第一小说网

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第241部分（第1页）

proceed　secretly　into　those　mountains　in　front。　When　you　see　that　Zhang　Yi　and　Wang　Ping　are　in　great　straits　with　the　enemy；　then　open　the　bag　and　you　will　find　a　plan　of　escape。〃

After　this　he　gave　secret　instructions　to　four　other　generals………Hu　Ban；　Wu　Yi；　Ma　Zheng；　and　Zhang　Ni………to　observe　the　enemy　and；　if　the　enemy　seemed　confident　of　victory；　to　retire；　fighting　at　intervals；　till　they　saw　Guan　Xing　e　up；　when　they　could　turn　and　fight　their　best。

Then　calling　Guan　Xing；　he　said　to　them；　〃Hide　in　the　valleys　with　five　thousand　troops　till　you　see　a　red　flag　flutter　out；　and　then　fall　on　the　enemy。〃

Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　hurried　along　like　a　rain　squall　till　they　were　suddenly　confronted　by　Ma　Zheng；　Zhang　Ni；　Wu　Yi；　and　Hu　Ban。　Zhang　He　dashed　toward　his　enemy；　and　then　they　retired；　stopping　at　intervals　to　fight。　The　Wei　army　pursued　for　about　seven　miles。

It　was　the　sixth　moon　and　very　hot；　so　that　soldiers　and　horses　sweated　profusely。　When　they　had　gone　ten　miles　farther；　the　soldiers　and　horses　were　panting　and　nearly　spent。　Then　Zhuge　Liang；　who　had　watched　the　fighting　from　a　hill；　gave　the　signal　for　Guan　Xing　to　emerge　and　join　battle。　Ma　Zheng；　Zhang　Ni；　Hu　Ban；　and　Wu　Yi　all　led　on　their　troops。　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling　fought　well；　but　they　could　not　extricate　themselves　and　retire。

Presently；　with　a　roll　of　drums；　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Yi　came　out　and　made　for　the　rear　to　cut　the　retreat。

〃Why　do　you　not　fight　to　death？〃　shouted　Zhang　He　to　his　generals　when　he　saw　the　new　dangers。

The　soldiers　of　Wei　dashed　this　way　and　that；　but　were　stayed　at　every　attempt。　Then　there　was　heard　another　roll　of　drums；　and　Sima　Yi　came　up　in　the　rear。　He　at　once　signaled　to　his　generals　to　surround　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Yi。

〃Our　minister　is　truly　wonderful。　The　battle　goes　just　as　he　foretold；〃　cried　Zhang　Yi。　〃He　will　surely　send　help　now；　and　we　will　fight　to　the　death。〃

Thereupon　the　Shu　force　were　divided　into　two　parties。　Wang　Ping　led　one　army　to　hold　up　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling；　Zhang　Yi　led　the　other　division　to　oppose　Sima　Yi。　On　both　sides　the　fighting　was　keen　and　continued　all　the　day。

From　their　station　on　a　hill；　Jiang　Wei　and　Liao　Hua　watched　the　battle。　They　saw　that　the　Wei　force　was　very　strong　and　their　side　was　in　danger　and　slowly　giving　way。

〃Now　surely　is　the　moment　to　open　the　bag；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

So　the　bag　was　opened；　and　they　read　the　letter。　It　said：

〃If　Sima　Yi　es　and　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Yi　seem　hard　pressed；　you　are　to　divide　forces　and　go　off　to　attack　Sima　Yis　camp；　which　will　cause　him　to　retire；　and　then　you　can　attack　him　as　his　army　is　in　disorder。　The　actual　capture　of　the　camp　is　not　of　great　moment。〃

So　Jiang　Wei　and　Liao　Hua　divided　the　force　and　started　for　the　enemys　camp。

Now　Sima　Yi　had　really　feared　that　he　would　fall　victim　to　some　ruse　of　Zhuge　Liang；　so　he　had　arranged　for　messengers　and　news　to　meet　him　at　intervals　along　the　road。

Sima　Yi　was　pressing　his　troops　to　fight　when　a　messenger　galloped　up　to　report：　〃The　soldiers　of　Shu　are　making　for　the　main　camp　by　two　directions。〃

Sima　Yi　was　frightened　and　changed　color。　He　turned　on　his　generals；　saying；　〃I　knew　Zhuge　Liang　would　plan　some　trick；　but　you　did　not　believe　me。　You　forced　me　to　pursue；　and　now　the　whole　scheme　has　gone　astray。〃

Thereupon　he　gathered　in　his　army　and　turned　to　retire。　The　troops　went　hurriedly　and　got　into　disorder。　Zhang　Yi　came　up　behind；　causing　huge　damage　to　the　Wei　army。　Zhang　He　and　Dai　Ling；　having　but　few　troops　left；　sought　refuge　among　the　hills。　The　victory　was　to　Shu；　and　Guan　Xing　came　up　helping　in　the　rout　wherever　there　appeared　a　chance　to　strike。

Sima　Yi；　defeated；　hurried　to　the　camp。　But　when　he　reached　it；　the　army　of　Shu　had　already　left。　He　gathered　in　his　broken　army　and　abused　his　generals　as　the　cause　of　his　failure。

〃You　are　all　ignorant　of　the　proper　way　to　wage　war；　and　think　it　simply　a　matter　of　valor　and　rude　strength。　This　is　the　result　of　your　unbridled　desire　to　go　out　and　give　battle。　For　the　future　no　one　of　you　will　move　without　definite　orders；　and　I　will　apply　strict　military　law　to　any　who　disobey。〃

They　were　all　greatly　ashamed　and　retired　to　their　quarters。　In　this　fight　the　losses　of　Wei　were　very　heavy；　not　only　in　soldiers；　but　in　horses　and　weapons。

Zhuge　Liang　led　his　victorious　army　to　their　camp。　He　intended　to　advance　again；　when　a　messenger　arrived　from　Capital　Chengdu　with　the　sad　news　that　Zhang　Bao　had　died。　When　they　told　Zhuge　Liang　he　uttered　a　great　cry；　blood　gushed　from　his　mouth　and　he　fell　in　a　swoon。　He　was　raised　and　taken　to　his　tent；　but　he　was　too　ill　to　march　and　had　to　keep　his　bed。　His　generals　were　much　grieved。

A　later　poet　sang：

Fierce　and　valiant　was　Zhang　Bao；

Striving　hard　to　make　a　name；

Sad　the　gods　should　interfere

And　withhold　a　heros　fame！

Zhuge　Liang　wept　his　end

In　the　western　winds　blowing。

For　he　knew　the　warrior　gone；

This　grieving　is　beyond　knowing。

Zhuge　Liangs　illness　continued。　Ten　days　later　he　summoned　to　his　tent　Dong　Jue　and　Fan　Jian；　and　said；　〃I　feel　void　and　am　too　ill　to　carry　on；　and　the　best　thing　for　me　is　to　return　into　Hanzhong　and　get　well。　You　are　to　keep　my　absence　perfectly　secret；　for　Sima　Yi　will　certainly　attack　if　he　hears。〃