第一小说网

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第226部分（第1页）

〃What　do　you　mean　talking　thus　after　writing　me　a　letter　telling　me　to　surrender？　You　want　to　secure　your　own　safety　by　involving　me。　But　I　have　surrendered；　and　as　I　am　a　superior　general　in　their　service　now；　I　see　no　sense　in　returning　to　Wei。〃

So　saying；　he　urged　the　soldiers　on　to　the　attack。　The　assault　continued　till　dawn；　when　the　besiegers　drew　off。

Now　the　appearance　of　Jiang　Wei　in　this　fashion　was　but　a　ruse。　Zhuge　Liang　had　found　among　his　men　one　who　resembled　Jiang　Wei　and　had　disguised　him　so　that　Jiang　Wei　appeared　to　be　leading　the　attack　on　the　ramparts。　In　the　smoke　and　fire　during　the　night　no　one　could　penetrate　the　disguise。

Zhuge　Liang　then　led　the　army　to　attack　Jicheng。　The　grain　in　the　city　was　insufficient　to　feed　the　people。　From　the　wall　Jiang　Wei　saw　wagons　of　grain　and　forage　being　driven　into　the　Shu　camp；　and　he　determined　to　try　to　secure　some。　So　he　led　three　thousand　troops　out　of　the　city　to　attack　the　train　of　wagons。　As　soon　as　he　appeared；　the　convoy　abandoned　the　carts　and　fled。　Jiang　Wei　seized　them；　and　was　taking　them　into　the　city；　when　he　was　met　by　a　cohort　under　the　mand　of　Zhang　Yi。　They　plunged　into　battle。　After　a　short　time　Wang　Ping　came　to　reinforce　Zhang　Yi；　so　that　Jiang　Wei　was　attacked　on　two　sides。　All　Jiang　Weis　efforts　were　vain；　and　he　had　to　abandon　the　spoil　and　try　to　reenter　the　city。

But　as　he　drew　near；　he　saw　the　walls　were　decorated　with　Shu　ensigns；　for　Wei　Yan　had　captured　the　place　and　was　in　possession。　By　desperate　fighting　Jiang　Wei　got　clear　and　set　off　for　Tianshui。　But　he　only　had　a　few　score　horsemen　left。　Presently　the　small　force　fell　in　with　Zhang　Bao；　and　at　the　end　of　this　engagement　Jiang　Wei　found　himself　alone；　a　single　horseman。　He　reached　Tianshui　and　hailed　the　gate。　The　watchers　above　the　gate　knew　him　and　went　to　tell　the　Governor。

〃This　fellow　has　came　to　beguile　me　into　opening　the　gate；〃　said　Ma　Zun。

So　Ma　Zun　ordered　the　defenders　to　shoot　at　the　fugitive。　Jiang　Wei　turned　back；　but　there　were　the　army　of　Shu　close　at　hand。　He　set　off　as　fast　as　he　could　for　Shanggui。　But　when　he　got　there　Liang　Qian　hurled　a　volley　of　abuse　at　him。

〃You　traitor！〃　cried　Liang　Qian。　〃Dare　you　e　to　try　to　cajole　me　out　of　my　city？　I　know　you　have　surrendered　to　Shu。〃

Liang　Qians　soldiers　also　began　to　shoot　at　the　hapless　fugitive。

Jiang　Wei　was　helpless。　He　could　not　explain　the　real　truth　to　those　who　doubted　him。　Lifting　his　eyes　to　heaven；　while　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　he　whipped　up　his　steed　and　rode　off　toward　Changan。

Before　he　had　got　very　far；　he　came　to　a　spot　where　were　many　heavy　foliaged　trees。　From　among　these　appeared　a　pany　of　soldiers；　led　by　Guan　Xing。　Weary　as　were　both　horse　and　rider；　there　was　no　chance　of　successful　resistance；　and　Jiang　Wei　turned　back。　But　soon　appeared　a　small　chariot　in　which　sat　Zhuge　Liang；　dressed　simply　as　usual　in　a　white　robe　and　carrying　his　feather　fan。

〃Friend　Jiang　Wei；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃is　it　not　time　to　yield？〃

Jiang　Wei　stopped　and　pondered。　There　was　Zhuge　Liang；　and　Guan　Xings　troops　were　behind　him。　There　was　no　way　out。　So　he　dismounted　and　bowed　his　head　in　submission。

Zhuge　Liang　at　once　got　out　of　the　chariot　and　bade　him　wele；　taking　him　by　the　hand　and　saying；　〃Ever　since　I　left　my　humble　cottage；　I　have　been　seeking　some　worthy　person　to　whom　I　might　impart　the　knowledge　that　my　life　has　been　spent　in　acquiring。　I　have　found　no　one　till　this　moment；　and　now　my　desire　is　attained。　You　are　the　one。〃

Jiang　Wei　bowed　and　thanked　him；　and　they　two　returned　to　camp。

Soon　after　their　arrival；　the　new　recruit　and　Zhuge　Liang　consulted　how　to　capture　Tianshui　and　Shanggui。　Jiang　Wei　had　a　scheme。

〃The　two　civil　officers　in　charge　of　the　city；　Yin　Shang　and　Liang　Xu；　are　excellent　friends　of　mine；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　will　write　a　letter　to　each；　shoot　it　over　the　wall　tied　to　an　arrow；　and　ask　them　to　help　by　raising　a　revolt　within　the　city。〃

They　decided　upon　this；　and　two　secret　letters　were　duly　written　and　sent　flying　over　the　ramparts；　where　they　were　found　and　taken　to　the　Governor。　Ma　Zun　was　doubtful　what　action　to　take　and　consulted　with　Xiahou　Mao；　asking　him　to　decide。

Said　Ma　Zun；　〃Yin　Shang　and　Liang　Xu　are　in　league　with　Jiang　Wei；　and　they　plot　to　aid　the　enemy　from　within。　What　should　be　done？〃

〃Put　both　the　men　to　death；〃　Xiahou　Mao　replied。

But　Yin　Shang　heard　what　was　toward　and　said　to　Liang　Xu；　〃The　best　course　for　us　is　to　yield　the　city　to　Shu　and　trust　to　them　to　treat　us　well　as　our　repense。〃

That　evening　Xiahou　Mao　sent　many　times　to　summon　the　two　officers　to　him；　but　they　thought　it　too　great　a　risk　to　answer　the　call。　Instead；　they　armed　themselves　and　rode　at　the　head　of　their　own　soldiers　to　the　gates；　opened　them　and　let　in　the　troops　of　Shu。　Ma　Zun　and　Xiahou　Mao　fled　by　the　west　gate　with　a　hundred　faithful　followers　and　sought　refuge　with　the　Qiang　tribespeople。

Liang　Xu　and　Yin　Shang　weled　Zhuge　Liang；　who　entered　the　city；　restored　order；　and　calmed　the　people。

This　done；　Zhuge　Liang　asked　how　he　might　capture　Shanggui。

Liang　Xu　said；　〃My　brother；　Liang　Qian；　holds　that　city；　and　I　will　call　upon　him　to　yield　it。〃

Thereupon　Liang　Xu　rode　over　to　Shanggui　and　called　out　his　brother　to　submit。　Zhuge　Liang　rewarded　the　two　brothers　and　then　made　Liang　Xu　Governor　of　Tianshui；　Yin　Shang；　Magistrate　of　Jicheng；　and　Liang　Qian；　Magistrate　of　Shanggui。　Next　the　army　prepared　to　advance。

His　officers　asked；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　why　do　you　not　pursue　and　capture　Xiahou　Mao？〃