第一小说网

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第213部分（第2页）

And　after　the　inspection　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃You　are　silly　not　to　yield　to　me。　You　see　my　veteran　soldiers；　my　able　generals；　my　stores　of　all　kinds　and　war　gear。　How　can　you　hope　to　prevail　against　me？　If　you　will　yield；　I　will　inform　the　Emperor；　and　you　shall　retain　your　kingship；　and　your　sons　and　grandsons　shall　succeed　as　perpetual　guardians　of　the　Mang　country。　Do　you　not　think　it　would　be　well？〃

Meng　Huo　replied；　〃If　I　did　yield；　the　people　of　my　valleys　would　not　be　content。　If　you　release　me　once　more；　I　will　see　to　it　that　my　own　people　keep　the　peace　and　bring　them　round　to　unanimity　of　feeling；　and　then　they　will　not　oppose　any　more。〃

Zhuge　Liang　was　glad；　and　they　returned　to　the　main　camp　to　feast　until　dusk；　when　Meng　Huo　took　his　leave。　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　a　craft　and　went　to　see　him　across　River　Lu。

But　Meng　Huos　first　act　on　his　return　to　his　own　camp　was　to　send　one　of　his　people　to　Dongtu　Nas　and　Ahui　Nans　camps；　and　pretend　to　ask　them　to　e　to　meet　a　messenger　from　Zhuge　Liang。　When　the　two　generals　came；　Meng　Huo　ordered　assassins　who　had　been　placed　hidden　to　do　away　with　the　two　leaders。　Their　corpses　were　thrown　into　a　gully。　Then　he　sent　his　friends　to　guard　the　most　important　strategic　points；　while　he　marched　to　fight　a　battle　with　Ma　Dai。　But　when　he　got　near　the　valley；　he　saw　no　signs　of　the　enemy。

He　questioned　the　inhabitants；　and　they　said；　〃The　Shu　army；　with　all　their　stores；　recrossed　the　river　last　night　and　joined　the　main　body　in　the　northern　bank。〃

Meng　Huo　then　returned　to　his　own　ravine　and　discussed　matters　with　his　brother；　Meng　You；　saying；　〃I　know　all　the　details　of　the　enemys　force　from　what　I　saw　in　their　camp。〃

And　Meng　Huo　gave　his　brother　certain　instructions；　which　Meng　You　at　once　began　to　carry　out。　Meng　You　loaded　a　hundred　men　with　gold　and　jewels　and　pearls　and　ivory　and　rhinoceros　horn；　crossed　River　Lu；　and　was　on　his　way　to　the　main　camp　of　the　Shu　army；　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　drums　and　a　cohort　under　Ma　Dai　poured　out　to　stop　him。　Meng　You　did　not　expect　to　meet　an　enemy；　and　was　surprised。　But　Ma　Dai　only　asked　what　he　had　e　for。　And　when　he　had　heard；　Meng　You　was　detained　while　a　message　was　sent　to　Zhuge　Liang。

The　messenger　arrived　while　a　council　was　in　progress；　the　matter　under　discussion　being　how　to　pacify　the　Mangs。

They　announced；　〃The　brother　of　Meng　Huo　has　e　bearing　gifts　of　gold　and　pearls。〃

Zhuge　Liang　turned　to　Ma　Su；　saying；　〃Know　you　why　this　man　has　e？〃

〃I　dare　not　say　plainly；　but　let　me　write　it；〃　said　Ma　Su。

〃Write　it；　then。〃

So　Ma　Su　wrote　and　handed　the　paper　to　his　chief；　who　had　no　sooner　read　it　than　he　clapped　his　hands　with　joy；　crying；　〃What　you　say　is　exactly　what　I　think。　But　you　may　know　I　have　already　made　arrangements　for　the　capture　of　Meng　Huo。〃

Then　Zhao　Yun　was　called；　and　some　orders　were　whispered　into　his　ear。　Next　Wei　Yan　came；　and　he　also　went　off　with　secret　orders。　Wang　Ping；　Ma　Zheng；　and　Guan　Suo　also　came；　and　left　with　particular　instructions。　All　these　things　done；　the　bearer　of　gifts　was　called。

Meng　You　came　and　bowed　low　at　the　door　of　the　tent；　saying；　〃The　brother　of　my　house；　Meng　Huo；　having　received　great　kindness　at　your　hands　in　sparing　his　life；　feels　bound　to　offer　a　paltry　gift。　He　has　presumed　to　collect　a　few　pearls　and　some　gold　and　other　trifling　jewels　by　way　of　something　to　give　your　soldiers。　And　hereafter　he　will　send　tribute　to　your　Emperor。〃

〃Where　is　your　brother　at　this　moment？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Having　been　the　recipient　of　your　great　bounty；　he　has　gone　to　the　Silver　Pit　Ravine　to　collect　some　treasures。　He　will　soon　return。〃

〃How　many　soldiers　have　you　brought？〃

〃Only　about　a　hundred。　I　should　not　dare　to　bring　any　large　number。　They　are　just　porters。〃

They　were　brought　in　for　Zhuge　Liangs　inspection。　They　had　blue　eyes　and　swarthy　faces；　auburn　hair　and　purple　beards。　They　wore　earrings；　their　hair　was　fuzzy；　and　they　went　barefoot。　They　were　tall　and　powerful。

Zhuge　Liang　made　them　sit　down；　and　bade　his　generals　press　them　to　drink　and　treat　them　well　and　pliment　them。

Meanwhile；　Meng　Huo　was　anxious　about　the　reception　that　would　be　given　to　his　brother　and　the　treatment　of　his　gifts；　so　he　sat　in　his　tent　expecting　the　messenger　at　any　moment。　Then　two　men　came；　and　he　questioned　them　eagerly。

They　said；　〃The　presents　have　been　accepted；　and　even　the　porters　have　been　invited　to　drink　in　the　tent　and　have　been　regaled　with　beef　and　flesh　in　plenty。　O　King；　your　brother　sends　the　news　that　all　will　be　ready　at　the　second　watch　for　the　attack。　He　will　support　you　from　within。〃

This　was　pleasing　news；　and　Meng　Huo　prepared　his　thirty　thousand　troops　ready　to　march　out　to　the　camp。　They　were　divided　into　three　divisions。

The　King　called　up　his　chieftains　and　notables；　and　said；　〃Let　each　army　carry　the　means　of　making　fire；　and　as　soon　as　they　arrive　let　a　light　be　shown　as　a　signal。　I　am　ing　to　the　main　camp　to　capture　Zhuge　Liang。〃

With　these　orders　they　marched；　and　they　crossed　River　Lu　at　sunset。　The　King；　with　a　hundred　generals　as　escort；　pressed　on　at　once　toward　the　main　camp　of　Shu。　They　met　with　no　opposition。　They　even　found　the　main　gate　open；　and　Meng　Huo　and　his　party　rode　straight　in。　But　the　camp　was　a　desert；　not　a　soldier　was　visible。

Meng　Huo　rode　right　up　to　the　large　tent　and　pushed　open　the　flap。　It　was　brilliantly　lighted　with　lamps；　and　lying　about　under　their　light　were　his　brother　and　all　his　men；　dead　drunk。　Zhuge　Liang　had　ordered　Ma　Su　and　Lu　Kai　to　entertain　Meng　You　and　his　men　with　wine　and　dance　performances。　The　wine　they　had　been　pressed　to　drink　while　the　plays　were　going　on　had　been　heavily　drugged；　and　they　had　fallen　down　almost　as　soon　as　they　had　swallowed　it。　One　or　two　who　had　recovered　a　little　could　not　speak：　They　only　pointed　to　their　mouths。

Meng　Huo　then　saw　that　he　had　been　the　simple　victim　of　another　ruse。　However；　he　picked　up　his　brother　and　the　others　and　started　off　to　return　to　his　main　army。

But　as　he　turned；　torches　began　to　flash　out　and　drums　to　beat。　The　Mangs　were　frightened　and　took　to　their　heels。　But　they　were　pursued；　and　the　pursuing　cohort　was　led　by　Wang　Ping。　The　King　bore　away　to　the　left　to　escape；　but　again　a　cohort　appeared　in　front　of　him；　Wei　Yan　was　there。　Meng　Huo　tried　the　other　side；　and　was　stopped　by　Z