三国演义英文版-第347章

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n；　crying；　〃The　Wei　soldiers　are　upon　us！〃
In　his　haste　Wei　Yan　had　knocked　over　and　extinguished　the　Lamp　of　Fate。
Zhuge　Liang　threw　down　the　sword　and　sighed；　saying；　〃Life　and　death　are　foreordained。　No　prayers　can　alter　them。〃
Stunned；　Wei　Yan　fell　to　the　earth　and　craved　forgiveness。　Jiang　Wei　got　angry　and　drew　his　sword　to　slay　the　unhappy　general。

Nought　is　under　man's　control；
Nor　can　he　with　fate　contend。

The　next　chapter　will　unfold　what　happened。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　104　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　104
　Chapter　104
A　Falling　Star：　The　Prime　Minister　Ascends　To　Heaven；
A　Wooden　Statue：　The　mander…In…Chief　Is　Terrified。
The　unhappy　Wei　Yan　did　not　suffer　the　edge　of　the　sword；　for　Zhuge　Liang　stayed　the　stroke；　saying；　〃It　is　my　fate………not　his　fault。〃
So　Jiang　Wei　put　up　his　sword。
Zhuge　Liang　spat　a　few　mouthfuls　of　blood；　then　sank　wearily　upon　his　couch。
Said　he；　〃Sima　Yi　thinks　I　am　dead；　and　he　sent　these　few　troops　to　make　sure。　Go　and　drive　them　off。〃
Wei　Yan　left　the　tent　and　led　out　a　small　party　to　drive　away　the　troops　of　Wei；　who　fled　as　they　appeared。　He　chased　them　to　more　than　seven　miles　and　returned。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　sent　Wei　Yan　to　his　own　camp　and　bade　him　keep　a　vigilant　lookout。
Presently　Jiang　Wei　came　in；　went　up　to　the　sick　man's　couch；　and　asked　how　he　felt。
Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃My　death　is　very　near。　My　chief　desire　has　been　to　spend　myself　to　the　utmost　to　restore　Han　to　its　glory　and　to　regain　the　Middle　Land。　But　Heaven　decrees　it　otherwise。　My　end　is　not　far　away。　I　have　written　a　book　in　twenty…four　chapters；　104；112　words；　treating　the　Eight　Needfuls；　the　Seven　Cautions；　the　Six　Fears；　and　the　Five　Dreads　of　war。　But　among　all　those　about　me　there　is　no　one　fit　to　receive　it　and　carry　on　my　work　save　you。　I　pray　you　not　to　despise　it。〃
He　gave　the　treatise　to　Jiang　Wei；　who　received　it　sobbing。
〃I　have　also　a　plan　for　a　multiple　crossbow；　which　I　have　been　unable　to　execute。　The　weapon　shoots　ten　bolts　of　eight　inches　length　at　every　discharge。　The　sketches　are　quite　ready；　and　the　weapons　can　be　made　according　to　them。〃
Jiang　Wei　took　the　papers　with　a　deep　bow。
The　dying　man　continued；　〃There　is　no　part　of　Shu　that　causes　anxiety；　save　the　Yinping　Mountains。　That　must　be　carefully　guarded。　It　is　protected　naturally　by　its　lofty　precipices；　but　it　will　surely　be　the　cause　of　great　losses。〃
Next　Zhuge　Liang　sent　for　Ma　Dai；　to　whom　he　gave　certain　whispered　instructions；　and　then　said；　〃You　are　to　follow　out　my　instructions　after　my　death。〃
Soon　after；　Yang　Yi　entered　the　tent　and　went　to　the　couch。　He　received　a　silken　bag　containing　certain　secret　orders。
As　Zhuge　Liang　gave　it　to　him；　he　said；　〃After　my　death；　Wei　Yan　will　turn　traitor。　When　that　happens　and　the　army　is　in　danger；　you　will　find　herein　what　to　do。〃
Just　as　these　arrangements　were　finished；　Zhuge　Liang　fell　into　a　swoon；　from　which　he　did　not　revive　till　late　in　the　evening。　Then　he　set　himself　to　pose　a　memorial　to　the　Latter　Ruler。
When　this　reached　the　Latter　Ruler；　he　was　greatly　alarmed　and　at　once　sent　Chief　Secretary　Li　Fu　to　visit　and　confer　with　the　dying　minister。
Li　Fu　traveled　quickly　to　the　Wuzhang　Hills　and　was　led　to　the　tent　of　the　mander…in…Chief。　He　delivered　the　Latter　Ruler's　mand　and　inquired　after　the　sick　man's　welfare。
Zhuge　Liang　wept；　and　he　replied；　〃Unhappily　I　am　dying　and　leaving　my　task　inplete。　I　am　injuring　my　country's　policy　and　am　in　fault　to　the　world。　After　my　death　you　must　aid　the　Emperor　in　perfect　loyalty；　and　see　that　the　old　policy　is　continued；　and　the　rules　of　government　maintained。　Do　not　lightly　cast　out　the　people　I　have　employed。　My　plans　of　campaign　have　been　confided　to　Jiang　Wei；　who　can　continue　my　policy　for　the　service　of　the　state。　But　my　hour　draws　near；　and　I　must　write　my　testament。〃
Li　Fu　listened；　and　then　took　his　leave。
Zhuge　Liang　made　one　final　effort　to　carry　out　his　duties。　He　rose　from　his　couch；　was　helped　into　a　small　carriage；　and　thus　made　a　round　of　inspection　of　all　the　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　Liang's　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　Liang's　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　Zhu