第240部分(第1/7 页)

They　set　out　to　obey　these　orders；　and　on　the　way　they　fell　to　discussing　Sima　Yi。

〃How　does　Sima　Yi　pare　with　Zhuge　Liang？〃　said　Guo　Huai。

〃Zhuge　Liang　is　by　far　the　better；〃　replied　Sun　Li。

〃Though　Zhuge　Liang　may　be　the　cleverer；　yet　this　scheme　of　our　leader's　shows　him　to　be　superior　to　most　people。　The　enemy　may　have　got　those　two　cities。　Yet　when　we　unexpectedly　fall　upon　their　rear；　they　will　certainly　be　disordered。〃

Soon　after　this　a　scout　came　in　to　report：　〃Wang　Ping　has　captured　Yinping；　and　Wudu　is　in　possession　of　Jiang　Wei。　Furthermore；　the　Shu　army　is　not　far　in　front。〃

Said　Sun　Li；　〃There　is　some　crafty　scheme　afoot。　Why　are　they　prepared　for　battle　in　the　open　when　they　hold　two　cities？　We　had　better　retire。〃

Guo　Huai　agreed；　and　they　issued　orders　to　face　about　and　retreat。　Just　then　a　bomb　exploded；　and；　at　the　same　time；　there　suddenly　appeared　from　the　cover　of　some　hills　a　small　body　of　troops。　On　the　flag　that　came　forward　they　read　Han　Prime　Minister　Zhuge　Liang　；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　pany　they　saw　him；　seated　in　a　small　chariot。　On　his　left　was　Guan　Xing；　and　on　his　right　Zhang　Bao。

They　were　quite　taken　aback。

Zhuge　Liang　laughed　and　said；　〃Do　not　run　away！　Did　you　think　that　your　leader's　ruse　would　take　me　in？　Sima　Yi　sent　a　challenge　to　fight　every　day；　indeed；　while　you　were　to　slip　round　behind　my　army　and　attack！　I　have　the　two　cities………Wudu　and　Yinping。　If　you　have　not　e　to　surrender；　then　hurry　up　and　fight　a　battle　with　me。〃

By　now　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li　were　really　frightened。　Then　behind　them　there　rose　a　shout　as　of　battle；　and　Wang　Ping　and　Jiang　Wei　began　to　smite　them　in　the　rear；　while　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　bore　down　upon　them　in　front。　They　were　soon　utterly