第一小说网

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第202部分（第1页）

So　Ma　Liang　went；　while　the　First　Ruler　busied　himself　with　getting　his　army　into　shelter　from　the　fierce　heat　of　summer。

His　move　was　no　secret；　and　the　scouts　soon　told　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai；　who　rejoiced　at　the　news　and　soon　went　to　tell　Lu　Xun。

〃All　the　enemies　forty　camps　had　been　moved　into　the　shade。　Now；　Sir；　you　can　attack！〃　said　they。

That　was　not　a　bad　plan；　an　ambush　to　set；

Thus　thought　he　his　chiefest　opponent　to　get。

Whether　Lu　Xun　acted　upon　the　suggestion　of　his　subordinates　will　be　seen　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　84　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　84

Chapter　84

Lu　Xun　Burns　All　Consecutive　Camps；

Zhuge　Liang　Plans　The　Eight…Array　Maze。

The　last　chapter　closed　with　the　report　that　the　First　Ruler　had　shifted　camp　in　search　of　cool　shade；　and　the　news　was　very　wele　to　Lu　Xun。　He　went　forthwith　to　assure　himself　of　the　truth　of　the　report　and　observe　the　new　position。　A　level　plain　lay　at　his　feet；　whereon　he　saw　something　short　of　ten　thousand　Shu　troops；　the　greater　part　of　whom　appeared　invalids。　On　the　banner　of　their　leader　he　read　the　name　Van　Leader　Hu　Ban　。

〃We　consider　these　troops　children；〃　said　Zhou　Tai。　〃Let　me　and　General　Han　Dang　go　out　and　smite　them。　I　will　give　the　formal　guarantee　of　victory。〃

The　mander…in…Chief　made　no　reply；　but　remained　gazing　out　before　him。

Presently　he　said；　〃It　seems　to　me　that　an　air　of　slaughter　is　rising　over　there　from　that　valley。　Surely　there　is　an　ambush　there。　These　poor　troops　in　the　foreground　are　nothing　but　a　bait。　No；　Gentlemen；　do　not　leave　your　positions。〃

Those　who　heard　this　took　it　only　as　another　proof　of　the　imbecility　of　their　pedant　mander。

Next　day　Hu　Bans　soldiers　approached　closer　and　challenged　to　battle；　swaggering　about　and　brandishing　their　weapons　and　shouting　volleys　of　abuse　without　end。　They　manifested　contempt　by　throwing　off　their　armor　and　clothing　and　moving　to　and　fro　with　the　utmost　carelessness；　bare　bodies　and　naked　forms；　blatantly　unready　to　fight。　Some　even　sat　or　lay　asleep。

Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　came　to　the　manders　tent　to　plain；　saying；　〃Those　Shu　soldiers　despise　us　so　much。　Let　us　go　out　and　punish　them！〃

＇e＇　Sun　Zi　（aka　Sun　Wu；　Sunzi；　Suntzu；　Sun…tzu；　Sun　tzu）　the　author　of　the　famed　treatise　The　Art　of　War。　A　general　of　Wu　in　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　Sun　Zi　made　her　the　mightiest　state　during　his　lifetime　by　defeating　Chu　and　conquering　Yue。　His　treatise　the　Art　of　War　is　still　avidly　read　today　by　many。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Wu　Qi；　aka　Wu　Zi；　a　famous　general　in　the　Warring　States　period。　He　first　served　Lu；　then　went　to　Wei；　his　native；　and　led　Wei　army　against　Qin。　He　made　enemies　in　Wei；　so　he　fled　to　Chu；　where　King　Dao　made　him　prime　minister。　Wu　Qi　made　Chu　a　powerful　state；　expanded　her　territory；　defended　her　against　Wei；　Zhao；　and　Han；　and　attacked　Qin。　Wu　Qi　is　the　author　of　a　military　treatise　named　〃Wu　Qis　Art　of　War〃。　。。。。。

But　Lu　Xun　only　smiled；　saying；　〃You　see　things　from　the　view　point　of　brute　courage。　You　seem　not　to　know　the　principles　of　war　laid　down　by　Sun　Zi*　and　Wu　Qi*。　This　display　is　only　meant　to　entice　us　into　fight。　You　will　see　the　pretense　yourselves　in　about　three　days。〃

〃In　three　days　the　change　of　camp　will　be　plete；　and　the　enemy　will　be　too　strongly　posted　for　our　success；〃　said　they。

〃I　am　just　letting　them　move　their　camp。〃

Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　left　the　tent　also　sniggering。

But　on　the　third　day　the　officers　were　assembled　at　a　look…out　point；　whence　they　saw　that　the　army　under　Hu　Ban　had　left。

〃There　is　still　a　deadly　look　over　the　valley；〃　said　Lu　Xun；　pointing　to　the　hills。　〃Liu　Bei　will　soon　appear。〃

Very　soon　they　saw　a　whole　army　all　well　accoutered　pass　across　the　field　escorting　the　First　Ruler。　And　the　sight　took　away　all　their　courage。

〃That　is　why　I　would　not　listen　to　those　of　you　who　wanted　to　fight　Hu　Ban；〃　said　Lu　Xun。　〃Now　that　the　ambush　has　been　withdrawn；　we　can　settle　them　in　about　ten　days。〃

〃The　proper　time　to　attack　was　when　they　began　to　transfer　their　camp。　Now　they　are　fully　established　with　encampments　stretching　two　hundred　miles。　Having　spent　seven　or　eight　months　in　strengthening　where　they　might　be　attacked；　will　it　not　be　difficult　to　destroy　them？〃　said　they。

〃I　see　you　do　not　understand　how　to　carry　on　war。　This　man　Liu　Bei　is　a　capable　and　crafty　man。　When　he　first　started　on　this　expedition　his　methods　were　of　the　best；　and　he　kept　them　so　for　a　long　time；　so　we　have　to　avoid　him。　When　his　troops　are　worn　out　and　his　thoughts　cease　to　be　clear；　that　will　be　our　day　to　attack。〃

At　last　they　agreed　with　their　chief。

The　general　discoursed　on　war；

According　to　the　book；

Right　craftily　the　bait　for　whales

Was　put　upon　the　hook。

When　kingdoms　three　were　carved　out；

Though　famous　men　were　many；