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Deng　Ai；　realizing　the　importance　of　the　request；　gave　orders　to　press　onward。　It　was　the　first　watch；　and　a　full　moon　was　shining　as　bright　as　day。　Shouting　was　heard　behind　the　hills；　and　he　could　only　conclude　it　was　the　noise　of　the　battle　in　which　Wang　Guan　was　engaged。

So　Deng　Ai　dashed　over　the　hills。　But　suddenly　a　body　of　troops　came　out　from　the　shelter　of　a　grove　of　trees；　and　at　their　head　rode　the　Shu　leader；　Fu　Qian。

〃Deng　Ai；　you　are　stupid！　You　have　just　fallen　into　the　trap　set　for　you　by　our　general。　Dismount　and　prepare　for　death！〃

Deng　Ai　halted　and　turned　to　flee。　Then　the　wagons　burst　into　flame。　That　flame　was　a　signal；　and　down　came　the　army　of　Shu。

He　heard　shouts　all　round　him；　〃A　thousand　ounces　of　gold　for　anyone　who　captures　Deng　Ai；　and　a　lordship　of　ten　thousand　households　as　well！〃

Terrified；　Deng　Ai　dropped　his　arms；　threw　aside　his　armor；　slipped　from　his　steed；　mingled　with　the　footmen；　and　with　them　scrambled　up　the　hills。　The　generals　of　Shu　only　looked　for　him　among　the　mounted　leaders；　never　guessing　that　he　had　got　away　among　the　mon　soldiers。　So　he　was　not　captured。

Jiang　Wei　gathered　in　his　victorious　army　and　went　to　meet　Wang　Guan　and　his　convoy。

Having　made　all　arrangements；　as　he　thought；　plete；　Wang　Guan　was　patiently　awaiting　the　development　of　his　scheme。

But　suddenly　a　trusted　subordinate　came　and　told　him；　〃The　ruse　has　been　discovered；　and　Deng　Ai　has　already　suffered　defeat！〃

Wang　Guan　sent　out　some　scouts；　and　the　report　was　confirmed；　with　the　addition　that　the　Shu　armies　were　ing　against　him。　Moreover；　clouds　of　dust　were　rising。　There　was　no　way　of　escape；　so　Wang　Guan　ordered　his　troops　to　set　fire　to　the　convoy；　and　soon　huge　flames　were　rising　high　into　the　air。

〃The　case　is　desperate；〃　cried　Wang　Guan。　〃It　is　a　fight　to　the　death！〃

He　led　his　force　westward；　but　the　army　of　Shu　came　in　pursuit。　Jiang　Wei　thought　Wang　Guan　would　try　at　all　costs　to　get　back　to　his　own　side；　but　instead；　Wang　Guan　went　on　toward　Hanzhong。　As　his　troops　were　too　few　to　risk　a　battle；　Wang　Guan　ordered　them　to　burn　and　destroy　all　military　stations　and　even　the　Plank　Trail　as　he　went。　Fearing　the　loss　of　Hanzhong；　Jiang　Wei　made　all　haste　along　the　by…roads　after　Wang　Guan。　Surrounded　on　all　sides；　Wang　Guan　jumped　into　the　Black　Dragon　River　and　so　died。　Those　of　his　soldiers　who　survived　were　slain　by　Jiang　Wei。

Though　a　victory　had　been　won　and　Wang　Guan　killed；　it　was　costly。　Many　wagons　and　much　grain　had　been　lost；　and　the　Plank　Trail　had　been　destroyed。　Jiang　Wei　led　his　army　into　Hanzhong。

Deng　Ai　made　his　way　back　to　Qishan。　From　there　he　reported　his　defeat　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei　and　asked　for　degradation　as　a　penalty。　However；　Sima　Zhao　saw　that　Deng　Ai　had　rendered　good　services；　so　he　did　not　degrade　the　general；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　sent　him　magnificent　gifts；　which　Deng　Ai　distributed　to　the　families　of　the　soldiers　who　had　been　killed。　Sima　Zhao　also　sent　him　fifty　thousand　troops　as　reinforcement　lest　Shu　should　attack　again。

Jiang　Wei　set　about　the　restoration　of　the　Plank　Trail　ready　for　the　next　expedition。

Repair　the　roads　for　marching　feet　to　tread；

The　strife　will　only　cease　when　all　are　dead。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　who　won。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　115　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　115

Chapter　115

Listening　To　Slander；　The　Latter　Ruler　Recalls　His　Army；

Living　In　Farms；　Jiang　Wei　Avoids　Disaster。

In　the　autumn　of　the　fifth　year　of　Wonderful　Sight；　in　Shu…Han　calendar　（AD　262）；　Jiang　Wei　was　occupied　with　preparations　for　the　renewal　of　an　attack：　Mending　the　hill　roads；　gathering　stores；　and　mobilizing　his　boats　on　the　waterways　of　Hanzhong。　These　things　done；　he　memorized　the　Throne；　asking　permission　to　go　again　to　the　attack：

〃Although　I　have　not　been　wholly　victorious　nor　acplished　great　things；　yet　I　have　put　fear　into　the　hearts　of　the　Wei　armies。　Our　soldiers　have　been　long　under　training；　and　they　must　now　be　used；　or　the　army　will　go　to　pieces　for　lack　of　exercise。　The　soldiers　are　ready　to　die；　the　officers　prepared　for　all　risks；　and　I　am　determined　to　conquer　or　perish。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　did　not　consent　at　once。

As　he　was　hesitating；　Qiao　Zhou　stood　forth　and　said；　〃I　have　observed　the　heavens。　I　have　seen　the　leadership　stars　in　Shu　dull　and　obscured。　This　expedition　will　be　disastrous；　and　I　hope　Your　Majesty　will　not　approve。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　replied；　〃Let　us　see　the　results　of　this　campaign。　If　it　fails；　then　the　war　shall　cease。〃

Qiao　Zhou　tried　to　dissuade　the　Latter　Ruler　two　or　three　more　times；　but　he　failed。　In　despair　he　withdrew　to　his　home；　and　retired　on　the　pretext　of　illness。

As　the　final　preparations　were　being　made；　Jiang　Wei　said　to　Liao　Hua；　〃We　are　pledged　to　get　through　to　the　Middle　Land　this　time。　What　do　you　advise　to　start　with？〃

〃I　dare　not　presume　to　advise　you；　General。　For　years　we　have　been　fighting　and　giving　the　people　no　rest。　In　Deng　Ai　we　find　a　most　formidable　and　resourceful　opponent　and　an　extraordinarily　capable　man；　so

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