第一小说网

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第229部分（第2页）

He　had　two　sons；　Sima　Shi　the　elder　and　Sima　Zhao；　both　clever　and　ambitious；　and　both　earnest　students　of　military　books。　One　day　they　were　present　when　their　father　seemed　very　cast　down；　and　Sima　Shi　asked　his　father　the　reason。

〃You　would　not　understand；〃　said　the　father。

〃I　think　you　are　grieving　because　the　Ruler　of　Wei　does　not　use　you；〃　replied　Sima　Shi。

〃But　they　will　send　for　you　presently；〃　said　Sima　Zhao。

The　prophecy　was　not　long　in　fulfillment；　for　even　then　the　bearer　of　the　mand　stood　at　the　gate；　and　the　servant　announced　a　messenger　from　the　court　bearing　a　mission。

As　soon　as　he　heard　its　terms；　Sima　Yi　set　about　ordering　the　armies　of　Wancheng。　Soon　came　a　messenger　from　Governor　Shen　Yi　of　Jincheng　with　a　secret　message　for　Sima　Yi。　The　messenger　was　taken　into　a　private　chamber；　and　his　message　was　that　Meng　Da　was　on　the　point　of　rebellion。　The　leakage　of　this　news　was　due　to　Li　Gu；　a　confidential　subordinate　of　Meng　Da；　and　Deng　Xian；　Meng　Das　nephew。　Li　Gu　and　Deng　Xian　went　to　confess　the　plot　in　exchange　for　a　promise　of　amnesty。

Sima　Yi　smote　his　forehead。

〃This　is　the　Emperors　great　good　fortune；　high　as　heaven　itself。　Zhuge　Liangs　army　is　at　Qishan　already；　and　all　peoples　courage　is　at　the　brink　of　breakdown。　The　Emperor　must　go　to　Changan；　and　if　he　does　not　use　me　soon；　Meng　Da　will　carry　out　his　plan；　his　plot　will　succeed；　and　both　capitals　will　be　lost。　Meng　Da　is　surely　in　league　with　Zhuge　Liang；　and　if　I　can　seize　this　Meng　Da　before　he　makes　any　move；　that　will　damp　Zhuge　Liangs　spirits　and　he　will　retreat。〃

His　elder　son　Sima　Shi　remarked；　〃It　is　necessary　to　memorialize　the　Throne。〃

〃No；〃　replied　his　father；　〃that　would　take　a　month；　and　delay　would　mean　failure。〃

Sima　Yi　gave　orders　to　prepare　to　advance　by　double…rapid　marches　and　threatened　death　to　all　loiterers。　In　order　to　avert　suspicion；　he　sent　letters　to　Meng　Da　by　the　hand　of　Military　Adviser　Liang　Ji　to　tell　Meng　Da　to　prepare　to　join　the　western　expedition。

Sima　Yi　quickly　followed　Liang　Ji。　After　two　days　march　Sima　Yi　fell　in　with　an　army　of　General　Xu　Huang　over　the　hills。

Xu　Huang　got　an　interview　with　Sima　Yi；　and　he　said；　〃The　Emperor　has　arrived　at　Changan　to　lead　an　expedition　against　Shu。　Whither　is　the　mander…in…Chief　going？〃

Sima　Yi；　in　a　low　voice；　said　to　him；　〃Meng　Da　is　on　the　verge　of　rebellion；　and　I　am　going　to　seize　him。〃

〃Let　me　go　as　your　Van　Leader；〃　said　Xu　Huang。

So　Xu　Huangs　troops　were　joined　to　the　expedition　and　marched　in　the　van。　Sima　Yi　manded　the　center；　and　his　sons　brought　up　the　rear。

Two　days　farther　on；　some　of　the　scouts　captured　Meng　Das　confidential　messenger；　and　with　him　Zhuge　Liangs　reply。

Sima　Yi　said　to　the　man；　〃I　will　let　you　live　if　you　tell　all　you　know。〃

So　the　messenger　told　all　about　the　letters　and　messages　he　had　taken　from　one　to　the　other。

When　Sima　Yi　read；　he　remarked；　〃All　able　people　think　the　same　way。　Our　plan　would　have　been　foiled　by　Zhuge　Liangs　cleverness　unless；　by　the　good　luck　of　the　Emperor；　this　messenger　had　been　captured。　Now　Meng　Da　will　be　helpless。〃

The　army　pressed　on　still　more　rapidly。

Meng　Da　had　arranged　for　his　stroke　with　Governor　Shen　Yi　of　Jincheng　and　Governor　Shen　Dan　of　Shangyong　and　was　awaiting　the　day　he　had　fixed。　But　Shen　Yi　and　Shen　Dan　were　only　pretending　to　abet　him；　although　they　went　on　training　and　drilling　their　troops　to　keep　up　appearances　till　the　soldiers　of　Wei　could　arrive。　To　Meng　Da　they　pretended　delay　in　their　transport　as　the　reason　for　being　unable　to　start。　And　he　believed　them。

Just　then　Liang　Ji　came；　and　when　he　had　been　ceremoniously　received；　he　produced　the　order　from　Sima　Yi　and　said；　〃The　mander…in…Chief　has　received　the　edict　of　the　Emperor　to　call　in　all　the　forces　in　this　area；　and　he　has　sent　me　to　direct　you　to　hold　your　troops　in　readiness　to　march。〃

〃On　what　day　does　the　mander…in…Chief　start？〃　asked　Meng　Da。

〃He　is　just　about　starting　now；　and　is　on　the　way　to　Changan〃　replied　Liang　Ji。

Meng　Da　smiled　inwardly；　for；　this　being　so；　he　saw　success　before　him。　He　gave　a　banquet　to　Liang　Ji。　After　Liang　Ji　took　his　leave；　Meng　Da　sent　to　his　fellow　conspirators………Shen　Yi　and　Shen　Dan………to　say　the　first　step　must　be　taken　next　day　by　exchanging　the　banners　of　Wei　for　those　of　Han　and　marching　to　attack　Luoyang。

Then　the　watchmen　reported　a　great　cloud　of　dust　in　the　distance　as　though　an　army　was　ing。　Meng　Da　was　surprised　and　went　up　on　the　ramparts　to　see　for　himself。　Soon　he　made　out　the　banner　of　Xu　Huang　leading。　He　ran　down　from　the　wall　and　in　a　state　of　trepidation　ordered　the　raising　of　the　drawbridge。　Xu　Huang　still　came　on　and　in　due　time　stood　on　the　bank　of　the　moat。

Then　Xu　Huang　called　out；　〃Let　the　traitor　Meng　Da　yield　quickly！〃

Meng　Da；　in　a　rage；　opened　upon　him　with　arrows；　and　Xu　Huang　was　wounded　in　the　forehead。　He　was　helped　to　a　place　of　safety　while　the　arrows　flew　down　in　great　numbers。　When　the　soldiers　of　Wei　retired；　Meng　Da　opened　the　gates　an