第一小说网

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第268部分（第1页）

Said　Sima　Shi；　〃The　responsibility　of　power　is　heavy；　but　we　must　bear　it：　There　is　no　possible　relief。　You　must　continue　my　plans　and　maintain　my　policy　yourself；　and　you　must　be　exceedingly　careful　how　you　entrust　any　other　with　power；　lest　you　bring　about　the　destruction　of　our　whole　clan。〃

Then　Sima　Shi　handed　the　seal　of　office　to　Sima　Zhao；　weeping　the　while。　Sima　Zhao　would　ask　some　questions　still；　but　with　a　deep　groan　as　his　eye　popped　out　Sima　Shi　died。　It　was　the　second　month　of　the　second　year　of　Right　Origin　（AD　256）。

Sima　Zhao　put　on　mourning　for　his　brother　and　informed　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　Cao　Mao；　of　the　death。　By　special　edict　Sima　Zhao　was　ordered　to　remain　at　Xuchang　so　as　to　guard　against　any　attack　from　Wu。　This　order　was　unpleasing　to　its　recipient；　but　he　felt　doubtful　what　to　do。

Sima　Zhao　took　counsel　with　Zhong　Hui；　who　said；　〃The　death　of　your　brother　has　disturbed　the　country。　If　you　remain　here；　some　shifting　of　power　at　the　capital　will　surely　work　to　your　disadvantage。　It　will　be　too　late　for　regrets　then。〃

Wherefore　Sima　Zhao　left　Xuchang　and　camped　on　River　Luo。　This　move　alarmed　Cao　Mao。

Then　Grand　mander　Wang　Su　advised；　saying；　〃Sima　Zhao　has　succeeded　the　office　of　his　late　brother。　It　is　well　that　Your　Majesty　should　placate　him　with　a　new　title。〃

So　Cao　Mao　sent　Wang　Su　with　an　edict　creating　Sima　Zhao　Regent　Marshal；　with　control　of　the　Secretariat。　Sima　Zhao　came　to　Luoyang　to　thank　the　Emperor　for　these　honors　and　stayed。　Henceforward　all　matters　and　the　whole　government　were　under　Sima　Zhaos　hand。

When　news　of　these　things　came　to　Chengdu；　Jiang　Wei　thought　the　time　had　e　to　make　another　bid　for　the　empire；　so　he　wrote　a　memorial　to　the　Latter　Ruler：

〃Sima　Shi　having　just　died；　his　brother；　Sima　Zhao；　who　succeeds；　will　be　unable　to　leave　Luoyang　until　he　has　consolidated　his　position。　Wherefore　I　crave　permission　to　attack　Wei。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　agreed　and　bade　him　raise　an　army。　So　he　went　into　Hanzhong　to　prepare　for　the　expedition。

However；　Zhang　Yi；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　was　opposed　to　the　expedition　and　said；　〃Shu　is　not　a　big　country；　and　its　resources　are　not　too　abundant。　Thus　a　far　expedition　should　be　avoided。　The　state　policy　should　rather　be　the　improvement　of　conditions　at　home。　Thinking　well　for　the　soldiers　and　the　people　is　the　way　to　preserve　the　country。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃Before　our　great　Minister　Zhuge　Liang　emerged　from　his　reed　hut　in　the　wilds　and　undertook　the　affairs　of　a　state；　the　three　kingdoms　were　already　a　fact。　Six　times　he　led　armies　to　try　to　gain　the　northern　portion　of　the　empire；　but　failed　to　attain　his　desire。　Unhappily　he　died　leaving　his　design　unacplished。　But　he　bequeathed　to　me　the　legacy　of　his　intention；　and　I　must　be　a　loyal　and　worthy　executor。　If　I　die　in　the　attempt；　I　will　perish　without　regret。　Now　is　our　opportunity；　and　if　we　miss　it；　shall　we　find　a　better？〃

〃What　you　say　is　the　real　truth；〃　said　Xiahou　Ba。　〃Let　us　send　first　some　light　horse　out　by　Baohan　to　capture　Nanan　and　thereby　settle　that　county。〃

Then　said　Zhang　Yi；　〃Procrastination　and　delay　have　been　hitherto　the　causes　of　our　failure。　We　ought　to　obey　the　precepts　of　the　books　of　war；　strike　where　the　enemy　is　unprepared　and　appear　where　he　does　not　expect　us。　A　rapid　march　and　a　sudden　blow　will　find　Wei　unready；　and　we　shall　succeed。〃

So　Jiang　Wei　led　an　army　of　fifty　thousand　troops　out　by　Baohan。　When　he　reached　River　Yao；　the　spies　reported　his　arrival　to　Wang　Jing；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yongzhou；　who　led　out　seventy　thousand　troops　against　him。　Jiang　Wei　gave　certain　orders　to　Zhang　Yi　and　Xiahou　Ba；　and　after　they　had　marched；　he　drew　up　the　main　body　by　River　Yao。

Wang　Jing　rode　out　to　parley。

〃Wu；　Shu；　and　Wei　are　now　actually　established　as　a　tripod。　Why　then　have　you　invaded　our　borders　these　many　times？〃

Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃Because　Sima　Shi　deposed　his　prince　without　cause；　and　it　behooves　the　neighboring　countries　to　punish　such　a　crime。　Moreover；　your　country　is　a　rival　state。〃

Then　Wang　Jing　turned　and　said　to　four　of　his　generals；　Zhang　Ming；　Hua　Yong；　Liu　Dan；　and　Zhu　Fang；　〃You　see　that　the　enemy　is　drawn　up　with　a　river　at　his　back；　so　that　his　troops　must　conquer　or　drown。　Though　Jiang　Wei　is　bold；　you　four　can　fight　him　at　the　same　time　and　pursue　if　he　retires。〃

The　four　rode　out　two　and　two。　Jiang　Wei　stood　through　a　few　encounters；　but　then　moved　backward　toward　his　camp。　At　this；　Wang　Jing　led　on　his　main　body　to　smite。　Jiang　Wei　fled　toward　the　river。

As　he　drew　near　he　shouted；　〃Danger；　O　Generals！　Now　do　your　utmost！〃

His　generals　turned　on　the　foe　and　fought　with　such　vigor　that　the　Wei　army　was　defeated；　and；　as　they　turned　away；　Zhang　Yi　and　Xiahou　Ba　fell　upon　their　rear。　Soon　the　Wei　army　was　hemmed　in；　and　Jiang　Wei　rushed　in　among　the　host　of　Wei　and　threw　them　into　utter　confusion。　They　trod　each　other　down　in　the　press；　and　many　fell　into　the　river。　Dead　bodies　lay　about　over　several　miles。

Wang　Jing　and　a　hundred　horsemen　forced　their　way　out　and　fled　to　Didao；　where　they　entered　within　the　walls　and　barred　the　gates。

After　Jiang　Wei　had　rewarded　and　feasted　his　army；　he　was　for　attacking　Didao；　but　Zhang　Yi　was　against　this。

〃General；　you　have　won　a　great　victory；　which　will　bring　you　fame。　If　you　attempt　more；　things　may　go　astray；　and　you　will　only　add　legs　to　your　sketch　of　a　serpent。〃

Said　Jiang　Wei；　〃When　our　army　were　defeated　not　long　ago；　they　still　desired　to　overrun　the　whole　north。　Now　our　opponents　have　been　overe；　and　that　has　broken　the　spirit　of　their　army；　and　this　city　can　be　easily　captured。　Do　not　damp　the　spirit　of　the　soldiers。〃

So　it　was　decided　to　attack　Didao　despite　further　remonstrances　of　Zhang　Yi。

Chen　Tai；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West　and　mander　of　Yongzhou；　was　just　about　to　set　out　to　avenge　the　defeat　of　Wang　Jing　when　Deng　Ai；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou；　arrived　with　his　army。　Chen　Tai　weled　him；　and　when　Deng　Ai　had　said　he　had　e　by　imperial　edict　to　assist　to　defeat　the　army　of　Shu；　Chen　Tai　asked　his　plans。