却说司马昭谓西曹掾邵悌曰：“朝臣皆言蜀未可伐，是其心怯；若使强战，必败之道也。
The words whispered in the ear of Shao Ti proved Sima Zhao's subtlety.
Said Sima Zhao, "This morning the officers all maintained that Shu should not be attacked, because they are timid.
If I let them lead the army, they would surely be defeated.
今钟会独建伐蜀之策，是其心不怯；心不怯，则破蜀必矣。
You saw Zhong Hui was set upon his plan, and he is not afraid.
Shu must therefore be beaten,
蜀既破，则蜀人心胆已裂；败军之将，不可以言勇；亡国之大夫，不可以图存。
and then the Shu people's hearts will be torn.
Beaten leaders cannot boast, and the officers of a broken state are no fit guardians of its welfare.
会即有异志，蜀人安能助之乎？
When Zhong Hui turns against us, the people of Shu cannot support him.
至若魏人得胜思归，必不从会而反，更不足虑耳。
Further, our troops being victors, they will wish to return home and will not follow their leader into revolt.
Hence there is nothing to be feared.
时有监军卫瓘，护军胡烈，大将田续、庞会、田章、爰青、丘建、夏侯咸、王买、皇甫闿、句安等八十余员。
among them were Army Inspector Wei Guan, Assistant General Hu Lie, Generals Tian Xu, Tian Zhang, Yuan Xing, Qiu Jian, Xiahou Xian, Wang Mai, Huangfu Kai, Gou Ai, and others, some eighty of them.
会曰：“必须一大将为先锋，逢山开路，遇水叠桥。
"Firstly I want a Leader of the Van," said Zhong Hui."He must be skilled in making roads and repairing bridges."
会视之，乃虎将许褚之子许仪也。
and the speaker was Xu Yi, son of the Tiger Leader Xu Chu.
会唤许仪曰：“汝乃虎体猿班之将。
"You shall have the seal," said Zhong Hui.
时后主改景耀六年为炎兴元年，日与宦官黄皓在宫中游乐。
That year in Shu the reign-style had been changed from Wonderful Sight, the fifth year, to Joyful Prosperity, the first year (AD 263).
忽接姜维之表，即召黄皓问曰：“今魏国遣钟会、邓艾大起人马，分道而来，如之奈何？”
When the memorial of Jiang Wei came to the Latter Ruler, it found him as usual amusing himself with his favorite Huang Hao.
He read the document and said to the eunuch, "Here Jiang Wei says that the Wei armies under Deng Ai and Zhong Hui are on the way against us.
What shall we do?”
皓奏曰：“此乃姜维欲立功名，故上此表。
"There is nothing of the sort.
Jiang Wei only wants to get a name for himself, and so he says this.
臣闻城中有一师婆，供奉一神，能知吉凶，可召来问之。”
for we can find out the truth from a certain wise woman I know.She is a real prophetess.
May I call her?”
后主从其言，于后殿陈设香花纸烛、享祭礼物，令黄皓用小车请入宫中，坐于龙床之上。
The Latter Ruler consented, and a room was fitted up for the seance.
They prepared therein incense, flowers, paper, candles, sacrificial articles and so on, and then Huang Hao went with a chariot to beg the wise woman to attend upon the Latter Ruler.
She came and was seated on the Dragon Couch.
后主焚香祝毕，师婆忽然披发跣足，就殿上跳跃数十遍，盘旋于案上。
After the Latter Ruler had kindled the incense and repeated the prayer, the wise woman suddenly let down her hair, dropped her slippers, and capered about barefoot.
After several rounds of this, she coiled herself up on a table.
皓曰：“此神人降矣。
Huang Hao then said, "The spirit has now descended.
后主尽退侍臣，再拜祝之。
So the attendants were dismissed, and the Latter Ruler entreated the wise woman.
师婆大叫曰：“吾乃西川土神也。
Suddenly she cried out, "I am the guardian spirit of the West River Land.
陛下欣乐太平，何为求问他事？
Your Majesty, rejoices in tranquillity; why do you inquire about other matters?”
数年之后，魏国疆土亦归陛下矣。
Within a few years the land of Wei shall come under you,
言讫，昏倒于地，半晌方苏。
She then fell to the ground as in a swoon, and it was some time before she revived.
后主大喜，重加赏赐。
The Latter Ruler was well satisfied with her prophesy and gave her large presents.
自此深信师婆之说，遂不听姜维之言，每日只在宫中饮宴欢乐。
Further, he thereafter believed all she told him.-
姜维累申告急表文，皆被黄皓隐匿，因此误了大事。
The immediate result was that Jiang Wei's memorial remained unanswered; and as the Latter Ruler was wholly given to pleasure, it was easy for Huang Hao to intercept all urgent memorials from the commander.