第一小说网

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第281部分（第2页）

Having　crossed　this　great　range　of　mountains　without　discovery；　Deng　Ai　marched　forward。　Presently　he　came　to　a　roomy　camp；　empty　and　deserted。　He　was　told　that　while　Zhuge　Liang　lived；　a　thousand　troops　had　been　kept　in　garrison　at　this　point　of　danger；　but　the　Latter　Ruler　had　withdrawn　them。　Deng　Ai　sighed　at　the　thought。

He　said　to　his　troops；　〃Now　retreat　is　impossible；　there　is　no　road　back。　Before　you　lies　Jiangyou　with　stores　in　abundance。　Advance　and　you　live；　retreat　and　you　die。　You　must　fight　with　all　your　strength。〃

〃We　will　fight　to　the　death！〃　they　cried。

The　leader　was　now　afoot；　doing　double　marches　with　his　two　thousand　troops　toward　Jiangyou。

The　mander　at　Jiangyou　was　Ma　Miao。　He　heard　the　East　River　Land　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　Though　some　thing　prepared　for　defense；　yet　his　post　had　a　wide　area　to　cover　and　guard；　and　he　trusted　Jiang　Wei　would　defend　the　Saber　Pass。　So　he　did　not　take　his　military　duties　very　seriously；　just　maintaining　the　daily　drills　and　then　going　home　to　his　wife　to　cuddle　up　to　the　stove　and　drink。

His　wife　was　of　the　Li　family。　When　she　heard　of　the　state　of　things　on　the　frontier；　she　said　to　her　husband；　〃If　there　is　so　great　danger　on　the　borders；　how　is　it　you　are　so　unaffected？〃

〃The　affair　is　in　Jiang　Weis　hands　and　is　not　my　concern；〃　replied　he。

〃Nevertheless；　you　finally　have　to　guard　the　capital；　and　that　is　a　heavy　responsibility。〃

〃O；　well！　The　Emperor　trusts　his　favorite　Huang　Hao　entirely　and　is　sunk　in　vice　and　pleasure。　Disaster　is　very　near。　If　the　Wei　armies　get　here；　I　shall　yield。　It　is　no　good　taking　it　seriously。〃

〃You　call　yourself　a　man！　Have　you　such　a　disloyal　and　treacherous　heart？　Is　it　nothing　to　have　held　office　and　taken　pay　for　years？　How　can　I　bear　to　look　upon　your　face？〃

Ma　Miao　was　too　ashamed　to　attempt　to　reply。　Just　then　his　house　servants　came　to　tell　him　that　Deng　Ai；　with　his　two　thousand　troops；　had　found　their　way　along　some　road　and　had　already　broken　into　the　city。　Ma　Miao　was　now　frightened　and　hastily　went　out　to　find　the　leader　and　offer　his　formal　submission。

He　went　to　the　Town　Hall　and　bowed　on　the　steps；　crying；　〃I　have　long　desired　to　e　over　to　Wei。　Now　I　yield　myself　and　my　army　and　all　the　town。〃

Deng　Ai　accepted　his　surrender　and　incorporated　his　army　with　his　own　force。　He　took　Ma　Miao　into　his　service　as　guide。

Then　came　a　servant　with　the　news：　〃Lady　Li　has　hanged　herself！〃

Deng　Ai　asked　why　she　had　done　it；　and　Ma　Miao　told　him。　Deng　Ai；　admiring　her　rectitude；　gave　orders　for　an　honorable　burial。　He　also　went　in　person　to　sacrifice。　Everyone　extolled　her　conduct。

When　the　Ruler　of　Shu　had　wandered　from　the　way；

And　the　House　of　Han　fell　lower；

Heaven　sent　Deng　Ai　to　smite　the　land。

Then　did　a　woman　show　herself　most　noble；

So　noble　in　conduct；

That　no　leader　equaled　her。

As　soon　as　Jiangyou　was　taken；　the　posts　along　the　road　by　which　the　army　had　e　were　withdrawn；　and　there　was　a　general　rendezvous　at　this　point。　This　done；　they　marched　toward　Fucheng。

General　Tian　Xu　remonstrated；　saying；　〃We　have　just　finished　a　long　and　perilous　march　and　are　weary　and　worn　out。　We　ought　to　repose　for　a　few　days　to　recover。〃

Deng　Ai　angrily　replied；　〃Speed　is　the　one　important　matter　in　war。　Do　not　encourage　any　discontent。　I　will　not　have　it。〃

Tian　Xu　was　sentenced　to　death。　But　as　many　officers　interceded　for　him；　he　was　pardoned。

The　army　pressed　on　toward　Fucheng。　As　soon　as　they　arrived；　the　officers　yielded　as　if　they　thought　Deng　Ai　had　fallen　from　the　heavens。　Some　took　the　news　to　the　capital；　and　the　Latter　Ruler　began　to　feel　alarmed。　He　hastily　called　for　Huang　Hao；　who　at　once　denied　the　report。

〃That　is　just　false　rumor。　The　spirits　would　not　deceive　Your　Majesty；〃　said　Huang　Hao。

The　Latter　Ruler　summoned　the　wise　woman　to　the　Palace；　but　the　messengers　said　she　had　gone　no　one　knew　whither。

And　now　urgent　memorials　and　letters　fell　in　from　every　side　like　a　snow　storm；　and　messengers　went　to　and　fro　in　constant　streams。　The　Latter　Ruler　called　a　court　to　discuss　the　danger；　but　no　one　had　any　plan　or　suggestion　to　offer。　The　courtiers　just　looked　blankly　into　each　others　faces。

Finally　Xi　Zheng　spoke　out；　〃In　this　extremity　Your　Majesty　should　call　in　the　help　of　the　son　of　the　Martial　Lord。〃

This　son　of　Zhuge　Liang　was　named　Zhuge　Zhan。　His　mother　was　born　of　the　Huang　family　and　a　daughter　of　Huang　Chenyan。　She　was　singularly　plain　and　extraordinarily　talented。　She　had　studied　everything；　even　books　of　strategy　and　magic。　Zhuge　Liang　in　Nanyang　had　sought　to　marry　her　because　of　her　goodness；　and　she　had　studied　with　him　for　all　their　lives。　She　had　survived　her　husband　but　a　short　time；　and　her　last　words　to　her　son　had　been　〃be　loyal　and　filial〃。

Zhuge　Zhan　had　been　known　as　a　clever　lad　and　had　married　a　daughter　of　the　Latter　Ruler；　so　that　he　was　an　Imperial　Son…in…Law。　His　fathers　rank；　Lord　of　Wuxiang；　had　descended　to　him。　In　the　fourth　year　of　Wonderful　Sight　（AD　261）　Zhuge　Zhan　received　the　rank　of　General　of　the　Guard　as　well。　But　he　had　retired　when　Huang　Hao；　the　eunuch；　as　first　favorite；　began　to　direct　state　affairs。

As　suggested；　the　Latter　Ruler　summoned　Zhuge　Zhan　to　court；　and　he　said；　weeping；　〃Deng　Ai　has　defeated　Fucheng；　and　the　capital　is　seriously　threatened。　You　must　think　of　your　father　and　rescue　me！〃

〃My　father　and　I　owe　too　much　to　the　First　Rulers　and　Your　Majestys　kindness　for　me　to　think　any　sacrifice　too　great　to　make　for　Your　Majesty。　I　pray　that　you　give　me　mand　of　the　troops　in　the　capital；　and　I　will　fight　a　decisive　battle。〃

So　the　soldiers；　seventy　thousand；　were　placed　under　Zhuge　Zhans　mand。

When　he　had　gathered　all　together；　he　said；　〃Who　dares　be　Leader　of　the　Van？〃

His　son；　Zhuge　Shang；　then　nineteen；　offered　himself；　saying；　〃Since　my　father　mands　the　army；　I　volunteer　to　lead　the　van！〃

Zhuge　Shang　had　studied　military　books　and　ma