艾叹曰：“姜维深得武侯之法也！”
Deng Ai sighed, "Jiang Wei is a worthy inheritor of the warlike methods of Zhuge Liang."
且说姜维至成都，入见后主，问召回之故。
On his return to Chengdu, Jiang Wei had audience with the Latter Ruler, whereat he inquired, saying, "Your Majesty has commanded me to return for an important reason?”
后主曰：“朕为卿在边庭，久不还师，恐劳军士，故诏卿回朝，别无他意。”
The Latter Ruler replied, "Because you have been so long on the frontier, Noble Sir.
I thought the soldiers must be weary.
There was no other reason."
维曰：“臣已得祁山之寨，正欲收功，不期半途而废。
"Your Majesty, thy servant had got his camps on Qishan and was on the eve of complete success.
To leave off thus in the middle just played into the hands of our enemies.
陛下休听小人之言，致生疑虑。”
Your Majesty should not listen to the babble of mean persons till distrust grows in your heart."
后主良久乃曰：“朕不疑卿；卿且回汉中，俟魏国有变，再伐之可也。”
"I do not distrust you," said the Latter Ruler after a long pause. "You may return into Hanzhong and await the next favorable opportunity."
姜维叹息出朝，自投汉中去讫。
Jiang Wei left the court and betook himself into Hanzhong to the army.
却说党均回到祁山寨中，报知此事。
Dang Jun went back to the Qishan camp and reported his success.
邓艾与司马望曰：“君臣不和，必有内变。”
Deng Ai and Sima Wang rejoiced, saying, "In the River Lands, trouble is not far off when the ruler and his servants do not live in harmony."
就令党均入洛阳，报知司马昭。
They sent Dang Jun to Luoyang to tell his own story to Sima Zhao,
昭大喜，便有图蜀之心，乃问中护军贾充曰：“吾今伐蜀，如何？”
who also rejoiced, for he ardently desired to subdue Shu.On this matter Sima Zhao consulted Jia Chong, Commander of the Center Guard. "What do you think of an attack upon Shu?”
天子方疑主公，若一旦轻出，内难必作矣。
"The Emperor does not trust you, and your departure would be the beginning of trouble for you.
旧年黄龙两见于宁陵井中，群臣表贺，以为祥瑞；天子曰：‘非祥瑞也。
Last year, when a yellow dragon was seen in the Ningling well and all the officers were felicitating the Emperor upon such a very auspicious occurrence, the Emperor said, ‘It is not auspicious; just the reverse.
龙者君象，乃上不在天，下不在田，屈于井中，是幽困之兆也。
The dragon symbolizes the ruler.
To be neither in heaven, nor on earth among the people, but to be in a well, is a dark portent and bodes evil.”
其诗曰：‘伤哉龙受困，不能跃深渊。
It reads: [hip, hip, hip]"The dragon like a prisoner is,No longer leaps he in the abyss.
上不飞天汉，下不见于田。
He soars not to the Milky WayNor can he in the meadows play;
’”司马昭闻之大怒，谓贾充曰：“此人欲效曹芳也！
The recital of the poem annoyed Sima Zhao. "This fellow is very like Cao Fang,
时魏甘露五年夏四月，司马昭带剑上殿，髦起迎之。
In the fifth year of Sweet Dew, in Wei calendar (AD 261), during the fourth month, in summer, Sima Zhao had the effrontery to go to court armed.
However, the Ruler of Wei received him with exaggerated courtesy.
群臣皆奏曰：“大将军功德巍巍，合为晋公，加九锡。”
The courtiers said, "The services of the Regent Marshal are so magnificent, and his virtue so high that he should be rewarded with the title ‘Duke of Jin' and the Nine Dignities."
昭厉声曰：“吾父子兄弟三人有大功于魏，今为晋公，得毋不宜耶？”
And Sima Zhao himself said discontentedly, "My father and my brother have all given great services to Wei, and yet I deserves not being a mere Duke of Jin?”
昭曰：“《潜龙》之诗，视吾等如鳅鳝，是何礼也？”
"That poem about the Lurking Dragon called us slimy creatures.
What sort of politeness is that?”"said Sima Zhao.
髦不能答。
The Ruler of Wei had nothing to say,
昭冷笑下殿，众官凛然。
and the haughty minister left the chamber, smiling cruelly. -
髦归后宫，召侍中王沈、尚书王经、散骑常侍王业三人，入内计议。
Cao Mao retired, taking with him Minister Wang Jing, Adviser Wang Shen, and General of the Cavalry Wang Ye, and they went to a privy chamber to consult.