第237部分(第2/7 页)

tores；　whereupon　you　will　face　about　and　attack。　Zhuge　Liang　ought　to　fall　into　your　hands。　If　it　be　that　I　cannot　render　service　and　repay　my　debt　to　the　state；　then　punish　me　for　my　former　crime。

〃If　this　should　be　deemed　worthy　of　your　attention；　then　without　delay　municate　your　mands。〃

The　letter　pleased　Cao　Zhen；　and　he　said；　〃This　is　heaven…sent　help　to　aid　me　in　an　achievement。〃

Cao　Zhen　rewarded　the　messenger　and　bade　him　return　to　say　that　it　was　accepted。

Then　he　called　Fei　Yao　to　his　councils　and　said；　〃I　have　just　had　a　secret　letter　from　Jiang　Wei　telling　me　to　act　in　a　certain　fashion。〃

But　Fei　Yao　replied；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　very　crafty；　and　Jiang　Wei　is　very　knowing。　If　by　chance　Zhuge　Liang　has　planned　all　this　and　sent　this　man；　we　may　fall　into　a　snare。〃

〃But　Jiang　Wei　is　really　a　man　of　Wei。　He　was　forced　into　surrender。　Why　are　you　suspicious？〃

〃My　advice　is　not　to　go；　but　to　remain　here　on　guard。　Let　me　go　to　meet　this　man；　and　any　service　I　can　acplish　will　redound　to　your　credit。　And　if　there　be　any　craft；　I　can　meet　it　for　you。〃

Cao　Zhen　approved　this　and　bade　Fei　Yao　take　fifty　thousand　troops　by　way　of　the　Xie　Valley。

Fei　Yao　marched　away　and　halted　after　the　second　or　third　stage　and　send　out　scouts。　This　was　done；　and　the　scouts　reported　that　the　Shu　army　was　ing　through　the　valley。　Fei　Yao　at　once　advanced；　but　before　the　troops　of　Shu　got　into　contact　with　him；　they　retired。　Fei　Yao　pursued。　Then　the　troops　of　Shu　came　on　again。　Just　as　Fei　Yao　was　forming　up　for　battle；　the　Shu　army　retreated　again。　And　these　maneuvers　were　repeated　thrice；　and　a　day　and　a　night　passed　without　any　repose　for　the　Wei　army。

At　length　rest　was　imperative；　and　they　were　on　the　point　of　entrenc