第278部分(第2/7 页)

ins。　They　will　be　worn　out　with　the　labor　and　must　soon　retire。　That　will　be　the　time　to　smite　them；　and　success　must　be　ours。〃

Hu　Ji　was　set　over　Hanshou；　Wang　Han　of　Yuecheng；　Jiang　Bin　over　Hancheng；　and　Jiang　Shu　and　Fu　Qian　went　to　guard　the　passes。　After　these　arrangements　had　been　made；　Jiang　Wei　went　off　to　Tazhong　to　grow　grain　and　mature　his　plans。

Deng　Ai　heard　of　these　dispositions　and　discovered　that　the　armies　of　Shu　were　distributed　in　forty　camps；　each　connected　with　the　next　like　the　joints　of　a　huge　serpent。　He　sent　out　his　spies　to　survey　the　country；　and　they　made　a　map　which　was　sent　to　the　capital。

But　when　the　Duke　of　Jin；　Sima　Zhao；　saw　the　memorial　and　the　map；　he　was　very　angry。

〃This　Jiang　Wei　has　invaded　our　country　many　times；　and　we　have　been　unable　to　destroy　him。　He　is　the　one　sorrow　of　my　heart。〃

Said　Jia　Chong；　〃He　has　carried　on　the　work　of　Zhuge　Liang　only　too　thoroughly；　and　it　is　hard　to　force　him　back。　What　you　need　is　some　crafty　brave　to　assassinate　him；　so　remove　this　constant　menace　of　war。〃

But　Assistant　Xun　Xu　said；　〃That　is　not　the　way。　Liu　Shan；　the　Ruler　of　Shu；　is　steeped　in　dissipation　and　has　given　all　his　confidence　to　one　favorite；　Eunuch　Huang　Hao。　The　higher　officers　of　state　are　concerned　solely　with　their　own　safety；　and　Jiang　Wei　has　gone　to　Tazhong　only　that　he　may　save　his　life。　If　you　send　an　able　leader　and　a　strong　army；　victory　is　certain。　Where　is　the　need　for　an　assassin's　dagger？〃

〃These　are　excellent　words；〃　said　Sima　Zhao；　with　a　laugh；　〃but　if　I　would　attack　Shu；　where　is　the　leader？〃

〃Deng　Ai　is　the　ablest　leader　of　the　day；〃　said　Xun　Xu。　〃Give　him　Zhong　Hui　as　his　second；　and　the　thing　is　done。〃

〃Exactly　what　I　think！〃　said　Sima　Zhao。