第282部分(第2/7 页)

e　of　seven　miles。　Then　the　pursuers　sighted　Deng　Ai；　and　they　turned　and　retired。

When　Deng　Ai　had　camped；　he　called　the　two　leaders　before　him　and　reproached　them　for　retreating　without　fighting。

〃We　saw　Zhuge　Liang　leading　the　enemy；〃　said　Deng　Zhong；　〃So　we　ran　away。〃

〃Why　should　we　fear；　even　if　they　bring　Zhuge　Liang　to　life　again？　You　ran　away　without　cause；　and　we　have　lost。　You　ought　both　to　be　put　to　death。〃

However；　they　did　not　die；　for　their　fellows　pleaded　for　them；　and　Deng　Ai's　wrath　was　mollified。

Then　the　scouts　came　in　to　say：　〃The　leader　of　the　army　is　a　son　of　Zhuge　Liang；　Zhuge　Zhan。　The　Van　Leader　is　Zhuge　Zhang's　son；　Zhuge　Shang。　They　had　set　up　on　the　carriage　the　old　wooden　image　of　the　late　strategist。〃

Deng　Ai；　however；　said　to　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan；　〃This　is　the　critical　stage。　If　you　lose　the　next　battle；　you　will　certainly　lose　your　lives　with　it！〃

At　the　head　of　ten　thousand　troops；　they　went　out　to　battle　once　more。　This　time　they　met　the　vanguard　led　by　Zhuge　Shang；　who　rode　out　alone；　boldly　offering　to　repulse　the　leaders　of　Wei。　At　Zhuge　Zhan's　signal　the　two　wings　advanced　and　threw　themselves　against　the　Wei　line。　The　center　portion　of　the　Wei　line　met　them；　and　the　battle　went　to　and　fro　many　times；　till　at　length　the　force　of　Wei；　after　great　losses；　had　to　give　way。　Both　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan　being　badly　wounded；　they　fled　and　the　army　of　Shu　pursued　and　drove　the　invaders　into　their　camp。

Shi　Zuan　and　Deng　Zhong　had　to　acknowledge　a　new　defeat；　but；　when　Deng　Ai　saw　both　were　severely　wounded；　he　forbore　to　blame　them　or　decree　any　penalty。

To　his　officers　Deng　Ai　said；　〃This　Zhuge　Zhan　well　continues　the　paternal　tradition。　Twice　they　have　beaten　us　and　slain　g