Romance, Chapter 108

Chapter 108. Ding Feng Wields Short Weapons in the Snow; Sun Jun Carries Out a Secret Plot at the Banquet

Now as Jiang Wei was retreating, he ran into Sima Shi, who had brought troops to cut him off. It turned out that when Jiang Wei had gone to take Yong Province, Guo Huai had sent an urgent report to the court. The Ruler of Wei had talked the matter over with Sima Yi and settled on a plan, and Sima Yi had sent his eldest son Sima Shi with fifty thousand troops to Yong Province to help in the fighting. Hearing that Guo Huai had driven back the Shu troops, Sima Shi reckoned that the Shu army was now weak and came to strike at it on the road. He gave chase all the way to Yangping Pass, but there Jiang Wei used the method of the repeating crossbow handed down by the Martial Marquis. He had hidden more than a hundred repeating crossbows on both sides of the road; each crossbow shot ten bolts, and all of them were poisoned. The crossbows on both sides loosed together, and countless men and horses of the vanguard were shot dead.

卻說姜維正走，遇着司馬師引兵攔截。原來姜維取雍州之時，郭淮飛報入朝，魏主與司馬懿商議停當，懿遣長子司馬師引兵五萬，前來雍州助戰；師聽知郭淮敵退蜀兵，師料蜀兵勢弱，就來半路擊之。直趕到陽平關，卻被姜維用武侯所傳連弩法，於兩邊暗伏連弩百餘張，一弩發十矢，皆是藥箭，兩邊弩箭齊發，前軍連人帶馬射死不知其數。

Sima Shi escaped with his life from the confusion of battle and went back. Meanwhile Gou An, the Shu general in the city of Qushan, seeing that no relief troops were coming, opened the gates and surrendered to Wei. Jiang Wei, having lost tens of thousands of men, led his defeated troops back to Hanzhong and camped there. Sima Shi returned to Luoyang. In the autumn, in the eighth month of the third year of Jiaping, Sima Yi fell ill. As his illness grew steadily worse, he called his two sons to his bedside and charged them: “I have served Wei for many years and have been given the office of Grand Tutor; I have reached the highest rank a subject can hold. Everyone suspects me of disloyal ambitions, and I have always lived in fear.

司馬師於亂軍之中，逃命而回。卻說麴山城中蜀將句安，見援兵不至，乃開門降魏。姜維折兵數萬，領敗兵回漢中屯紮。司馬師自還洛陽。至嘉平三年秋八月，司馬懿染病，漸漸沉重，乃喚二子至榻前囑曰：“吾事魏歷年，官授太傅，人臣之位極矣；人皆疑吾有異志，吾嘗懷恐懼。

After I am dead, you two must govern the affairs of state well. Be careful! Be careful!” With these words he died. His eldest son Sima Shi and his second son Sima Zhao reported his death to Cao Fang, the Ruler of Wei. Cao Fang gave him a lavish sacrifice and burial and bestowed generous posthumous honours and a posthumous title. He made Sima Shi Grand General, in overall charge of the secret and important affairs of the Secretariat, and made Sima Zhao Senior General of Swift Cavalry. Meanwhile Sun Quan, the Ruler of Wu, had earlier had an Heir Apparent, Sun Deng, born of Lady Xu, but he had died in the fourth year of Chiwu of Wu. So Sun Quan made his second son Sun He Heir Apparent; he was born of Lady Wang of Langya.

吾死之後，汝二人善理國政。慎之！慎之！”言訖而亡。長子司馬師，次子司馬昭，二人申奏魏主曹芳。芳厚加祭葬，優錫贈諡；封師爲大將軍，總領尚書機密大事，昭爲驃騎上將軍。卻說吳主孫權，先有太子孫登，乃徐夫人所生，於吳赤烏四年身亡，遂立次子孫和爲太子，乃琅琊王夫人所生。

Sun He did not get on with Princess Quan, who slandered him. Sun Quan deposed him, and Sun He died of grief and resentment. Sun Quan then made his third son Sun Liang Heir Apparent; he was born of Lady Pan. By this time Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin were both dead, and all affairs, great and small, came into the hands of Zhuge Ke. On the first day of the eighth month, in the autumn of the first year of Taiyuan, a great wind suddenly arose. The river and the sea surged with huge waves, and even on level ground the water stood eight feet deep.

和因與全公主不睦，被公主所譖，權廢之，和憂恨而死，又立三子孫亮爲太子，乃潘夫人所生。此時陸遜、諸葛瑾皆亡，一應大小事務，皆歸於諸葛恪。太元元年秋八月初一日，忽起大風，江海湧濤，平地水深八尺。

The pines and cypresses planted at the tombs of the forebears of the Ruler of Wu were all torn up by the roots and flew straight to the outside of the south gate of the city of Jianye, where they stuck upside down in the road. Sun Quan was so frightened by this that he fell ill. In the fourth month of the following year his illness became grave, and he summoned the Grand Tutor Zhuge Ke and the Grand Marshal Lü Dai to his bedside and entrusted to them the affairs that would follow his death. When he had given his instructions, he passed away. He had reigned for twenty-four years and lived to the age of seventy-one. It was the fifteenth year of Yanxi of Shu-Han.

吳主先陵所種松柏，盡皆拔起，直飛到建業城南門外，倒卓於道上。權因此受驚成病。至次年四月內，病勢沉重，乃召太傅諸葛恪、大司馬呂岱至榻前，囑以後事。囑訖而薨。在位二十四年，壽七十一歲，乃蜀漢延熙十五年也。

A later poet wrote:
Purple-bearded and green-eyed, he was hailed as a hero,
And he could make his ministers gladly give their all.
For twenty-four years he raised up a great cause,
Coiled like a dragon, crouched like a tiger in Jiangdong.

後人有詩曰：“紫髯碧眼號英雄，能使臣僚肯盡忠。
二十四年興大業，龍盤虎踞在江東。
”

When Sun Quan was dead, Zhuge Ke set Sun Liang on the throne as emperor, proclaimed a general amnesty throughout the empire, and changed the reign title to the first year of Jianxing. Sun Quan was given the posthumous title of Great Emperor and buried at the Jiang Mausoleum. Spies soon found out about this and reported it to Luoyang. When Sima Shi heard that Sun Quan was dead, he proposed raising an army to attack Wu. The Secretary Fu Gu said, “Wu has the natural barrier of the Yangtze. The late emperors campaigned against it again and again, and never achieved their aims. It would be better for each side to guard its own frontiers; that is the best course.”

孫權既亡，諸葛恪立孫亮爲帝，大赦天下，改元建興元年；諡權曰大皇帝，葬於蔣陵。早有細作探知其事，報入洛陽。司馬師聞孫權已死，遂議起兵伐吳。尚書傅嘏曰：“吳有長江之險，先帝屢次征伐，皆不遂意；不如各守邊疆，乃爲上策。”

Sima Shi said, “The Way of Heaven changes once every thirty years. How can the three states go on standing like the legs of a tripod forever? I intend to attack Wu.” Sima Zhao said, “Sun Quan has just died, and Sun Liang is young and weak. This is exactly the opening we should seize.” So Sima Shi ordered Wang Chang, Senior General Who Conquers the South, to attack Nan Commandery with a hundred thousand troops; Hu Zun, General Who Conquers the East, to attack Dongxing with a hundred thousand troops; and Guanqiu Jian, Commander Who Guards the South, to attack Wuchang with a hundred thousand troops. They set out by three routes. He also appointed his younger brother Sima Zhao Commander-in-Chief, in overall command of the forces on all three routes.

師曰：“天道三十年一變，豈得常爲鼎峙乎？吾欲伐吳。”昭曰：“今孫權新亡，孫亮幼懦，其隙正可乘也。”遂令徵南大將軍王昶引兵十萬攻南郡，徵東將軍胡遵引兵十萬攻東興，鎮南都督毌丘儉引兵十萬攻武昌：三路進發。又遣弟司馬昭爲大都督，總領三路軍馬。

In the twelfth month, in the winter of that year, Sima Zhao’s army reached the border of Eastern Wu. He halted and camped his men and horses and called Wang Chang, Hu Zun and Guanqiu Jian into his tent to confer. “The most vital point in Eastern Wu is Dongxing Commandery and nowhere else,” he said. “They have now built a great dyke there, with two more forts to the left and right of it, to guard against an attack from behind by way of Chao Lake. You gentlemen must take great care.” Then he ordered Wang Chang and Guanqiu Jian each to take ten thousand troops and draw up on the left and right. “Do not advance yet. Once we have taken Dongxing Commandery, we will all advance together.”

是年冬十二月，司馬昭兵至東吳邊界，屯住人馬，喚王昶、胡遵、毌丘儉到帳中計議曰：“東吳最緊要處，惟東興郡也。今他築起大堤，左右又築兩城，以防巢湖後面攻擊，諸公須要仔細。”遂令王昶、毌丘儉各引一萬兵，列在左右：“且勿進發；待取了東興郡，那時一齊進兵。”

Wang Chang and Guanqiu Jian received their orders and left. Sima Zhao then made Hu Zun the vanguard, in overall command of the troops of all three routes, and sent him forward: “First throw a pontoon bridge across and take the great dyke of Dongxing. If you can capture the two forts to the left and right, that will be a great achievement.” Hu Zun led his troops there and set about building the pontoon bridge.

昶、儉二人受令而去。昭又令胡遵爲先鋒，總領三路兵前去：“先搭浮橋，取東興大堤；若奪得左右二城，便是大功。”遵領兵來搭浮橋。

Meanwhile the Grand Tutor of Wu, Zhuge Ke, hearing that the Wei army was coming by three routes, called his officers together to confer. Ding Feng, General Who Subdues the North, said, “Dongxing is a vital point for Eastern Wu. If it is lost, Nan Commandery and Wuchang will be in danger.” Zhuge Ke said, “That is exactly what I think. You should take three thousand marines at once and go by way of the river. I will send Lü Ju, Tang Zi and Liu Zan after you, each with ten thousand horse and foot, to come to your support by three routes.

卻說吳太傅諸葛恪，聽知魏兵三路而來，聚衆商議。平北將軍丁奉曰：“東興乃東吳緊要處所，若有失，則南郡、武昌危矣。”恪曰：“此論正合吾意。公可就引三千水兵從江中去，吾隨後令呂據、唐咨、留贊各引一萬馬步兵，分三路來接應。

As soon as you hear the guns fire in quick succession, advance all together. I myself will follow with the main army.” Ding Feng took his orders and at once set off towards Dongxing with three thousand marines, divided among thirty ships.

但聽連珠炮響，一齊進兵。吾自引大兵後至。”丁奉得令，即引三千水兵，分作三十隻船，望東興而來。

Meanwhile Hu Zun crossed the pontoon bridge, stationed his troops on the dyke, and sent Huan Jia and Han Zong to attack the two forts. The fort on the left was held by the Wu general Quan Duan, and the fort on the right by the Wu general Liu Lue. These two forts were high, steep and strong, and could not be taken by a hasty assault. Quan Duan and Liu Lue, seeing how strong the Wei army was, did not dare to come out and fight but defended their walls to the death. Hu Zun pitched his camp at Xutang. It was bitterly cold and heavy snow was falling, so Hu Zun laid on a grand feast for his generals.

卻說胡遵渡過浮橋，屯軍於堤上，差桓嘉、韓綜攻打二城。左城中乃吳將全端守把，右城中乃吳將留略守把。此二城高峻堅固，急切攻打不下。全、留二人見魏兵勢大，不敢出戰，死守城池。胡遵在徐塘下寨。時值嚴寒，天降大雪，胡遵與衆將設席高會。

Suddenly it was reported that thirty warships had arrived on the water. Hu Zun went out of the camp to look and saw that the ships were about to come alongside the bank, with about a hundred men on each. So he went back into his tent and said to his generals, “There are no more than three thousand of them. What is there to fear?” He merely ordered one of his officers to keep watch, and went on drinking as before.

忽報水上有三十隻戰船來到。遵出寨視之，見船將次傍岸，每船上約有百人。遂還帳中，謂諸將曰：“不過三千人耳，何足懼哉！”只令部將哨探，仍前飲酒。

Ding Feng anchored his ships in a single line on the water and said to his officers, “For a true man to win fame and gain wealth and honour, today is the day!” Then he ordered all his men to strip off their armour and take off their helmets, and to carry no long spears or great halberds, only short swords. When the Wei troops saw this, they roared with laughter and made no preparations at all. Suddenly the signal guns fired three times in quick succession. Ding Feng drew his sword, took the lead and leapt ashore in a single bound.

丁奉將船一字兒拋在水上，乃謂部將曰：“大丈夫立功名，取富貴，正在今日！”遂令衆軍脫去衣甲，卸了頭盔，不用長槍大戟，止帶短刀。魏兵見之大笑，更不準備。忽然連珠炮響了三聲，丁奉扯刀當先，一躍上岸。

All his men drew their short swords, followed him ashore and hacked their way into the Wei camp. The Wei troops were caught completely unprepared. Han Zong hurriedly seized the great halberd in front of his tent to meet them, but Ding Feng had already rushed in close to him; up went his hand, down came the sword, and Han Zong was cut down. Huan Jia came round from the left, hastily snatched up a spear and thrust at Ding Feng, but Ding Feng caught the shaft under his arm. Huan Jia let go of the spear and fled. Ding Feng hurled his sword after him and struck him full in the left shoulder, and Huan Jia fell over backwards.

衆軍皆拔短刀，隨奉上岸，砍入魏寨，魏兵措手不及。韓綜急拔帳前大戟迎之，早被丁奉搶入懷內，手起刀落，砍翻在地。桓嘉從左邊轉出，忙綽槍刺丁奉，被奉挾住槍桿。嘉棄槍而走，奉一刀飛去，正中左肩，嘉望後便倒。

Ding Feng caught up with him and ran him through with the spear. The three thousand Wu troops charged left and dashed right through the Wei camp. Hu Zun hurriedly mounted and fought his way out. The Wei troops all rushed for the pontoon bridge, but it had already been broken, and more than half of them fell into the water and drowned; those cut down on the snowy ground were beyond counting. Carts, horses and weapons all fell into the hands of the Wu troops. When Sima Zhao, Wang Chang and Guanqiu Jian heard of the defeat at Dongxing, they too pulled back their troops and withdrew.

奉趕上，就以槍刺之。三千吳兵，在魏寨中左衝右突。胡遵急上馬奪路而走。魏兵齊奔上浮橋，浮橋已斷，大半落水而死；殺倒在雪地者，不知其數。車仗馬匹軍器，皆被吳兵所獲。司馬昭、王昶、毌丘儉聽知東興兵敗，亦勒兵而退。

Meanwhile Zhuge Ke reached Dongxing with his army. When he had gathered in his troops and rewarded them for their efforts, he assembled his generals and said, “Sima Zhao has been defeated and has gone back north. This is just the time to follow up our advantage, advance and take the Central Plain.” So on the one hand he sent a man into Shu with a letter asking Jiang Wei to advance his troops and attack Wei from the north, promising to divide the empire equally with him; on the other he raised a great army of two hundred thousand to march against the Central Plain. Just as they were about to set out, a band of white vapour suddenly rose from the ground and cut across the three armies, so thick that men face to face could not see each other.

卻說諸葛恪引兵至東興，收兵賞勞了畢，乃聚諸將曰：“司馬昭兵敗北歸，正好乘勢進取中原。”遂一面遣人齎書入蜀，求姜維進兵攻其北，許以平分天下；一面起大兵二十萬，來伐中原。臨行時，忽見一道白氣，從地而起，遮斷三軍，對面不見。

Jiang Yan said, “This vapour is a white rainbow, an omen that the army will be lost. The Grand Tutor should simply return to court and must not attack Wei.” Zhuge Ke was furious. “How dare you utter such ill-omened words and weaken the spirit of my army!” he said, and shouted to the guards to behead him. All the officers begged for mercy for him, so Zhuge Ke reduced Jiang Yan to a commoner and pressed his troops forward as before. Ding Feng said, “Wei treats Xincheng as its chief gateway. If we take this city first, Sima Shi will lose his nerve.”

蔣延曰：“此氣乃白虹也，主喪兵之兆。太傅只可回朝，不可伐魏。”恪大怒曰：“汝安敢出不利之言，以慢吾軍心！”叱武士斬之。衆皆告免，恪乃貶蔣延爲庶人，仍催兵前進。丁奉曰：“魏以新城爲總隘口，若先取得此城，司馬師破膽矣。”

Zhuge Ke was delighted and at once hurried his troops straight to Xincheng. Zhang Te, General of the Standard, who was holding the city, saw the Wu army arriving in force, shut the gates and held out stubbornly. Zhuge Ke had his troops surround it on all four sides. A swift courier soon carried the news to Luoyang. The Recorder Yu Song said to Sima Shi, “Zhuge Ke is now besieging Xincheng, but we must not give battle yet. The Wu troops have come a long way; they have many men and little grain, and when the grain runs out they will leave of their own accord. Wait until they are about to go, then strike, and we are sure to win a complete victory.

恪大喜，即趲兵直至新城。守城牙門將軍張特，見吳兵大至，閉門堅守。恪令兵四面圍定。早有流星馬報入洛陽。主簿虞松告司馬師曰：“今諸葛恪困新城，且未可與戰。吳兵遠來，人多糧少，糧儘自走矣。待其將走，然後擊之，必得全勝。

The only danger is that the Shu army may invade our borders, and we must be on guard against that.” Sima Shi agreed. He ordered Sima Zhao to take an army to help Guo Huai hold off Jiang Wei, while Guanqiu Jian and Hu Zun were to hold back the Wu army.

但恐蜀兵犯境，不可不防。”師然其言，遂令司馬昭引一軍助郭淮防姜維；毌丘儉、胡遵拒住吳兵。

Meanwhile Zhuge Ke had been attacking Xincheng for months without taking it. He issued orders to his generals: “Attack the city with all your strength. Anyone who slackens will be beheaded on the spot.” So the generals pressed the attack with all their might, and the northeast corner of the wall was about to fall. Inside the city, Zhang Te settled on a plan. He sent a man with a clever tongue, bearing the registers of the city, to the Wu camp to see Zhuge Ke. The man said, “Under the law of Wei, when an enemy besieges a city, if the general defending it holds out for a hundred days and no relief arrives, and he then comes out and surrenders to the enemy, his family is not held guilty.

卻說諸葛恪連月攻打新城不下，下令衆將：“併力攻城，怠慢者立斬。”於是諸將奮力攻打。城東北角將陷。張特在城中定下一計：乃令一舌辯之士，齎捧冊籍，赴吳寨見諸葛恪，告曰：“魏國之法：若敵人困城，守城將堅守一百日，而無救兵至，然後出城降敵者，家族不坐罪。

You, General, have now been besieging the city for more than ninety days. We beg you to allow us a few more days, and my commander will lead all the soldiers and people out of the city and surrender. Meanwhile I present these registers in advance.” Zhuge Ke believed him completely, called off his troops and stopped attacking the city. In fact Zhang Te was using a delaying tactic to trick the Wu troops into falling back. He then pulled down the houses in the city and used them to repair the breaches in the wall completely. Then he climbed onto the wall and cursed loudly: “We still have half a year’s grain in this city. Why would we surrender to you dogs of Wu?

今將軍圍城已九十餘日；望乞再容數日，某主將盡率軍民出城投降。今先具冊籍呈上。”恪深信之，收了軍馬，遂不攻城。原來張特用緩兵之計，哄退吳兵，遂拆城中房屋，於破城處修補完備，乃登城大罵曰：“吾城中尚有半年之糧，豈肯降吳狗耶！

Fight as much as you like; it makes no difference to us!” Zhuge Ke was furious and drove his troops to attack the city. Arrows rained down from the wall. One struck Zhuge Ke full on the forehead, and he toppled from his horse. His generals rescued him and took him back to camp, but the wound festered. None of the troops had any heart left for fighting, and because the weather was scorching hot, many of the soldiers fell sick. When Zhuge Ke’s wound had healed a little, he wanted to drive his troops to attack the city again. A camp officer said, “Everyone is sick. How can they fight?” Zhuge Ke was furious. “The next man who talks of sickness will be beheaded!” he said.

盡戰無妨！”恪大怒，催兵打城。城上亂箭射下。恪額上正中一箭，翻身落馬。諸將救起還寨，金瘡舉發。衆軍皆無戰心；又因天氣亢炎，軍士多病。恪金瘡稍可，欲催兵攻城。營吏告曰：“人人皆病，安能戰乎？”恪大怒曰：“再說病者斬之！”

When the troops heard of this, countless numbers deserted. Suddenly it was reported that the Commander Cai Lin had gone over to Wei with the troops under him. Zhuge Ke was greatly alarmed. He rode round all the camps himself and found that the soldiers’ faces were indeed yellow and swollen, and every one of them looked ill. So he pulled back his troops and returned to Wu. Spies soon brought word of this to Guanqiu Jian, who called out his whole army and fell upon the Wu troops from behind.

衆軍聞知，逃者無數。忽報都督蔡林引本部軍投魏去了。恪大驚，自乘馬遍視各營，果見軍士面色黃腫，各帶病容。遂勒兵還吳。早有細作報知毌丘儉。儉盡起大兵，隨後掩殺。

The Wu army returned home badly beaten. Zhuge Ke was deeply ashamed, pleaded illness and did not attend court. Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, went in person to his house to ask after his health, and all the civil and military officials came to pay their respects. Zhuge Ke, fearing that people would talk, took the lead in hunting out the faults of the officials and generals. Those with minor faults he banished to the frontier; those with serious ones he beheaded as a warning to all. As a result, all the officials at court and outside it were filled with dread. He also put his trusted generals Zhang Yue and Zhu En in charge of the Imperial Guard,

吳兵大敗而歸，恪甚羞慚，託病不朝。吳主孫亮自幸其宅問安，文武官僚皆來拜見。恪恐人議論，先搜求衆官將過失，輕則發遣邊方，重則斬首示衆。於是內外官僚，無不悚懼。又令心腹將張約、朱恩管御林軍。

to serve as his claws and teeth. Now Sun Jun, styled Ziyuan, was the great-grandson of Sun Jian’s younger brother Sun Jing and the son of Sun Gong. While Sun Quan was alive he had been very fond of Sun Jun and had put him in command of the Imperial Guard. Now, hearing that Zhuge Ke had given command of the Imperial Guard to Zhang Yue and Zhu En and so taken his power away from him, he was inwardly furious. Teng Yin, Minister of Ceremonies, who had long been on bad terms with Zhuge Ke, seized the opportunity to say to Sun Jun, “Zhuge Ke has seized all power and behaves with wanton cruelty. He puts ministers of state to death, and he will soon harbour designs against the throne.

以爲牙爪。卻說孫峻字子遠，乃孫堅弟孫靜曾孫，孫恭之子也；孫權存日，甚愛之，命掌御林軍馬。今聞諸葛恪令張約、朱恩二人掌御林軍，奪其權，心中大怒。太常卿滕胤，素與諸葛恪有隙，乃乘間說峻曰：“諸葛恪專權恣虐，殺害公卿，將有不臣之心。

You are a member of the imperial clan. Why not deal with him before it is too late?” Sun Jun said, “I have had that in mind for a long time. I shall go at once and memorialize the Son of Heaven, asking for an edict to put him to death.” So Sun Jun and Teng Yin went in to see Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, and reported the matter to him in secret. Sun Liang said, “I too am terrified whenever I see this man. I have always wanted to be rid of him but have never had the chance. If you are truly loyal and righteous, you may secretly make plans against him.” Teng Yin said, “Your Majesty should give a banquet and summon Zhuge Ke. Hide armed guards behind the wall hangings, and when a cup is thrown as the signal, kill him there at the table and so put an end to future trouble.” Sun Liang agreed.

公系宗室，何不早圖之？”峻曰：“我有是心久矣；今當即奏天子，請旨誅之。”於是孫峻、滕胤入見吳主孫亮，密奏其事。亮曰：“朕見此人，亦甚恐怖；常欲除之，未得其便。今卿等果有忠義，可密圖之。”胤曰：“陛下可設席召恪，暗伏武士於壁衣中，擲杯爲號，就席間殺之，以絕後患。”亮從之。

Meanwhile, ever since returning to court after his defeat, Zhuge Ke had stayed at home pleading illness, and his mind was dazed and troubled. One day, happening to go out into the central hall, he suddenly saw a man in hempen mourning clothes come in. Zhuge Ke shouted at him and demanded who he was, and the man was so frightened that he did not know what to do. Zhuge Ke had him seized and interrogated under torture, and the man said, “My father has just died, and I came into the city to ask the monks to hold a service for his soul. I came in thinking this was a monastery; I never imagined it was the Grand Tutor’s residence.

卻說諸葛恪自兵敗回朝，託病居家，心神恍惚。一日，偶出中堂，忽見一人穿麻掛孝而入。恪叱問之，其人大驚無措。恪令拿下拷問，其人告曰：“某因新喪父親，入城請僧追薦；初見是寺院而入，卻不想是太傅之府。

How did I ever come to be here?” Zhuge Ke was furious and summoned the soldiers guarding the gate to question them. The soldiers said, “There are dozens of us, all with spears on our shoulders keeping the gate, and we never left it even for a moment. We did not see a single person come in.” Zhuge Ke flew into a rage and had every one of them beheaded. That night Zhuge Ke could not sleep peacefully. Suddenly he heard a sound like a thunderclap in the main hall. He went out himself to look and found the central beam broken in two.

卻怎生來到此處也？”恪大怒，召守門軍士問之。軍士告曰：“某等數十人，皆荷戈把門，未嘗暫離，並不見一人入來。”恪大怒，盡數斬之。是夜，恪睡臥不安，忽聽得正堂中聲響如霹靂。恪自出視之，見中梁折爲兩段。

Zhuge Ke went back to his bedchamber in alarm. Suddenly a gust of chill, ghostly wind sprang up, and he saw the man in mourning clothes whom he had killed and the dozens of gate guards, each holding his head in his hand and demanding his life back. Zhuge Ke fell to the ground in terror and came to only after a long while. The next morning, when he washed his face, the water smelled strongly of blood. Zhuge Ke scolded his maids and had them change the water dozens of times, but every basin smelled just the same. While Zhuge Ke was still alarmed and puzzled, it was suddenly announced that an envoy had come from the Son of Heaven summoning the Grand Tutor to a banquet.

恪驚歸寢室，忽然一陣陰風起處，見所殺披麻人與守門軍士數十人，各提頭索命。恪驚倒在地，良久方蘇。次早洗面，聞水甚血臭。恪叱侍婢，連換數十盆，皆臭無異。恪正驚疑間，忽報天子有使至，宣太傅赴宴。

Zhuge Ke ordered his carriage to be made ready. Just as he was about to leave his residence, a yellow dog caught hold of his clothes in its teeth and whimpered as though it were weeping. Zhuge Ke said angrily, “The dog is making fun of me!” He shouted to his attendants to drive it away, then got into his carriage and left the residence. Before he had gone many paces, he saw a white rainbow rise from the ground in front of his carriage and shoot up into the sky like a length of white silk. Zhuge Ke was greatly alarmed and puzzled. His trusted general Zhang Yue came up to the carriage and said to him in secret, “There is a banquet in the palace today, and there is no telling whether it bodes good or ill. My lord must not go in lightly.”

恪令安排車仗。方欲出府，有黃犬銜住衣服，嚶嚶作聲，如哭之狀。恪怒曰：“犬戲我也！”叱左右逐去之，遂乘車出府。行不數步，見車前一道白虹，自地而起，如白練沖天而去。恪甚驚怪，心腹將張約進車前密告曰：“今日宮中設宴，未知好歹，主公不可輕入。”

When Zhuge Ke had heard this, he ordered the carriage to turn back. He had gone no more than a dozen paces when Sun Jun and Teng Yin rode up to his carriage and said, “Why is the Grand Tutor turning back?” Zhuge Ke said, “I have been seized with a pain in my belly and cannot see the Son of Heaven.” Teng Yin said, “Since the Grand Tutor came back with the army, the court has not had a chance to speak with you face to face, so a banquet has been specially prepared to invite you and also to discuss important matters. Even though the Grand Tutor is unwell, you really should make the effort to go.” Zhuge Ke did as he said and went into the palace with Sun Jun and Teng Yin, and Zhang Yue followed him in.

恪聽罷，便令回車。行不到十餘步，孫峻、滕胤乘馬至車前曰：“太傅何故便回？”恪曰：“吾忽然腹痛，不可見天子。”胤曰：“朝廷爲太傅軍回，不曾面敘，故特設宴相召，兼議大事。太傅雖感貴恙，還當勉強一行。”恪從其言，遂同孫峻、滕胤入宮，張約亦隨入。

Zhuge Ke saw Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, made his obeisance and took his seat at the table. Sun Liang ordered wine to be served, but Zhuge Ke was suspicious and declined, saying, “In my sickly state I cannot manage a cup of wine.” Sun Jun said, “The Grand Tutor always takes medicinal wine at home. Shall we send for some for you to drink?” “That will do,” said Zhuge Ke. So he sent one of his attendants back to the residence to fetch medicinal wine of his own making, and only then did Zhuge Ke drink with an easy mind. When the wine had gone round several times, Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, excused himself on some pretext and rose first. Sun Jun went down from the hall, took off his long robe and put on a short tunic with chain armour underneath. Then, with a sharp blade in his hand, he came back up into the hall and shouted, “The Son of Heaven has issued an edict to put the traitor to death!”

恪見吳主孫亮，施禮畢，就席而坐。亮命進酒，恪心疑，辭曰：“病軀不勝杯酌。”孫峻曰：“太傅府中常服藥酒，可取飲乎？”恪曰：“可也。”遂令從人回府取自制藥酒到，恪方纔放心飲之。酒至數巡，吳主孫亮託事先起。孫峻下殿，脫了長服，着短衣，內披環甲，手提利刃，上殿大呼曰：“天子有詔誅逆賊！”

Zhuge Ke was horrified. He threw his cup to the ground and tried to draw his sword to meet the attack, but his head was already on the floor. When Zhang Yue saw Sun Jun cut down Zhuge Ke, he came at him swinging his sword. Sun Jun dodged quickly, but the point of the blade wounded him in the fingers of his left hand. Sun Jun turned and struck back with a single blow that caught Zhang Yue on the right arm. The armed guards rushed out all together, cut Zhang Yue down and hacked him to pulp. Sun Jun ordered the guards to seize Zhuge Ke’s family, and at the same time had the bodies of Zhang Yue and Zhuge Ke wrapped in reed mats, carried out on a small cart, and thrown into a pit among the unmarked graves at Shizigang, outside the south gate of the city.

諸葛恪大驚，擲杯於地，欲拔劍迎之，頭已落地。張約見峻斬恪，揮刀來迎。峻急閃過，刀尖傷其左指。峻轉身一刀，砍中張約右臂。武士一齊擁出，砍倒張約，剁爲肉泥。孫峻一面令武士收恪家眷，一面令人將張約並諸葛恪屍首，用蘆蓆包裹，以小車載出，棄於城南門外石子崗亂冢坑內。

Meanwhile Zhuge Ke’s wife was in her room, feeling dazed and unable to sit or stand at ease, when suddenly one of her maids came in. Zhuge Ke’s wife asked her, “Why do you smell of blood all over?” All at once the maid rolled her eyes and gnashed her teeth. She leapt into the air, struck her head against the roof beam and cried out, “I am Zhuge Ke! I have been murdered by that treacherous villain Sun Jun!” Zhuge Ke’s whole household, old and young, wailed in terror. Before long troops arrived and surrounded the residence, and Zhuge Ke’s entire family, old and young, were bound, taken to the execution ground in the marketplace and beheaded.

卻說諸葛恪之妻正在房中心神恍惚，動止不寧，忽一婢女入房。恪妻問曰：“汝遍身如何血臭？”其婢忽然反目切齒，飛身跳躍，頭撞屋樑，口中大叫：“吾乃諸葛恪也！被奸賊孫峻謀殺！”恪閤家老幼，驚惶號哭。不一時，軍馬至，圍住府第，將恪全家老幼，俱縛至市曹斬首。

It was the tenth month, in the winter of the second year of Jianxing of Wu. Long before, while Zhuge Jin was still alive, he had seen that all of Zhuge Ke’s cleverness showed on the surface and had sighed, “This son of mine is not the man to preserve the family!” And Zhang Ji, Grand Master of the Palace of Wei, had once said to Sima Shi, “Zhuge Ke will die before long.” When Sima Shi asked why, Zhang Ji said, “His power overawes his sovereign. How can he last?” Now his words came true. Meanwhile, after Sun Jun had killed Zhuge Ke, Sun Liang, the Ruler of Wu, made him Chancellor, Grand General and Marquis of Fuchun, with overall command of all military affairs at court and beyond. From then on, all power lay in the hands of Sun Jun.

時吳建興二年冬十月也。昔諸葛瑾存日，見恪聰明盡顯於外，嘆曰：“此子非保家之主也！”又魏光祿大夫張緝，曾對司馬師曰：“諸葛恪不久死矣。”師問其故，緝曰：“威震其主，何能久乎？”至此果中其言。卻說孫峻殺了諸葛恪，吳主孫亮封峻爲丞相、大將軍、富春侯，總督中外諸軍事。自此權柄盡歸孫峻矣。

Now Jiang Wei, in Chengdu, had received Zhuge Ke’s letter asking for his help in attacking Wei. So he went to court, obtained the Latter Ruler’s approval, and once again raised a great army to march north against the Central Plain.

且說姜維在成都，接得諸葛恪書，欲求相助伐魏，遂入朝，奏準後主，復起大兵，北伐中原。

Indeed:
Once he raised an army, but won no success;
A second time he marches on the rebels, bent on victory.
Who won and who lost will be told in the next chapter.

正是：一度興師未奏績，兩番討賊欲成功。
未知勝負如何，且看下文分解。