三国演义英文版-第322章

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ndred　thousand　troops　in　total；　was　assembled　and　marched　out　in　three　divisions；　Lu　Xun　in　the　center；　with　Zhu　Huan　and　Quan　Zong　supporting　him　left　and　right　with　the　other　two　columns。
Then　said　Zhu　Huan；　〃Cao　Xiu　is　neither　able　nor　bold。　He　holds　office　because　he　is　of　the　blood。　He　has　fallen　into　the　trap　laid　by　Zhou　Fang　and　marched　too　far　to　be　able　to　withdraw。　If　the　mander…in…Chief　will　smite；　Cao　Xiu　must　be　defeated。　Defeated；　he　must　flee　along　two　roads；　one　Jiashi　on　the　left；　the　other　Guichi　on　the　right；　both　of　which　are　precipitous　and　narrow。　Let　me　and　my　colleague　go　to　prepare　an　ambush　in　these　roads。　We　will　block　them　and　so　cut　off　their　escape。　If　this　Cao　Xiu　could　be　captured；　and　a　hasty　advance　made；　success　would　be　easy　and　sure。　We　should　get　Shouchun；　whence　Xuchang　and　Luoyang　can　be　seen。　This　is　the　one　chance　in　the　thousand。〃
〃I　do　not　think　the　plan　good；〃　said　Lu　Xun。　〃I　have　a　better　one。〃
Zhu　Huan　resented　the　rejection　of　his　scheme　and　went　away。　Lu　Xun　ordered　Zhuge　Jin　and　certain　others　to　garrison　Jiangling　and　oppose　Sima　Yi　and　made　all　other　dispositions　of　forces。
Cao　Xiu　neared　Huancheng；　and　Zhou　Fang　came　out　of　the　city　to　wele　him　and　went　to　the　general's　tent。
Cao　Xiu　said；　〃I　received　your　letter　and　the　memorandum；　which　was　most　logical；　and　sent　it　to　His　Majesty。　He　has　set　in　motion　accordingly　three　armies。　It　will　be　a　great　merit　for　you；　Sir；　if　the　South　Land　can　be　added　to　His　Majesty's　dominions。　People　say　you　are　abundant　in　craft；　but　I　do　not　believe　what　they　say；　for　I　think　you　will　be　true　to　me　and　not　fail。〃
Zhou　Fang　wept。　He　seized　a　sword　from　one　of　his　escort　and　was　about　to　kill　himself；　but　Cao　Xiu　stopped　him。
Still　leaning　on　the　sword；　Zhou　Fang　said；　〃As　to　the　seven　things　I　mentioned；　my　regret　is　that　I　cannot　show　you　all。　You　doubt　me　because　some　persons　from　Wu　and　Wei　have　been　poisoning　your　mind　against　me。　If　you　heed　them；　the　only　course　for　me　is　to　die。　Heaven　only　can　make　manifest　my　loyal　heart。〃
Again　he　made　to　slay　himself。
But　Cao　Xiu　in　trepidation　threw　his　arms　about　him；　saying；　〃I　did　not　mean　it。　The　words　were　uttered　in　jest。　Why　do　you　act　thus？〃
Upon　this；　Zhou　Fang；　with　his　sword；　cut　off　his　hair　and　threw　it　on　the　ground；　saying；　〃I　have　dealt　with　you　with　sincerity；　Sir；　and　you　joke　about　it。　Now　I　have　cut　off　the　hair；　which　I　inherited　from　my　parents；　in　order　to　prove　my　sincerity。〃
Then　Cao　Xiu　doubted　no　more；　but　trusted　him　fully　and　prepared　a　banquet　for　him；　and　when　the　feast　was　over　Zhou　Fang　returned　to　his　own。
General　Jia　Kui　came　to　Cao　Xiu；　and　when　asked　whether　there　was　any　special　reason　for　the　visit；　he　said；　〃I　have　e　to　warn　you；　mander；　to　be　cautious　and　wait　till　you　and　I　can　attack　the　enemy　together。　The　whole　army　of　Wu　is　encamped　at　Huancheng。〃
〃You　mean　you　want　to　share　in　my　victory；〃　sneered　Cao　Xiu。
〃It　is　said　Zhou　Fang　cut　off　his　hair　as　a　pledge　of　sincerity。　That　is　only　another　bit　of　deceit。　According　to　the　Spring　and　Autumn　Annals；　Yao　Li　cut　off　his　arm　as　a　pledge　of　loyalty　before　he　assassinated　King　Qing　Ji。　Mutilation　is　no　guarantee。　Do　not　trust　Zhou　Fang。〃
〃Why　do　you　e　to　utter　ill…omened　words　just　as　I　am　opening　the　campaign？　You　destroy　the　spirit　of　the　army；〃　said　Cao　Xiu。
In　his　wrath　he　told　the　lictors　to　put　Jia　Kui　to　death。
However；　the　officers　interceded；　saying；　〃Before　the　march；　killing　our　general　is　not　favorable　to　the　army。　O　mander；　spare　him　until　after　the　expedition。〃
And　Jia　Kui　was　reprieved。　But　he　was　not　assigned　any　part　in　the　campaign；　and　his　troops　were　left　in　reserve。　Cao　Xiu　himself　went　away　to　the　East　Pass。
When　Zhou　Fang　heard　that　Jia　Kui　had　been　broken；　he　rejoiced　in　his　heart；　saying；　〃If　Cao　Xiu　had　attended　to　his　words；　then　Wu　would　have　lost。　Heaven　is　good　to　me　and　is　giving　me　the　means　of　achieving　great　things。〃
Then　he　sent　a　secret　messenger　to　Huancheng；　and　Lu　Xun　knew　that　the　time　had　e。　He　assembled　the　officers　for　orders。
Lu　Xun　said；　〃Shiding；　lying　over　against　us；　is　a　hilly　country　fit　for　preparing　an　ambush。　It　will　be　occupied　as　suitable　to　array　our　army　and　await　the　ing　of　Wei。　Xu　Sheng　is　to　be　Leader　of　the　Van；　and　the　army　will　move　there。〃
Now　Cao　Xiu　told　Zhou　Fang　to　lead　the　way　for　his　attack。　While　on　march；　Cao　Xiu　asked；　〃What　is　the　place　lying　ahead？〃
Zhou　Fang　replied；　〃Shiding；　a　suitable　place　to　camp　in。〃
So　a　great　camp　was　made　there。
But　soon　after　the　scouts　reported；　〃Wu　soldiers；　unknown　in　number；　have　camped　among　the　hills。〃
Cao　Xiu　began　to　feel　alarmed；　saying；　〃Zhou　Fang　said　there　were　no　soldiers。　Why　these　preparations？〃
Cao　Xiu　hastily　sought　Zhou　Fang　to　ask　him；　but　was　told；　〃Zhou　Fan　has　gone　away　with　a　few　dozen　riders。　No　one　knows　whither。〃
〃I　have　been　deceived　and　am　in　a　trap；〃　said　Cao　Xiu；　now　very　repentant　of　his　easy　confidence。　〃However；　there　is　nothing　to　fear。〃
Then　he　made　his　arrangements　to　march　against　the　enemy；　and　when　they　were　plete　and　the　array　drawn　up；　Zhang　Pu；　the　Leader　of　the　Van；　rode　out　and　began　to　rail　at　the　men　of　Wu。
〃Rebel　leader；　e　and　surrender！〃　cried　Zhang　Pu。
Then　rode　out　Xu　Sheng　and　fought　with　him。　But　Zhang　Pu　was　no　match　for　Xu　Sheng；　as　was　soon　evident；　wherefore　he　led　his　troops　to　retire。
〃Xu　Sheng　is　too　strong；〃　said　Zhang　Pu　when　he　saw　Cao　Xiu。
〃Then　will　we　defeat　him　by　a　surprise；〃　said　Cao　Xiu。
He　sent　Zhang　Pu　with　twenty　thousand　troops　to　hide　in　the　south　of　Shiding；　while　another　equal　party　under　Xue　Qiao　was　sent　north。
And　Cao　Xiu　arranged；　saying；　〃Tomorrow　I　will　lead　a　thousand　soldiers　to　provoke　the　troops　of　Wu　into　battle；　then　I　will　feign　defeat　and　lead　them　to　the　hills　in　the　north；　when　a　bomb　will　explode　and　a　three…pronged　ambush　will　bring　us　victory。〃
On　the　other　side　Lu　Xun　called　his　two　generals；　Zhu　Huan　and　Quan　Zong；　and　said；　〃Each　of　you　is　to　lead　thirty　thousand　troops　and　take　a　cross　cut　from　Shiding　to　the　enemy's　camp。　Give　a　fire　signal　behind　the　camp　on　arrival；　and　then　the　main　army　will　advance　to　the　camp's　front　for　a　double　attack。〃
As　evening　fell　these　two　moved　out　their　troops；　and　by　the　middle　of　the　second　watch　both　had　got　behind　the　camp　of　Wei。　Due　to　darkness；　Zhang　Pu；　Cao　Xiu's　general；　who　was　there　in　ambush；　did　not　recognize　that　the　troops　who　approached　him　were　enemies；　but　went　as　to　meet　friends　and　was　at　once　slain　by　the　blade　of　Zhu　Huan。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　then　fled；　and　Zhu　Huan　lit　his　signal　fires。
Quan　Zong；　marching　up；　came　across　the　northern　ambush　under　Xue　Qiao。　Quan　Zong　began　a　battle　at　once；　and　the　troops　of　Wei　were　soon　put　to　flight。　Both　the　armies　of　Wu　pursued；　and　confusion　reigned　in　Cao　Xiu's　camp；　troops　fighting　with　others　of　their　own　side　and　slaying　each　other。
Cao　Xiu　despaired　and　fled　toward　Jiashi。　Xu　Sheng；　with　a　strong　force；　came　along　the　high　road　and　attacked。　And　the　soldiers　of　Wei　killed　were　very　many。　Those　who　escaped　did　so　by　abandoning　all　their　armors。
Cao　Xiu　was　in　straits；　but　he　struggled　along　the　Jiashi　Road。　Here　came　a　cohort　into　the　road　from　the　side。　It　was　led　by　Jia　Kui。　Cao　Xiu's　alarm　gave　place　to　shame　on　meeting　Jia　Kui。
〃I　took　no　notice　of　what　you　said；　and　so　this　evil　came　upon　me；〃　said　he。
Jia　Kui　replied；　〃mander；　you　should　quickly　get　out　of　this　road。　For　if　the　troops　of　Wu　block　it；　we　shall　be　in　grave　danger。〃
So　Cao　Xiu　hastened；　while　Jia　Kui　protected　his　retreat。　And　Jia　Kui　ordered　his　soldiers　to　set　flags　and　banners　up　among　trees　and　in　thickets　and　along　by…paths；　so　as　to　give　an　impression　of　having　many　men　posted　all　round。　Wherefore　when　Xu　Sheng　came　in　pursuit；　he　thought　the　country　was　full　of　ambushing　men　and　dared　not　proceed　far。　So　he　gave　up　the　pursuit　and　retired。
By　these　means　Cao　Xiu　was　rescued；　and　finally　Sima　Yi　withdrew　his　army　upon　the　news　of　Cao　Xiu's　defeat。
In　the　meantime；　Lu　Xun　was　awaiting　news　of　victory。　Soon　Xu　Sheng；　Zhu　Huan；　and　Quan　Zong　came　and　reported　their　successes；　and　they　brought　great　spoil　of　carts　and　bullocks；　horses　and　mules；　and　military　material　and　weapons。　And　they　had　also　ten