Romance, Chapter 113

Chapter 113. Ding Feng Lays a Plan and Beheads Sun Chen; Jiang Wei Contests Formations and Defeats Deng Ai

Meanwhile Jiang Wei, fearing that relief forces would arrive, first sent back his weapons, carts and all his military stores along with the infantry, and then had the cavalry cover the rear. Spies reported this to Deng Ai. Deng Ai laughed and said, “Jiang Wei knows that the Grand General’s army is coming, so he has withdrawn in advance. There is no need to pursue him; if we do, we will fall into his trap.” He sent men to scout, and they came back to report that, just as he had said, at the narrow part of the Luo Valley road firewood and straw had been piled up, ready to burn any pursuers.

卻說姜維恐救兵到，先將軍器車仗，一應軍需，步兵先退，然後將馬軍斷後。細作報知鄧艾。艾笑曰：“姜維知大將軍兵到，故先退去。不必追之，追則中彼之計也。”乃令人哨探，回報果然駱谷道狹之處，堆積柴草，準備要燒追兵。

Everyone praised Deng Ai, saying, “General, your reckoning is truly divine!” Then a messenger was sent with a memorial to report the matter. Sima Zhao was delighted and gave Deng Ai further rewards. Meanwhile Sun Chen, Grand General of Eastern Wu, hearing that Quan Duan, Tang Zi and the others had surrendered to Wei, flew into a great rage and had all their families put to death. The Ruler of Wu, Sun Liang, was then only sixteen. Seeing that Sun Chen’s killings went too far, he strongly disapproved in his heart.

衆皆稱艾曰：“將軍真神算也！”遂遣使齎表奏聞。於是司馬昭大喜，又加賞鄧艾。卻說東吳大將軍孫綝，聽知全端、唐咨等降魏，勃然大怒，將各人家眷，盡皆斬之。吳主孫亮，時年方十六，見綝殺戮太過，心甚不然。

One day he went out to the Western Park and, having eaten some unripe plums, ordered a eunuch to fetch honey. The honey was brought shortly, but he saw several pellets of rat droppings in it. He summoned the storehouse keeper and rebuked him. The keeper knocked his head on the ground and said, “I keep it sealed very tightly. How could there be rat droppings in it?” Sun Liang said, “Has the eunuch ever asked you for honey to eat?” The keeper said, “A few days ago the eunuch did ask me for some honey, but I truly did not dare give it to him.” Sun Liang pointed at the eunuch and said, “You must have been angry that the keeper would not give you honey, so you put droppings in the honey to get him into trouble.”

一日出西苑，因食生梅，令黃門取蜜。須臾取至，見蜜內有鼠糞數塊，召藏吏責之。藏吏叩首曰：“臣封閉甚嚴，安有鼠糞？”亮曰：“黃門曾向爾求蜜食否？”藏吏曰：“黃門於數日前曾求蜜食，臣實不敢與。”亮指黃門曰：“此必汝怒藏吏不與爾蜜，故置糞於蜜中，以陷之也。”

The eunuch would not admit it. Sun Liang said, “This is easy to find out. If the droppings have been in the honey for a long time, they will be wet both inside and out; if they were put in only recently, they will be wet outside and dry inside.” He ordered them cut open, and indeed they were dry inside, so the eunuch confessed his crime. Such, for the most part, was Sun Liang’s intelligence. But clever as he was, he was held in Sun Chen’s grip and could make no decisions of his own. Sun Chen had his younger brother Sun Ju, General Who Awes the Distant, enter the Canglong Gate to guard the palace, and had Sun En, General of the Martial Guard, Sun Gan, Lieutenant General, and Sun Kai, Colonel of Changshui, garrison the various camps.

黃門不服。亮曰：“此事易知耳。若糞久在蜜中，則內外皆溼，若新在蜜中，則外溼內燥。”命剖視之，果然內燥，黃門服罪。亮之聰明，大抵如此。雖然聰明，卻被孫綝把持，不能主張，綝令弟威遠將軍孫據入蒼龍宿衛，武衛將軍孫恩、偏將軍孫幹、長水校尉孫闓分屯諸營。

One day, as the Ruler of Wu, Sun Liang, sat brooding, Quan Ji, Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, was at his side; Quan Ji was an imperial in-law. Sun Liang said to him in tears, “Sun Chen monopolizes power and kills at will, and he treats me with utter contempt. If I do not deal with him now, he is sure to bring disaster later.” Quan Ji said, “If Your Majesty has any use for me, I will not shrink from ten thousand deaths.” Sun Liang said, “Muster the palace guards at once, and with General Liu Cheng take control of the city gates. I will go out myself and kill Sun Chen.

一日，吳主孫亮悶坐，黃門侍郎全紀在側，紀乃國舅也。亮因泣告曰：“孫綝專權妄殺，欺朕太甚；今不圖之，必爲後患。”紀曰：“陛下但有用臣處，臣萬死不辭。”亮曰：“卿可只今點起禁兵，與將軍劉丞各把城門，朕自出殺孫綝。

But on no account must your mother learn of this, for your mother is Sun Chen’s elder sister. If it leaks out, the harm to me will be no small thing.” Quan Ji said, “I beg Your Majesty to draft an edict for me. When the time comes to act, I will show the edict to the troops, so that none of Sun Chen’s men will dare to make a rash move.” Sun Liang agreed and at once wrote a secret edict and gave it to Quan Ji. Quan Ji took the edict home and secretly told his father, Quan Shang. Knowing of the matter, Quan Shang told his wife, “Within three days Sun Chen will be killed.”

但此事切不可令卿母知之，卿母乃綝之姊也。倘若泄漏，誤朕匪輕。”紀曰：“乞陛下草詔與臣。臨行事之時，臣將詔示衆，使綝手下人皆不敢妄動。”亮從之，即寫密詔付紀。紀受詔歸家，密告其父全尚。尚知此事，乃告妻曰：“三日內殺孫綝矣。”

His wife said, “It is right to kill him.” But though she agreed aloud, she secretly had someone take a letter to warn Sun Chen. Sun Chen was furious. That very night he called his four brothers, mustered picked troops and first surrounded the palace; at the same time he had Quan Shang, Liu Cheng and their families all arrested. By dawn Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, heard gongs and drums thundering outside the palace gates. A palace attendant rushed in and reported, “Sun Chen has led troops to surround the inner park.”

妻曰：“殺之是也。”口雖應之，卻私令人持書報知孫綝。綝大怒，當夜便喚弟兄四人，點起精兵，先圍大內；一面將全尚、劉丞並其家小俱拿下。比及平明，吳主孫亮聽得宮門外金鼓大震，內侍慌入奏曰：“孫綝引兵圍了內苑。”

Sun Liang, in a fury, pointed at Empress Quan and cursed her: “Your father and brother have ruined my great enterprise!” Then he drew his sword and made to go out. Empress Quan, the Palace Attendants and the ministers close to him all clung to his robes, weeping, and would not let him go. Sun Chen first put Quan Shang, Liu Cheng and the others to death, then summoned the civil and military officials to court and issued an order: “The sovereign is dissolute and has long been ill; he is benighted, disorderly and without principle, and is unfit to maintain the ancestral temple. He must now be deposed.

亮大怒，指全后罵曰：“汝父兄誤我大事矣！”乃拔劍欲出。全后與侍中近臣，皆牽其衣而哭，不放亮出。孫綝先將全尚、劉丞等殺訖，然後召文武於朝內，下令曰：“主上荒淫久病，昏亂無道，不可以奉宗廟，今當廢之。

If any of you, civil or military, dare to disobey, you will be treated as a rebel!” They were all afraid and answered, “We will obey the General’s orders.” But the Master of Writing, Huan Yi, in a great rage, strode boldly out from the ranks, pointed at Sun Chen and cursed him roundly: “Our present sovereign is an intelligent ruler. How dare you utter such seditious words! I would rather die than obey the orders of a traitor!” Sun Chen, enraged, drew his sword and cut him down himself. Then he went straight into the inner palace, pointed at Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, and cursed him: “You unprincipled, benighted ruler!

汝諸文武，敢有不從者，以謀叛論！”衆皆畏懼，應曰：“願從將軍之令。”尚書桓彝大怒，從班部中挺然而出，指孫綝大罵曰：“今上乃聰明之主，汝何取出此亂言！吾寧死不從賊臣之命！”綝大怒，自拔劍斬之，即入內指吳主孫亮罵曰：“無道昏君！

By rights you should be put to death to make amends to the empire. But out of regard for the late emperor, I depose you and make you Prince of Kuaiji. I shall choose a man of virtue myself and set him on the throne!” He shouted at Li Chong, Gentleman of the Secretariat, to take away Sun Liang’s seal and ribbon, and ordered Deng Cheng to keep them. Sun Liang went away weeping bitterly.

本當誅戮以謝天下！看先帝之面，廢汝爲會稽王，吾自選有德者立之！”叱中書郎李崇奪其璽綬，令鄧程收之。亮大哭而去。

A later poet lamented:
The rebel falsely claimed the name of Yi Yin;
The treacherous minister posed as Huo Guang.
Alas for the intelligent ruler,
Who could no longer preside over his court.

後人有詩嘆曰：“亂賊誣伊尹，奸臣冒霍光。
可憐聰明主，不得蒞朝堂。
”

Sun Chen sent Sun Kai, Director of the Imperial Clan, and Dong Chao, Gentleman of the Secretariat, to Hulin to invite Sun Xiu, Prince of Langya, to become emperor. Sun Xiu, whose courtesy name was Zilie, was the sixth son of Sun Quan. At Hulin he had dreamed one night that he rode a dragon up to heaven, but when he looked back he could not see the dragon’s tail, and he woke with a start. The next day Sun Kai and Dong Chao arrived and bowed, begging him to return to the capital. When they reached Que, an old man, who said that his surname was Gan and his given name Xiu, knocked his head on the ground and said, “If matters drag on, they are sure to change. I beg Your Highness to make haste.”

孫綝遣宗正孫楷、中書郎董朝，往虎林迎請琅琊王孫休爲君。休字子烈，乃孫權第六子也，在虎林夜夢乘龍上天，回顧不見龍尾，失驚而覺。次日，孫楷、董朝至，拜請回都。行至曲阿，有一老人，自稱姓幹，名休，叩頭言曰：“事久必變，願殿下速行。”

Sun Xiu thanked him. When he reached Busai Pavilion, Sun En came with the imperial equipage to meet him. Sun Xiu did not dare ride in the imperial litter but entered in a small carriage. The officials knelt by the roadside to welcome him, and Sun Xiu hastily got down from the carriage to return their bows. Sun Chen came forward and ordered them to help him up, then invited him into the great hall to ascend the throne as Son of Heaven. Only after declining again and again did Sun Xiu accept the jade seal. When the civil and military officials had offered their congratulations, a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the empire and the reign title was changed to the first year of Yong’an. Sun Chen was made Chancellor and Imperial Protector of Jingzhou; many officials received titles and rewards; and Sun Hao, the son of Sun Xiu’s elder brother, was made Marquis of Wucheng.

休謝之。行至布塞亭，孫恩將車駕來迎。休不敢乘輦，乃坐小車而入。百官拜迎道傍，休慌忙下車答禮。孫綝出令扶起，請入大殿，升御座即天子位。休再三謙讓，方受玉璽。文官武將朝賀已畢，大赦天下，改元永安元年；封孫綝爲丞相、荊州牧；多官各有封賞；又封兄之子孫皓爲烏程侯。

Five men of Sun Chen’s family were marquises, and all of them commanded palace troops; their power overshadowed the sovereign’s. Sun Xiu, the Ruler of Wu, fearing a coup from within, outwardly showed him favour but in truth was on his guard against him. Sun Chen grew ever more arrogant and overbearing.

孫綝一門五侯，皆典禁兵，權傾人主。吳主孫休，恐其內變，陽示恩寵，內實防之。綝驕橫愈甚。

In the twelfth month, in winter, Sun Chen brought beef and wine into the palace to drink to the sovereign’s long life, but Sun Xiu, the Ruler of Wu, would not accept them. Sun Chen was angry and took the beef and wine to the residence of the General of the Left, Zhang Bu, where they drank together. When he was well into his cups, he said to Zhang Bu, “When I first deposed the Prince of Kuaiji, everyone urged me to become ruler myself. It was because I thought the present sovereign worthy that I set him up. Now I offer him my good wishes and am rebuffed. He is treating me as a nobody. Sooner or later I will show you!”

冬十二月，奉牛酒入宮上壽，吳主孫休不受，綝怒，乃以牛酒詣左將軍張布府中共飲。酒酣，乃謂布曰：“吾初廢會稽王時，人皆勸吾爲君。吾爲今上賢，故立之。今我上壽而見拒，是將我等閒相待。吾早晚教你看！”

Zhang Bu, hearing this, merely said, “Yes, yes.” The next day he went into the palace and secretly reported it to Sun Xiu. Sun Xiu was terrified and could not rest day or night. A few days later Sun Chen sent Meng Zong, Gentleman of the Secretariat, with fifteen thousand picked troops assigned from those under the Central Camp, to go out and garrison Wuchang; he also handed over to him all the weapons in the arsenal. At this, the General Wei Miao and the Martial Guardsman Shi Shuo secretly reported to Sun Xiu, “Sun Chen has moved troops outside the capital and has also carried off all the weapons in the arsenal. Sooner or later he is sure to rebel.”

布聞言，唯唯而已。次日，布入宮密奏孫休。休大懼，日夜不安。數日後，孫綝遣中書郎孟宗，撥與中營所管精兵一萬五千，出屯武昌；又盡將武庫內軍器與之。於是，將軍魏邈、武衛士施朔二人密奏孫休曰：“綝調兵在外，又搬盡武庫內軍器，早晚必爲變矣。”

Sun Xiu, greatly alarmed, hastily summoned Zhang Bu to take counsel. Zhang Bu said, “The veteran general Ding Feng is a man of rare strategy who can decide great matters. You could consult him.” So Sun Xiu summoned Ding Feng into the palace and secretly told him the situation. Ding Feng said, “Your Majesty need not worry. I have a plan to rid the state of this bane.” Sun Xiu asked what the plan was, and Ding Feng said, “Tomorrow morning is the La festival. Simply give out that you are holding a great assembly of all your ministers, and summon Sun Chen to the banquet. I will make my own arrangements.” Sun Xiu was delighted. Ding Feng, together with Wei Miao and Shi Shuo, took charge of matters outside, while Zhang Bu was to act from within.

休大驚，急召張布計議。布奏曰：“老將丁奉，計略過人，能斷大事，可與議之。”休乃召奉入內，密告其事。奉奏曰：“陛下無憂。臣有一計，爲國除害。”休問何計，奉曰：“來朝臘日，只推大會羣臣，召綝赴席，臣自有調遣。”休大喜。奉同魏邈、施朔掌外事，張布爲內應。

That night a violent wind blew up, sending sand flying and stones rolling and tearing old trees up by the roots. At daybreak, when the wind had died down, a messenger came with an imperial order inviting Sun Chen to the palace for the gathering. Sun Chen had just got out of bed when he fell down on level ground as though someone had pushed him, and he was uneasy at heart. More than ten messengers crowded around him and came in. His household tried to stop him, saying, “The gale did not stop all night, and this morning you fell down for no reason. This is surely not a good omen. You must not go to the gathering.”

是夜，狂風大作，飛沙走石，將老樹連根拔起。天明風定，使者奉旨來請孫綝入宮赴會。孫綝方起牀，平地如人推倒，心中不悅。使者十餘人，簇擁入內。家人止之曰：“一夜狂風不息，今早又無故驚倒，恐非吉兆，不可赴會。”

Sun Chen said, “My brothers and I together command the palace troops. Who would dare come near me? If anything goes wrong, set a fire at the residence as a signal.” Having given these instructions, he mounted his carriage and set out. Sun Xiu, the Ruler of Wu, hurriedly came down from the throne to greet him and invited him to take the seat of honour. When the wine had gone round several times, the company cried out in alarm, “We can see a fire outside the palace!” Sun Chen at once made to rise, but Sun Xiu stopped him, saying, “Be at ease, Chancellor. There are plenty of troops outside. What is there to fear?” Before he had finished speaking, Zhang Bu, General of the Left, sword in hand, rushed up into the hall at the head of more than thirty armed men, crying in a loud voice, “By imperial edict, seize the traitor Sun Chen!”

綝曰：“吾弟兄共典禁兵，誰敢近身！倘有變動，於府中放火爲號。”囑訖，升車入內。吳主孫休忙下御座迎之，請綝高坐。酒行數巡，衆驚曰：“宮外望有火起！”綝便欲起身。休止之曰：“丞相穩便。外兵自多，何足懼哉？”言未畢，左將軍張布拔劍在手，引武士三十餘人，搶上殿來，口中厲聲而言曰：“有詔擒反賊孫綝！”

As Sun Chen tried to flee, he was already seized by the armed men. He knocked his head on the ground and pleaded, “Let me be banished to Jiao Province and return to my fields.” Sun Xiu shouted at him, “Why did you not banish Teng Yin, Lü Ju and Wang Dun?” and ordered him taken out and beheaded. So Zhang Bu dragged Sun Chen down to the east of the hall and beheaded him. None of his followers dared move. Zhang Bu proclaimed the edict: “The guilt lies with Sun Chen alone; no one else will be called to account.” Only then were people’s minds set at rest. Zhang Bu invited Sun Xiu to ascend the Five Phoenix Tower.

綝急欲走時，早被武士擒下。綝叩頭奏曰：“願徙交州歸田里。”休叱曰：“爾何不徙滕胤、呂據、王惇耶？”命推下斬之。於是張布牽孫綝下殿東斬訖。從者皆不敢動。布宣詔曰：“罪在孫綝一人，餘皆不問。”衆心乃安。布請孫休升五鳳樓。

Ding Feng, Wei Miao, Shi Shuo and the others captured Sun Chen’s brothers and brought them in, and Sun Xiu ordered them all beheaded in the marketplace. Several hundred of his clan and faction were put to death, and his family was exterminated to the third degree. Soldiers were ordered to break open Sun Jun’s tomb and mutilate his corpse. For the families of the victims — Zhuge Ke, Teng Yin, Lü Ju, Wang Dun and others — the tombs were rebuilt to honour their loyalty. Those who had been implicated and exiled to distant places were all pardoned and allowed to return home. Ding Feng and the others were richly rewarded with titles and gifts.

丁奉、魏邈、施朔等，擒孫綝兄弟至，休命盡斬於市。宗黨死者數百人，滅其三族，命軍士掘開孫峻墳墓，戮其屍首。將被害諸葛恪、滕胤、呂據、王惇等家，重建墳墓，以表其忠。其牽累流遠者，皆赦還鄉里。丁奉等重加封賞。

A letter was sent with all speed to Chengdu to report the news. The Latter Ruler, Liu Shan, sent an envoy with congratulations in return, and Wu sent Xue Xu as envoy to return the courtesy. When Xue Xu came back from Shu, Sun Xiu, the Ruler of Wu, asked him what had been happening there recently. Xue Xu said, “Of late the Regular Palace Attendant Huang Hao has held power, and most of the high ministers fawn upon him. At their court one hears no honest words; in their countryside the people look pale with hunger. It is what they call swallows and sparrows nesting in the hall, unaware that the great house is about to burn.”

馳書報入成都。後主劉禪遣使回賀，吳使薛珝答禮。珝自蜀中歸，吳主孫休問蜀中近日作何舉動。珝奏曰：“近日中常侍黃皓用事，公卿多阿附之。入其朝，不聞直言；經其野，民有菜色。所謂燕雀處堂，不知大廈之將焚者也。”

Sun Xiu sighed and said, “Had Zhuge, the Martial Marquis, still been alive, how could things have come to this?” He then wrote another state letter and sent someone to take it to Chengdu, saying that Sima Zhao would soon usurp the throne of Wei and would certainly invade Wu and Shu to display his might, so each side should make preparations. When Jiang Wei heard this news, he gladly sent up a memorial proposing once more to lead an army against Wei. It was then the winter of the first year of Jingyao of Shu Han. Grand General Jiang Wei made Liao Hua and Zhang Yi the vanguard, Wang Han and Jiang Bin the left army, Jiang Shu and Fu Qian the right army, and Hu Ji the rear guard, while he himself and Xiahou Ba commanded the central army. In all they raised two hundred thousand Shu troops. Jiang Wei bowed to take leave of the Latter Ruler and went straight to Hanzhong.

休嘆曰：“若諸葛武侯在時，何至如此乎！”於是又寫國書，教人齎入成都，說司馬昭不日篡魏，必將侵吳、蜀以示威，彼此各宜準備。姜維聽得此信，忻然上表，再議出師伐魏。時蜀漢景耀元年冬，大將軍姜維以廖化、張翼爲先鋒，王含、蔣斌爲左軍，蔣舒、傅僉爲右軍，胡濟爲合後，維與夏侯霸總中軍，共起蜀兵二十萬，拜辭後主，徑到漢中。

He conferred with Xiahou Ba about which place they should attack and take first. Xiahou Ba said, “Mount Qi is ground for warfare, where troops can advance. That is why the Chancellor went out to Mount Qi six times in the past: there was nowhere else to go out.” Jiang Wei followed his advice and ordered all three armies to march towards Mount Qi. On reaching the mouth of the valley, they made camp. At that time Deng Ai was in his camp at Mount Qi, putting the troops of Longyou in order. Suddenly a courier came galloping in to report that the Shu army had just pitched three camps at the mouth of the valley.

與夏侯霸商議，當先攻取何地。霸曰：“祁山乃用武之地，可以進兵，故丞相昔日六出祁山，因他處不可出也。”維從其言，遂令三軍並望祁山進發，至谷口下寨。時鄧艾正在祁山寨中，整點隴右之兵。忽流星馬報到，說蜀兵現下三寨於谷口。

When Deng Ai heard this, he climbed to a height to look, then returned to camp and took his seat in his tent, and said in great delight, “It is just as I expected!” It turned out that Deng Ai had surveyed the lie of the land in advance and deliberately left ground free for the Shu troops to camp on. Underground, he had already dug a tunnel running from his camp at Mount Qi straight to the Shu camp, so that when the Shu troops arrived he could strike from within. Now Jiang Wei had reached the mouth of the valley and divided his forces into three camps, and the tunnel lay right in the middle of the left camp, where Wang Han and Jiang Bin had pitched theirs.

艾聽知，遂登高看了，回寨升帳，大喜曰：“不出吾之所料也！”原來鄧艾先度了地脈，故留蜀兵下寨之地；地中自祁山寨直至蜀寨，早挖了地道，待蜀兵至時，於中取事。此時姜維至谷口分作三寨，地道正在左寨之中，乃王含、蔣斌下寨之處。

Deng Ai called his son Deng Zhong and ordered him and Shi Zuan each to lead ten thousand men and charge from left and right. Then he called his lieutenant Zheng Lun and ordered him to take five hundred sappers through the tunnel that night at the second watch, straight to the left camp, and burst out of the ground behind the tents.

鄧艾喚子鄧忠，與師纂各引一萬兵，爲左右衝擊；卻喚副將鄭倫，引五百掘子軍，於當夜二更，徑從地道直至左營，於帳後地下擁出。

Meanwhile Wang Han and Jiang Bin, because their camp was not yet firmly set up, feared that the Wei troops would come to raid it and did not dare take off their armour to sleep. Suddenly they heard a great uproar in the middle of the camp. Just as they hastily snatched up their weapons and mounted their horses, Deng Zhong arrived outside the camp with his troops and attacked. Assailed from within and without, the two generals Wang and Jiang fought desperately but could not hold out, and they abandoned the camp and fled. In his tent Jiang Wei heard loud shouting in the left camp and guessed that enemy troops were attacking from inside and outside together. He quickly mounted his horse, took his stand before the central army tent and sent out an order: “Anyone who makes a rash move will be beheaded!

卻說王含、蔣斌因立寨未定，恐魏兵來劫寨，不敢解甲而寢。忽聞中軍大亂，急綽兵器上的馬時，寨外鄧忠引兵殺到。內外夾攻，王、蔣二將奮死抵敵不住，棄寨而走。姜維在帳中聽得左寨中大喊，料道有內應外合之兵，遂急上馬，立於中軍帳前，傳令曰：“如有妄動者斬！

Even if enemy troops reach the edge of the camp, pay them no heed; just shoot at them with bows and crossbows!” At the same time he sent word to the right camp that no one there was to make a rash move either. Sure enough, the Wei troops charged more than ten times, and each time they were driven back by arrows. They kept up their assault until daybreak, but they never dared break into the camp. Deng Ai gathered his troops and returned to his camp, sighing, “Jiang Wei has thoroughly mastered Kongming’s methods! His troops are not alarmed at night, and his generals are not thrown into confusion when they hear of a crisis. He is a true general!”

便有敵兵到營邊，休要問他，只管以弓弩射之！”一面傳示右營，亦不許妄動。果然魏兵十餘次衝擊，皆被射回。只衝殺到天明，魏兵不敢殺入。鄧艾收兵回寨，乃嘆曰：“姜維深得孔明之法！兵在夜而不驚，將聞變而不亂：真將才也！”

The next day Wang Han and Jiang Bin gathered their defeated troops and prostrated themselves before the main camp, asking to be punished. Jiang Wei said, “It is not your fault. It is because I did not understand the lie of the land.” He assigned them more men and horses and had the two generals pitch camp again. Then he had the bodies of the wounded and the dead packed into the tunnel and covered over with earth. He sent a letter of challenge calling on Deng Ai by name to do battle the next day, and Deng Ai gladly accepted. The next day the two armies drew up before Mount Qi.

次日，王含、蔣斌收聚敗兵，伏於大寨前請罪。維曰：“非汝等之罪，乃吾不明地脈之故也。”又撥軍馬，令二將安營訖。卻將傷死身屍，填於地道之中，以土掩之。令人下戰書單搦鄧艾來日交鋒。艾忻然應之。次日，兩軍列於祁山之前。

Following the Martial Marquis’s method of the Eight Arrays, Jiang Wei deployed his troops in the forms of Heaven, Earth, Wind, Cloud, Bird, Snake, Dragon and Tiger. Deng Ai rode out and, seeing that Jiang Wei had laid out the Eight Trigrams, laid out the same formation himself, with its gates front and back, left and right, exactly alike. Jiang Wei, spear in hand, spurred his horse forward and shouted, “You have copied me in laying out the Eight Arrays, but can you also transform the formation?” Deng Ai laughed and said, “Do you think you are the only one who can lay out this formation? Since I know how to lay it out, how could I not know how to transform it?”

維按武侯八陣之法，依天、地、風、雲、鳥、蛇、龍、虎之形，分佈已定。鄧艾出馬，見維布成八卦，乃亦布之，左右前後，門戶一般。維持槍縱馬大叫曰：“汝效吾排八陣，亦能變陣否？”艾笑曰：“汝道此陣只汝能布耶？吾既會佈陣，豈不知變陣！”

Deng Ai then reined in his horse and rode into his formation, and had his officer of discipline wave the flags to left and right, transforming it into eight times eight, sixty-four gates. Then he came out again before his formation and said, “How do you like my transformation?” Jiang Wei said, “It is not bad. But do you dare to let your formation and my Eight Arrays encircle each other?” “Why should I not dare?” said Deng Ai. The two armies advanced, each keeping to its ranks, with Deng Ai directing from the centre. The two armies clashed, yet neither formation fell into disorder.

艾便勒馬入陣，令執法官把旗左右招颭，變成八八六十四個門戶；復出陣前曰：“吾變法若何？”維曰：“雖然不差，汝敢與吾八陣相圍麼？”艾曰：“有何不敢！”兩軍各依隊伍而進。艾在中軍調遣。兩軍衝突，陣法不曾錯動。

When Jiang Wei reached the centre, he waved his flag once, and suddenly his formation changed into the Long Snake Coiling on the Ground, trapping Deng Ai in the very middle, while shouts shook the air on all sides. Deng Ai did not know this formation and was badly shaken. The Shu troops closed in steadily, and though Deng Ai led his generals in charge after charge, he could not break out. All he could hear was the Shu troops shouting in unison, “Deng Ai, surrender now!” Deng Ai looked up to heaven and heaved a long sigh. “I showed off my skill for a moment, and now I have fallen into Jiang Wei’s trap!”

姜維到中間，把旗一招，忽然變成長蛇卷地陣，將鄧艾困在垓心，四面喊聲大震。艾不知其陣，心中大驚。蜀兵漸漸逼近，艾引衆將衝突不出。只聽得蜀兵齊叫曰：“鄧艾早降！”艾仰天長嘆曰：“我一時自逞其能，中姜維之計矣！”

Suddenly a body of troops fought its way in from the north-west corner. Seeing that they were Wei troops, Deng Ai seized the moment and fought his way out. The man who rescued him was Sima Wang. But by the time Deng Ai had been rescued, all nine camps at Mount Qi had been taken by the Shu army. Deng Ai led his defeated troops back and made camp south of the Wei River. He said to Sima Wang, “How did you know this formation so as to rescue me?” Sima Wang said, “When I was young I travelled to study in Jingnan, where I became friends with Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan and discussed this formation with them.

忽然西北角上一彪軍殺入，艾見是魏兵，遂乘勢殺出。救鄧艾者，乃司馬望也。比及救出鄧艾時，祁山九寨，皆被蜀兵所奪。艾引敗兵，退於渭水南下寨。艾謂望曰：“公何以知此陣法而救出我也？”望曰：“吾幼年遊學於荊南，曾與崔州平、石廣元爲友，講論此陣。

What Jiang Wei changed into today was the Long Snake Coiling on the Ground. Strike it anywhere else and it cannot be broken. I saw that its head lay to the north-west, so I struck from the north-west, and it broke of itself.” Deng Ai thanked him and said, “Though I have learned formations, I truly did not know how to transform them. Since you know this art, how would it be if tomorrow you used it to retake our camps at Mount Qi?” Sima Wang said, “I fear that what I have learned will not be enough to fool Jiang Wei.”

今日姜維所變者，乃長蛇卷地陣也。若他處擊之，必不可破。吾見其頭在西北，故從西北擊之，自破矣。”艾謝曰：“我雖學得陣法，實不知變法。公既知此法，來日以此法復奪祁山寨柵，如何？”望曰：“我之所學，恐瞞不過姜維。”

Deng Ai said, “Tomorrow you will contest formations with him on the field, while I secretly lead a force to strike at the rear of Mount Qi. With both sides locked in a melee, we can retake our old camps.” So Zheng Lun was made vanguard, and Deng Ai himself was to lead troops to attack the rear of the mountain. At the same time he sent a letter of challenge inviting Jiang Wei to contest formations the next day. Jiang Wei wrote his reply on it and sent it back, then said to his generals, “I received the secret book handed down by the Martial Marquis. The transformations of this formation number three hundred and sixty-five in all, matching the number of degrees in the circuit of heaven.

艾曰：“來日公在陣上與他鬥陣法，我卻引一軍暗襲祁山之後，兩下混戰，可奪舊寨也。”於是令鄭倫爲先鋒，艾自引軍襲山後；一面令人下戰書，搦姜維來日鬥陣法。維批迴去訖，乃謂衆將曰：“吾受武侯所傳密書，此陣變法共三百六十五樣，按周天之數。

For him to challenge me to a contest of formations is like showing off with an axe at the door of Lu Ban, the master carpenter! But there must be some trick in it. Do you gentlemen see what it is?” Liao Hua said, “He must mean to lure us into the contest of formations while he leads a force to attack our rear.” Jiang Wei laughed and said, “That is just what I think.” At once he ordered Zhang Yi and Liao Hua to take ten thousand men and lie in ambush behind the mountain.

今搦吾鬥陣法，乃班門弄斧耳！但中間必有詐謀，公等知之乎？”廖化曰：“此必賺我鬥陣法，卻引一軍襲我後也。”維笑曰：“正合我意。”即令張翼、廖化，引一萬兵去山後埋伏。

The next day Jiang Wei drew out all the troops from the nine camps and deployed them before Mount Qi. Sima Wang led his troops out from south of the Wei River and went straight to the front of Mount Qi, where he rode out to parley with Jiang Wei. Jiang Wei said, “You asked me to contest formations with you. Lay yours out first and let me see.” Sima Wang laid out the Eight Trigrams. Jiang Wei laughed and said, “This is the very method of the Eight Arrays that I laid out. You have simply stolen and copied it. What is so remarkable about that?”

次日，姜維盡拔九寨之兵，分佈於祁山之前。司馬望引兵離了渭南，徑到祁山之前，出馬與姜維答話。維曰：“汝請吾鬥陣法，汝先布與吾看。”望布成了八卦。維笑曰：“此即吾所布八陣之法也，汝今盜襲，何足爲奇！”

Sima Wang said, “You too have only stolen another man’s method!” Jiang Wei said, “How many transformations does this formation have in all?” Sima Wang laughed and said, “Since I can lay it out, how could I not be able to transform it? This formation has nine times nine, eighty-one transformations.” Jiang Wei laughed and said, “Go on, transform it.” Sima Wang went into his formation and changed it several times, then came out again and said, “Do you recognize my transformations?” Jiang Wei laughed and said, “My formation follows the circuit of heaven and has three hundred and sixty-five transformations. You are a frog at the bottom of a well. How could you know its profound mysteries?”

望曰：“汝亦竊他人之法耳！”維曰：“此陣凡有幾變？”望笑曰：“吾既能布，豈不會變？此陣有九九八十一變。”維笑曰：“汝試變來。”望入陣變了數番，復出陣曰：“汝識吾變否？”維笑曰：“吾陣法按周天三百六十五變。汝乃井底之蛙，安知玄奧乎！”

Sima Wang knew that such transformations existed but had never learned them all, so he forced himself to argue back: “I do not believe you. Go on, transform it.” Jiang Wei said, “Have Deng Ai come out, and I will lay it out for him to see.” Sima Wang said, “General Deng has good plans of his own; he has no taste for formations.” Jiang Wei burst out laughing. “What good plans? He has merely told you to keep me busy laying out formations here while he leads troops to attack the rear of my mountain!” Sima Wang was dismayed. Just as he was about to advance his troops and join battle, Jiang Wei pointed with the tip of his whip, and the troops on his two wings charged out first and cut into the Wei troops, who threw away their armour and spears and fled for their lives.

望自知有此變法，實不曾學全，乃勉強折辯曰：“吾不信，汝試變來。”維曰：“汝教鄧艾出來，吾當布與他看。”望曰：“鄧將軍自有良謀，不好陣法。”維大笑曰：“有何良謀！不過教汝賺吾在此佈陣，他卻引兵襲吾山後耳！”望大驚，恰欲進兵混戰，被維以鞭梢一指，兩翼兵先出，殺的那魏兵棄甲拋戈，各逃性命。

Meanwhile Deng Ai urged his vanguard, Zheng Lun, on to attack the rear of the mountain. Zheng Lun had just rounded a spur of the mountain when suddenly a bombard sounded, drums and horns rent the sky, and troops burst out of ambush. The general at their head was Liao Hua. Before the two men could exchange a word, as their horses met, Liao Hua cut Zheng Lun down from his horse with a single stroke of his blade. Deng Ai, greatly alarmed, hastily reined in his troops to withdraw, but Zhang Yi came charging in with a force. Attacked from both sides, the Wei troops were utterly routed.

卻說鄧艾催督先鋒鄭倫來襲山後。倫剛轉過山角，忽然一聲炮響，鼓角喧天，伏兵殺出：爲首大將，乃廖化也。二人未及答話，兩馬交處，被廖化一刀，斬鄭倫於馬下。鄧艾大驚，急勒兵退時，張翼引一軍殺到。兩下夾攻，魏兵大敗。

Deng Ai risked his life to break out, but he was hit by four arrows. When he had fled back to the camp south of the Wei River, Sima Wang arrived too, and the two discussed how to drive back the enemy. Sima Wang said, “Lately the Ruler of Shu, Liu Shan, has been doting on his favourite eunuch Huang Hao and spending day and night in the pleasures of wine and women. If we use a scheme to sow discord and have Jiang Wei recalled, this danger can be averted.” Deng Ai asked his advisers, “Who can go into Shu and get in touch with Huang Hao?” Before he had finished speaking, a man answered, “I will go.”

艾捨命突出，身被四箭。奔到渭南寨時，司馬望亦到。二人商議退兵之策。望曰：“近日蜀主劉禪，寵幸中貴黃皓，日夜以酒色爲樂。可用反間計召回姜維，此危可解。”艾問衆謀士曰：“誰可入蜀交通黃皓？”言未畢，一人應聲曰：“某願往。”

Deng Ai looked and saw that it was Dang Jun of Xiangyang. Deng Ai was delighted and at once had Dang Jun take gold, pearls and treasures straight to Chengdu to form ties with Huang Hao and spread rumours that Jiang Wei resented the Son of Heaven and would soon go over to Wei. And so everyone in Chengdu was saying the same thing. Huang Hao reported this to the Latter Ruler, who at once sent a messenger to ride through the night and summon Jiang Wei back to court. Meanwhile Jiang Wei challenged Deng Ai to battle day after day, but Deng Ai held fast and would not come out.

艾視之，乃襄陽黨均也。艾大喜，即令黨均齎金珠寶物，徑到成都結連黃皓，佈散流言，說姜維怨望天子，不久投魏。於是成都人人所說皆同。黃皓奏知後主，即遣人星夜宣姜維入朝。卻說姜維連日搦戰，鄧艾堅守不出。

Jiang Wei was deeply puzzled. Suddenly an imperial messenger arrived with an edict summoning him to court. Not knowing what the matter was, Jiang Wei had no choice but to withdraw his army and return to court. Deng Ai and Sima Wang, knowing that Jiang Wei had fallen into their trap, pulled out their troops from south of the Wei River and followed hard on his heels to attack.

維心中甚疑。忽使命至，詔維入朝。維不知何事，只得班師回朝。鄧艾、司馬望知姜維中計，遂拔渭南之兵，隨後掩殺。

Indeed:
Yue Yi, attacking Qi, was thwarted by the enemy’s sowing of discord;
Yue Fei, having crushed the foe, was recalled through slander.
Who won and who lost will be told in the next chapter.

正是：樂毅伐齊遭間阻，岳飛破敵被讒回。
未知勝負如何，且看下文分解。