第一小说网

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第212部分（第2页）

Zhuge　Liang　had　advanced；　and　his　leading　division　was　now　close　to　the　river。

Spies　came　back　to　report：　〃No　boats　or　rafts　can　be　found　to　cross；　and　the　current　is　too　strong　to　think　of　fording。　Beside；　we　can　see　the　formidable　defenses　on　the　farther　bank；　the　mud　wall　and　the　turrets　all　fully　manned。〃

The　weather　was　burning　hot；　for　it　was　the　fifth　month；　and　the　soldiers　could　not　tolerate　their　armor　nor　even　their　clothing。

When　Zhuge　Liang　had　inspected　the　river；　he　returned　to　his　tent　and　assembled　his　officers；　to　whom　he　read　this　order：　〃The　enemy　is　securely　established　on　the　south　bank　ready　to　repel　our　attack。　Yet；　having　e　so　far；　we　cannot　return　empty。　For　the　present　you　will　all　seek　what　shelter　you　can　find　in　the　forests；　and　rest　and　refresh　your　troops。〃

Then　he　sent　Lu　Kai　to　a　distance　to　select　a　cool　stretch　of　thirty　miles；　and　there　he　made　four　stockades。　Within　the　stockades　he　built　huts　for　the　soldiers　and　sheds　for　the　horses；　so　that　they　were　sheltered　from　the　intense　heat。　The　four　camps　were　stationed　by　Wang　Ping；　Zhang　Ni；　Zhang　Yi；　and　Guan　Suo。

However；　Jiang　Wan；　observed　these　shelters　and　went　to　Zhuge　Liang；　saying；　〃These　shelters　of　Lu　Kai　are　very　unsuitable。　He　has　made　the　same　mistake　as　that　which　led　to　the　defeat　of　the　First　Ruler　at　the　hands　of　Wu。　He　has　not　taken　into　account　the　surroundings　of　the　stockades；　and　if　the　Mangs　should　e　over　and　start　a　fire；　there　could　be　no　rescue。〃

〃Do　not　anticipate　trouble；〃　said　the　mander…in…Chief；　smiling。　〃I　have　provided　against　all　such　dangers。〃

Jiang　Wan　did　not　know　what　the　chief　meant　to　do；　but　he　said　no　more。　Then　Ma　Dai　arrived　from　the　River　Lands；　and　he　brought　summer　medicines　and　further　supplies　of　grain。　He　saw　Zhuge　Liang；　and　then　proceeded　to　distribute　the　supplies　he　had　brought　according　to　orders。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃What　force　have　you　brought？〃

〃Three　thousand；〃　replied　Ma　Dai。

〃My　people　are　weary　and　worn　out。　I　want　to　use　yours。　You　have　no　objections？〃

〃Of　course　not。　They　are　equally　government　troops。　They　are　ready　even　to　die　for　you　if　you　wish。〃

〃This　Meng　Huo　is　established　on　the　river；　and　we　have　no　means　of　crossing。　But　I　am　anxious　to　intercept　his　supplies；　so　that　his　troops　may　mutiny。〃

〃How　can　you　do　it？〃

〃Some　fifty　miles　lower　down　River　Lu　there　is　a　place　called　Shakou；　where　the　current　is　slow　and　shallow　because　of　sand。　You　could　cross　there　on　rafts。　I　wish　you　and　your　soldiers　to　cross　and　cut　the　road　of　supplies。　After　that　you　are　to　arrange　with　the　two　leaders………Dongtu　Na　and　Ahui　Nan………whose　lives　I　spared；　to　be　your　allies　on　the　inside；　and　we　shall　succeed。〃

Ma　Dai　went　off　gladly　enough；　and　marched　his　troops　to　Shakou；　where　they　set　about　the　crossing　at　once。　And　as　the　water　was　shallow；　they　did　not　trouble　to　make　rafts；　but　just　tucked　up　their　clothes　and　waded　in。　But　half…way　across；　the　men　began　to　fall　over；　and　when　they　had　been　rescued　and　taken　to　the　bank；　many　of　them　began　to　bleed　from　the　nose　and　mouth　and　died。　In　great　alarm；　Ma　Dai　sent　hasty　messages　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　called　in　the　native　guides　and　asked　what　this　meant。

They　told　him；　〃It　happens　so　every　year。　In　the　hot　season；　poisonous　miasma　collects　over　the　waters　of　the　River　Lu；　especially　during　the　heat　of　the　day。　Anyone　who　drinks　the　water　will　surely　die。　Travelers　who　wish　to　cross　have　to　wait　till　night；　because　the　cooler　waters　do　not　breathe　out　the　poisonous　vapors。　Further；　the　crossing　should　be　attempted　on　a　full　stomach。〃

Zhuge　Liang　bade　the　local　guides　point　out　the　best　crossing　place。　He　sent　five　hundred　well…seasoned　soldiers　to　Ma　Dai　to　lash　together　poles　into　rafts　at　Shakou；　and　in　the　night　the　crossing　was　safely　acplished。　Further；　the　guides　then　led　two　thousand　men　of　Shu　over　to　where　the　grain　road　of　the　Mangs　led　through　a　narrow　valley；　called　Jiashan　Gorge；　where；　for　part　of　the　way；　only　single　file　was　possible　as　the　road　was　only　wide　enough　for　a　soldier　and　a　horse。

Ma　Dai　at　once　occupied　this　valley　and　stationed　a　force　there。　And　a　stockade　was　put　up　with　tents　inside。　Presently　a　convoy　of　grain　came　along；　and　it　was　captured；　more　than　a　hundred　wagons。　The　guards　ran　off　to　Meng　Huos　great　camp　and　told　him。

Meng　Huo；　thinking　all　was　safe　during　the　hot　season；　was　enjoying　himself。　Wine　and　music　were　the　order　of　the　day；　and　military　matters　were　far　from　his　thoughts。　In　his　cups　he　admitted　Zhuge　Liang　was　ruseful；　but　said　his　army　had　nothing　to　fear。

Said　he；　〃If　I　attempt　to　oppose　Zhuge　Liang；　I　shall　certainly　fall　a　victim　to　some　wile　of　his。　However；　my　waiting　policy　is　a　safe　one。　With　our　defenses；　and　the　river　to　back　them；　we　can　wait　for　the　heat　to　overe　these　men　of　Shu；　who　cannot　stand　the　hot　season。　They　will　have　to　retreat；　and　then　we　can　harass　them。　And　we　will　capture　this　Zhuge　Liang。〃

He　lay　back　and　laughed　at　the　thought。

However；　one　chief；　more　prudent　than　the　others；　stood　forth　and　said；　〃Remember　the　shallows　at　Shakou。　It　would　be　very　serious　if　the　soldiers　of　Shu　got　across　there　secretly。　It　ought　to　be　guarded。〃

〃You　belong　to　these　areas。　Do　you　not　know　that　I　want　the　enemy　to　try　to　get　across　there？　Why；　they　will　all　perish　in　the　water。〃

〃But　what　if　the　natives　tell　them　to　cross　only　in　the　night？〃

〃Do　not　be　so　anxious；〃　said　Meng　Huo。　〃Our　own　people　will　not　help　the　enemy　that　far。〃

It　was　just　then　that　intelligence　came：　〃The　troops　of　Shu；　unknown　in　number；　have　crossed　the　river　and；　moreover；　have　seized　the　Jiashan　Gorge。　The　flags　show　the　words　General　Who　Pacifies　The　North；　Ma　Dai。〃

Meng　Huo　affected　indifference。

〃This　sort　of　fellow　is　not　worth　talking　about；〃　said　he。

He　sent　General　Mangya　Chang　with　three　thousand