第228部分(第1/7 页)

The　letter　was　acpanied　by　presents　of　gold　and　pearls；　and　when　the　messenger　arrived；　he　first　sought　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan；　to　whom　he　gave　gifts　and　whose　help　he　begged。　Thus　he　gained　an　interview　with　the　King；　to　whom　he　presented　the　letter　and　the　gifts。　The　King　accepted　both　and　called　his　counselors　to　consider　the　letter。

Ya　Dan　said；　〃We　have　had　regular　intercourse　with　the　Wei　kingdom。　Now　that　Cao　Zhen　asks　our　aid　and　promises　an　alliance；　we　ought　to　accede　to　his　request。〃

Cheli　Ji　agreed　that　it　was　so；　and　he　ordered　his　two　chief　ministers　to　raise　an　army　of　two　hundred　fifty　thousand　of　trained　soldiers；　archers　and　crossbowmen；　spearmen　and　swordsmen；　warriors　who　flung　maces　and　hurled　hammers。　Beside　these　various　weapons；　the　tribesmen　used　chariots　covered　with　iron　plates　nailed　on。　They　prepared　much　grain　and　fodder　and　many　spare　weapons；　all　of　which　they　loaded　upon　these　iron…clad　chariots。　The　chariots　were　drawn　by　camels　or　teams　of　horses。　The　carts　or　chariots　were　known　as　〃iron　chariots〃。

The　two　leaders　took　leave　of　their　King　and　went　straightway　to　Xiping　Pass。

The　mander　in　charge　of　the　Pass；　Han　Zhen；　at　once　sent　intelligence　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　asked；　〃Who　will　go　to　attack　the　Qiangs？〃

Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　said　they　would　go。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃You　shall　be　sent。　But　as　you　are　ignorant　of　the　road　and　the　people；　Ma　Dai　shall　acpany　you。〃

To　Ma　Dai　he　said；　〃You　know　the　disposition　of　the　Qiangs　from　your　long　residence　there。　You　shall　go　as　guide。〃

They　chose　out　fifty　thousand　of　veterans　for　the　expedition。　When　they　had　marched　a　few　days　and　drew　near　their　enemy；　Guan　Xing　went　in　advance　with　a　hundred　horsemen　and　got　first　sight　of　them