第一小说网

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第280部分（第1页）

st　garb；　turban；　feather　fan；　white　robe　of　Taoist　cut　bound　with　a　black　girdle。　The　countenance　of　the　figure　was　as　refined　as　jade；　the　lips　a　deep　red　and　the　eyes　clear。　The　figure　moved　with　the　calm　serenity　of　a　god。

〃Who　are　you；　Sir？〃　asked　Zhong　Hui；　rising。

〃Out　of　gratitude　for　your　kindly　visit　this　morning；　I　would　make　a　munication。　Though　the　Hans　have　declined　and　the　mandate　of　the　Eternal　cannot　be　disobeyed；　yet　the　people　of　the　west；　exposed　to　the　inevitable　miseries　of　war；　are　to　be　pitied。　After　you　have　passed　the　frontier；　do　not　slay　ruthlessly。〃

Then　the　figure　disappeared　with　a　flick　of　the　sleeves　of　its　robe；　nor　would　it　stay　to　answer　any　questions。

Zhong　Hui　awoke　and　knew　that　he　had　been　dreaming；　but　he　felt　that　the　spirit　of　Zhuge　Liang　the　Martial　Lord　had　visited　him；　and　he　was　astonished。

He　issued　an　order　that　the　leading　division　of　his　army　should　bear　a　white　flag　with　six　words　plainly　written　thereon；　Secure　the　state；　fort　the　people　；　so　that　all　might　know　that　no　violence　was　to　be　feared。　If　anyone　was　slain　wantonly；　then　the　offender　should　pay　with　his　own　life。　This　tender　care　was　greatly　appreciated；　so　that　the　invaders　were　weled　in　every　step。　Zhong　Hui　soothed　the　people；　and　they　suffered　no　injury。

Those　phantom　armies　circling　in　the　gleam

Moved　Zhong　Hui　to　sacrifice　at　Zhuge　Liangs　tomb；

For　the　Lius　had　Zhuge　Liang　wrought　unto　the　end；

Though　dead；　he　would　the　Han　people　still　defend。

Jiang　Wei　at　Tazhong　heard　of　the　invasion　and　wrote　to　his　three　generals………Zhang　Yi；　Liao　Hua；　and　Dong　Jue………to　march　against　the　enemy；　while　he　prepared　to　repulse　them　if　they　came　to　his　station。

Soon　they　came；　and　he　went　out　to　encounter　them。　Their　leader　was　Wang　Qi；　Governor　of　Tianshui。

When　near　enough；　Wang　Qi　shouted；　〃Our　forces　are　numbered　by　millions；　our　generals　by　thousands。　Two　hundred　thousand　are　marching　against　you；　and　Chengdu　has　already　fallen。　In　spite　of　this　you　do　not　yield；　wherefore　it　is　evident　you　do　not　recognize　the　divine　mand！〃

Jiang　Wei　cut　short　this　tirade　by　galloping　out　with　his　spear　set。　Wang　Qi　stood　three　bouts　and　then　fled。　Jiang　Wei　pursued；　but　seven　miles　away　he　met　a　cohort　drawn　up　across　the　road。　On　the　banner　he　read　Qian　Hong；　Governor　of　Longxi　。

〃Dead　rat！　No　match　for　me；〃　said　Jiang　Wei；　smiling。

Despising　this　antagonist；　he　led　his　army　straight　on；　and　the　enemy　fell　back。　He　drove　them　before　him　for　three　more　miles；　and　then　came　upon　Deng　Ai。　A　battle　at　once　began；　and　the　lust　of　battle　held　out　in　the　breast　of　Jiang　Wei　for　a　score　of　bouts。　But　neither　could　overbear　the　other。　Then　in　the　Shu　rear　arose　the　clang　of　gongs　and　other　signs　of　ing　foes。

Jiang　Wei　retired　the　way　he　had　e；　and　presently　one　came　to　report：　〃The　Governor　of　Jincheng；　Yang　Xin；　has　destroyed　the　camps　at　Gansong。〃

This　was　evil　tidings。　He　bade　his　generals　keep　his　own　standard　flying　and　hold　Deng　Ai　while　he　went　to　try　to　recover　the　camps。　On　the　way　he　met　Yang　Xin；　but　Yang　Xin　had　no　stomach　for　a　fight　with　Jiang　Wei　and　made　for　the　hills。　Jiang　Wei　followed　till　he　came　to　a　precipice　down　which　the　enemy　were　hurling　boulders　and　logs　of　wood　so　that　he　could　not　pass。

Jiang　Wei　turned　to　go　back　to　the　battlefield　he　had　just　left；　but　on　the　way　he　met　the　defeated　Shu　army；　for　Deng　Ai　had　crushed　his　generals。　Jiang　Wei　joined　them　but　was　surrounded　by　the　Wei　forces。　Presently　he　got　clear　with　a　sudden　rush　and　hastened　to　the　great　camp。

Next　came　the　news：　〃Zhong　Hui　has　defeated　the　Yangping　Pass；　Jiang　Shu　has　surrendered；　while　Fu　Qian　has　fallen　in　the　field。　Hanzhong　is　now　in　the　possession　of　Wei。　Wang　Han　of　Yuecheng　and　Jiang　Bin　of　Hancheng　has　also　opened　their　gates　and　yielded　to　the　invaders　at　the　loss　of　Hanzhong。　Hu　Ji　has　gone　to　Chengdu　for　help。〃

This　greatly　troubled　Jiang　Wei；　so　he　broke　camp　and　set　out　for　Hanzhong。　That　night　the　Shu　army　reached　the　Frontier　River　Pass。　An　army　under　Yang　Xin　barred　his　way；　and　again　Jiang　Wei　was　forced　to　fight。　He　rode　out　in　a　great　rage；　and　as　Yang　Xin　fled；　he　shot　at　him　thrice；　but　his　arrows　missed。

Throwing　aside　his　bow；　he　gripped　his　spear　and　set　off　in　pursuit；　but　his　horse　tripped　and　fell；　and　Jiang　Wei　lay　on　the　ground。　Yang　Xin　turned　to　slay　his　enemy　now　that　he　was　on　foot；　but　Jiang　Wei　thrust　Yang　Xins　horse　in　the　head。　Other　Wei　troops　came　up　rescued　Yang　Xin。

Mounting　another　steed　of　his　follower；　Jiang　Wei　was　just　setting　out　again　in　pursuit　when　they　reported　that　Deng　Ai　was　ing　against　his　rear。　Realizing　that　he　could　not　cope　with　this　new　force；　Jiang　Wei　collected　his　troops　in　order　to　retreat　into　Hanzhong。

However；　the　scouts　reported：　〃Zhuge　Xu；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yongzhou；　is　holding　Yinping　Bridge；　our　retreat　path。〃

So　Jiang　Wei　halted　and　made　a　camp　in　the　mountains。　Advance　and　retreat　seemed　equally　impossible。

He　cried　in　anguish；　〃Heaven　is　destroying　me！〃

Then　said　Ning　Sui；　one　of　his　generals；　〃If　our　enemies　are　blocking　Yinping　Bridge；　they　can　only　have　left　a　weak　force　in　Yongzhou。　We　can　make　believe　to　be　going　thither　through　the　Konghan　Valley　and　so　force　them　to　abandon　the　bridge　in　order　to　protect　the　city。　When　the　bridge　is　clear；　you　can　make　a　dash　for　Saber　Pass　and　plan　for　a　recapture　of　Hanzhong。〃

This　plan　seemed　to　promise　success；　so　Jiang　Wei　ordered　them　to　march　into　the　Konghan　Valley；　making　as　though　they　would　go　to　Yongzhou。

When　Zhuge　Xu；　who　was　at　the　Yinping　Bridge；　heard　this；　he　said　in　great　shock；　〃Yongzhou　is　my　own　city；　and　headquarters　of　the　expedition。　If　it　would　be　lost；　I　would　be　punished！〃

So　Zhuge　Xu　set　off　to　its　relief　by　the　south　road。　He　left　only　a　small　force　at　the　bridge。

Jiang　Wei　marched　along　the　north　road　for　ten　miles　till　he　guessed　that　Zhuge　Xu　had　abandoned　the　bridge；　when　he　reversed　his　course；　making　the　rearguard　the　van。　He　dispersed　the　small　force　left　at　the　bridge　head　and　burned　their　camp。　Zhuge　Xu；　as　he　marched；　saw　the　flames；　and　he　turned　back　to　the　bridge；　but　he　arrived　too　late。　The　army　of　Shu　had　already　crossed；　and　he　dared　not　pursue。

Soon　after　Jiang　Wei　crossed　the　bridge；　he　saw　another　force；　but　this　was　led　by　his　own　generals；　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi。

They　told　him；　〃The　Latter　Ruler；　firm　in　his　faith　in　a　wise　woman；　would　not　send　help　to　defend　the　frontiers。　We　heard　Hanzhong　was　threatened；　and　thus　marched　there　to　its　rescue；　but　then　Zhong　Hui　had　taken　the　Yangping　Pass。　We　also　heard　you　were　surrounded　here；　so　we　came　to　your　help。〃

The　two　armies　amalgamated　and　marched　together。