第277部分(第4/7 页)

Qishan。

Then　Jiang　Wei　said　to　his　officers；　〃The　attack　of　Deng　Ai　was　a　feint。　He　has　certainly　gone　to　relieve　Qishan。〃

So　Jiang　Wei　decided　to　go　to　the　aid　of　Zhang　Yi。　He　left　Fu　Qian　to　guard　the　camp；　and　he　marched　away　with　three　thousand　troops。

Zhang　Yi　was　then　actually　attacking　the　Wei　position　on　Qishan。　Shi　Zuan　had　few　troops；　and　it　looked　as　though　the　defenders　must　soon　give　in；　when　the　sudden　appearance　of　Deng　Ai　made　all　the　difference。　The　onslaught　of　Deng　Ai's　force　drove　off　Zhang　Yi；　and　he　was　forced　to　take　refuge　behind　the　hills。　No　road　was　open　to　him。　When　things　looked　worst；　he　saw　the　Wei　soldiers　suddenly　falling　back　in　confusion。

〃General　Jiang　Wei　has　e！〃　they　told　him。

Zhang　Yi　took　the　opportunity　to　return　to　the　attack；　and　the　tables　were　turned。　Deng　Ai　lost　the　fight　and　retired　into　his　camp；　which　Jiang　Wei　surrounded　and　attacked　vigorously。

In　Chengdu　the　Latter　Ruler　fell　daily　more　and　more　under　the　malign　influence　of　Huang　Hao；　who　encouraged　him　in　every　form　of　self…indulgence　and　ministered　to　every　desire　for　luxury　and　dissipation。　Government　was　left　to　look　after　itself。

At　that　time　High　Minister　Liu　Yang　had　a　very　beautiful　wife；　Lady　Hu。　One　day　she　went　into　the　Palace　to　visit　the　Empress；　who　kept　her　there　a　whole　month。　Liu　Yang　was　not　without　suspecting　an　intrigue　with　the　Latter　Ruler　and　took　a　brutal　revenge。　He　bound　Lady　Hu；　and　made　five　hundred　of　his　soldiers　shame　her　to　the　last　degree　by　beating　her　on　the　face　with　their　boots。　She　swooned　many　times。

The　story　got　to　the　ears　of　the　Latter　Ruler；　and　he　ordered　the　officials　concerned　to　investigate　and　decide　the　crime　and　its　punishment。

The　judges　found　that：　〃Sol