第一小说网

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t　another　messenger　to　reinforce　the　ruse。　I　also　sent　them　to　Tianshui　to　repeat　the　plan；　but　nothing　has　happened　yet。　I　do　not　know　the　reason。　We　will　take　this　opportunity　to　capture　that　place。〃

It　was　decided　to　take　Tianshui　next；　and　thither　they　moved。　Wu　Yi　and　Liu　Yang　were　to　guard　Nanan　and　Anding。　Wei　Yan　was　ordered　to　move　toward　Tianshui。

When　Ma　Zun；　Governor　of　Tianshui；　heard　of　Xiahou　Maos　being　besieged　in　Nanan；　he　called　a　council　at　which　one　party………headed　by　Yin　Shang　and　Liang　Xu………were　strongly　of　opinion　that　a　rescue　should　be　attempted。

〃If　anything　sinister　happens　to　the　Imperial　Son…in…Law；　golden　branch　and　jade　leaf　as　he　is；　we　shall　be　held　guilty　of　having　made　no　attempt　to　save　him。　Wherefore；　O　Governor；　you　must　march　all　the　forces　you　have　to　his　rescue；〃　said　Yin　Shang　and　Liang　Xu。

Ma　Zun　found　decision　difficult；　and　while　thinking　over　what　was　best　to　do；　the　arrival　of　Pei　Xu；　a　messenger　from　Xiahou　Mao；　was　announced。　Pei　Xu　was　taken　to　the　Governors　residence　and　there　produced　his　dispatch　and　asked　for　aid。　Soon　came　another　man　saying　that　the　Anding　troops　had　set　out　and　calling　upon　Ma　Zun　to　hasten。　This　decided　him；　and　he　prepared　his　army。

Then　an　outsider　came　in　and　said；　〃O　Governor；　you　are　the　sport　of　one　of　Zhuge　Liangs　wiles。〃

All　looked　at　him　with　surprise。　He　was　one　Jiang　Wei。　His　father　was　Jiang　Jiong；　a　former　local　official　who　had　died　in　the　courts　service　while　quelling　one　of　the　Qiang　rebellions。　Jiang　Wei　was　well　up　in　books；　seeming　to　have　read　everything；　and　was　also　skilled　in　all　warlike　exercises。　He　had　studied　books　on　war。　He　was　a　very　filial　son　and　much　esteemed。　He　held　military　rank　of　General。

Jiang　Wei　said　to　the　Governor；　〃I　hear　Zhuge　Liang　is　attacking　Xiahou　Mao；　who　is　now　in　Nanan　most　closely　besieged。　How　then　can　this　messenger　have　got　out？　Pei　Xu　is　an　unknown　officer　whom　no　one　has　heard　of；　and　the　other　messenger　from　Anding　bears　no　dispatch。　The　fact　is　the　men　are　imposters　sent　to　beguile　you　into　leaving　your　city　undefended　so　that　it　may　be　the　more　easily　captured。〃

The　Governor　began　to　understand。　He　said；　〃Were　it　not　for　you；　I　would　fall　into　a　ruse。〃

Then　Jiang　Wei　said；　〃But　do　not　be　anxious。　I　have　a　scheme　by　which　we　can　capture　Zhuge　Liang　and　relieve　Nanan。〃

The　fates　all　changing　bring　the　man　thats　needed；

And　warlike　skill　es　from　a　source　unheeded。

The　next　chapter　will　unfold　the　ruse　proposed　by　Jiang　Wei。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　93　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　93

Chapter　93

Jiang　Wei　Goes　Over　To　Zhuge　Liang；

Zhuge　Liangs　Reviles　Kill　Wang　Lang。

Jiang　Wei　propounded　his　scheme　of　defense；　saying；　〃Zhuge　Liang　will　lay　an　ambush　behind　the　city；　induce　our　soldiers　to　go　out　and　then　take　advantage　of　its　undefended　state　to　capture　it。　Now　give　me　three　thousand　good　soldiers；　and　I　will　place　them　in　ambush　at　a　certain　critical　place。　Lead　your　troops　out；　but　go　slowly　and　not　further　than　ten　miles；　and　then　turn　to　retire。　However；　look　out　for　a　signal；　and　if　you　see　one；　attack；　for　the　attack　will　be　double。　If　Zhuge　Liang　is　there　himself；　we　shall　capture　him。〃

The　Governor　adopted　this　plan；　gave　the　needed　troops　to　Jiang　Wei；　who　marched　at　once；　and　then　Ma　Zun　went　forth　himself　with　Liang　Qian。　Only　two　civil　officials………Liang　Xu　and　Yin　Shang………were　left　to　guard　the　city。

Zhao　Yun　had　been　sent　to　lie　in　ambush　in　a　secret　place　among　the　hills　till　the　Tianshui　army　left　the　city；　when　he　was　to　rush　in　and　capture　it。　His　spies　reported　the　departure　of　the　Governor；　and　only　civil　officials　remained　within　the　city。　Zhao　Yun　sent　on　the　news　to　those　who　were　acting　with　him；　Zhang　Yi　and　Gao　Xiang；　that　they　might　attack　Ma　Zun。

Zhao　Yun　and　his　five　thousand　troops　then　quickly　marched　to　the　city　wall　and　called　out；　〃I　am　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan。　You　have　fallen　into　our　trap；　but　if　you　will　surrender　quickly；　you　will　save　many　lives。〃

But　instead　of　being　alarmed；　Liang　Xu　looked　down　from　the　wall　and　said；　〃On　the　contrary；　you　have　fallen　into　our　trap。　Only　you　do　not　know　it　yet！〃

Zhao　Yun　began　his　attack　on　the　walls。　Soon　there　was　heard　a　roar；　and　fire　broke　out　all　round；　and　forth　came　a　youthful　leader　armed　with　a　spear；　riding　a　curvetting　steed。

〃Look　at　me；　Jiang　Wei　of　Tianshui！〃　cried　he。

Zhao　Yun　made　at　him；　but　after　a　few　bouts　he　found　Jiang　Wei　was　getting　very　eager。

Zhao　Yun　was　surprised；　and　wondered；　〃No　one　knows　there　is　such　an　able　man　in　Tianshui。〃

As　the　fight　went　on；　along　came　the　two　other　forces　under　Ma　Zun　and　Liang　Qian；　now　returning。　As　Zhao　Yun　found　he　could　not　prevail；　he　set　to　cut　an　alley　through　and　lead　off　his　defeated　troops。　He　was　pursued；　but　Zhang　Yi　and　Gao　Xiang　poured　forth　to　save　him；　and　he　got　away　safely。

Zhuge　Liang　was　surprised　when　he　heard　what　had　happened。

〃Who　is　this？〃　said　he。　〃Who　has　thus　seen　into　the　dark　depths　of　my　secret　plan？〃

A　man　of　Nanan；　who　happened　to　be　there；　told　him；　〃He　is　Jiang　Wei　from　Jicheng　of　Tianshui　County。　He　is　very　filial　to　his　mother。　Civil　skill　and　military　prowess；　wisdom　and　courage；　he　has　all。　Truly；　he　is　a　hero　of　the　age。〃

Zhao　Yun　also　praised　his　skill　with　the　spear；　which　was　superior　to　any　others。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　want　to　take　Tianshui　now。　I　did　not　expect　to　find　such　a　man　as　this。〃

The　Shu　army　then　advanced　in　force。

Jiang　Wei　went　back　to　Ma　Zun　and　said；　〃Zhao　Yuns　defeat　will　bring　up　Zhuge　Liang　with　the　main　body。　He　will　conclude　that　we　shall　be　in　the　city；　wherefore　you　had　better　divide　your　force　into　four。　I；　with　one　party；　will　go　into　hiding　on　the　east　so　that　I　may　cut　off　our　enemies　if　they　e　that　way。　You；　O　Governor；　and　Liang　Qian　and　Yin　Shang　will　lie　in　ambush　on　the　other　sides　of　the　city。　Let　Liang　Xu　and　the　mon　people　go　up　on　the　wall　to　make　the　defense。〃