第一小说网

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第267部分（第1页）

〃No　one　but　myself　can　succeed；〃　cried　Sima　Shi；　starting　from　his　couch。　〃I　must　go。〃

So；　in　spite　of　illness；　he　resolved　to　lead　in　person。　He　left　his　brother　in　charge　of　affairs　at　Luoyang　and　set　out；　traveling　in　a　padded　carriage。

Zhuge　Dan；　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　was　given　mand　over　all　the　forces　of　Yuzhou　and　ordered　to　march　from　Anfeng　and　to　take　possession　of　Shouchun。　Hu　Zun；　General　Who　Conquers　the　East；　with　the　Qingzhou　forces；　was　sent　to　bar　any　retreat　at　Qiaosong。　Wang　Ji；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yuzhou　and　Army　Inspector；　was　sent　to　capture　Chennan。

To　his　camp　at　Xiangyang；　Sima　Shi　summoned　all　his　officers　to　a　council。

＇e＇　Zhou　Yafu　was　son　of　Zhou　Bo；　the　prime　minister　of　Emperor　Wen　（BC　179…156）。　After　the　death　of　Emperor　Wen；　Duke　Wu　started　a　rebellion　of　Seven　Kingdoms。　Zhou　Yafu　as　a　general　put　down　this　rebellion。　。。。。。

Minister　Zheng　Mao　spoke　first；　saying；　〃Guanqiu　Jian　is　fond　of　laying　plans；　but　slow　to　e　to　any　decision。　His　fellow…conspirator　Wen　Qin　is　bold；　but　imprudent。　Now　this　scheme　of　theirs　is　too　large　for　their　minds。　But　as　their　soldiers　are　full　of　spirit；　they　should　not　be　engaged　lightly。　We　should　remain　on　the　defensive　till　their　ardor　has　burned　out。　This　is　what　Zhou　Yafu*　of　old　time　did。〃

But　Army　Inspector　Wang　Ji　objected；　saying；　〃This　is　not　a　rising　of　the　people；　nor　of　the　soldiers；　but　is　the　work　of　Guanqiu　Jian。　The　people　are　merely　his　tools　and　cannot　help　themselves。　The　rebellion　will　go　to　pieces　as　soon　as　an　army　approaches　the　region。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　replied　Sima　Shi。

Then　he　advanced　upon　River　Ying　and　camped　by　the　bridge。

Wang　Ji　said；　〃The　city　of　Nandun　is　an　excellent　camping　ground。　Occupy　it　at　once；　for　if　not　the　enemy　will　do　so。〃

Sima　Shi　sent　Wang　Ji　to　carry　out　his　own　plan。

Reports　of　these　movements　of　the　enemy　came　to　Guanqiu　Jian　in　Xiangcheng；　and　an　assembly　of　officers　was　called。

The　Leader　of　the　Van；　Ge　Yong；　said；　〃Nandun　is　an　excellent　site　for　a　camp；　with　a　river　beside　it　and　hills　at　the　rear。　If　the　Wei　armies　camp　there；　we　shall　be　unable　to　dislodge　them。　Let　us　occupy　it。〃

So　the　army　set　out。　But　before　they　drew　near；　the　scouts　reported　a　camp　already　there。　It　was　incredible；　and　Guanqiu　Jian　rode　to　the　front　to　reconnoiter。　He　was　convinced　by　the　sight　of　flags　and　banners　over　all　the　plain；　fluttering　above　an　orderly　array　of　tents　and　huts。　The　sight　disconcerted　him；　and　he　rode　back　to　the　main　body　not　knowing　what　to　do。

Just　then　a　scout　came　in　to　say：　〃Sun　Jun　of　Wu　has　crossed　the　river　to　attack　Shouchun。〃

〃If　we　lose　that　city；　we　shall　have　no　base；〃　cried　Guanqiu　Jian。

That　same　night　he　retreated　upon　Xiangcheng。

Seeing　the　enemy　retreat；　Sima　Shi　called　together　his　officers　to　talk　it　over。

Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Fu　Gu；　who　was　of　the　expedition；　said；　〃The　retirement　to　Xiangcheng　was　obviously　due　to　Wus　threatened　attack　upon　Shouchun。　General；　you　should　send　three　armies　to　attack　upon　Xiangcheng；　Lojia；　and　Shouchun。　The　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou；　Deng　Ai；　is　a　man　of　tactics；　he　should　be　sent　against　Lojia。　Our　main　army　will　reinforce　them。〃

His　plan　was　acceptable　to　Sima　Shi；　who　sent　letters　to　Yanzhou　telling　Deng　Ai　to　march　against　Lojia；　where　Sima　Shi　himself　would　soon　meet　him。

Camped　at　Xiangcheng；　Guanqiu　Jian　sent　spies　to　Lojia　to　see　what　might　be　happening　there；　for　he　feared　it　would　be　attacked。

When　he　spoke　of　his　fears　to　Wen　Qin；　the　latter　said；　〃General；　you　need　not　be　anxious。　My　son　Wen　Yang　and　I　will　answer　for　its　safety。　Give　us　but　five　thousand　troops。〃

Father　and　son；　with　the　five　thousand　troops；　went　to　Lojia。

Before　the　main　body　arrived；　the　scouts　reported：　〃Wei　banners　are　flying　on　the　west　of　the　city。　There　are　about　ten　thousand　troops。　In　their　midst　are　seen　authority　ensigns　such　as　white　yaks　tails；　golden　axes；　purple　umbrellas；　and　a　flag　bearing　the　word　mander　。　Perhaps　Sima　Shi　himself　is　at　this　camp。　The　troops　are　pitching　the　camp　rapidly；　but　it　is　not　yet　plete。〃

When　this　was　reported　to　Wen　Qin；　his　son　Wen　Yang；　bearing　his　famous　whip　of　steel；　was　by　his　fathers　side。

〃We　should　attack　before　they　have　settled　down　in　camp；　Father；〃　said　he。　〃Let　us　go　quickly　and　attack　on　two　sides。〃

〃When　can　we　start？〃　said　the　father。

〃Tonight　at　dusk。　You　lead　half　the　force　round　by　the　south；　and　I　will　march　the　other　half　round　by　the　north；　and　we　will　meet　in　the　third　watch　at　the　Wei　camp。〃

The　youth　who　propounded　this　plan　was　then　eighteen；　tall　and　strong。　He　wore　plete　armor　and　carried　at　his　waist　a　steel　whip。　When　the　hour　came　to　start；　he　took　his　spear；　swung　himself　into　the　saddle　and　set　out。

That　night　Sima　Shi；　who　had　arrived　and　had　at　once　set　about　settling　into　camp；　lay　on　a　couch　in　his　tent；　for　he　was　still　suffering　pain　from　the　surgery　wound　beneath　his　eye。　The　tent　was　surrounded　by　several　hundred　armored　guards。　Deng　Ai　had　not　arrived。

About　the　third　watch　Sima　Shi　heard　a　great　shouting　and　asked　what　it　was。

One　replied：　〃An　army　has　e　round　from　the　north　and　burst　into　the　lines。　The　leader　is　too　bold　for　anyone　to　face。〃