第一小说网

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第245部分（第2页）

Sima　Yi　remained　shut　up　within　the　walls　for　three　days。　Then；　as　he　saw　his　enemies　retiring；　he　sent　out　some　scouts；　who　presently　returned　with　a　Shu　soldier　they　had　captured。　The　prisoner　was　questioned。

〃I　was　of　the　reaping　party；〃　said　the　man。　〃They　caught　me　when　I　was　looking　for　some　horses　that　had　strayed。〃

〃What　wonderful　soldiers　were　they　of　yours　that　one　saw　here　lately？〃　asked　Sima　Yi。

The　man　replied；　〃Zhuge　Liang　was　with　one　party　of　them；　the　others　were　led　by　Jiang　Wei；　Ma　Dai；　and　Wei　Yan。　There　was　a　thousand　of　fighting　soldiers　with　each　chariot　and　five　hundred　drummers。　Zhuge　Liang　was　with　the　first　party。〃

〃His　ings　and　goings　are　not　human；〃　said　Sima　Yi　sadly。

Then　Guo　Huai　came；　and　he　was　called　to　a　council。

Said　Guo　Huai；　〃I　hear　the　soldiers　of　Shu　in　Lucheng　are　very　few；　and　they　are　occupied　with　gathering　the　grain。　Why　not　smite　them？〃

Sima　Yi　told　him　his　last　experience　of　his　opponents　wiles。

〃He　threw　dust　in　your　eyes　that　time；〃　said　Guo　Huai　with　a　smile。　〃However；　now　you　know。　What　is　the　good　of　more　talk？　Let　me　attack　the　rear；　while　you　lead　against　the　front；　and　we　shall　take　the　city　and　Zhuge　Liang　too。〃

An　attack　was　decided　upon。

In　Lucheng；　while　the　soldiers　were　still　busy　with　the　wheat；　Zhuge　Liang　called　up　his　generals；　and　said；　〃The　enemy　will　attack　tonight。　There　is　a　suitable　place　for　an　ambush　in　the　newly　reaped　fields；　but　who　will　lead　for　me？〃

Four　generals………Jiang　Wei；　Wei　Yan；　Ma　Dai；　and　Ma　Zheng………offered　themselves；　and　he　posted　them；　each　with　two　thousand　troops；　outside　the　four　corners　of　the　city。　They　were　to　await　the　signal　and　then　converge。　When　these　had　gone；　Zhuge　Liang　led　out　a　small　party　of　one　hundred　soldiers　and　hid　in　the　newly　reaped　fields。

In　the　meantime　Sima　Yi　was　drawing　near。　It　was　dusk　when　he　stood　beneath　the　walls　of　Lucheng。

Said　he　to　his　officers；　〃If　we　attacked　by　daylight；　we　should　find　the　city　well　prepared。　So　we　will　take　advantage　of　the　darkness。　The　moat　is　shallow　here；　and　there　shall　be　no　difficulty　in　crossing　it。〃

The　troops　bivouacked　till　the　time　should　e　to　attack。　About　the　middle　of　the　first　watch　Guo　Huai　arrived；　and　his　force　joined　up　with　the　others。　This　done；　the　drums　began　to　beat；　and　the　city　was　quickly　surrounded。　However；　the　defenders　maintained　such　a　heavy　discharge　of　arrows；　bolts　and　stones　from　the　walls　that　the　besiegers　dared　not　close　in。

Suddenly　from　the　midst　of　the　Wei　army　came　the　roar　of　a　bomb；　soon　followed　by　others　from　different　places。　The　soldiers　were　startled；　but　no　one　could　say　whence　the　sounds　had　proceeded。　Guo　Huai　went　to　search　the　wheat　fields；　and　then　the　four　armies　from　the　corners　of　the　city　converged　upon　the　Wei　army。　At　the　same　time　the　defenders　burst　out　of　the　city　gates；　and　a　great　battle　began。　Wei　lost　many　troops。

After　heavy　fighting　Sima　Yi　extricated　his　army　from　the　battle　and　made　his　way　to　a　hill；　which　he　set　about　holding　and　fortifying；　while　Guo　Huai　got　round　to　the　rear　of　the　city　and　called　a　halt。

Zhuge　Liang　entered　the　city　and　sent　his　troops　to　camp　again　at　the　four　corners　of　the　walls。

Guo　Huai　went　to　see　his　chief；　and　said；　〃We　have　long　been　at　grips　with　these　soldiers　and　are　unable　to　drive　them　off。　We　have　now　lost　another　fight。　Unless　something　is　done；　we　shall　not　get　away　at　all。〃

〃What　can　we　do？〃　asked　Sima　Yi。

〃You　might　write　to　Yongzhou　and　Liangzhou　to　send　their　forces　to　our　help。　I　will　try　my　fortune　against　Saber　Pass　and　cut　off　Zhuge　Liangs　retreat　and　supplies。　That　should　bring　about　discontent　and　mutiny；　and　we　can　attack　when　we　see　the　enemy　in　confusion。〃

The　letters　were　sent；　and　soon　Sun　Li　came　leading　the　troops　of　Yongzhou　and　Liangzhou；　foot　and　horse；　of　two　hundred　thousand。　The　new　arrivals　were　sent　to　help　Guo　Huai　in　the　attack　on　Saber　Pass。

After　many　days　had　passed　without　sight　of　the　enemy；　Zhuge　Liang　thought　it　was　time　to　make　another　move。

Calling　up　Jiang　Wei　and　Ma　Dai；　he　said；　〃The　soldiers　of　Wei　are　well　posted　on　the　hills　and　refuse　battle　because；　firstly；　they　think　that　we　are　short　of　food；　and；　secondly；　they　have　sent　an　army　against　Saber　Pass　to　cut　off　our　supplies。　Now　each　of　you　will　take　ten　thousand　troops　and　garrison　the　important　points　about　here　to　show　them　that　we　are　well　prepared　to　defend　ourselves。　Then　they　will　retire。〃

After　these　two　had　gone；　Yang　Yi　came　to　see　Zhuge　Liang　about　the　change　of　troops　then　due。

Yang　Yi　said；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　you　have　ordered　the　troops　to　be　alternated　every　one　hundred　days。　Now　the　time　is　due；　and　the　replacing　troops　have　already　left　Hanzhong　and　that　dispatches　from　the　leading　divisions　have　e　in。　Here　we　have　eighty　thousand　troops；　of　which　forty　will　be　due　for　relief。〃

〃There　is　the　order；　carry　it　out；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。

So　the　forty　thousand　home…going　soldiers　prepared　to　withdraw。

Just　then　came　the　news：　〃Sun　L