第279部分(第5/7 页)

　General　Fu　Qian　manded　at　the　pass。　He　discussed　plans　with　Jiang　Shu；　his　second　in　mand；　and　Jiang　Shu　was　wholly　in　favor　of　defense；　saying；　〃The　enemy　is　too　strong　to　think　of　any　other　course。〃

〃I　do　not　agree；〃　replied　Fu　Qian。　〃They　are　now　fatigued　with　marching；　and　we　need　not　fear　them。　Unless　we　go　out　and　attack；　Yuecheng　and　Hancheng　will　fall。〃

Jiang　Shu　made　no　reply。　Soon　the　enemy　arrived；　and　both　officers　went　up　to　the　wall　and　looked　out。

As　soon　as　Zhong　Hui　saw　them；　he　shouted；　〃We　have　here　a　host　of　one　hundred　thousand。　If　you　yield；　you　shall　have　higher　rank　than　you　hold　now。　But　if　you　persist　in　holding　out　then；　when　we　take　the　pass；　you　shall　all　perish。　Jewels　and　pebbles　will　share　the　same　destruction！〃

This　threat　angered　Fu　Qian。　He　bade　Jiang　Shu　guard　the　walls；　and　he　went　down　to　give　battle；　taking　three　thousand　troops。　He　attacked；　and　Zhong　Hui　retreated。　Fu　Qian　pursued。　But　soon　the　army　of　Wei　closed　up　their　ranks　and　counterattacked。　Fu　Qian　turned　to　retire。　But　when　he　reached　his　own　defenses；　he　saw　they　flew　the　flags　of　Wei………the　banners　of　Shu　had　gone。

〃I　have　yielded！〃　cried　Jiang　Shu　from　the　ramparts。

Fu　Qian　shouted　angrily；　〃Ungrateful　and　treacherous　rogue！　How　can　you　ever　face　the　world　again？〃

But　that　did　no　good。　Fu　Qian　turned　to　go　once　more　into　the　battle。　He　was　soon　surrounded。　He　fought　desperately；　but　could　not　win　clear。　His　troops　fell　one　by　one；　and　when　they　were　reduced　to　one　out　of　ten；　he　cried；　〃Alive　I　have　been　a　servant　of　Shu；　dead　I　will　be　one　of　their　spirits！〃

Fu　Qian　forced　his　way　into　the　thickest　of　the　fight。　Then　his　steed　fell；　and　as　he　was　grievously　wounded；　he　put　an　end　to　his　own　life。

The　loya