第一小说网

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第251部分（第1页）

they　saw　them。　In　half　a　month　they　had　scored　many　successes　of　this　sort；　and　Sima　Yis　heart　was　cheered。　One　day；　when　he　had　made　new　captures　of　soldiers；　he　sent　for　them　and　questioned　them　again。

〃Where　is　Zhuge　Liang　now？〃

〃He　is　no　longer　at　Qishan；　but　in　camp　about　three　miles　from　the　Gourd　Valley。　He　is　gathering　a　great　store　of　grain　there。〃

After　he　had　questioned　them　fully；　he　set　the　prisoners　free。

Calling　together　his　officers；　he　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　not　camped　on　Qishan；　but　near　the　Gourd　Valley。　Tomorrow　you　shall　attack　the　Qishan　camp；　and　I　will　mand　the　reserve。〃

The　promise　cheered　them；　and　they　went　away　to　prepare。

〃Father；　why　do　you　intend　to　attack　the　enemys　rear？〃　asked　Sima　Shi。

〃Qishan　is　their　main　position；　and　they　will　certainly　hasten　to　its　rescue。　Then　I　shall　make　for　the　valley　and　burn　the　stores。　That　will　render　them　helpless　and　will　be　a　victory。〃

The　son　exclaimed　his　admiration　for　the　plan。

Sima　Yi　began　to　march　out；　with　Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen　following　as　the　reserves。

From　the　top　of　a　hill　Zhuge　Liang　watched　the　Wei　soldiers　march　and　noticed　that　they　moved　in　panies　from　three　to　five　thousand；　observing　the　front　and　the　rear　carefully　as　they　marched。　He　guessed　that　their　object　was　the　Qishan　camp。

So　he　sent　strict　orders　to　his　generals：　〃If　Sima　Yi　leads　in　person；　you　are　to　go　off　and　capture　the　Wei　camp　and　the　south　bank　of　River　Wei。〃

They　received　and　obeyed　his　orders。

When　the　troops　of　Wei　had　got　near　and　made　their　rush　toward　the　camp　of　Shu　in　Qishan；　the　troops　of　Shu　ran　up　also；　yelling　and　pretending　to　reinforce　the　defenders。　Sima　Yi；　seeing　the　Shu　troops　rushing　to　rescure　Qishan；　suddenly　marched　his　center　armys　guards　with　his　two　sons；　changed　his　direction；　and　turned　off　for　the　Gourd　Valley。　Here　Wei　Yan　was　expecting　him；　and　as　soon　as　he　appeared；　Wei　Yan　galloped　up　and　soon　recognized　Sima　Yi　as　the　leader。

〃Sima　Yi；　stay！〃　shouted　Wei　Yan　as　he　came　near。

He　flourished　his　sword；　and　Sima　Yi　set　his　spear。　The　two　warriors　exchanged　a　few　passes；　and　then　Wei　Yan　suddenly　turned　his　steed　and　bolted。　As　he　had　been　ordered；　he　made　direct　for　the　seven　star　flags；　and　Sima　Yi　followed；　the　more　readily　as　he　saw　the　fugitive　had　but　a　small　force。　The　two　sons　of　Sima　Yi　rode　with　him；　Sima　Shi　on　the　left；　Sima　Zhao　on　the　right。

Presently　Wei　Yan　and　his　troops　entered　the　mouth　of　the　valley。　Sima　Yi　halted　a　time　while　he　sent　forward　a　few　scouts。

They　returned　and　reported：　〃Not　a　single　Shu　soldier　is　seen；　but　a　many　straw　houses　are　on　the　hills。〃

Sima　Yi　said；　〃This　must　be　the　store　valley！〃

He　led　his　army　in　eagerly。　But　when　he　had　got　well　within；　Sima　Yi　noticed　that　kindling　wood　was　piled　over　the　straw　huts；　and　as　he　saw　no　sign　of　Wei　Yan；　he　began　to　feel　uneasy。

〃Supposing　soldiers　seize　the　entrance。　What　then？〃　said　he　to　his　sons。

As　he　spoke　there　arose　a　great　shout；　and　from　the　hillside　came　many　torches；　which　fell　all　around　them　and　set　fire　to　the　straw；　so　that　soon　the　entrance　to　the　valley　was　lost　in　smoke　and　flame。　They　tried　to　get　away　from　the　fire；　but　no　road　led　up　the　hillside。　Then　fire…arrows　came　shooting　down；　and　the　earth…mines　exploded；　and　the　straw　and　firewood　blazed　high　as　the　heavens。　The　fire　caused　strong　winds；　and　the　winds　aided　the　fire；　and　the　valley　became　a　fiery　stove。

Sima　Yi；　scared　and　helpless；　dismounted；　clasped　his　arms　about　his　two　sons；　and　wept；　saying；　〃My　sons；　we　three　are　doomed！〃

As　they　stood　weeping；　a　fierce　gale　suddenly　sprang　up；　black　clouds　gathered；　a　peal　of　thunder　followed；　and　rain　poured　down　in　torrents；　speedily　extinguishing　the　fire　all　through　the　valley。　The　mines　no　longer　exploded；　and　all　the　fiery　contrivances　ceased　to　work　mischief。

〃If　we　do　not　break　out　now；　what　better　chance　shall　we　have？〃　cried　Sima　Yi；　and　he　led　the　soldiers　to　make　a　dash　for　the　outlet。

As　they　broke　out　of　the　valley；　they　came　upon　reinforcements　under　Zhang　Hu　and　Yue　Chen；　and　so　were　once　more　safe。　Ma　Dai　was　not　strong　enough　to　pursue；　and　the　soldiers　of　Wei　got　safely　to　the　river。

But　there　they　found　their　camp　in　the　possession　of　the　enemy；　while　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　were　on　the　floating　bridge　struggling　with　the　troops　of　Shu。　Sima　Yi　charged　up　hastily；　and　the　troops　of　Shu　retreated；　whereupon　Sima　Yi　crossed　the　river　and　ordered　the　bridges　burned。　He　then　occupied　the　north　bank。

The　Wei　army　attacking　the　Qishan　camp　were　greatly　disturbed　when　they　heard　of　the　defeat　of　their　mander…in…Chief　and　the　loss　of　the　camp　on　River　Wei。　The　troops　of　Shu　took　the　occasion　to　strike　with　greater　vigor；　and　so　gained　a　great　victory。　The　beaten　army　suffered　heavy　loss。　Those　who　escaped　fled　across　the　river。

When　Zhuge　Liang　from　the　hill…top　saw　that　Sima　Yi　had　been　inveigled　into　the　trap　by　Wei　Yan；　he　rejoiced　exceedingly；　and　when　he　saw　the　flames　burst　forth；　he　thought　surely　his　rival　was　done　for。　Then；　unhappily　for　him；　Heaven　thought　it　well　to　send　down　torrents　of　rain；　which　quenched　the　fire　and　upset　all　his　calculations。

Soon　after；　the　scouts　reported　the　escape　of　his　victims。

Zhuge　Liang　sighed；　saying；　〃Human　proposes；　God　disposes。　We　cannot　wrest　events　to　our　will。〃