云轩阁小说网

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第241部分（第2页）

Zhuge　Liang　issued　orders　to　break　up　the　camp　that　night；　and　the　army　retired　into　Hanzhong　forthwith。　Sima　Yi　only　heard　of　it　five　days　later；　and　he　knew　that　again　he　had　been　outwitted。

〃The　man　appears　like　a　god　and　disappears　like　a　demon。　He　is　too　much　for　me；〃　sighed　Sima　Yi。

Sima　Yi　set　certain　generals　over　the　camp　and　placed　others　to　guard　the　manding　positions；　and　he　also　marched　homeward。

As　soon　as　the　Shu　army　was　settled　in　Hanzhong；　Zhuge　Liang　went　to　Chengdu　for　treatment。　The　officials　of　all　ranks　came　to　greet　him　and　escort　him　to　his　palace。　The　Latter　Ruler　also　came　to　inquire　after　his　condition　and　sent　his　own　physicians　to　treat　him。　So　gradually　he　recovered。

In　Beginning　Prosperity；　eighth　year　and　seventh　month　（AD　230）；　Cao　Zhen；　the　Grand　mander　in　Wei；　had　recovered；　and　he　sent　a　memorial　to　his　master；　saying；

〃Shu　has　invaded　more　than　once　and　threatened　Changan。　If　this　state　be　not　destroyed；　it　will　ultimately　be　our　ruin。　The　autumn　coolness　is　now　here。　The　army　is　in　good　form；　and　it　is　the　time　most　favorable　for　an　attack　on　Shu。　I　desire　to　take　Sima　Yi　as　colleague　and　march　into　Hanzhong　to　exterminate　this　wretched　horde　and　free　the　borders　from　trouble。〃

Personally；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　approved；　but　he　consulted　Liu　Ye；　saying；　〃Cao　Zhen　proposes　an　attack　on　Shu。　How　about　that？〃

Liu　Ye　replied；　〃The　Grand　mander　speaks　well。　If　that　state　be　not　destroyed；　it　will　be　to　our　hurt。　Your　Majesty　should　give　effect　to　his　desire。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　nodded。

When　Liu　Ye　went　home；　a　crowd　of　officers　flocked　to　inquire；　saying；　〃We　heard　the　Emperor　has　consulted　you　about　an　expedition　against　Shu：　What　think　you？〃

〃No　such　thing；〃　said　Liu　Ye。　〃Shu　is　too　difficult　a　country　to　invade。　It　would　be　a　mere　waste　of　humans　and　weapons。〃

They　left　him。　Then　Yang　Jin　went　into　the　Emperor　and　said；　〃It　is　said　that　yesterday　Liu　Ye　advised　Your　Majesty　to　fall　upon　Shu。　Today　when　we　talked　with　him；　he　said　Shu　could　not　be　attacked。　This　is　treating　Your　Majesty　with　indignity；　and　you　should　issue　a　mand　to　punish　him。〃

Wherefore　Cao　Rui　called　in　Liu　Ye　and　asked　him　to　explain。

Liu　Ye　replied；　〃I　have　studied　the　details。　Shu　cannot　be　attacked。〃

Cao　Rui　laughed。

In　a　short　time　Yang　Jin　left。

Then　Liu　Ye　said；　〃Yesterday　I　advised　Your　Majesty　to　attack　Shu。　That　being　a　matter　of　state　policy　should　be　divulged　to　no　person。　The　essential　of　a　military　move　is　secrecy。〃

Then　Cao　Rui　understood；　and　thereafter　Liu　Ye　was　held　in　greater　consideration。

Ten　days　later　Sima　Yi　came　to　court；　and　Cao　Zhens　memorial　was　shown　him。

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃The　moment　is　opportune。　I　do　not　think　there　is　any　danger　from　Wu。〃

Cao　Zhen　was　created　Minister　of　War；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　and　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Western　Expedition；　Sima　Yi　was　made　Grand　mander；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　and　was　second　in　mand；　and　Liu　Ye　was　made　Instructor　of　the　Army。　These　three　then　left　the　court；　and　the　army　of　four　hundred　thousand　troops　marched　to　Changan；　intending　to　dash　to　Saber　Pass　and　attack　Hanzhong。　The　army　was　joined　by　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li。

The　defenders　of　Hanzhong　brought　the　news　to　Zhuge　Liang；　then　quite　recovered　and　engaged　in　training　his　army　and　elaborating　the　〃Eight　Arrays〃。　All　was　in　an　efficient　state　and　ready　for　an　attack　on　Changan。

When　Zhuge　Liang　heard　of　the　intended　attack；　he　called　up　Zhang　Ni　and　Wang　Ping　and　gave　orders：　〃You　are　to　lead　one　thousand　troops　to　Chencang　and　garrison　that　road　so　as　to　check　the　Wei　army。〃

The　two　replied；　〃It　is　said　the　Wei　army　numbers　four　hundred　thousand；　though　they　pretend　to　have　eight　hundred　thousand。　But　they　are　very　numerous；　and　a　thousand　troops　is　a　very　small　force　to　meet　them。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　would　give　you　more；　but　I　fear　to　make　it　hard　for　the　soldiers。　If　there　be　a　failure；　I　shall　not　hold　you　responsible。　I　send　you　thus；　you　may　be　sure　there　is　a　meaning　in　it。　I　observed　the　stars　yesterday；　and　I　see　there　will　be　a　tremendous　rain　this　month。　The　army　of　Wei　may　consist　of　any　number　of　legions；　but　they　will　be　unable　to　penetrate　into　a　mountainous　country。　So　there　is　no　need　to　send　a　large　force。　You　will　e　to　no　harm；　and　I　shall　lead　the　main　body　into　Hanzhong　and　rest　for　a　month　while　the　enemy　retreats。　Then　I　shall　smite　them。　My　strong　army　needs　only　one　hundred　thousand　to　defeat　their　worn　four　hundred　thousand。　Do　not　say　any　more；　but　get　off　quickly。〃

This　satisfied　Wang　Ping　and　Zhang　Ni；　and　they　left；　while　Zhuge　Liang　led　the　main　body　out　toward　Hanzhong。　Moreover；　every　station　was　ordered　to　lay　in　a　stock　of　wood　and　straw　and　grain　enough　for　a　whole　months　use；　ready　against　the　autumn　rains。　A　months　holiday　was　given；　and　food　and　clothing　were　issued　in　advance。　The　expedition　was　postponed　for　the　present。

When　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　approached　Chencang　and　entered　the　city；　they　could　not　find　a　single　house。

They　questioned　some　of　the　people　near；　who　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　had　burned　everything　before　he　left。〃

Then　Cao　Zhen　proposed　to　advance　along　the　road；　but　Sima　Yi　opposed；　saying　that　the　stars　foretold　much　rain。

〃I　have　watched　the　Heaven；　and　the　stars　movement　signals　long　rains。　If　we　get　deep　in　a　difficult　country　and　are　always　victorious；　it　is　all　very　well。　But　if　we　lose；　we　shall　not　get　out　again。　Better　remain　in　this　city　and　build　what　shelter　we　can　against　the　rains。〃

Cao　Zhen　followed　his　advice。　In　the　middle　of　the　month　the　rain　began；　and　came　down　in　a　deluge　so　that　the　surrounding　country　was　three　feet　under　water。　The　equipment　of　the　soldiers　was　soaked；　and　the　soldiers　themselves　could　get　no　place　to　sleep。　For　a　whole　month　the　rain　continued。　The　horses　could　not　be　fed；　and　the　soldiers　grumbled　incessantly。　They　sent　to　Luoyang；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　himself　ceremonially　prayed　for　fine　weather；　but　with　no　effect。

Minister　Wang　Su　sent　up　a　memorial：

〃The　histories　say　that　when

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