第一小说网

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第253部分（第1页）

he　camps　and　posts。　But　the　cold　autumn　wind　chilled　him　to　the　bone。

〃I　shall　never　again　lead　the　army　against　the　rebels；〃　said　he。　〃O　Azure　Heaven；　when　will　this　regret　end？〃

Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　his　tent。　He　became　rapidly　weaker　and　called　Yang　Yi　to　his　bedside。

Said　he；　〃Ma　Dai；　Wang　Ping；　Liao　Hua；　Zhang　Yi；　Zhang　Ni　may　be　depended　on　to　the　death。　They　have　fought　many　campaigns　and　borne　many　hardships；　they　should　be　retained　in　the　public　service。　After　my　death　let　everything　go　on　as　before；　but　the　army　is　to　be　gradually　withdrawn。　You　know　the　tactics　to　be　followed；　and　I　need　say　little。　My　friend　Jiang　Wei　is　wise　and　brave；　set　him　to　guard　the　retreat。〃

Yang　Yi　received　these　orders；　weeping。

Next；　writing　materials　were　brought　in　and　the　dying　minister　set　himself　to　write　his　testament。　It　is　here　given　in　substance：

〃Life　and　death　are　the　mon　lot；　and　fate　cannot　be　evaded。　Death　is　at　hand；　and　I　desire　to　prove　my　loyalty　to　the　end。　I；　thy　servant　Zhuge　Liang；　dull　of　parts；　was　born　into　a　difficult　age；　and　it　fell　to　my　lot　to　guide　military　operations。　I　led　a　northern　expedition；　but　failed　to　win　plete　success。　Now　sickness　has　laid　hold　upon　me　and　death　approaches；　so　that　I　shall　be　unable　to　acplish　my　task。　My　sorrow　is　inexpressible。

〃I　desire　Your　Majesty　to　cleanse　your　heart　and　limit　your　desires；　to　practice　self…control　and　to　love　the　people；　to　maintain　a　perfectly　filial　attitude　toward　your　late　father　and　to　be　benevolent　to　all　the　world。　Seek　out　the　recluse　scholars　that　you　may　obtain　the　services　of　the　wise　and　good；　repel　the　wicked　and　depraved　that　your　moral　standard　may　be　exalted。

〃To　my　household　belong　eight　hundred　mulberry　trees　and　a　hundred　acres　of　land；　thus　there　is　ample　provision　for　my　family。　While　I　have　been　employed　in　the　service　of　the　state；　my　needs　have　been　supplied　from　official　sources；　but　I　have　not　contrived　to　make　any　additions　to　the　family　estate。　At　my　death　I　shall　not　leave　any　increased　possessions；　even　an　excess　roll　of　silk；　that　may　cause　Your　Majesty　to　suspect　that　I　have　wronged　you。〃

Having　posed　this　document；　the　dying　man　turned　again　to　Yang　Yi；　saying；　〃Do　not　wear　mourning　for　me；　but　make　a　large　coffer　and　therein　place　my　body；　with　seven　grains　of　rice　in　my　mouth。　Place　a　lamp　at　my　feet　and　let　my　body　move　with　the　army　as　I　was　wont　to　do。　If　you　refrain　from　mourning；　then　my　leadership　star　will　not　fall；　for　my　inmost　soul　will　ascend　and　hold　it　in　place。　So　long　as　my　star　retains　its　place；　Sima　Yi　will　be　fearsome　and　suspicious。

〃Let　the　army　retreat；　beginning　with　the　rearmost　division；　send　it　away　slowly；　one　camp　at　a　time。　If　Sima　Yi　pursues；　array　the　army　and　offer　battle；　turn　to　meet　him　and　beat　the　attack。　Let　him　approach　till　he　is　very　near　and　then　suddenly　display　the　wooden　image　of　myself　that　I　have　had　carved；　seated　in　my　chariot　in　the　midst　of　the　army；　with　the　generals　right　and　left　as　usual。　And　you　will　frighten　Sima　Yi　away。〃

Yang　Yi　listened　to　these　words　intently。　That　night　Zhuge　Liang　was　carried　into　the　open　and　gazed　up　at　the　sky。

〃That　is　my　star；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　one　that　seemed　to　be　losing　its　brilliancy　and　to　be　tottering　in　its　place。　Zhuge　Liangs　lips　moved　as　if　he　muttered　a　spell。　Presently　he　was　borne　into　his　tent　and　for　a　time　was　oblivious　of　all　about　him。

When　the　anxiety　caused　by　this　state　of　a　was　at　its　height；　Li　Fu　arrived。

He　wept　when　he　saw　the　condition　of　the　great　leader；　crying；　〃I　have　foiled　the　great　designs　of　the　state！〃

However；　presently　Zhuge　Liangs　eyes　reopened　and　fell　upon　Li　Fu　standing　near　his　couch。

〃I　know　your　mission；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃I　came　with　the　royal　mand　to　ask　also　who　should　control　the　destinies　of　the　state　for　the　next　century；〃　replied　Li　Fu。　〃In　my　agitation　I　forgot　to　ask　that。〃

〃After　me；　Jiang　Wan　is　the　most　fitting　man　to　deal　with　great　matters。〃

〃And　after　Jiang　Wan？〃

〃After　him；　Fei　Yi。〃

〃Who　is　next　after　Fei　Yi？〃

No　reply　came；　and　when　they　looked　more　carefully；　they　perceived　that　the　soul　of　the　Prime　Minister　had　passed。

Thus　died　Zhuge　Liang；　on　the　twenty…third　day　of　the　eighth　month　in　the　twelfth　year　of　Beginning　Prosperity；　at　the　age　of　fifty　and　four　（AD　234）。

The　poet　Du　Fu　wrote　some　verses　on　his　death。

A　bright　star　last　night　falling　from　the　sky；

This　message　gave；　〃The　Master　is　no　more。〃

No　more　in　camps　shall　bold　men　tramp　at　his　mand；

At　court　no　statesman　ever　will　fill　the　place　he　held；

At　home；　his　clients　miss　their　patron　kind；