第272部分(第1/7 页)

ntatives　of　its　own　power；　and　the　people　were　weak　and　enslaved；　the　empire　was　rived　asunder；　and　there　succeeded　a　time　of　contention；　when　every　bold　soul　strove　with　his　neighbor。

〃But　we　are　now　in　other　times。　Since　there　is　not　the　state　of　confusion　that　waited　on　the　end　of　Qin；　but　a　state　of　things　more　nearly　like　that　of　the　period　of　the　Warring　States；　in　which　six　kingdoms　contended　for　the　mastery；　therefore　one　may　play　the　part　of　King　Wen。　If　one　would　found　a　dynasty；　then　must　that　one　wait　upon　time　and　favorable　destiny。　With　these　in　his　favor；　the　consummation　will　follow　forthwith；　as　the　armies　of　Kings　Tang*　and　Wu*　fought　but　one　battle。　Therefore　have　real　passion　for　the　people　and　wait　on　opportunity。　If　wars　are　constant；　and　a　mishap　e；　even　the　wisest　will　be　unable　to　show　the　way　of　safety。〃

〃An　effusion　from　the　pen　of　a　rotten　pedant？〃　cried　Jiang　Wei　wrathfully　as　he　finished　reading；　and　he　dashed　the　essay　on　the　ground　in　contempt。

The　protest　was　disregarded；　and　the　army　marched。

〃In　your　opinion　where　should　we　begin？〃　asked　he　of　Fu　Qian。

Fu　Qian　replied；　〃The　great　storehouse　of　Wei　is　at　Changcheng；　and　we　ought　to　burn　their　grain　and　forage。　Let　us　go　out　by　the　Luo　Valley　and　cross　the　Shen　Ridge。　After　the　capture　of　Changcheng；　we　can　go　on　to　Qinchuan；　and　the　conquest　of　the　Middle　Land　will　be　near。〃

〃What　you　say　just　fits　in　with　my　secret　plans；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。

So　the　army　marched　to　the　Luo　Valley　and　crossed　the　Shen　Ridge。

The　mander　in　Changcheng　was　Sima　Wang；　a　cousin　of　Sima　Zhao。　Huge　stores　of　grain　were　in　the　city；　but　its　defenses　were　weak。　So　when　Sima　Wang　heard　of　the　approach　of　the　Shu　army；　he　and　his　two　leaders；　Wang　Zhen　and