第一小说网

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第226部分（第2页）

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　let　him　go　as　I　would　release　a　duck。　In　my　friend　Jiang　Wei　I　recognized　a　phoenix。〃

Such　awe　and　fear　seized　upon　the　country　around　when　these　exploits　of　Zhuge　Liang　were　heard　of　that　many　other　cities　simply　opened　their　gates　without　making　any　resistance。　Zhuge　Liang　brought　all　soldiers　from　Hanzhong；　horse　and　foot；　and　marched　on　to　Qishan。

When　the　Shu　army　reached　the　west　bank　of　River　Wei；　the　scouts　reported　their　movements　in　Luoyang；　and；　at　a　court　held　in　the　first　year　of　the　era　of　Calm　Peace　（AD　227）；　the　ministers　told　the　Ruler　of　Wei　of　the　threatened　invasion。

They　said；　〃Xiahou　Mao；　the　Imperial　Son…in…Law；　has　lost　the　three　counties　and　fled　to　the　Qiangs。　The　enemy　has　reached　Qishan；　and　their　advanced　columns　are　on　the　west　bank　of　River　Wei。　I　pray　that　an　army　be　sent　to　repulse　them。〃

The　Emperor；　Cao　Rui；　was　alarmed　and　asked；　〃Who　shall　go　out　and　drive　off　the　enemy　for　me？〃

Minister　Wang　Lang　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃I　observed　that　whenever　General　Cao　Zhen　was　sent　by　the　late　Emperor　on　any　expedition　he　succeeded。　Why　not　send　him　to　drive　off　these　soldiers　of　Shu？〃

Cao　Rui　approved　of　the　suggestion。

Whereupon　he　called　up　Cao　Zhen　and　said　to　him；　〃The　late　Emperor　confided　me　to　your　guardianship。　You　cannot　sit　by　while　the　enemy　ravages　the　country。〃

Cao　Zhen　replied；　〃Your　Majesty；　my　talents　are　but　poor　and　unequal　to　the　task　you　propose。〃

〃You　are　a　trusted　minister　of　state；　and　you　may　not　really　refuse　this　task。　Old　and　worn　as　I　am；　I　will　use　the　little　strength　left　me　to　acpany　you；〃　said　Wang　Lang。

〃After　the　bounties　I　have　received；　I　cannot　refuse；〃　replied　Cao　Zhen。　〃But　I　must　ask　for　an　assistant。〃

〃You　have　only　to　name　him；　O　Noble　One；〃　said　the　Emperor。

So　Cao　Zhen　named　Guo　Huai；　a　man　of　Yangqu；　whose　official　rank　was　Lord　of　Sheting；　he　was　also　Imperial　Protector　of　Yongzhou。

Thereupon　Cao　Zhen　was　appointed　mander…in…Chief；　and　the　ensigns　of　rank　were　conferred　upon　him。　Guo　Huai　was　appointed　his　second；　and　Wang　Lang　was　created　Instructor　of　the　Army。　Wang　Lang　was　then　already　old；　seventy…six。

The　army　of　Cao　Zhen　consisted　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops；　the　best　from　both　capitals。　His　brother；　Cao　Zun；　was　made　Leader　of　the　Van　with　an　assistant；　Zhu　Zan；　General　Who　Opposes　Brigands。　The　army　moved　out　in　the　eleventh　month　of　that　year；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wei　went　with　it　to　the　outside　of　the　west　gate。

Cao　Zhen　marched　by　way　of　Changan　and　camped　on　the　west　bank　of　the　River　Wei。　At　a　council；　which　the　mander…in…Chief　called　to　consider　the　best　mode　of　attack；　Wang　Lang　asked　that　he　might　be　allowed　to　parley　with　the　enemy。

Said　Wang　Lang；　〃Let　the　army　be　drawn　up　in　plete　battle　order　and　unfurl　all　the　banners。　I　will　go　out　and　call　a　parley　with　Zhuge　Liang；　at　which　I　will　make　him　yield　to　us　without　a　blow；　and　the　army　of　Shu　shall　march　home　again。〃

Cao　Zhen　agreed　to　the　plan。　So　orders　were　given　to　take　the　early　meal　at　the　fourth　watch　and　have　the　men　fall　in　with　their　panies　and　files　at　daylight；　all　in　review　order。　Everything　was　to　be　grand　and　imposing；　the　flags　fluttering　and　the　drums　rolling；　every　soldier　in　his　place。　Just　before　this　display；　a　messenger　was　to　deliver　a　declaration　of　war。

Next　day；　when　the　armies　were　drawn　up　facing　each　other　in　front　of　the　Qishan　Mountains；　the　soldiers　of　Shu　saw　that　their　enemies　were　fine；　bold　warriors；　very　different　from　those　that　Xiahou　Mao　had　brought　against　them。　Then　after　three　rolls　of　the　drums；　Minister　of　the　Interior　Wang　Lang　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　out；　next　to　him　rode　mander…in…Chief　Cao　Zhen；　and　followed　behind　was　Deputy　mander　Guo　Huai。　The　two　Leaders　of　the　Van　remained　in　charge　of　the　army。

Then　a　messenger　rode　to　the　front　and　called　out　in　a　loud　voice；　〃We　request　the　leader　of　the　opposing　army　to　e　out　to　a　parley。〃

At　this；　within　the　Shu　army；　an　opening　was　made　at　the　main　standard；　through　which　came　out　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　who　took　up　their　stations　right　and　left。　Then　followed　two　lines　of　generals；　and　beneath　the　standard；　in　the　center　of　the　array；　was　seen　a　four…wheeled　carriage　wherein　sat　Zhuge　Liang；　with　turban；　white　robe　and　black　sash。　A　leather　fan　was　in　his　hand。　He　advanced　with　the　utmost　dignity。　Looking　up；　he　saw　three　mander　umbrellas　and　flags　bearing　large　white　characters。　In　the　middle　was　an　aged；　white…haired　figure；　Minister　Wang　Lang。

〃He　intends　to　deliver　an　oration；〃　thought　Zhuge　Liang。　〃I　must　answer　as　best　I　may。〃

His　carriage　was　then　pushed　to　the　front　beyond　the　line　of　battle；　and　he　directed　one　of　his　officers　to　reply；　saying；　〃The　Prime　Minister　of　the　Hans　is　willing　to　speak　with　Minister　Wang　Lang。〃

Wang　Lang　advanced。　Zhuge　Liang　saluted　him　from　the　carriage　with　raised　hands；　and　Wang　Lang　replied　from　horseback　with　an　inclination。　Then　Wang　Lang　began　his　oration。

〃I　am　happy　to　meet　you；　Noble　Sir。　Your　reputation　has　been　long　known　to　me。　Since　you　recognize　the　decrees　of　Heaven　and　are　acquainted　with　the　conditions　of　the　world；　why　do　you；　without　any　excuse；　lead　out　such　an　army？〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃How　mean　you　no　excuse？　I　hold　an　edict　to　destroy　rebels。〃

Wang　Lang　replied；　〃Heaven　has　its　mutations；　and　change　its　instruments　from　time　to　time。　The　supreme　dignity　es　at　last　to　the　person　of　virtue。　This　is　the　inevitable　and　immutable　law。　In　the　days　of　Emperors　Huan　and　Ling　arose　the　Yellow　Scarves　rebellion；　and　the　whole　earth　was　involved　in　wrangling　and　warfare。　Later；　in　the　eras　of　Inauguration　of　Tranquillity　and　Rebuilt　Tranquillity；　Dong　Zhuo　arose　in　revolt；　a　revolt　which　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　continued　after　Dong　Zhuo　had　been　de