三國演義英文版

第269部分 (第3/7頁)

had　camped　there　with　his　colleague　Chen　Tai。　But　when　days　had　passed　without　anyone　ing　to　fling　a　challenge；　he　sent　out　spies　to　find　out　where　the　Shu　army　was　lurking。　They　could　find　nothing；　and　so　Deng　Ai　went　to　the　summit　of　a　hill　to　look　around。

He　came　to　the　conclusion；　saying；　〃Jiang　Wei　must　not　be　in　this　camp。　He　must　be　on　his　way　to　capture　Nanan。　Those　soldiers　in　the　Shu　camp　were　nothing　but　a　feint；　accentuated　by　the　daily　change　of　uniform。　Going　to　and　fro　for　days；　the　horses　look　tired；　and　their　leaders　are　certainly　none　of　the　ablest。　Therefore；　General；　I　advise　an　attack　here。　If　that　succeeds；　the　Dongting　road　can　be　occupied；　and　Jiang　Wei　will　be　unable　to　retreat。　I　think　I　ought　to　try　to　relieve　Nanan。　I　will　go　by　the　Wucheng　Mountain；　and　if　I　occupy　that；　the　enemy　will　try　to　take　Shanggui。　Near　that　place　is　a　narrow　and　precipitous　valley　called　Block　Valley；　just　the　place　for　an　ambush；　where　I　shall　lie　in　wait　till　Jiang　Wei　es　to　take　the　Wucheng　Mountain。〃

Chen　Tai　replied；　〃I　have　been　here　over　twenty　years　and　have　never　known　so　much　of　the　military　possibilities　of　the　place。　You　are　very　wonderful　and　must　carry　out　your　plan。〃

So　Deng　Ai　marched　toward　Nanan　by　double　marches。　Soon　they　came　to　the　Wucheng　Mountain；　where　they　camped　without　opposition。　He　sent　his　son　Deng　Zhong　and　Shi　Zuan；　each　leading　five　thousand　troops；　to　lie　in　wait　in　the　Block　Valley　and　not　to　betray　their　presence。

In　the　meantime　Jiang　Wei　was　marching　between　Dongting　and　Nanan。

Near　the　Wucheng　Mountain；　he　turned　to　Xiahou　Ba　and　said；　〃That　hill　is　our　point；　and　Nanan　is　close。　I　fear　lest　the　artful　Deng　Ai　may　seize　and　fortify　it。〃

They　hastened；　anxious　to　reach　the　hill　before