Romance, Chapter 104

Chapter 104. A Great Star Falls and the Han Chancellor Returns to Heaven; A Wooden Statue Strikes Terror into the Wei Commander

Now when Jiang Wei saw that Wei Yan had trampled out the lamp, he was filled with rage and drew his sword to kill him. Kongming stopped him, saying, “It is my fate that my life should end. It is not Wenchang’s fault.” Only then did Jiang Wei sheathe his sword. Kongming coughed up several mouthfuls of blood and, lying collapsed on his couch, said to Wei Yan, “Sima Yi has guessed that I am ill and has sent men to find out how things really stand. Go out at once and meet the enemy.” Wei Yan took the order, left the tent, mounted his horse and led his troops out of the camp to attack.

卻說姜維見魏延踏滅了燈，心中忿怒，拔劍欲殺之。孔明止之曰：“此吾命當絕，非文長之過也。”維乃收劍。孔明吐血數口，臥倒牀上，謂魏延曰：“此是司馬懿料吾有病，故令人來探視虛實。汝可急出迎敵。”魏延領命，出帳上馬，引兵殺出寨來。

When Xiahou Ba saw Wei Yan, he hastily led his troops away. Wei Yan chased him for more than twenty li before turning back. Kongming ordered Wei Yan to go back to his own camp and hold it.

夏侯霸見了魏延，慌忙引軍退走。延追趕二十餘里方回。孔明令魏延自回本寨把守。

Jiang Wei entered the tent, went straight to Kongming’s couch and asked how he was. Kongming said, “I had hoped to give all my loyalty and all my strength to recovering the Central Plains and restoring the House of Han. But since Heaven wills it otherwise, I shall die any day now. All that I have learned in my life I have already written down in a book of twenty-four sections, one hundred and four thousand one hundred and twelve characters in all, which sets out the methods of the Eight Essentials, the Seven Cautions, the Six Fears and the Five Dreads. I have looked over all the generals, and there is no one to whom I can hand it on. You alone can carry on my book.

姜維入帳，直至孔明榻前問安。孔明曰：“吾本欲竭忠盡力，恢復中原，重興漢室；奈天意如此，吾旦夕將死。吾平生所學，已著書二十四篇，計十萬四千一百一十二字，內有八務、七戒、六恐、五懼之法。吾遍觀諸將，無人可授，獨汝可傳我書。

Take great care not to treat it lightly!” Jiang Wei wept, bowed and received it. Kongming went on, “I have a method for a ‘repeating crossbow’ that I have never been able to use. By this method the bolts are eight inches long, and one crossbow can shoot ten bolts. It is all drawn out in diagrams. You may build and use them according to the method.” Jiang Wei again bowed and received it. Kongming said further, “None of the roads into Shu need cause you much worry. Only the region of Yinping calls for great care. Though the place is steep and rugged, in the long run it is bound to be lost.”

切勿輕忽！”維哭拜而受。孔明又曰：“吾有‘連弩’之法，不曾用得。其法矢長八寸，一弩可發十矢，皆畫成圖本。汝可依法造用。”維亦拜受。孔明又曰：“蜀中諸道，皆不必多憂；惟陰平之地，切須仔細。此地雖險峻，久必有失。”

He also called Ma Dai into the tent, whispered in his ear and gave him a secret plan, charging him, “After I am dead, you are to carry out this plan.” Ma Dai took the plan and went out. A little later Yang Yi came in. Kongming called him to his couch, gave him a silk bag and charged him in secret, “When I die, Wei Yan is sure to rebel. Wait until he rebels, and only when you face him on the field open this bag. At that moment there will be a man to behead Wei Yan.” When Kongming had made all these arrangements one by one, he fell into a swoon and did not come to until evening. Then at once he wrote a memorial to the Latter Ruler through the night.

又喚馬岱入帳，附耳低言，授以密計；囑曰：“我死之後，汝可依計行之。”岱領計而出。少頃，楊儀入。孔明喚至榻前，授與一錦囊，密囑曰：“我死，魏延必反；待其反時，汝與臨陣，方開此囊。那時自有斬魏延之人也。”孔明一一調度已畢，便昏然而倒，至晚方蘇，便連夜表奏後主。

When the Latter Ruler read the memorial he was greatly alarmed. He at once ordered the Secretary Li Fu to travel through the night to the army, to ask after Kongming’s health and to inquire about the arrangements for after his death. Li Fu received the order, hurried to the Wuzhang Plains, went in to see Kongming, delivered the Latter Ruler’s message and asked after his health. Kongming wept and said, “By misfortune I am dying halfway along the road, leaving the great affairs of the state undone, and I have sinned against the whole world. After I am dead, you gentlemen must give all your loyalty to helping our lord. The old institutions of the state must not be changed, and the men I have employed must not be lightly dismissed.

後主聞奏大驚，急命尚書李福，星夜至軍中問安，兼詢後事。李福領命，趲程赴五丈原，入見孔明，傳後主之命，問安畢。孔明流涕曰：“吾不幸中道喪亡，虛廢國家大事，得罪於天下。我死後，公等宜竭忠輔主。國家舊制，不可改易；吾所用之人，亦不可輕廢。

I have passed on all my art of war to Jiang Wei. He will be able to carry on my purpose and exert himself for the state. My life hangs by a thread from one day to the next; I shall shortly send up a last memorial to the Son of Heaven.” Li Fu took his words and hurriedly departed. Kongming, forcing his sick body to hold up, had his attendants help him into a small carriage and went out of the camp to look over all the encampments. Feeling the autumn wind blow in his face and the cold strike through to his bones, he sighed long and said, “Never again shall I face the enemy in battle and punish the rebels!

吾兵法皆授與姜維，他自能繼吾之志，爲國家出力。吾命已在旦夕，當即有遺表上奏天子也。”李福領了言語，匆匆辭去。孔明強支病體，令左右扶上小車，出寨遍觀各營；自覺秋風吹面，徹骨生寒，乃長嘆曰：“再不能臨陣討賊矣！

O distant blue Heaven, when will there be an end!” He sighed for a long time. When he got back to his tent, his illness grew heavier. He called Yang Yi and gave him his instructions: “Wang Ping, Liao Hua, Zhang Ni, Zhang Yi, Wu Yi and the others are all loyal and upright men who have long experience of battle and have borne great labours. They can be entrusted with responsibility. After I am dead, let everything be done according to the old rules. Withdraw the army slowly; do not hurry. You are deeply versed in strategy, so I need not say much more.

悠悠蒼天，曷其有極！”嘆息良久。回到帳中，病轉沉重，乃喚楊儀分付曰：“王平、廖化、張嶷、張翼、吳懿等，皆忠義之士，久經戰陣，多負勤勞，堪可委用。我死之後，凡事俱依舊法而行。緩緩退兵，不可急驟。汝深通謀略，不必多囑。

Jiang Boyue is well endowed with both wisdom and courage; he can command the rearguard.” Yang Yi wept, bowed and accepted the command. Kongming had the Four Treasures of the Study brought to him, and on his sickbed he wrote out in his own hand a last memorial to be sent to the Latter Ruler. The memorial said in substance: “I humbly hear that life and death follow a constant law, and none can escape his appointed lot. Now that death is upon me, I wish to offer the last of my poor loyalty. I, Liang, am by nature foolish and clumsy. I met with a time of hardship, was given a share of the tallies and the insignia of command, held sole charge of the balance of state, and raised an army to march north, but have not achieved success. Who could have foreseen that my illness would reach the vitals and my life hang by a thread, so that I cannot serve Your Majesty to the end? My regret is boundless!

姜伯約智勇足備，可以斷後。”楊儀泣拜受命。孔明令取文房四寶，於臥榻上手書遺表，以達後主。表略曰：“伏聞生死有常，難逃定數；死之將至，願盡愚忠：臣亮賦性愚拙，遭時艱難，分符擁節，專掌鈞衡，興師北伐，未獲成功；何期病入膏肓，命垂旦夕，不及終事陛下，飲恨無窮！

I humbly hope that Your Majesty will keep your heart pure and your desires few, be sparing with yourself and love the people; that you will carry filial piety through to the late Emperor and spread benevolence and kindness throughout the realm; that you will raise up those living in obscurity so as to promote the worthy and good, and drive away the treacherous and wicked so as to make the people’s customs sound. At Chengdu my family has eight hundred mulberry trees and fifteen qing of poor land, so that my sons and younger kin have more than enough food and clothing. As for me, serving away from home, I have made no other provision. The clothes on my back and the food I eat have all come from the government; I have run no other business to add to my property by so much as an inch or a foot.

伏願陛下：清心寡慾，約己愛民；達孝道於先皇，布仁恩於宇下；提拔幽隱，以進賢良；屏斥奸邪，以厚風俗。臣家成都有桑八百株，薄田十五頃，子弟衣食，自有餘饒。至於臣在外任，別無調度，隨身衣食，悉仰於官，不別治生，以長尺寸。

On the day I die, I shall not let there be surplus silk within my house or excess wealth outside it, and so betray Your Majesty.” When Kongming had finished writing, he gave further instructions to Yang Yi: “After I am dead, you must not announce my death. Make a large shrine-box and seat my body in it. Put seven grains of rice in my mouth and set a bright lamp at my feet. Keep the army as quiet as usual, and on no account let there be any mourning. Then my general’s star will not fall, and my spirit will itself rise up to hold it in place.

臣死之日，不使內有餘帛，外有贏財，以負陛下也。”孔明寫畢，又囑楊儀曰：“吾死之後，不可發喪。可作一大龕，將吾屍坐於龕中；以米七粒，放吾口內；腳下用明燈一盞；軍中安靜如常，切勿舉哀：則將星不墜。吾陰魂更自起鎮之。

When Sima Yi sees that the general’s star has not fallen, he will certainly be startled and suspicious. Have the rear camp set off first, and then withdraw slowly, one camp after another. If Sima Yi comes in pursuit, draw up your men in battle formation, turn your banners about and sound your drums against him. Wait until he arrives, then take the wooden statue of me that I had carved earlier, set it on a carriage and push it out in front of the army, with all the officers and men, high and low, drawn up on either side. When Sima Yi sees it, he is sure to take fright and run.” Yang Yi assented to each point.

司馬懿見將星不墜，必然驚疑。吾軍可令後寨先行，然後一營一營緩緩而退。若司馬懿來追，汝可布成陣勢，回旗返鼓。等他來到，卻將我先時所雕木像，安於車上，推出軍前，令大小將士，分列左右。懿見之必驚走矣。”楊儀一一領諾。

That night Kongming had himself helped outside. He looked up at the Northern Dipper and, pointing far off to one star, said, “That is my general’s star.” They all looked and saw that its light was dim and dark, flickering as if about to fall. Kongming pointed his sword at it and muttered an incantation. When he had finished, he hurried back to his tent, and at that moment he lost consciousness. While the generals were in confusion, the Secretary Li Fu suddenly arrived again. Seeing Kongming unconscious and unable to speak, he wept aloud and said, “I have ruined the great affairs of the state!”

是夜，孔明令人扶出，仰觀北斗，遙指一星曰：“此吾之將星也。”衆視之，見其色昏暗，搖搖欲墜。孔明以劍指之，口中唸咒。咒畢急回帳時，不省人事。衆將正慌亂間，忽尚書李福又至；見孔明昏絕，口不能言，乃大哭曰：“我誤國家之大事也！”

After a while Kongming came to again. Opening his eyes and looking around, he saw Li Fu standing by his couch. Kongming said, “I already know why you have come back.” Li Fu apologized and said, “I received the Son of Heaven’s command to ask who, after the Chancellor’s hundred years are over, could be entrusted with the great affairs. In my haste just now I failed to ask, so I have come back.” Kongming said, “After I am dead, the man who can be entrusted with the great affairs is Jiang Gongyan.” Li Fu asked, “And after Gongyan, who can succeed him?”

須臾，孔明覆醒，開目遍視，見李福立於榻前。孔明曰：“吾已知公復來之意。”福謝曰：“福奉天子命，問丞相百年後，誰可任大事者。適因匆遽，失於諮請，故復來耳。”孔明曰：“吾死之後，可任大事者：蔣公琰其宜也。”福曰：“公琰之後，誰可繼之？”

Kongming said, “Fei Wenwei can succeed him.” Li Fu asked again, “And after Wenwei, who should succeed?” Kongming did not answer. The generals came close to look, and he had already passed away. It was the twenty-third day of the eighth month, in autumn, of the twelfth year of Jianxing, and he was fifty-four years old. Later Du Fu of the Ministry of Works

孔明曰：“費文偉可繼之。”福又問：“文偉之後，誰當繼者？”孔明不答。衆將近前視之，已薨矣。時建興十二年秋八月二十三日也，壽五十四歲。後杜工部

wrote a poem lamenting him:
Last night a long star fell upon the forward camp;
Today the news has come: the master is no more.
No more are orders heard within the tiger tent;
Only on Unicorn Tower his glorious name is shown.
In vain he leaves behind three thousand followers at his gate,
And fails the hundred thousand troops he held within his breast.
How fair the green shade looks in the clear light of day,
But now no more is heard the sound of elegant song!

有詩嘆曰：“長星昨夜墜前營，訃報先生此日傾。
虎帳不聞施號令，麟臺惟顯著勳名。
空餘門下三千客，辜負胸中十萬兵。
好看綠陰清晝裏，於今無復雅歌聲！
”

Bai Juyi also wrote a poem:
The master hid his traces, lying in the hills and woods;
Who would have thought a sage lord would come three times to seek him?
The fish came to Nanyang and only then found water;
The dragon soared to the River of Heaven and at once turned to rain.
Entrusted with the orphan, he fulfilled every rite of devotion;
Repaying the state, he poured out his loyal and upright heart.
His memorials on sending out the army, the first and the second, remain;
One reading brings tears that soak the collar. Earlier, the Shu Colonel of the Changshui Garrison, Liao Li, had considered that his talent and reputation entitled him to be Kongming’s second. Because his post was an idle one, he was always resentful and discontented, and never stopped grumbling and slandering.

白樂天亦有詩曰：“先生晦跡臥山林，三顧那逢聖主尋。魚到南陽方得水，龍飛天漢便爲霖。託孤既盡殷勤禮，報國還傾忠義心。前後出師遺表在，令人一覽淚沾襟。”初，蜀長水校尉廖立，自謂才名宜爲孔明之副，嘗以職位閒散，怏怏不平，怨謗無已。

So Kongming had deprived him of rank, made him a commoner and banished him to Wenshan. When Liao Li heard that Kongming was dead, he wept and said, “In the end I shall have to fold my robe to the left like a barbarian!” When Li Yan heard the news, he too wept bitterly, fell ill and died. For Li Yan had always hoped that Kongming would take him back so that he could make up for his past offences, and he reckoned that after Kongming’s death no one would be able to employ him. Later Yuan Zhen wrote a poem in praise of Kongming:
He quelled disorder and upheld an imperilled lord;
With devotion he accepted the charge of the orphan.

於是孔明廢之爲庶人，徙之汶山。及聞孔明亡，乃垂泣曰：“吾終爲左衽矣！”李嚴聞之，亦大哭病死，蓋嚴嘗望孔明覆收己，得自補前過；度孔明死後，人不能用之故也。後元微之有贊孔明詩曰：“撥亂扶危主，殷勤受託孤。

His brilliance surpassed Guan Zhong and Yue Yi;
His wondrous plans excelled Sun Wu and Wu Qi.
Awe-inspiring, the Memorial on Dispatching the Troops;
Majestic, the Eight Arrays.
A virtue as full and perfect as his,
We must sigh, has never been seen in past or present!

英才過管樂，妙策勝孫吳。凜凜《出師表》，堂堂八陣圖。如公全盛德，應嘆古今無！”

That night heaven was grieved and the earth desolate, the moon lost its light, and Kongming quietly returned to Heaven. Jiang Wei and Yang Yi, obeying Kongming’s last command, did not dare to mourn. They laid out his body as instructed, placed it in the shrine-box and set three hundred trusted officers and men to guard it. Then they passed on a secret order for Wei Yan to command the rearguard, and the camps everywhere withdrew one after another.

是夜，天愁地慘，月色無光，孔明奄然歸天。姜維、楊儀遵孔明遺命，不敢舉哀，依法成殮，安置龕中，令心腹將卒三百人守護；隨傳密令，使魏延斷後，各處營寨一一退去。

Meanwhile Sima Yi, observing the heavens by night, saw a great star, red in colour, its rays pointed like horns, flow from the northeast to the southwest and fall inside the Shu camp. Three times it dropped and twice it rose again, with a faint rumbling sound. Sima Yi, startled and delighted, said, “Kongming is dead!” He at once sent orders to raise the main army and pursue. But just as he was going out of the camp gate, he was suddenly seized by doubt again and said, “Kongming is skilled in the arts of the Six Ding and Six Jia spirits. Seeing that I have not come out to fight for so long, he is using this art to feign death and lure me out.

卻說司馬懿夜觀天文，見一大星，赤色，光芒有角，自東北方流於西南方，墜於蜀營內，三投再起，隱隱有聲。懿驚喜曰：“孔明死矣！”即傳令起大兵追之。方出寨門，忽又疑慮曰：“孔明善會六丁六甲之法，今見我久不出戰，故以此術詐死，誘我出耳。

If we pursue him now, we shall certainly fall into his trap.” So he reined in his horse, went back to camp and did not come out again. He only ordered Xiahou Ba to take a few dozen horsemen secretly into the remote hills around the Wuzhang Plains to scout for news.

今若追之，必中其計。”遂復勒馬回寨不出，只令夏侯霸暗引數十騎，往五丈原山僻哨探消息。

Meanwhile Wei Yan, in his own camp, had a dream one night: he dreamed that two horns had suddenly grown on his head. When he woke he was greatly puzzled. The next day, when the Army Marshal Zhao Zhi came, Wei Yan invited him in and asked, “I have long known that you are deeply versed in the principles of the Book of Changes. Last night I dreamed that two horns grew on my head. I do not know whether this portends good or ill. May I trouble you to interpret it for me?” Zhao Zhi thought for a good while and answered, “This is a most auspicious omen. The qilin has horns on its head, and so does the azure dragon. It is a sign of transformation and soaring flight.”

卻說魏延在本寨中，夜作一夢，夢見頭上忽生二角，醒來甚是疑異。次日，行軍司馬趙直至，延請入問曰：“久知足下深明《易》理，吾夜夢頭生二角，不知主何吉凶？煩足下爲我決之。”趙直想了半晌，答曰：“此大吉之兆：麒麟頭上有角，蒼龍頭上有角，乃變化飛騰之象也。”

Wei Yan was delighted and said, “If it turns out as you say, I shall reward you handsomely!” Zhao Zhi took his leave, and before he had gone many li he happened to meet the Secretary Fei Yi. Fei Yi asked where he had come from. Zhao Zhi said, “I have just been to Wei Wenchang’s camp. Wenchang dreamed that horns grew on his head and asked me to tell him whether it was good or ill. It is not really a good omen, but I was afraid he would take offence if I spoke plainly, so I explained it by the qilin and the azure dragon.” Fei Yi said, “How do you know it is not a good omen?” Zhao Zhi said, “In its shape, the character for ‘horn’ is ‘knife’ with ‘use’ below it.

延大喜曰：“如應公言，當有重謝！”直辭去，行不數里，正遇尚書費禕。禕問何來。直曰：“適至魏文長營中，文長夢頭生角，令我決其吉凶。此本非吉兆，但恐直言見怪，因以麒麟蒼龍解之。”禕曰：“足下何以知非吉兆？”直曰：“角之字形，乃刀下用也。

Now a knife is to be used on his head—nothing could be more ominous!” Fei Yi said, “Do not let this leak out for now.” Zhao Zhi parted from him and went on. Fei Yi went to Wei Yan’s camp, sent away the attendants and told him, “At the third watch last night the Chancellor departed this life. On his deathbed he instructed again and again that you, General, should command the rearguard to hold off Sima Yi and withdraw slowly, and that his death was not to be announced. The army tally is here; you may set the troops moving at once.” Wei Yan said, “Who is acting in the Chancellor’s place for the great affairs?”

今頭上用刀，其兇甚矣！”禕曰：“君且勿泄漏。”直別去。費禕至魏延寨中，屏退左右，告曰：“昨夜三更，丞相已辭世矣。臨終再三囑付，令將軍斷後以當司馬懿，緩緩而退，不可發喪。今兵符在此，便可起兵。”延曰：“何人代理丞相之大事？”

Fei Yi said, “The Chancellor entrusted all the great affairs to Yang Yi, and his secret methods of war he passed on to Jiang Boyue. This tally carries Yang Yi’s order.” Wei Yan said, “The Chancellor may be dead, but I am still here. Yang Yi is nothing but a Chief Clerk. How can he take on so great a charge? All he is fit for is escorting the coffin back into Shu for burial. I shall lead the main army myself to attack Sima Yi and make sure of success. How can the great affairs of the state be abandoned on account of one man, even the Chancellor?”

禕曰：“丞相一應大事，盡託與楊儀；用兵密法，皆授與姜伯約。此兵符乃楊儀之令也。”延曰：“丞相雖亡，吾今現在。楊儀不過一長史，安能當此大任？他只宜扶柩入川安葬。我自率大兵攻司馬懿，務要成功。豈可因丞相一人而廢國家大事耶？”

Fei Yi said, “The Chancellor’s last order was to withdraw for the time being. It must not be disobeyed.” Wei Yan said angrily, “If the Chancellor had followed my plan back then, we would have taken Changan long ago! I now hold office as General of the Front, Senior General Who Conquers the West and Marquis of Nanzheng. How can I command the rearguard for a Chief Clerk?” Fei Yi said, “What you say is right, General, but you must not act rashly and make yourself a laughing stock to the enemy. Let me go and see Yang Yi and put the advantages and dangers to him, so that he hands over command of the army to you. What do you say?” Wei Yan agreed to this.

禕曰：“丞相遺令，教且暫退，不可有違。”延怒曰：“丞相當時若依我計，取長安久矣！吾今官任前將軍、徵西大將軍、南鄭侯，安肯與長史斷後！”禕曰：“將軍之言雖是，然不可輕動，令敵人恥笑。待吾往見楊儀，以利害說之，令彼將兵權讓與將軍，何如？”延依其言。

Fei Yi took leave of Wei Yan, left his camp and hurried to the main camp to see Yang Yi, to whom he reported everything Wei Yan had said. Yang Yi said, “When the Chancellor was dying, he told me in secret that Wei Yan was sure to have disloyal intentions. When I sent the tally to him just now, I really wanted to sound out his heart. Now it has turned out just as the Chancellor said. I shall simply have Boyue command the rearguard.” So Yang Yi led the troops ahead escorting the coffin, with Jiang Wei in command of the rearguard, and in accordance with Kongming’s last orders they withdrew slowly.

禕辭延出營，急到大寨見楊儀，具述魏延之語。儀曰：“丞相臨終，曾密囑我曰：魏延必有異志。今我以兵符往，實欲探其心耳。今果應丞相之言。吾自令伯約斷後可也。”於是楊儀領兵扶柩先行，令姜維斷後；依孔明遺令，徐徐而退。

In his camp, Wei Yan, seeing that Fei Yi had not come back with an answer, grew suspicious and sent Ma Dai with a dozen or so horsemen to find out what was happening. They came back to report, “The rear army is under the overall command of Jiang Wei, and most of the front army has already withdrawn into the valley.” Wei Yan was furious. “How dare that wretched pedant deceive me! I will kill him!” Then he turned to Ma Dai and said, “Will you help me?” Ma Dai said, “I too have long hated Yang Yi. I would gladly help you attack him, General.” Wei Yan was delighted. He at once broke camp and led his own troops southward.

魏延在寨中，不見費禕來回覆，心中疑惑，乃令馬岱引十數騎往探消息。回報曰：“後軍乃姜維總督，前軍大半退入谷中去了。”延大怒曰：“豎儒安敢欺我！我必殺之！”因顧謂岱曰：“公肯相助否？”岱曰：“某亦素恨楊儀，今願助將軍攻之。”延大喜，即拔寨引本部兵望南而行。

Meanwhile Xiahou Ba led his troops to the Wuzhang Plains and found not a single man there. He hurried back to report to Sima Yi, “The Shu troops have all withdrawn.” Sima Yi stamped his foot and said, “Kongming really is dead! Pursue them at once!” Xiahou Ba said, “Commander, you must not pursue rashly. You should send a subordinate general ahead first.” Sima Yi said, “This time I must go myself.” He led his troops, together with his two sons, in a headlong charge on the Wuzhang Plains. Shouting and waving their banners, they burst into the Shu camp, and indeed there was not a single man there.

卻說夏侯霸引軍至五丈原看時，不見一人，急回報司馬懿曰：“蜀兵已盡退矣。”懿跌足曰：“孔明真死矣！可速追之！”夏侯霸曰：“都督不可輕追。當令偏將先往。”懿曰：“此番須吾自行。”遂引兵同二子一齊殺奔五丈原來；吶喊搖旗，殺入蜀寨時，果無一人。

Sima Yi turned to his two sons and said, “Hurry the troops along and follow me. I shall lead the army on ahead.” So Sima Shi and Sima Zhao urged the troops on from the rear, while Sima Yi himself led the army at the front. When he had chased them to the foot of a hill, he saw the Shu troops not far ahead and pressed on after them with all his might. Suddenly a bombard roared behind the hill and a great shout went up. All the Shu troops turned their banners about and beat their drums as they wheeled round, and out of the shade of the trees floated the great banner of the central army, on which was written in large characters a single line: “Zhuge Liang, Chancellor of Han and Marquis of Wuxiang.”

懿顧二子曰：“汝急催兵趕來，吾先引軍前進。”於是司馬師、司馬昭在後催軍；懿自引軍當先，追到山腳下，望見蜀兵不遠，乃奮力追趕。忽然山後一聲炮響，喊聲大震，只見蜀兵俱回旗返鼓，樹影中飄出中軍大旗，上書一行大字曰：“漢丞相武鄉侯諸葛亮”。

Sima Yi turned pale with fright. Looking hard, he saw several dozen senior generals of the central army escorting a four-wheeled carriage, and seated upright in it was Kongming, in a silk turban and a crane-feather cloak with a black sash, holding a feather fan. Sima Yi, aghast, said, “Kongming is still alive! I have rashly come deep into dangerous ground and fallen into his trap!” He hastily wheeled his horse around and fled. Behind him Jiang Wei shouted, “Stop, rebel general! You have fallen into our Chancellor’s trap!”

懿大驚失色。定睛看時，只見中軍數十員上將，擁出一輛四輪車來；車上端坐孔明：綸巾羽扇，鶴氅皁絛。懿大驚曰：“孔明尚在！吾輕入重地，墮其計矣！”急勒回馬便走。背後姜維大叫：“賊將休走！你中了我丞相之計也！”

The Wei troops were frightened out of their wits. They threw away their armour and helmets, flung down their spears and halberds and fled for their lives, trampling one another so that countless men died. Sima Yi galloped for more than fifty li, until two Wei generals caught up with him from behind, seized the bit ring of his horse and cried, “Do not be alarmed, Commander!” Sima Yi felt his head with his hand and said, “Do I still have a head?” The two generals said, “Do not be afraid, Commander. The Shu troops are far away.” Sima Yi panted for a good while before his colour returned. Opening his eyes, he saw that they were Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Hui. Then he slowly eased his reins and, with the two generals, took the byways back to his own camp, and sent his generals out with troops in all directions to scout.

魏兵魂飛魄散，棄甲丟盔，拋戈撇戟，各逃性命，自相踐踏，死者無數。司馬懿奔走了五十餘里，背後兩員魏將趕上，扯住馬嚼環叫曰：“都督勿驚。”懿用手摸頭曰：“我有頭否？”二將曰：“都督休怕，蜀兵去遠了。”懿喘息半晌，神色方定；睜目視之，乃夏侯霸、夏侯惠也；乃徐徐按轡，與二將尋小路奔歸本寨，使衆將引兵四散哨探。

Two days later some villagers came running to report: “When the Shu troops withdrew into the valley, the sound of their wailing shook the earth, and white banners were raised in the army. Kongming is indeed dead, and only Jiang Wei was left with a thousand troops to cover the rear. The Kongming in the carriage the other day was a wooden figure.” Sima Yi sighed, “I could foresee what he would do alive, but not what he would do dead!” Hence the people of Shu had a saying: “A dead Zhuge put a living Zhongda to flight.”

過了兩日，鄉民奔告曰：“蜀兵退入谷中之時，哀聲震地，軍中揚起白旗：孔明果然死了，止留姜維引一千兵斷後。前日車上之孔明，乃木人也。”懿嘆曰：“吾能料其生，不能料其死也！”因此蜀中人諺曰：“死諸葛能走生仲達。”

A later poet lamented:
At midnight a long star fell from the Pivot of Heaven,
Yet as he fled he still suspected Liang was not dead.
Beyond the passes people laugh at him to this day:
He even asked whether his head was still there or not!

後人有詩嘆曰：“長星半夜落天樞，奔走還疑亮未殂。
關外至今人冷笑，頭顱猶問有和無！
”

When Sima Yi knew that the news of Kongming’s death was certain, he led his troops in pursuit once more. On reaching the Chi’an Slope, he saw that the Shu army had gone far away, so he turned back. Looking round at his generals, he said, “Now that Kongming is dead, we can all sleep on high pillows without a care!” So he withdrew the army. All along the way he saw the places where Kongming had pitched his camps, every one of them ordered by rule, front and back, left and right. Sima Yi sighed and said, “This was the most extraordinary genius in the world!”

司馬懿知孔明死信已確，乃復引兵追趕。行到赤岸坡，見蜀兵已去遠，乃引還，顧謂衆將曰：“孔明已死，我等皆高枕無憂矣！”遂班師回。一路上見孔明安營下寨之處，前後左右，整整有法，懿嘆曰：“此天下奇才也！”

He then led his troops back to Changan, assigned his generals to guard the strategic passes, and went back himself to Luoyang to see the sovereign.

於是引兵回長安，分調衆將，各守隘口，懿自回洛陽面君去了。

Meanwhile Yang Yi and Jiang Wei, keeping their troops in battle order, withdrew slowly into the mouth of the plank road. Only then did they change into mourning clothes, announce the death, raise the funeral banners and lament. The Shu soldiers all beat themselves and fell to the ground weeping, and some even wept themselves to death. Just as the front company of the Shu army came back to the mouth of the plank road, they suddenly saw flames soaring to the sky ahead and heard shouting that shook the earth, and a body of troops barred their way. The generals were greatly alarmed and hurried to report to Yang Yi.

卻說楊儀、姜維排成陣勢，緩緩退入棧閣道口，然後更衣發喪，揚幡舉哀。蜀軍皆撞跌而哭，至有哭死者。蜀兵前隊正回到棧閣道口，忽見前面火光沖天，喊聲震地，一彪軍攔路。衆將大驚，急報楊儀。

Indeed:
The generals of the Wei camp have been seen to go;
But what troops are these now coming in the land of Shu?
What army it was that had come will be told in the next chapter.

正是：已見魏營諸將去，不知蜀地甚兵來。
未知來者是何處軍馬，且看下文分解。