第1页）

that　the　building　is　about　to　be　burned。〃

〃Ah　！　If　only　Zhuge　Liang　the　Martial　Lord　was　still　alive………how　different　all　would　be！〃　said　Sun　Xiu；　with　a　sigh。

Letters　were　prepared　saying　that　beyond　doubt　Sima　Zhao　intended　usurpation；　and　when　that　came　about　in　Wei；　both　Wu　and　Shu　would　be　invaded。　Wherefore　both　should　be　ready。

On　the　arrival　of　these　letters；　Jiang　Wei　hastened　to　seek　permission　to　attempt　another　expedition。　Consent　being　given；　a　large　army　marched　into　Hanzhong　in　the　winter　of　the　first　year　of　Wonderful　Sight　（AD　258）。　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi　were　appointed　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　as　manders　of　the　Left　Army；　and　Jiang　Shu　and　Fu　Qian　as　manders　of　the　Right　Army；　while　Jiang　Wei　and　Xiahou　Ba　led　the　main　column。

Asked　what　he　thought　should　be　the　first　objective；　Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃There　is　no　better　fighting　ground　than　Qishan；　as　the　tactics　of　the　late　Prime　Minister　made　evident；　and　it　is　the　only　good　exit。〃

So　thither　three　armies　marched；　and　they　made　three　camps　at　the　entrance　to　the　valley。　At　this　time　Deng　Ai　had　a　training　camp　at　Qishan　drilling　the　Longyou　troops。

The　scouts　told　him：　〃The　Shu　army　have　pitched　three　camps　in　the　valley。〃

He　ascended　a　hill　to　see　and　verify　their　reports。　He　seemed　pleased　when　he　saw　the　enemy　camp。

〃They　have　just　done　as　I　foresaw；〃　said　Deng　Ai。

Now　Deng　Ai　had　carefully　considered　the　topography　of　the　countryside；　and　so　had　not　interfered　with　the　Shu　army　when　it　was　on　the　march　or　settling　into　camp。　Moreover；　he　had　excavated　a　subterranean　road　to　the　spot　where　he　had　thought　they　would　halt；　and　their　left　camp　had　been　pitched　just　on　it。　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　manded　in　that　camp。

Deng　Ai　called　his　son　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan　and　sent　them　with　ten　thousand　troops　each　to　attack　the　left　camp；　one　on　each　flank。　Then　he　sent　Zheng　Lun　and　five　hundred　troops　into　the　underground　road；　which　opened　in　rear　of　the　camp　of　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin。

As　the　newly　made　camp　was　not　yet　well　fortified；　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　exercised　great　care　and　kept　their　troops　under　arms　all　night；　watching　with　vigilance。　So　when　the　alarm　was　given；　they　had　but　to　seize　their　weapons　and　go　out。　But　as　the　two　leaders　were　mounting　their　steeds；　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan　had　attacked　from　without；　and　Zheng　Lun　from　within。　Thus　attacked　from　three　sides；　soon　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　found　the　position　untenable　and　fled。

When　Jiang　Wei　saw　that　his　left　camp　had　been　attacked　on　three　sides；　he　mounted　and　took　his　position　in　front　of　the　center　camp。

〃Let　no　one　move　on　pain　of　death！〃　he　shouted。　〃Stand　still。　When　the　enemy　approaches；　shoot！〃

The　right　camp　was　ordered　to　stand　fast。　His　defense　was　effective。　A　dozen　of　times　the　troops　of　Wei　came　forward；　only　to　be　driven　back　before　the　arrows　and　bolts　of　the　defenders。　Daylight　found　the　Shu　camps　still　firm；　and　the　Wei　troops　drew　off。

〃Jiang　Wei　has　indeed　learned　of　Zhuge　Liang；〃　said　Deng　Ai。　〃His　soldiers　stood　the　night　attack　without　flinching；　and　the　leaders　took　the　chances　of　battle　quite　calmly。　He　is　able。〃

Next　day；　when　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　went　to　confess　their　fault；　Jiang　Wei　said；　〃It　was　less　your　fault　than　mine；　for　I　did　not　clearly　recognize　the　nature　of　the　terrain。〃

So　no　penalty　was　inflicted。　The　camp　was　made　stronger；　and　the　subterranean　passage　was　filled　with　the　bodies　of　the　slain。

A　challenge　to　battle　for　the　following　day　was　sent　to　Deng　Ai；　who　accepted　it　joyfully。

Next　day　the　two　armies　were　arrayed　in　front　of　the　Qishan　Mountains。　The　troops　of　Shu　arrayed　according　to　the　〃Eight　Formations〃　designed　by　Zhuge　Liang；　which　are　called　Heaven；　Earth；　Wind；　Cloud；　Bird；　Serpent；　Dragon；　and　Tiger。　While　the　maneuver　was　in　progress；　Deng　Ai　recognized　it　as　the　Eight　Gates　Formation　and　placed　his　troops　accordingly。

Jiang　Wei　then　gripped　his　spear　and　rode　out；　saying；　〃You　have　made　a　good　imitation　of　my　eight；　but　can　you　work　variations？〃

〃You　call　these　yours！　Did　you　think　that　you　alone　held　the　secret？　Since　I　have　made　it；　of　course　I　know　the　variations。〃

Deng　Ai　reentered　his　ranks；　gave　the　signal　officers　certain　orders；　and　the　eight　gates　were　evolved　in　rapid　succession　into　sixty…four　gates。　Then　he　rode　to　the　front　again。

〃What　of　my　evolution？〃　asked　Deng　Ai。

〃Not　so　bad。　Would　you　like　to　try　a　surrounding　move　with　me？〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。

〃Why　not？〃

The　two　armies　moved　in　orderly　ranks。　Deng　Ai　stood　in　the　midst　of　his　army　giving　the　necessary　orders。　Then　the　clash　came；　but　his　tactics　did　not　grip。　Then　Jiang　Wei　waved　a　certain　signal　flag；　and　his　force　suddenly　assumed　the　form　of　a　serpent　coiled　on　the　ground　with　Deng　Ai　in　the　center。　Shouts　arose　all　about　him；　and　Deng　Ai　could　not　understand　what　had　happened　and　began　to　feel　afraid。　Gradually　the　troops　of　Shu　closed　in　upon　him；　and　he　saw　no　way　of　escape。

〃Deng　Ai；　you　must　surrender！〃　cried　the　soldiers。

〃Indeed　a　moment　of　pride　had　led　me　into　the　trap　of　Jiang　Wei！〃　he　sighed。

Suddenly　from　the　northwest　a　cohort　dashed　in。　To　Deng　Ais　great　joy　they　were　soldiers　of　Wei；　and　they　forced　over　the　battle　array　and　released　him。　The　leader　was　Sima　Wang。

But　although　Deng　Ai　had　been　rescued；　his　nine　camps　were　seized　by　his　enemy　and　he　had　to　retire。　He　led　his　army　to　the　south　of　River　Wei　and　made　a　camp。

〃How　did　you　know　exactly　where　to　strike　in　that　maze？〃　asked　Deng　Ai　of　his　rescuer。

Sima　Wang　replied；　〃In　my　youth　I　went　to　study　in　Jingzhou　and　was　friendly　with　Shi　Guangyuan　and　Cui　Zhouping。　They　explained　that　formation　to　me。　Jiang　Wei　used　what　is　known　as　The　Serpent　Coil；　and　the　only　way　to　break　it　is　to　attack　the　head；　which　I　saw　was　in　the　northwest。〃

Deng　Ai　replied；　〃Although　I　have　studied　formations；　I　do　not　know　all　the　modifications。　But　since　you　know　about　this；　we　may　be　able　to　recover　our　camps。〃

〃I　fear　the　little　I　have　learned　will　not　be　enough　to　overe　Jiang　Wei。〃