第283部分(第7/7 页)

At　a　great　banquet；　where　most　of　the　guests　were　people　of　the　newly…conquered　land；　Deng　Ai　drank　too　freely　and　in　his　cups　became　garrulous。

With　a　patronizing　wave　of　his　hand；　he　said　to　his　guests；　〃You　are　lucky　in　that　you　have　had　to　do　with　me。　Things　might　well　have　been　otherwise；　and　you　might　all　have　been　put　to　death；　if　you　surrender　to　other　leader！〃

The　guests　rose　in　a　body　and　expressed　their　gratitude。　Just　at　that　moment　Jiang　Xian　arrived　from　his　visit　to　Jiang　Wei　to　say　that　Jiang　Wei　and　his　army　had　surrendered　to　Zhong　Hui。　Deng　Ai　thereupon　conceived　a　great　hatred　for　Zhong　Hui；　and　soon　after　he　wrote　to　Luoyang　a　letter　something　like　this：

〃I　would　venture　to　remark　that　misleading　rumors　of　war　should　precede　actual　attack。　Now　that　Shu　has　been　overe；　the　manifest　next　move　is　against　Wu；　and　in　present　circumstances　victory　would　easily　follow　an　attack。　But　after　a　great　effort；　both　leaders　and　led　are　weary　and　unfit　for　immediate　service。　Therefore　of　this　arm