孔明大赏三军已毕,回到成都,入见后主,奏曰:“老臣出了祁山,欲取长安,忽承陛下降诏召回,不知有何大事?”
Zhuge Liang distributed the rewards for success and then went to Capital Chengdu for audience. "Your Majesty recalled me just as I was about to advance upon Changan.
What is the important matter?”" said the Prime Minister.
后主无言可对;良久,乃曰:“朕久不见丞相之面,心甚思慕,故特诏回,一无他事。”
For a long time the Latter Ruler made no reply.
Presently he said, "I longed to see your face once more, that is the only reason."
后主闻言,默然无语。
The Latter Ruler, +who indeed felt guilty and ill at ease, made no reply.
孔明曰:“老臣受先帝厚恩,誓以死报。
Zhuge Liang continued, "Your late father laid me under an obligation which I am pledged to fulfill to the death.
今若内有奸邪,臣安能讨贼乎?”
But if vile influences are permitted to work at home, how can I destroy the rebels without?”
后主曰:“朕因过听宦官之言,一时召回丞相。
"The fact is I recalled you because of the talk of the eunuchs.
今日茅塞方开,悔之不及矣!”
But I understand now and am unutterably sorry," said the Latter Ruler.
孔明遂唤众宦官究问,方知是苟安流言;急令人捕之,已投魏国去了。
Zhuge Liang interrogated the eunuchs and thus found out the base rumors that had been spread abroad by Gou An.
He sent to arrest this man, but Gou An had already fled and gone over to Wei.
孔明将妄奏的宦官诛戮,余皆废出宫外;又深责蒋琬、费祎等不能觉察奸邪,规谏天子。
The eunuchs who had influenced the Emperor were put to death, and all the other eunuchs who were involved were expelled from the Palace.
The Prime Minister also upbraided Jiang Wan and Fei Yi for not having looked into the matter and set the Son of God right.
二人唯唯服罪。
The two Ministers bowed their heads and admitted their fault.
孔明拜辞后主,复到汉中,一面发檄令李严应付粮草,仍运赴军前;一面再议出师。
Zhuge Liang then took leave of the Latter Ruler and returned to the army.
He wrote to Li Yan to see to the necessary supplies and began preparations for a new expedition.
杨仪曰:“前数兴兵,军力罢敝,粮又不继;今不如分兵两班,以三个月为期:且如二十万之兵,只领十万出祁山,住了三个月,却教这十万替回,循环相转。
Yang Yi said, "The soldiers are wearied by the many expeditions, and the supplies are not regular.
I think a better plan would be to send half the army to Qishan for three months, and at the end of that time exchange them for the other half, and so on alternately.
For example, if you have two hundred thousand troops, let one hundred thousand go into the field and one hundred thousand remain.
若此则兵力不乏,然后徐徐而进,中原可图矣。”
In this way, using ten legions and ten legions, their energies will be conserved and you can gradually work toward the Middle Land."
吾伐中原,非一朝一夕之事,正当为此长久之计。”
"Our attack is not a matter to be achieved in haste.
The suggestion for an extended campaign is excellent!"
遂下令,分兵两班,限一百日为期,循环相转,违限者按军法处治。
Wherefore the army was divided, and each half went out for one hundred days' service at a time, when it was relieved by the other half.
Full penalties were provided for any laxity and failure to maintain the periods of active service.
建兴九年春二月,孔明复出师伐魏。
In the spring of the ninth year of Beginning Prosperity, the Shu army once more took the held against Wei.
时魏太和五年也。
In Wei it was the fifth year of Calm Peace (AD 231).
魏主曹睿知孔明又伐中原,急召司马懿商议。
When the Ruler of Wei heard of this new expedition, he called Sima Yi and asked his advice.
懿曰:“今子丹已亡,臣愿竭一人之力,剿除寇贼,以报陛下。”
"Now that my friend Cao Zhen is no more, I am willing to do all that one man can to destroy the rebels against Your Majesty's authority, -" said Sima Yi.
次日,人报蜀兵寇急。
Next day an edict was issued for the army to move.
睿即命司马懿出师御敌,亲排銮驾送出城外。
-The Ruler of Wei, riding in his state chariot, escorted Sima Yi out of the city, and, after the farewells,
懿辞了魏主,径到长安,大会诸路人马,计议破蜀兵之策。
the Commander took the road to Changan, where the force was gathering.
There was assembled a council of war.
张郃曰:“吾愿引一军去守雍、郿,以拒蜀兵。”
Zhang He offered his services, saying, "I volunteer to guard Yongcheng and Meicheng against the Shu army."
懿曰:“吾前军不能独当孔明之众,而又分兵为前后,非胜算也。
But Sima Yi said, "Our vanguard army is not strong enough to face the enemy's whole force.
Moreover, to divide an army is not generally a successful scheme.