云轩阁小说网

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第269部分（第2页）

They　hastened；　anxious　to　reach　the　hill　before　the　enemy。　But　it　was　not　to　be。　Presently　they　heard　the　roar　of　bombs　and　the　beating　of　drums；　and　then　flags　and　banners　appeared；　all　of　Wei。　And　among　them　fluttered　the　leaders　standard；　bearing　two　words　Deng　Ai　。

This　was　a　sad　disappointment。　The　army　of　Shu　halted；　and　veteran　soldiers　of　Wei　came　rushing　down　from　various　points　on　the　hill；　too　many　for　the　troops　of　Shu　to　drive　back。　So　the　advance　guard　was　defeated。　Jiang　Wei　went　to　their　help　with　his　central　body；　but　when　he　got　near；　the　soldiers　of　Wei　had　retreated　up　to　the　hill。

Jiang　Wei　went　on　to　the　foot　of　the　hill　and　challenged；　but　no　one　came　out　to　accept。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　began　to　shout　abuse；　and　kept　it　up　till　late　in　the　day；　but　they　failed　to　provoke　a　fight。　As　the　army　of　Shu　began　to　retire；　the　Wei　drums　beat　furiously；　yet　no　one　appeared。　Jiang　Wei　turned　about　to　ascend　the　hill；　but　its　defenders　prevented　that　by　stones　thrown　from　above。　He　hung　on　till　the　third　watch；　when　he　tried　again。　But　he　failed。　Thereupon　he　went　down　the　hill　and　halted；　bidding　his　soldiers　build　a　barricade　of　wood　and　boulders。　The　troops　of　Wei　came　on　again；　and　the　Shu　troops　scrambled　to　run　to　the　old　camp。

Next　day　Jiang　Wei　brought　up　many　transport　wagons　and　placed　them　on　the　slope　as　the　nucleus　of　a　camp。　But　in　the　night　a　number　of　Wei　troops　came　down　with　torches　and　set　fire　to　them。　A　fight　ensued；　which　lasted　till　dawn。

Seeing　that　a　camp　could　not　be　made　there；　Jiang　Wei　retired　to　consider　new　plans　with　Xiahou　Ba。

〃Since　we　cannot　take　Nanan；　our　next　best　plan　is　to　try　for　Shanggui；　which　is　the　storehouse　of　Nanan。〃

Leaving　Xiahou　Ba　on　the　hill；　Jiang　Wei　led　a　force　of　veteran　soldiers　and　bold　officers　along　the　road　toward　Shanggui。　They　marched　all　night；　and　dawn　found　them　in　a　deep　valley；　which　the　guides　said　was　Block　Valley。

〃That　sounds　too　much　like　Cut…off　Valley；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃And　if　a　force　held　the　mouth；　we　should　be　in　sorry　straits。〃

While　hesitating　whether　to　advance　farther　or　not；　the　leading　troops　came　back　to　say：　〃We　have　seen　a　cloud　of　dust　beyond　the　hills；　which　seems　to　indicate　a　body　of　soldiers　in　hiding。〃

So　the　order　was　given　to　retire。　At　that　moment　the　armies　under　Shi　Zuan　and　Deng　Zhong　came　out　and　attacked。　Jiang　Wei；　alternately　fighting　and　retreating；　tried　to　get　away。　Then　Deng　Ai　himself　appeared；　and　the　Shu　army　had　enemies　on　three　sides。　They　were　in　grave　danger；　but　Xiahou　Ba　came　to　their　rescue；　and　so　Jiang　Wei　escaped。

Jiang　Wei　proposed　to　return　to　Qishan；　but　Xiahou　Ba　said；　〃We　cannot　go　thither；　for　Chen　Tai　has　destroyed　the　force　under　Bao　Su；　and　he　himself　was　killed。　All　that　was　left　of　that　army　has　gone　back　into　Hanzhong。〃

It　was　no　longer　a　question　of　taking　the　Dongting　road。　Jiang　Wei　sought　out　by…roads　to　march　along。　Deng　Ai　came　in　pursuit；　and　as　he　pressed　hard　on　the　rear；　Jiang　Wei　sent　the　others　on　ahead　while　he　covered　the　retreat。

Soon　Chen　Tai　came　out　from　the　hills；　and　Jiang　Wei　was　surrounded　by　a　shouting　body　of　the　enemy。　He　fought　all　directions；　but　could　not　clear　the　way。　He　and　his　horse　were　very　weary　when　Zhang　Ni；　who　had　heard　of　his　straits；　came　to　his　rescue　with　a　body　of　cavalry。　Zhang　Ni　cut　his　way　in；　and　Jiang　Wei　immediately　broke　the　siege　and　got　out。　Zhang　Ni　saved　his　general；　but　lost　his　own　life　in　the　melee。　Finally　Jiang　Wei　got　back　into　Hanzhong。

From　Hanzhong　the　death　of　Zhang　Ni　in　battle　was　reported　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　who　bestowed　suitable　honors　upon　his　family。

The　Shu　people　blamed　Jiang　Wei　for　the　serious　loss　of　life　of　their　relatives　in　the　military　operations　that　had　just　failed；　and　Jiang　Wei；　following　the　precedent　in　Jieting　of　the　late　Lord　of　Wuxiang；　asked　that　he　himself　should　be　degraded　in　rank；　retaining；　however；　the　mand。　He　was　put　back　to　General　of　the　Rear　Army。

The　country　being　now　cleared　of　the　enemy；　Chen　Tai　and　Deng　Ai　prepared　a　banquet　in　honor　of　victory　and　gave　rewards　to　the　soldiers　who　had　fought。　Chen　Tai　sent　a　memorial　to　the　capital　upon　the　services　of　Deng　Ai；　and　a　special　mission　of　Sima　Zhao　brought　Deng　Ai　higher　rank；　the　title　of　lordship　was　given　to　his　son；　Deng　Zhong。

At　this　time　the　style　of　the　reign　in　Wei　was　changed　from　Right　Origin；　the　third　year；　to　Gentle　Dew　Era；　the　first　year　（AD　256）。　Sima　Zhao　manded　all　the　military　forces　and　made　himself　Empire　mander…in…Chief。　He　assumed　great　pomp；　and　whenever　he　moved　outside　his　palace；　he　was　escorted　by　three　thousand　mail…clad　guards；　beside　squadrons　of　cavalry。　All　power　lay　in　his　hands；　and　he　decided　all　questions　so　that　the　court　was　rather　in　his　palace　than　in　that　of　the　Emperor。

Plans　for　taking　the　final　step　constantly　occupied　his　thoughts。　The　question　of　mounting　the　throne　was　openly　mooted　by　Jia　Chong；　a　confidant；　who　was　a　son　of　mander　Jia　Kui。　Jia　Chong　was　holding　the　High　Counselor　office　in　the　Prime　Ministers　palace。

Jia　Chong　said；　〃Sir；　all　real　authority　is　in　your　hands；　and　the　country　is　not　tranquil。　The　only　remedy　is　for　you　to　bee　actual　ruler；　and　you　should　find　out　who　are　your　supporters。〃

Sima　Zhao　replied；　〃This　has　been　in　my　thoughts　a　long　time。　You　might　be　my　emissary　to　the　east　to　find　out　the　feeling　there。　You　can　pretend　you　go　to　thank　the　soldiers　who　took　part　in　the　late　campaign。　That　would　be　a　good　pretext。〃

Accordingly　Jia　Chong　traveled　into　the　South　of　River　Huai；　where　he　saw　Zhuge　Dan；　General　Who　Guards　the　East。　This　officer　was　from　Nanyang　and　a　cousin　of　the　late　Lord　of　Wuxiang；　Zhuge　Liang。　Zhuge　Dan　had　gone　to　Wei　for　employment；　but　had　received　no　significant　office　while　Zhuge　Liang　was　the　Prime　minister　of　Shu。　After　Zhuge　Liangs　death；　Zhuge　Dans　promotion　was　rapid。　He　was　now　Lord　of　Gaoping　and　mander　of　the　south　and　east　of　River　Huai。

Jia　Chong　went　to　Zhuge　Dan　to　ask　him　to　convey　to　the　army　the　appreciation　of　the　soldiers　services。　Jia　Chong　was　received　courteously；　and　at　a　banquet；　when　host　an

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