第一小说网

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第222部分（第1页）

The　news　was　soon　reported　to　Shu。　Zhuge　Liang　rejoiced　when　they　told　him　of　the　success　that　had　attended　the　ruse。

〃Sima　Yi　and　the　forces　he　manded　in　Yongzhou　and　Liangzhou　have　been　the　obstacles　in　my　long…wished…for　attack　on　Wei。　Now　he　has　fallen；　I　have　no　more　anxiety。〃

At　the　first　great　assembly　of　officers　at　court；　Zhuge　Liang　stepped　forth　and　presented　to　the　Ruler　of　Shu　a　memorial　on　the　expedition　he　contemplated。

〃The　First　Ruler　had　acplished　but　half　his　great　task　at　his　death。　At　this　moment　the　empire　is　in　three　parts；　and　our　country　is　weak；　it　is　a　most　critical　moment　for　us。　Still；　ministers　are　not　remiss　in　the　capital；　and　loyal　and　devoted　soldiers　sacrifice　their　lives　abroad；　for　they　still　remember　the　special　kindness　of　the　First　Ruler　and　wish　to　show　their　gratitude　to　him　by　service　to　Your　Majesty。　Therefore　it　would　be　indeed　fitting　that　you　should　extend　your　holy　virtue　to　glorify　his　virtuous　memory　in　the　stimulation　of　the　will　of　your　purposeful　officers。　Your　Majesty　should　not　lose　yourself　in　the　pursuit　of　mean　things；　quoting　phrases　to　confound　the　eternal　principles　of　rectitude；　and　so　preventing　remonstrance　from　honest　people。　One　rule　applies　to　the　palace　of　the　Emperor　and　the　residence　of　a　courtier；　there　must　be　one　law　rewarding　the　good　and　punishing　the　evil。　Evil…doers　and　law…breakers；　as　also　true　and　good　people；　should　be　dealt　with　according　to　their　deserts　by　the　officers　concerned　in　order　to　manifest　Your　Majestys　impartial　and　enlightened　administration。　Partiality　is　wrong；　as　is　one　law　for　the　court　and　another　for　the　regions。

〃The　High　Ministers　Fei　Yi；　Guo　Youzhi；　and　Dong　Yun　are　honest　men；　devotedly　anxious　to　be　loyal　to　the　last　degree；　wherefore　His　Late　Majesty　chose　them　in　his　testament。　My　advice　is　to　consult　them　in　all　Palace　matters；　great　or　small；　before　taking　action。　Your　Majesty　will　reap　the　enormous　advantage　of　having　any　failings　corrected。

〃General　Xiang　Chong　is　a　man　of　well…balanced　temperament；　versed　in　military　matters；　to　whom；　after　testing　him；　the　late　Emperor　applied　the　epithet　capable。　The　consensus　of　opinion　is　that　Xiang　Chong　should　be　Grand　mander。　My　advice　is　to　consult　him　in　all　military　matters；　great　or　small；　whereby　your　military　forces　will　yield　their　maximum；　each　one　being　employed　to　the　best　advantage。

〃Attract　worthy　people；　repel　mean　ones。　This　policy　achieved　the　glory　of　the　Former　Hans；　while　its　reversal　ruined　the　Latter　Hans。　When　the　late　Emperor　was　with　us；　he　often　discussed　this　with　your　servant；　and　he　took　much　to　heart　the　story　of　Emperors　Huan　and　Ling。

〃The　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Chen　Zhen；　mander　Zhang　Si；　and　Minister　Jiang　Wan　are　both　incorruptible　and　enlightened　people；　honest　to　the　death。　I　wish　that　Your　Majesty　should　have　them　near　and　hold　them　in　confidence。　If　this　be　done；　then　the　glory　of　the　House　of　Han　will　be　quickly　consummated。

〃I　was　originally　a　private　person；　a　farmer　in　Nanyang；　concerned　only　to　secure　personal　safety　in　a　troubled　age　and　not　seeking　conversation　with　the　contending　nobles。　His　Late　Majesty；　the　First　Ruler；　overlooking　the　monness　of　my　origin；　condescended　to　seek　me　thrice　in　my　humble　cot　and　consult　me　on　the　trend　of　events。　His　magnanimity　affected　me　deeply；　and　I　consented　to　do　my　utmost　for　him。　Then　came　defeat；　and　I　took　office　at　a　moment　of　darkest　outlook　and　at　a　most　difficult　crisis。　This　is　twenty…one　years　ago。　The　First　Ruler　recognized　my　diligent　care；　and　when　dying　he　confided　the　great　task　to　me。　From　that　day　I　have　lived　a　life　of　anxiety　lest　I　should　fail　in　my　trust　and　so　dim　his　glory。

〃That　is　why　I　undertook　the　expedition　to　the　lands　beyond　the　River　Lu。　Now　the　Southern　Mangs　has　been　quelled；　and　our　army　is　in　good　condition。　I　ought　to　lead　it　against　the　north；　where　I　may　meet　with　a　measure　of　success　in　the　removal　of　the　wicked　ones；　the　restoration　of　Han；　and　a　return　to　the　old　capital。　This　is　my　duty　out　of　gratitude　to　the　late　Emperor　and　loyalty　to　Your　Majesty。　As　to　a　discussion　of　the　pros　and　cons　and　giving　a　true　version　of　the　whole　matter；　that　belongs　to　Guo　Youzhi　and　Fei　Yi　and　Dong　Yun。　I　desire　Your　Majesty　to　confide　to　me　the　task　of　slaying　the　rebels　and　restoring　the　Hans。　If　I　fail；　then　punish　me　by　telling　the　spirit　of　the　late　Emperor。　If　you　know　not　what　restoration　implies；　that　is　the　fault　of　your　advisers。

〃Your　Majesty　should　take　pains　to　be　guided　into　the　right　path　and　examine　carefully　what　is　laid　before　you；　carefully　remembering　the　late　Emperors　testament。

〃I　cannot　express　what　would　be　my　delight　if　you　had　the　goodness　to　accept　and　act　on　my　advice。

〃Now　I　am　about　to　depart　on　a　distant　expedition；　I　write　this　with　tears　and　clearly　know　what　I　have　said。〃

The　Emperor　read　it　through　and　said；　〃My　Father　Minister；　you　have　only　just　returned　from　a　distant　and　fatiguing　expedition　against　the　Southern　Mangs。　You　are　not　yet　refreshed；　and　I　fear　this　march　to　the　north　will　be　almost　too　much　even　for　you。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃The　heaviest　responsibility　lies　upon　me；　the　well…being　of　Your　Majesty　confided　to　me　by　the　First　Ruler。　My　efforts　may　not　be　relaxed　night　or　day。　The　south　is　at　rest；　at　home　is　no　anxiety。　What　better　time　could　be　hoped　for　to　destroy　the　rebels　and　recover　the　Middle　Land？〃

Forth　from　the　ranks　of　courtiers　stood　Minister　Qiao　Zhou　and　said；　〃I　have　studied　the　aspect　of　the　stars。　The　northern　quarter　is　brilliant　and　strong。　The　scheme　will　not　speed。〃

Then　turning　toward　the　Prime　Minister；　he　continued；　〃You；　O　Prime　Minister；　understand　the　mysteries　of　the　skies。　Why　do　you　oppose　the　stars？〃

〃Because　the　stars　are　in　infinite　changes；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃One　may　rely　on　the　stars　too　much。　Moreover；　I　have　already　sent　the　army　into　Hanzhong；　where　I　shall　act　as　soon　as　I　have　studied　what　is　afoot。〃

Qiao　Zhou　pleaded　in　vain。　Zhuge　Liang　was　too　strongly　set　upon　his　purpose　to　yield。　So　Guo　Youzhi；　Dong　Yun；　and　Fei　Yi　were　ordered　to　attend　to　matters　in　the　Palace；　Xiang　Chong　was　to　control　all　military　affairs　and　became　Grand　mander；　Jiang　Wan　was　made　Military　Adviser；　Chen　Zhen　became　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Zhang　Si；　Controller　of　the　Prime　Ministers　palace；　Du　Qiong；　Imperial　Censor；　Du　Wei　and　Yang　Hong；　Ministers；　Meng　Guang　and　Lai　Min；　Libationers；　Yin　Mo　and　Li　Zhuan；　Academicians；　Xi　Zheng　and　Fei　Shi；　General　Secretaries；　Qiao　Zhou；　Chief　Secretary；　and　others　to　the　number　of　over　a　hundred；　all　to　manage　the　administration　of　Shu　in　the　absence　of　Zhuge　Liang。

Having　received　his　Emperors　mand　to　lead　an　expedition　against　the　north；　Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　his　palace　and　summoned　the　officers　of　the　army　to　listen　to　the　orders。　And　they　came；　and　to　each　was　appointed　a　duty　in　the　great　army：

Front　Army　mander………Wei　Yan

Front　Army　Marching　Generals………Zhang　Yi；　Wang　Ping

Rear　Army　mander………Li　Hui

Rear　Army　Marching　General………Lu　Yin

Left　Army　mander　and　Chief　of　the　missariat………Ma　Dai

Left　Army　Marching　General………Zhang　Ni

Right　Army　mander………Ma　Zheng

Right　Army　Marching　General………Deng　Zhi

Center　Army　Director………Liu　Yang

Center　Army　Marching　Generals………Liao　Hua；　Hu　Ji

Center　Army　Front　Generals………Yuan　Lin；　Liu　Ba；　Xu　Yun