北斗星小说网

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第271部分（第1页）

So　he　called　Wang　Ji　and　Chen　Qian　and　told　them　to　take　five　thousand　troops　to　keep　the　road　along　which　Zhu　Yi　would　e　and　strike　him　in　rear。

Zhu　Yi　was　advancing　toward　the　city　when　he　heard　a　shouting　in　the　rear；　and　soon　the　attack　began　from　two　sides　by　Wang　Ji　and　Chen　Qian。　His　army　was　worsted　and　returned　to　Anfeng。

When　Sun　Chen　heard　of　this　new　defeat；　he　was　very　angry。

〃What　is　the　use　of　leaders　who　always　lose？〃　cried　he。

He　sentenced　Zhu　Yi　to　death；　and　upbraided　Quan　Wei；　son　of　Quan　Duan；　and　said；　〃If　you　do　not　drive　off　this　army　of　Wei；　let　me　never　again　see　your　face；　nor　that　of　your　father。〃

Then　Sun　Chen　returned　to　Capital　Jianye。

When　this　was　known　in　the　Wei　camp；　Zhong　Hui　said　to　his　chief；　〃Now　the　city　of　Shouchun　may　be　attacked；　for　Sun　Chen　has　gone　away；　and　there　is　no　hope　of　succor　for　the　besieged。〃

A　vigorous　assault　began。　Quan　Wei　tried　to　cut　his　way　through　and　get　into　the　city。　But　when　he　saw　Shouchun　quite　surrounded　by　the　enemy　and　no　hope　of　success；　he　gave　in　and　went　over　to　Sima　Zhao；　by　whom　he　was　well　received　and　given　the　rank　of　General。

Deeply　affected　by　this　kindness；　Quan　Wei　wrote　to　his　father；　Quan　Duan；　and　uncle；　Quan　Yi；　advising　them　to　follow　his　example。　He　tied　the　letter　to　an　arrow　and　shot　it　over　the　walls。　Quan　Yi　found　the　letter；　and　he　and　Quan　Duan；　with　their　several　thousand　troops；　came　out　and　yielded。

Within　the　city　Zhuge　Dan　was　very　sad。

Two　advisers；　Jiang　Ban　and　Jiao　Yi；　came　to　him　and　said；　〃The　food　in　the　city　is　short；　and　the　soldiers　are　many；　this　can　not　last　long。　General；　you　should　let　the　Wu　troops　to　go　out　and　make　a　decisive　fight　with　the　Wei　army。〃

Zhuge　Dan　turned　on　them　angrily。

〃Why　do　you　tell　me　to　fight　when　I　am　set　on　holding　out　to　the　very　last？　If　you　say　that　again；　you　shall　die　as　traitors！〃

〃He　is　lost！〃　said　they；　going　away。　〃We　can　do　no　other　than　surrender　or　we　shall　die　too。〃

That　night　Jiang　Ban　and　Jiao　Yi　slipped　over　the　wall　and　surrendered。　Both　were　given　employment。

Of　those　left　in　the　city　some　were　for　fighting；　but　no　one　dared　say　so。

Meanwhile　Zhuge　Dan　saw　the　Wei　troops　build　earth　walls　to　anticipate　the　expected　floods　of　River　Huai。　This　flood　had　been　the　only　hope　of　Zhuge　Dan；　who　had　trusted　to　be　able　to　smite　the　besiegers　when　it　came　to　destroy　the　earth　wall。　However；　that　autumn　was　dry；　and　the　river　did　not　swell。

Within　the　besieged　city　the　food　diminished　rapidly；　and　soon　starvation　stared　them　in　the　face。　Wen　Qin　and　his　sons　were　defending　the　citadel；　and　they　saw　their　soldiers　sinking　one　by　one　for　lack　of　food　till　the　sight　became　unbearable。

Wen　Qin　went　to　Zhuge　Dan　with　a　proposal；　saying；　〃The　northern　troops　should　be　sent　away　in　order　to　save　food。〃

His　suggestion　called　forth　an　outburst　of　fierce　wrath　of　Zhuge　Dan。

〃Do　you　want　to　kill　me　that　you　propose　to　send　the　northern　soldiers　away？〃

Wen　Qin　suffered　death。　His　two　sons；　Wen　Yang　and　Wen　Hu；　ran　amok　with　rage。　Armed　with　short　swords；　they　attacked　all　they　met　and　slew　many　scores　in　their　desperate　anger。　The　fit　over；　they　dropped　down　the　wall　and　deserted　to　the　Wei　camp。

However；　Sima　Zhao　had　not　forgotten　that　Wen　Yang　had　defied　and　held　at　bay　his　whole　army　once。　At　first　Sima　Zhao　thought　to　put　Wen　Yang　to　death；　but　Zhong　Hui　interposed。

〃The　real　offender　was　his　father；　Wen　Qin；〃　said　Zhong　Hui；　〃but　he　is　dead；　and　these　two　e　to　you　in　desperation。　If　you　slay　those　who　surrender；　you　will　strengthen　the　obstinacy　of　those　who　remain　in　the　city。〃

There　was　reason　in　this；　and　so　their　submission　was　accepted。　They　were　led　to　Sima　Zhaos　tent；　and　he　soothed　them　with　kind　words　and　gave　them　gifts　and　lordships；　and　made　them　Generals。

After　expressing　their　gratitude；　they　rode　about　the　city　on　the　horses　he　had　given　them；　shouting；　〃We　have　received　great　kindness　at　the　hands　of　Sima　Zhao；　who　not　only　has　pardoned　us　but　given　us　gifts。　Why　do　you　not　all　yield？〃

When　their　panions　heard　this；　they　said　one　to　another。　〃This　Wen　Yang　was　an　enemy；　and　yet　he　has　been　well　received。　How　much　more　may　we　expect　generous　treatment？〃

The　desire　to　surrender　possessed　them　all。　When　Zhuge　Dan　heard　it；　he　was　incensed　and　went　round　the　posts　night　and　day　on　the　watch　for　any　who　seemed　inclined　to　go。　He　put　many　to　death　in　these　efforts　to　retain　his　authority。

Zhong　Hui　heard　how　things　were　going　in　the　city　and　went　in　to　Sima　Zhao　to　say　the　moment　to　attack　had　e。　Sima　Zhao　was　only　too　pleased。　He　stimulated　his　troops；　and　they　flocked　to　the　ramparts　and　assaulted　vigorously。　Then　the　mander　of　the　north　gate；　Zeng　Xuan；　treacherously　opened　the　gate　and　let　in　the　Wei　soldiers。

When　Zhuge　Dan　heard　that　the　enemy　were　in　the　city；　he　called　his　guards　and　tried　to　escape。　He　took　his　way　along　the　smaller　streets　to　the　gate；　but　on　the　drawbridge　he　met　Hu　Fen；　who　cut　him　down。　His　followers　were　made　prisoners。

Wang　Ji　fought　his　way　to　the　west　gate；　where　he　fell　in　with　the　Wu　general；　Yu　Quan。

〃Why　do　you　not　yield？〃　shouted　Wang　Ji。

〃Where　is　the　principle　for　yielding　when　I　have　my　orders　to　rescue　the　city　and　so　far　have　not　succeeded？〃　Throwing　off　his　helmet；　he　cried；　〃The　happiest　death　a　man　can　die　is　on　the　battlefield！〃

Whirling　his　sword　about；　Yu　Quan　dashed　among　his　enemies　and　fought　till　he　fell　under　many　wounds。

Many　were　they　who　yielded　at　Shouchun；