Читаем Three Kingdoms Romance полностью

Jiang Wei gave orders for the army to rest that night and take the city on the morrow with all vigor.

Next day, at dawn, the assault began. The soldiers, fresh from their rest, vied with each other who should be first on the wall. They shot over the ramparts fire-arrows and firebombs and burned all the buildings on the wall. They next brought up brushwood and piled it against the rampart and set it alight, so that the flames rose high.

When the city seemed about to fall, the defenders set up a howling and a lamentation that could be heard all around. But suddenly a great rolling of drums diverted the attention of the assailants from the city, and they turned their faces to see a great host of Wei soldiers marching up in all the glory of waving banners. Jiang Wei faced about to meet this attack and took his place beneath the great standard.

Presently Jiang Wei made out a youthful-looking leader riding in advance with his spear ready to thrust. He looked scarcely more than twenty years of age, his face was smooth as if powdered, and his lips were

crimson. But from them came fierce words.

“Do you recognize General Deng?” cried he.

“So this is Deng Ai,” thought Jiang Wei.

Thereupon Jiang Wei set his spear and rode out. Both were adepts in arms and neither gave the other an opening, so that at the end of near half a hundred bouts neither could claim advantage. The youth wielded his spear with perfect skill.

“If I cannot gain the advantage by some ruse, how shall I win?” thought Jiang Wei.

So he turned aside his steed and dashed along a certain road that led to the hills. The youth followed. Presently Jiang Wei slung his spear, laid hands upon his bow, chose with care a feathered arrow, and laid it on the string. But the youth was quick of eye, and as the bowstring sang, he bent his head over the saddle and the arrow passed harmlessly by.

The next time Jiang Wei turned, he saw his pursuer close upon him, and already the spear was threatening his life. But as the youth thrust, Jiang Wei evaded the blow and caught the shaft under his arm. Thus deprived of his weapon, the young man made for his own array.

“What a pity! What a great pity!” cried Jiang Wei, turning to pursue.

He followed the young general close up to the standard; but just as he came near, a warrior came to the front, shouting, “Jiang Wei, you fool, do not pursue my son when I, Deng Ai, am here!”

Jiang Wei was taken aback; so he had only been contending with Deng Zhong, the son of his real opponent. Although he was astonished at the skill and vigor of the youth, he now knew that a heavier task lay before him and feared lest his steed was then too far spent for the contest.

So he said to Deng Ai, “Seeing things are so, let us both hold off our troops till the morrow, when we will fight.”

Deng Ai, glancing around, saw that the place was ill-suited for him, so he agreed to wait, saying “Let us lead off our armies then, and whoever shall take any secret advantage is a base fellow.”

Both sides retired into camp, Deng Ai on the bank of River Wei, and Jiang Wei on the hills.

Deng Ai saw that the army of Shu had the advantage of position, so he wrote off at once to Sima Wang, saying, “General, we should not give battle, but wait for reinforcements. Meanwhile the soldiers of Shu will be consuming their supply of grain, and we will attack on three sides when they begin to be hungry. I send my son Deng Zhong to you for further help in the defense of the city.”

Jiang Wei sent a messenger to the Wei camp to deliver a letter of battle, the contest to take place the next day. Deng Ai openly accepted. But when morning came and Jiang Wei had arrayed his troops, his enemy had not appeared on the field. Nor was there any sign of giving battle, no display of flags or rolling of drums all day.

At nightfall the army of Shu returned to camp, and Jiang Wei sent a letter reproaching his opponent with his failure to keep his word. Deng Ai treated the bearer of the letter with great courtesy and explained that he had been indisposed that day, but would certainly fight on the morrow.

But the next day passed also without any move on the part of Wei; and the same thing went on for five days.

Then said Fu Qian to his chief, “There is some knavery afoot, and we must be on our guard.”

“They must be waiting for reinforcements that they may attack on three sides,” said Jiang Wei. “But now will I send into Wu and get Sun Chen to strike at the same time as I.”

Just then scouts came to give the news of the rout of the army of Wu: “Sima Zhao has defeated Shouchun and killed Zhuge Dan. Many in the Wu army have gone over to Wei. Sima Zhao has gone to Luoyang and is planning to march an army to attack Changcheng.”

“So our attack on Wei is but a sham!” said Jiang Wei, bitterly. “It is only a picture of a cake.”

Four times he missed! He hailed

The fifth occasion joyfully, and failed.

The next chapter will tell the story of the retreat.