Romance, Chapter 114

Chapter 114. Cao Mao Drives Out in His Carriage and Dies at the Southern Gate; Jiang Wei Abandons His Grain and Defeats the Wei Army

Now when Jiang Wei gave the order to withdraw, Liao Hua said, “When a general is in the field, there are commands of his sovereign that he need not obey. Though an edict has come, we should not move.” Zhang Yi said, “The people of Shu all bear a grudge because you, Grand General, have taken the field year after year. It would be better to use this moment of victory to bring back our men and horses, set the people’s hearts at rest, and make better plans later.” “Good,” said Jiang Wei. He ordered each army to withdraw in proper order, and had Liao Hua and Zhang Yi cover the rear in case the Wei troops pursued.

卻說姜維傳令退兵，廖化曰：“將在外，君命有所不受。今雖有詔，未可動也。”張翼曰：“蜀人爲大將軍連年動兵，皆有怨望；不如乘此得勝之時，收回人馬，以安民心，再作良圖。”維曰：“善。”遂令各軍依法而退。命廖化、張翼斷後，以防魏兵追襲。

Meanwhile Deng Ai led his troops in pursuit, but he saw that the Shu banners ahead were in perfect order and their men and horses were withdrawing at a steady pace. “Jiang Wei has truly mastered the methods of the Martial Marquis!” sighed Deng Ai. So he did not dare pursue, but reined in his army and went back to his camp at Mount Qi. Jiang Wei, on reaching Chengdu, went in to see the Latter Ruler and asked why he had been recalled. The Latter Ruler said, “Because you have been on the frontier so long without bringing the army home, I feared the soldiers would be worn out. That is why I summoned you back to court. I meant nothing else.”

卻說鄧艾引兵追趕，只見前面蜀兵旗幟整齊，人馬徐徐而退。艾嘆曰：“姜維深得武侯之法也！”因此不敢追趕，勒軍回祁山寨去了。且說姜維至成都，入見後主，問召回之故。後主曰：“朕爲卿在邊庭，久不還師，恐勞軍士，故詔卿回朝，別無他意。”

“I had already taken the camp at Mount Qi,” said Jiang Wei, “and was just about to complete my task when, unexpectedly, I had to abandon it halfway. This must be the work of some scheme of Deng Ai’s to sow discord.” The Latter Ruler was silent and said nothing. Jiang Wei memorialized again: “I have sworn to punish the rebels and so repay the kindness of the state. I beg Your Majesty not to listen to the words of petty men and so come to harbour doubts.” After a long while the Latter Ruler said, “I do not doubt you. Go back to Hanzhong for now, and when there is some upheaval in Wei, you may attack it again.” Jiang Wei sighed as he left the court, and went off to Hanzhong.

維曰：“臣已得祁山之寨，正欲收功，不期半途而廢。此必中鄧艾反間之計矣。”後主默然不語。姜維又奏曰：“臣誓討賊，以報國恩。陛下休聽小人之言，致生疑慮。”後主良久乃曰：“朕不疑卿；卿且回漢中，俟魏國有變，再伐之可也。”姜維嘆息出朝，自投漢中去訖。

Meanwhile Dang Jun returned to the camp at Mount Qi and reported what had happened. Deng Ai said to Sima Wang, “When sovereign and minister are at odds, there is bound to be trouble within.” He sent Dang Jun on to Luoyang to report to Sima Zhao. Sima Zhao was delighted and at once began to think of conquering Shu. He asked Jia Chong, Protector of the Central Army, “What if I attack Shu now?” Jia Chong said, “You cannot attack yet. The Son of Heaven is just now suspicious of you, my lord. If you were rashly to go out on campaign, trouble would certainly break out at home.

卻說黨均回到祁山寨中，報知此事。鄧艾與司馬望曰：“君臣不和，必有內變。”就令黨均入洛陽，報知司馬昭。昭大喜，便有圖蜀之心，乃問中護軍賈充曰：“吾今伐蜀，如何？”充曰：“未可伐也。天子方疑主公，若一旦輕出，內難必作矣。

Last year a yellow dragon appeared twice in a well at Ningling, and the officials sent up memorials of congratulation, calling it an auspicious omen. But the Son of Heaven said, ‘It is no auspicious omen. The dragon is the emblem of the sovereign, yet here it is neither in the heavens above nor in the fields below, but cramped in a well. This is a sign of confinement and distress.’ And he wrote a poem called ‘The Hidden Dragon.’ The meaning of the poem plainly refers to you, my lord. The poem says: ‘Alas for the dragon in its plight,
Unable to leap from the deep abyss!
Above, it cannot fly to the River of Heaven;
Below, it cannot appear in the fields.

舊年黃龍兩見於寧陵井中，羣臣表賀，以爲祥瑞；天子曰：‘非祥瑞也。龍者君象，乃上不在天，下不在田，屈於井中，是幽困之兆也。’遂作《潛龍詩》一首。詩中之意，明明道着主公。其詩曰：‘傷哉龍受困，不能躍深淵。上不飛天漢，下不見於田。

Coiled at the bottom of the well,
While loaches and eels dance before it.
It hides its fangs and folds its claws—
Alas, and so it is with me!’” Sima Zhao flew into a rage when he heard this and said to Jia Chong, “This fellow means to follow Cao Fang’s example! If I do not deal with him soon, he will certainly harm me.” “I will take care of him for you, my lord, before long,” said Jia Chong. It was then the fourth month, in summer, of the fifth year of Ganlu of Wei. Sima Zhao went up into the hall wearing his sword, and Cao Mao rose to greet him. All the officials memorialized, “The Grand General’s merit and virtue are towering. He ought to be made Duke of Jin and granted the Nine Distinctions.”

蟠居於井底，鰍鱔舞其前。藏牙伏爪甲，嗟我亦同然！’”司馬昭聞之大怒，謂賈充曰：“此人慾效曹芳也！若不早圖，彼必害我。”充曰：“某願爲主公早晚圖之。”時魏甘露五年夏四月，司馬昭帶劍上殿，髦起迎之。羣臣皆奏曰：“大將軍功德巍巍，合爲晉公，加九錫。”

Cao Mao bowed his head and did not answer. Sima Zhao said sternly, “We three — my father, my brother and I — have done great service to Wei. Is it not fitting that I should now become Duke of Jin?” Cao Mao then replied, “How would I dare not do as you command?” Sima Zhao said, “In the poem ‘The Hidden Dragon’ you look on us as loaches and eels. What kind of courtesy is that?” Cao Mao could not answer. Sima Zhao laughed coldly and went down from the hall, and all the officials shuddered. Cao Mao returned to the inner palace and summoned three men — Palace Attendant Wang Shen, Master of Writing Wang Jing and Regular Mounted Attendant Wang Ye — to come in and take counsel.

髦低頭不答。昭厲聲曰：“吾父子兄弟三人有大功於魏，今爲晉公，得毋不宜耶？”髦乃應曰：“敢不如命？”昭曰：“《潛龍》之詩，視吾等如鰍鱔，是何禮也？”髦不能答。昭冷笑下殿，衆官凜然。髦歸後宮，召侍中王沈、尚書王經、散騎常侍王業三人，入內計議。

Cao Mao wept and said, “Everyone knows that Sima Zhao harbours designs to usurp the throne! I cannot sit still and suffer the disgrace of being deposed. You must help me punish him!” Wang Jing memorialized, “You must not. Long ago Duke Zhao of Lu could not bear the Ji clan; he was defeated, fled and lost his state. Now supreme power has long since passed to the Sima clan. Among the ministers at court and beyond, those who disregard the difference between loyalty and rebellion and fawn on the traitor are not just one or two. Moreover, Your Majesty’s guards are few and weak, and there is no one who will lay down his life for you.

髦泣曰：“司馬昭將懷篡逆，人所共知！朕不能坐受廢辱，卿等可助朕討之！”王經奏曰：“不可。昔魯昭公不忍季氏，敗走失國；今重權已歸司馬氏久矣，內外公卿，不顧順逆之理，阿附奸賊，非一人也。且陛下宿衛寡弱，無用命之人。

If Your Majesty does not bear this patiently, there could be no greater disaster. You should plan slowly and must not act in haste.” Cao Mao said, “If this can be borne, what cannot be borne? My mind is made up. Even if I die, what have I to fear?” When he had finished speaking he went in at once to tell the Empress Dowager. Wang Shen and Wang Ye said to Wang Jing, “Things have come to a crisis. We must not bring the destruction of our clans upon ourselves. We should go to Lord Sima’s residence and inform him, and so escape death.” Wang Jing said in a fury, “When the sovereign is troubled, his ministers are disgraced; when the sovereign is disgraced, his ministers die. How dare you harbour a divided heart?”

陛下若不隱忍，禍莫大焉。且宜緩圖，不可造次。”髦曰：“是可忍也，孰不可忍也！朕意已決，便死何懼！”言訖，即入告太后。王沈、王業謂王經曰：“事已急矣。我等不可自取滅族之禍，當往司馬公府下出首，以免一死。”經大怒曰：“主憂臣辱，主辱臣死，敢懷二心乎？”

Seeing that Wang Jing would not go along with them, Wang Shen and Wang Ye went off by themselves to inform Sima Zhao. Shortly afterwards Cao Mao, the Ruler of Wei, came out from the inner palace. He ordered the guard Jiao Bo to gather the palace guards, servants and page boys, over three hundred in all, and they went out beating drums and shouting. Cao Mao, sword in hand, mounted his carriage and, shouting at those around him, went straight out through the Southern Gate. Wang Jing threw himself down in front of the carriage and, weeping loudly, remonstrated: “For Your Majesty to lead a few hundred men against Sima Zhao now is to drive sheep into the tiger’s mouth. You will die for nothing, and to no purpose.

王沈、王業見經不從，徑自往報司馬昭去了。少頃，魏主曹髦出內，令護衛焦伯，聚集殿中宿衛蒼頭官僮三百餘人，鼓譟而出。髦仗劍升輦，叱左右徑出南闕。王經伏於輦前，大哭而諫曰：“今陛下領數百人伐昭，是驅羊而入虎口耳，空死無益。

It is not that I value my own life; I truly see that this cannot be done!” Cao Mao said, “My army is already on the march. Do not stand in my way.” And he headed for the Yunlong Gate.

臣非惜命，實見事不可行也！”髦曰：“吾軍已行，卿無阻當。”遂望雲龍門而來。

Then Jia Chong appeared in battle dress on horseback, with Cheng Cui on his left and Cheng Ji on his right, leading several thousand armoured Imperial Guards, who came charging in with a great shout. Cao Mao brandished his sword and cried out, “I am the Son of Heaven! Do you burst into the palace meaning to murder your sovereign?” When the Imperial Guards saw Cao Mao, none of them dared to move. Jia Chong called to Cheng Ji, “What has Lord Sima been feeding you for? For this very day!” Cheng Ji gripped his halberd and, turning to Jia Chong, said, “Should I kill him?

只見賈充戎服乘馬，左有成倅，右有成濟，引數千鐵甲禁兵，吶喊殺來。髦仗劍大喝曰：“吾乃天子也！汝等突入宮庭，欲弒君耶？”禁兵見了曹髦，皆不敢動。賈充呼成濟曰：“司馬公養你何用？正爲今日之事也！”濟乃綽戟在手，回顧充曰：“當殺耶？

Should I bind him?” Jia Chong said, “Lord Sima has given orders: he wants him dead.” Cheng Ji levelled his halberd and rushed straight at the carriage. “How dare you, you churl!” Cao Mao cried out. Before the words were out of his mouth, Cheng Ji’s halberd struck him in the chest and he was knocked out of the carriage. With a second thrust the blade came out through his back, and he died beside the carriage. Jiao Bo came at Cheng Ji with his spear levelled, but Cheng Ji stabbed him dead with one thrust of his halberd. Everyone else fled. Wang Jing came running up behind and cursed Jia Chong loudly: “Traitor! How dare you murder your sovereign!”

當縛耶？”充曰：“司馬公有令；只要死的。”成濟撚戟直奔輦前。髦大喝曰：“匹夫敢無禮乎！”言未訖，被成濟一戟刺中前胸，撞出輦來；再一戟，刃從背上透出，死於輦傍。焦伯挺槍來迎，被成濟一戟刺死。衆皆逃走。王經隨後趕來，大罵賈充曰：“逆賊安敢弒君耶！”

Jia Chong, in a rage, shouted to his men to bind Wang Jing fast, and reported to Sima Zhao. Sima Zhao came into the palace, and when he saw that Cao Mao was dead he pretended to be greatly shocked, beat his head against the carriage and wept, and sent men to inform all the high ministers.

充大怒，叱左右縛定，報知司馬昭。昭入內，見髦已死，乃佯作大驚之狀，以頭撞輦而哭，令人報知各大臣。

Then the Grand Tutor Sima Fu came into the palace. When he saw Cao Mao’s body, he laid its head upon his thigh and wept, saying, “That Your Majesty has been murdered is my crime!” He had Cao Mao’s body placed in an inner and outer coffin and laid to rest on the west side of a side hall. Sima Zhao entered the palace hall and summoned the officials to a council. All the officials came except the Deputy Master of Writing, Chen Tai. Sima Zhao ordered Chen Tai’s maternal uncle, the Master of Writing Xun Yi, to summon him. Chen Tai wept bitterly and said, “People used to compare me with my uncle; now my uncle truly falls short of me.”

時太傅司馬孚入內，見髦屍，首枕其股而哭曰：“弒陛下者，臣之罪也！”遂將髦屍用棺槨盛貯，停於偏殿之西。昭入殿中，召羣臣會議。羣臣皆至，獨有尚書僕射陳泰不至。昭令泰之舅尚書荀顗召之。泰大哭曰：“論者以泰比舅，今舅實不如泰也。”

He then came in wearing mourning sackcloth and wept and bowed before the coffin. Sima Zhao too pretended to weep, and asked, “How should today’s affair be dealt with?” Chen Tai said, “Only by beheading Jia Chong can we make some small amends to the world.” Sima Zhao pondered for a long time, then asked again, “Think again — is there anything short of that?” Chen Tai said, “There is only something beyond that; I know of nothing short of it.” Sima Zhao said, “Cheng Ji is guilty of monstrous treason. Let him be cut to pieces and his family exterminated to the third degree.” Cheng Ji cursed Sima Zhao loudly: “It was not my crime! Jia Chong passed on your order!”

乃披麻帶孝而入，哭拜於靈前。昭亦佯哭而問曰：“今日之事，何法處之？”泰曰：“獨斬賈充，少可以謝天下耳。”昭沉吟良久，又問曰：“再思其次？”泰曰：“惟有進於此者，不知其次。”昭曰：“成濟大逆不道，可剮之，滅其三族。”濟大罵昭曰：“非我之罪，是賈充傳汝之命！”

Sima Zhao ordered that his tongue be cut out first. To the moment of his death Cheng Ji never stopped crying out that he had been wronged. His younger brother Cheng Cui was also beheaded in the marketplace, and their families were exterminated to the third degree.

昭令先割其舌。濟至死叫屈不絕。弟成倅亦斬於市，盡滅三族。

A later poet lamented:
In that year Sima gave his command to Jia Chong;
At the Southern Gate the sovereign was slain, his ochre robe dyed red.
Then he had Cheng Ji’s kin destroyed to the third degree,
As if soldiers and people alike were all deaf.

後人有詩嘆曰：“司馬當年命賈充，弒君南闕赭袍紅。
卻將成濟誅三族，只道軍民盡耳聾。
”

Sima Zhao also had Wang Jing’s whole household seized and thrown into prison. Wang Jing was in the hall of the Commandant of Justice when he suddenly saw his mother brought in bound. Wang Jing knocked his head on the ground and wept bitterly: “Your unfilial son has brought ruin on his loving mother!” His mother laughed aloud and said, “Who does not die? One’s only fear is not to die in the right place! What regret can there be in giving one’s life for this?” The next day Wang Jing’s whole household was taken under guard to the Eastern Market. Wang Jing and his mother met their execution with a smile.

昭又使人收王經全家下獄。王經正在廷尉廳下，忽見縛其母至。經叩頭大哭曰：“不孝子累及慈母矣！”母大笑曰：“人誰不死？正恐不得死所耳！以此棄命，何恨之有！”次日，王經全家皆押赴東市。王經母子含笑受刑。

Throughout the city there was not a gentleman or commoner who did not shed tears.

滿城士庶，無不垂淚。

A later poet wrote:
At the start of Han men praised the one who fell upon the sword;
At the end of Han we saw Wang Jing.
True heroism—no different in heart;
Firm and unbending—still purer in purpose.
Their integrity weighed as heavy as Mounts Tai and Hua;
Their lives they held as light as a goose’s feather.
The fame of mother and son endures,
And will last until heaven and earth fall.

後人有詩曰：“漢初誇伏劍，漢末見王經：真烈心無異，堅剛志更清。
節如泰華重，命似鴻毛輕。
母子聲名在，應同天地傾。
”

The Grand Tutor Sima Fu asked that Cao Mao be buried with the rites of a prince, and Sima Zhao agreed. Jia Chong and others urged Sima Zhao to accept the abdication of Wei and ascend the throne as Son of Heaven. Sima Zhao said, “Of old, King Wen held two thirds of the realm and yet still served Yin, and so the sage called his virtue supreme. Emperor Wu of Wei would not accept abdication from Han, just as I will not accept abdication from Wei.” When Jia Chong and the others heard this, they understood that Sima Zhao had his son Sima Yan in mind, and they urged him no further.

太傅司馬孚請以王禮葬曹髦，昭許之。賈充等勸司馬昭受魏禪，即天子位。昭曰：“昔文王三分天下有其二，以服事殷，故聖人稱爲至德。魏武帝不肯受禪於漢，猶吾之不肯受禪於魏也。”賈充等聞言，已知司馬昭留意於子司馬炎矣，遂不復勸進。

In the sixth month of that year Sima Zhao set up Cao Huang, Duke of Changdao District, as emperor, and changed the reign title to the first year of Jingyuan. Cao Huang changed his name to Cao Huan, with the courtesy name Jingming. He was a grandson of Emperor Wu, Cao Cao, and a son of Cao Yu, Prince of Yan. Cao Huan made Sima Zhao Chancellor of State and Duke of Jin, and granted him a hundred thousand in cash and ten thousand bolts of silk. All the civil and military officials received titles and rewards of their own. Spies soon carried the news into Shu. When Jiang Wei heard that Sima Zhao had murdered Cao Mao and set up Cao Huan, he said joyfully, “Now I have another just cause for attacking Wei.”

是年六月，司馬昭立常道鄉公曹璜爲帝，改元景元元年。璜改名曹奐，字景明。乃武帝曹操之孫，燕王曹宇之子也。奐封昭爲相國、晉公，賜錢十萬、絹萬匹。其文武多官，各有封賞。早有細作報入蜀中。姜維聞司馬昭弒了曹髦，立了曹奐，喜曰：“吾今日伐魏，又有名矣。”

So he sent a letter to Wu, asking it to raise troops and call Sima Zhao to account for the crime of murdering his sovereign. At the same time he memorialized the Latter Ruler and, with his approval, raised an army of a hundred and fifty thousand with several thousand carts, each fitted with a wooden box on top. He made Liao Hua and Zhang Yi the vanguard: Liao Hua was to go by the Ziwu Valley and Zhang Yi by the Luo Valley, while Jiang Wei himself took the Xie Valley; all were to come out and join up in front of Mount Qi. The three armies set out together and swept towards Mount Qi.

遂發書入吳，令起兵問司馬昭弒君之罪；一面奏準後主，起兵十五萬，車乘數千輛，皆置板箱於上；令廖化、張翼爲先鋒：化取子午谷，翼取駱谷；維自取斜谷，皆要出祁山之前取齊。三路兵並起，殺奔祁山而來。

At that time Deng Ai was in his camp at Mount Qi, training his men and horses. When he heard that the Shu troops were coming along three roads, he gathered his officers to confer. The Military Adviser Wang Guan said, “I have a plan that I cannot state openly. I have written it down here and respectfully present it for your inspection, General.” Deng Ai took it, unfolded it, and when he had read it he smiled and said, “This plan is clever, but I fear it will not deceive Jiang Wei.” Wang Guan said, “I am willing to go and risk my life.” Deng Ai said, “If your resolve is firm, you are sure to succeed.”

時鄧艾在祁山寨中，訓練人馬，聞報蜀兵三路殺到，乃聚諸將計議。參軍王瓘曰：“吾有一計，不可明言，現寫在此，謹呈將軍臺覽。”艾接來展看畢，笑曰：“此計雖妙，只怕瞞不過姜維。”瓘曰：“某願捨命前去。”艾曰：“公志若堅，必能成功。”

So he assigned five thousand troops to Wang Guan. Wang Guan pressed on through the night towards the Xie Valley and ran straight into the scouting horsemen of the Shu vanguard. “We are Wei troops come to surrender,” Wang Guan shouted. “Report us to your commander.”

遂撥五千兵與瓘。瓘連夜從斜谷迎來，正撞蜀兵前隊哨馬。瓘叫曰：“我是魏國降兵，可報與主帥。”

The scouts reported to Jiang Wei, who ordered them to hold back the rest of the troops and bring only their leader to see him. Wang Guan prostrated himself on the ground and said, “I am Wang Guan, nephew of Wang Jing. I recently saw Sima Zhao murder his sovereign and put my uncle’s entire household to death, and I hate him to the marrow of my bones. Now, fortunately, you, General, have raised an army to call him to account, and so I have come expressly to surrender with the five thousand troops under my command. I ask to follow your orders, wipe out the traitorous faction and avenge my uncle.”

哨軍報知姜維，維令攔住餘兵，只教爲首的將來見。瓘拜伏於地曰：“某乃王經之侄王瓘也。近見司馬昭弒君，將叔父一門皆戮，某痛恨入骨。今幸將軍興師問罪，故特引本部兵五千來降。願從調遣，剿除奸黨，以報叔父之恨。”

Jiang Wei was delighted and said to Wang Guan, “Since you have come to surrender in good faith, how could I not treat you in good faith? The only thing that worries us in this army is grain. There are several thousand grain carts at Chuankou just now; you can transport them to Mount Qi. I am going to take the camp at Mount Qi right away.” Wang Guan was secretly delighted, thinking that Jiang Wei had fallen for the scheme, and gladly accepted the task. Jiang Wei said, “To transport the grain you will not need five thousand men. Just take three thousand with you and leave two thousand behind to guide us, so that we can attack Mount Qi.”

維大喜，謂瓘曰：“汝既誠心來降，吾豈不誠心相待？吾軍中所患者，不過糧耳。今有糧車數千，現在川口，汝可運赴祁山。吾只今去取祁山寨也。”瓘心中大喜，以爲中計，忻然領諾。姜維曰：“汝去運糧，不必用五千人，但引三千人去，留下二千人引路，以打祁山。”

Afraid that Jiang Wei might become suspicious, Wang Guan went off with the three thousand troops. Jiang Wei ordered Fu Qian to take the two thousand Wei soldiers along with the army to serve as needed. Suddenly it was reported that Xiahou Ba had arrived. Xiahou Ba said, “Commander, why do you trust what Wang Guan says? When I was in Wei, though I did not know every detail, I never heard that Wang Guan was Wang Jing’s nephew. There must be a great deal of deceit in this. I beg you to look into it, General.” Jiang Wei laughed heartily and said, “I already know that Wang Guan is deceiving us. That is why I have divided his forces — I mean to turn his own scheme against him.”

瓘恐維疑惑，乃引三千兵去了。維令傅僉引二千魏兵隨徵聽用。忽報夏侯霸到。霸曰：“都督何故準信王瓘之言也？吾在魏，雖不知備細，未聞王瓘是王經之侄。其中多詐，請將軍察之。”維大笑曰：“我已知王瓘之詐，故分其兵勢，將計就計而行。”

“Explain it to me,” said Xiahou Ba. Jiang Wei said, “Sima Zhao is a villain as cunning as Cao Cao. Having killed Wang Jing and wiped out his family to the third degree, how would he let Wang Jing’s own nephew live and command troops beyond the passes? That is how I knew it was a trick. Your view, Zhongquan, agrees with mine exactly.” So Jiang Wei did not go out through the Xie Valley, but had men lie hidden along the road to guard against spies from Wang Guan. Before ten days had passed, the ambushers did indeed catch a messenger carrying Wang Guan’s report back to Deng Ai, and brought him in.

霸曰：“公試言之。”維曰：“司馬昭奸雄比於曹操，既殺王經，滅其三族，安肯存親侄於關外領兵？故知其詐也。仲權之見，與我暗合。”於是姜維不出斜谷，卻令人於路暗伏，以防王瓘奸細。不旬日，果然伏兵捉得王瓘回報鄧艾下書人來見。

Jiang Wei questioned him about the details and found a secret letter on him. In it Wang Guan promised that on the twentieth day of the eighth month he would send the grain back to the main camp by a byroad, and asked Deng Ai to send troops to meet him in the Tanshan Valley. Jiang Wei had the messenger killed and altered the letter to read the fifteenth day of the eighth month, asking Deng Ai to lead the main army himself to meet the convoy in the Tanshan Valley. On the one hand he had a man disguised as a Wei soldier deliver the letter to the Wei camp; on the other he had the grain unloaded from several hundred of the carts on hand and replaced with dry firewood, thatch and other kindling, covered over with blue cloth. He ordered Fu Qian to lead the two thousand Wei troops who had come over earlier, carrying the banners of a grain convoy.

維問了情節，搜出私書，書中約於八月二十日，從小路運糧送歸大寨，卻教鄧艾遣兵於壇山谷中接應。維將下書人殺了，卻將書中之意，改作八月十五日，約鄧艾自率大兵，於壇山谷中接應。一面令人扮作魏軍往魏營下書；一面令人將現有糧車數百輛卸了糧米，裝載乾柴茅草引火之物，用青布罩之，令傅僉引二千原降魏兵，執打運糧旗號。

Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba each led a force into the valley to lie in ambush. Jiang Shu was ordered to go out through the Xie Valley, and Liao Hua and Zhang Yi each advanced with their troops to take Mount Qi. Meanwhile Deng Ai received Wang Guan’s letter and was overjoyed. He hastily wrote a reply and had the messenger take it back. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month Deng Ai led fifty thousand picked troops straight to the Tanshan Valley. From a distance he sent men up onto the heights to look out, and they saw countless grain carts moving one after another, without a break, through a hollow in the hills.

維卻與夏侯霸各引一軍，去山谷中埋伏。令蔣舒出斜谷，廖化、張翼俱各進兵，來取祁山。卻說鄧艾得了王瓘書信，大喜，急寫回書，令來人回報。至八月十五日，鄧艾引五萬精兵徑往壇山谷中來，遠遠使人憑高眺探，只見無數糧車，接連不斷，從山凹中而行。

Deng Ai reined in his horse and looked, and indeed they were all Wei soldiers. His attendants said, “It is already dusk. We should go quickly to meet Wang Guan and bring him out of the mouth of the valley.” Deng Ai said, “The hills ahead block the view. If there is an ambush, it will be hard to fall back quickly. We had better just wait here.” As he was speaking, two horsemen suddenly galloped up and reported, “General Wang was bringing the grain across the border when troops came after him from behind. He begs you to come to his rescue quickly.” Deng Ai was greatly alarmed and urged his troops forward at speed.

艾勒馬望之，果然皆是魏兵。左右曰：“天已昏暮，可速接應王瓘出谷口。”艾曰：“前面山勢掩映，倘有伏兵，急難退步；只可在此等候。”正言間，忽兩騎馬驟至，報曰：“王將軍因將糧草過界，背後人馬趕來，望早救應。”艾大驚，急催兵前進。

It was the first watch of the night, and the moon was as bright as day. Hearing shouts behind the hills, Deng Ai assumed that Wang Guan was fighting there. But just as he was galloping round behind the hills, a band of soldiers suddenly burst out from behind a wood. At their head was the Shu general Fu Qian, who spurred his horse forward and shouted, “Deng Ai, you churl! You have fallen into our commander’s trap. Why not get down from your horse at once and accept your death?” Deng Ai, greatly alarmed, wheeled his horse and fled. The fires on the carts all blazed up; those fires were the signal.

時值初更，月明如晝，只聽得山後吶喊，艾只道王瓘在山後廝殺。徑奔過山後時，忽樹林後一彪軍撞出，爲首蜀將傅僉，縱馬大叫曰：“鄧艾匹夫！已中吾主將之計，何不早早下馬受死！”艾大驚，勒回馬便走。車上火盡着，那火便是號火。

The Shu troops poured out from both sides and cut the Wei army to pieces, scattering it in all directions, and from the hills on every side came the cry, “Whoever captures Deng Ai will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and made a marquis of ten thousand households!” Terrified, Deng Ai threw away his armour and helmet, abandoned his horse and mingled with the foot soldiers, scrambling over hills and ridges to escape. Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba were watching only for the mounted leader to seize him, never imagining that Deng Ai would escape on foot.

兩勢下蜀兵盡出，殺得魏兵七斷八續，但聞四下山上只叫：“拿住鄧艾的，賞千金，封萬戶侯！”唬得鄧艾棄甲丟盔，撇了坐下馬，雜在步軍之中，爬山越嶺而逃。姜維、夏侯霸只望馬上爲首的徑來擒捉，不想鄧艾步行走脫。

Jiang Wei led his victorious troops off to intercept Wang Guan’s grain carts. Now Wang Guan, by secret arrangement with Deng Ai, had got the grain, fodder, carts and gear all ready ahead of time and was simply waiting to make his move. Suddenly one of his trusted men reported, “The plot has leaked out. General Deng has been badly defeated, and no one knows whether he is alive or dead.” Wang Guan was greatly alarmed and sent men to scout. They came back and reported that troops were closing in along three roads, a great cloud of dust was rising behind as well, and there was no way out in any direction.

維領得勝兵去接王瓘糧車。卻說王瓘密約鄧艾，先期將糧草車仗，整備停當，專候舉事。忽有心腹人報：“事已泄漏，鄧將軍大敗，不知性命如何。”瓘大驚，令人哨探，回報三路兵圍殺將來，背後又見塵頭大起，四下無路。

Wang Guan shouted to his men to set fires, and all the grain, fodder and carts were burned. In an instant flames shot up and a raging fire lit the sky. “Things have come to a crisis!” Wang Guan cried. “You must fight to the death!” He led his troops fighting their way out towards the west, with Jiang Wei pursuing along three roads behind him. Jiang Wei assumed that Wang Guan would risk his life to break back into Wei, never imagining that he would instead fight his way into Hanzhong. Because his troops were few and he feared the pursuers would catch up, Wang Guan burned the plank roads and all the passes and strongpoints along the way.

瓘叱左右令放火，盡燒糧草車輛。一霎時，火光突起，烈火燒空。瓘大叫曰：“事已急矣！汝等宜死戰！”乃提兵望西殺出。背後姜維三路追趕。維只道王瓘捨命撞回魏國，不想反殺入漢中而去。瓘因兵少，只恐追兵趕上，遂將棧道並各關隘盡皆燒燬。

Afraid that Hanzhong might be lost, Jiang Wei gave up the pursuit of Deng Ai and led his troops through the night by byroads to hunt down Wang Guan. Attacked by Shu troops on all sides, Wang Guan threw himself into the Heilong River and died. Jiang Wei buried all his remaining troops alive. Though Jiang Wei had defeated Deng Ai, he had lost a great many grain carts and the plank roads had been destroyed, so he led his army back to Hanzhong. Deng Ai led the defeated remnants of his force back to his camp at Mount Qi, sent up a memorial asking to be punished, and demoted himself.

姜維恐漢中有失，遂不追鄧艾，提兵連夜抄小路來追殺王瓘。瓘被四面蜀兵攻擊，投黑龍江而死。餘兵盡被姜維坑之。維雖然勝了鄧艾，卻折了許多糧車，又毀了棧道，乃引兵還漢中。鄧艾引部下敗兵，逃回祁山寨內，上表請罪，自貶其職。

Because Deng Ai had rendered great service many times, Sima Zhao could not bring himself to demote him, and instead gave him generous gifts. Deng Ai divided all the wealth he had been given among the families of the officers and men who had been killed. Fearing that the Shu troops would come out again, Sima Zhao sent fifty thousand more troops to help Deng Ai hold the defences. Jiang Wei repaired the plank roads, working through the night, and once again began to plan an expedition.

司馬昭見艾數有大功，不忍貶之，復加厚賜。艾將原賜財物，盡分給被害將士之家。昭恐蜀兵又出，遂添兵五萬，與艾守禦。姜維連夜修了棧道，又議出師。

Indeed:
He mended the plank roads again and again and sent out his troops again and again;
Until he had conquered the Central Plain he would not rest, even in death.
Who won and who lost will be told in the next chapter.

正是：連修棧道兵連出，不伐中原死不休。
未知勝負如何，且看下文分解。