第一小说网

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第244部分（第1页）

Said　he；　〃After　this　disgrace；　how　can　I　face　the　other　officers　in　the　Middle　Land？〃

He　gave　the　signal　for　the　army　to　fall　on　and　attack　the　enemy；　and；　grasping　his　sword；　led　his　brave　generals　into　the　fray　and　manded　the　attack。　But　just　as　the　two　armies　came　to　blows；　Guan　Xing　came　up　fromt　the　southwest；　his　drums　rolling　and　troops　shouting；　and　attacked。　Sima　Yi　told　off　a　division　from　the　rear　to　oppose　Guan　Xing；　and　again　turned　to　urge　on　his　main　body。

Then　the　army　of　Wei　was　thrown　into　confusion　by　another　attack　from　Jiang　Wei；　who　came　up　silently　and　joined　in　the　battle。　Thus　three　sides　of　the　Wei　army　were　attacked　by　three　different　divisions　of　the　enemy；　and　Sima　Yi　decided　to　retire。　However；　this　was　difficult。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　hemmed　him　in　and　came　closer　every　moment。　At　last；　by　a　desperate　push；　he　cut　an　alley　toward　the　south　and　freed　his　army。　But　he　had　lost　six　or　seven　out　of　every　ten　of　his　soldiers。

The　Wei　army　withdrew　to　the　south　bank　of　River　Wei　and　camped。　They　strengthened　their　position　and　remained　entirely　on　the　defensive。

Zhuge　Liang　mustered　his　victorious　army　and　returned　to　Qishan。

Now　Li　Yan　sent　an　officer；　General　Gou　An；　from　Baidicheng　with　a　convoy　of　grain。　Gou　An　was　a　drunkard　and　loitered　on　the　road　so　that　he　arrived　ten　days　late。

Zhuge　Liang；　angry　at　the　delay；　upbraided　him；　saying；　〃This　grain　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　the　army　and　you　delay　it。　Three　days　delay　ought　to　mean　the　death　penalty。　What　can　you　say　to　this　delay　of　ten？〃

Gou　An　was　sentenced　to　death　and　hustled　out。

But　Yang　Yi　ventured　to　intervene；　saying；　〃Gou　An　is　a　servant　of　Li　Yan；　and　Li　Yan　has　sent　large　supplies　of　all　sorts　from　the　West　River　Land。　The　road　is　long　and　difficult。　If　you　put　this　man　to　death；　perhaps　others　will　not　undertake　transport　duty。〃

Zhuge　Liang　then　bade　the　executioners　loose　the　offender；　give　him　eighty　blows；　and　let　him　go。

This　punishment　filled　Gou　Ans　heart　with　bitter　resentment；　and；　in　the　night；　he　deserted　to　the　enemy；　he　and　his　half　dozen　personal　staff。　He　was　taken　before　Sima　Yi　and　told　the　tale　of　his　wrongs。

〃Your　tale　may　be　true；　but　it　is　hard　to　trust　it；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　full　of　guile。　However；　you　may　render　me　a　service；　and　if　you　do；　I　will　ask　the　Ruler　of　Wei　that　you　may　be　allowed　to　serve　him　and　obtain　a　post　for　you。〃

〃Whatever　you　ask；　I　will　do　the　best　I　can；〃　replied　the　deserter。

〃Then　go　to　Chengdu　and　spread　a　lying　report　that　Zhuge　Liang　is　angry　with　the　powers　there　and　means　to　make　himself　emperor。　This　will　get　him　recalled；　and　that　will　be　a　merit　to　you。〃

Gou　An　accepted　the　treacherous　mission。　In　Chengdu　he　got　hold　of　the　eunuchs；　and　told　them　his　lying　tale　that　the　Prime　Minister　was　too　proud　of　his　services　and　was　about　to　use　his　sweeping　powers　to　usurp　the　Throne。

The　eunuchs　became　alarmed　for　their　own　safety　and　told　the　Emperor　all　these　things。

〃In　such　a　case　what　am　I　to　do？〃　asked　the　Latter　Ruler。

〃Recall　him　to　the　capital；〃　said　the　eunuchs；　〃and　take　away　his　military　powers　so　that　he　cannot　rebel。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　issued　an　edict　recalling　the　army。

But　Jiang　Wan　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃The　Prime　Minister　has　rendered　many　great　services　since　he　led　out　the　army。　Wherefore　is　he　recalled？〃

〃I　have　a　private　matter　to　consult　him　about；〃　said　the　Latter　Ruler。　〃I　must　see　him　personally。〃

So　the　edict　was　issued　and　sent　to　Zhuge　Liang。　The　messenger　was　at　once　received　as　soon　as　he　reached　Qishan。

〃The　Emperor　is　young；　and　there　is　some　jealous　persons　by　his　side；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　sadly。　〃I　was　just　going　to　achieve　some　solid　success。　Why　am　I　recalled？　If　I　go　not；　I　shall　insult　my　Prince。　If　I　retire；　I　shall　never　get　such　a　chance　again。〃

〃If　the　army　retire；　Sima　Yi　will　attack；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

〃I　will　retire　in　five　divisions。　Thus　today　this　camp　goes。　Supposing　that　there　are　a　thousand　soldiers　in　the　camp；　then　I　shall　have　two　thousand　cooking　places　prepared；　or　if　there　are　three　thousand　soldiers；　then　four　thousand　cooking　plates　shall　be　got　ready；　and　so　on；　increasing　the　cooking　arrangements　as　the　troops　are　sent　away。〃

＇e＇　Sun　Bin　military　strategist；　a　descendant　of　Sun　Zi。　Sun　Bin　served　as　military　counselor　during　the　Warring　States　period　in　Qi。　He　wrote　a　treatise　named　The　Art　of　War　of　Sun　Bin。　。。。。。

Yang　Yi　said；　〃In　the　days　of　old；　when　Sun　Bin*　was　attacking　Pang　Juan；　Sun　Bin　decreased　the　cooking　arrangements　as　the　soldiers　were　increased。　Why　do　you　reverse　this；　O　Prime　Minister？〃

〃Because　Sima　Yi　is　an　able　leader　and　would　pursue　if　he　knew　we　were　retreating。　But　he　would　recognize　the　probability　of　an　ambush；　and　if　he　sees　an　increase　in　the　cooking　arrangements　in　a　camp；　he　will　be　unable　to　conclude　whether　the　troops　have　gone　or　not；　and　he　will　not　pursue。　Thus　I　shall　gradually　withdraw　without　loss。〃

The　order　for　retreat　was　given。

Confident　of　the　effect　that　Gou　Ans　lying　report　would　produce；　Sima　Yi　waited　for　the　retreat　of　the　Shu　army　to　begin。　He　was　still　waiting　when　the　scouts　told　him　the　enemys　camps　were　empty。　Wishing　to　make　sure；　he　rode　out　himself　with　a　small　reconnoitering　party　and　inspected　the　empty　camps。　Then　he　bade　them　count　the　stoves。　Next　day　he　paid　a　second　visit　to　another　empty　camp；　and　again　the　cooking　stoves　were　counted。　The　count　showed　an　increase　of　a　half。

〃I　felt　sure　that　Zhuge　Liang　would　have　more　troops　ready。　He　has　increased　the　cooking　arrangements；　and　so；　if　we　pursue；　he　will　be　ready　for　us。　No；　we　also　will　retire　and　await　another　opportunity。〃

So　there　was　no　pursuit；　and　Zhuge　Liang　did　not　lose　a　soldier　on　his　retreat　to　Hanzhong。

By　and　by；　people　came　in　from　the　River　Lands　to　say　that　the　retreat　was　a　fact；　and　that　only　the　cooking　arrangements　had　been　increased；　not　the　soldiers。

Sima　Yi　knew　that　he　had　been　tricked；　and　looking　up　the　sky；　he　sighed；　〃Zhuge　Liang　imitated　the　ruse　of　Sun　Bin　to　rouse　my　suspicion。　His　thinking　is　superior　to　mine。〃

And　Sima　Yi　set　out　for　Changan。