第九章 大战长坂坡

第九章 大战长坂坡
Chapter 9: Big Battle At ChangBanPo

诸葛亮随刘备来到新野，刘备拜他为军师，请他掌管军中大事。诸葛亮果然极有才能，很快便将军中事务处理得井井有条。
ZhuGe Liang went with Liu Bei to XinYe, Liu Bei asked him to be his counciller, and invited him to oversee the army. ZhuGe Liang did indeed have great abilities, and very quickly, the army's business were dealt with easily.

不久，曹将夏侯惇率十万大军前来挑战。诸葛亮让赵云将曹军引入山谷，然后让埋伏在那里的军士燃起大火，这场火烧得曹军死伤惨重。
Shortly after,Cao Cao's general XiaHou Dun led 100,000 men to fight.ZhuGe Liang told Zhao Yun to lure Cao Cao's army into a valley,then the men who are already placed there will set the place on fire,the fire burned Cao Cao's army and many were injured as well as killed.

曹操不甘失败，召集五十万大军前来征讨，派遣大将曹仁率十万大军进攻新野。
Cao Cao wasn't willing to lose,and gathered 500,000 men to go on an expedition,and sent the general Cao Ren to lead 10,000 men into XinYe.

新野难守，诸葛亮就安排百姓全部转移。他在新野设好埋伏，专等曹军到来。
XinYe was hard to defend,so ZhuGe Liang arranged for all the people to relocate.and he set up an ambush at XinYe,and patiently waited Cao Cao's army's arrival.

曹军杀奔新野，发现城里竟然空无一人。曹军以为刘军害怕逃走了，就住了下来。
Cao Cao's army raced into XinYe,and discovered that the city was deserted.Cao Cao's army thought that Liu Bei's army had fleed in terror,so they stayed there for the night.

夜晚，城里突发大火，烧死无数曹军。曹军逃到白河边，河水突涨，淹死无数兵士。
原来这又是诸葛亮的计策，他让关羽在上游用沙袋截水，看到曹军便撤袋放水。
At night,the city was suddenly set ablaze with fire,and killed many of Cao Cao's soldiers.Cao Cao's army ran to the bank of the Bai River,the river had swelled up a great size,and drowned more soldiers. Turns out that this was all according to ZhuGe Liang's calculations,he told Guan Yu to go upstream and use sandbags to stop the river,when they saw that Cao Cao's army arrive they removed the bags and let the water flow again.

曹操大怒，亲自率大军进攻新野。诸葛亮建议刘备放弃樊城，退守荆州重地江陵。
Cao Cao was enraged,and personally led his army to attack XinYe.ZhuGe Liang suggested that Liu Bei abandon the city,and retreat and defend the strategic location JiangLing of JingZhou.

于是刘备一面派关羽去江夏向刘琦求救，一面率军民十余万人赶往江陵。
So Liu Bei sent Guan Yu to Liu Qi of JiangXia to beg for help,and also led an army of over 100,000 soldiers and other civilians and rushed to JiangXia.

半夜，曹军追上来了。刘备见救兵没到，只好率两千士兵迎战。危急关头，张飞杀了过来，护着刘备逃到长坂坡。
At midnight,CaoCao's army finally caught up.Liu Bei saw that reinforcements had not yet arrived,he could only lead 2,000 soldiers to battle.they were in a desperate situation,and Zhang Fei came to attack Cao Cao,helping Liu Bei flee to ChangBanPo.

天亮了，刘备见身边只剩百余人马，百姓、家小、赵云等都不知去向。他万分焦急，不由得落下眼泪。
It was morning,Liu Bei saw that only over 100 people on his side had survived,and didn't know where the other people, his family members, and Zhao Yun went to.He was very very very worried,and couldn't help but start crying.

原来赵云在寻找刘备的家眷，他数次杀入乱军，才在逃难的百姓中找到甘夫人。
It turns out that Zhao Yun was looking for Liu Bei's family members,He charged many times into the hordes of soldiers,and found Madame Gan in the midst of the crowd of running people.

这时一支曹军冲了过来，赵云挺起枪，杀出一条血路，将甘夫人送至长坂坡。
At this moment, a group of Cao Cao's army rushed by,Zhao Yun lifted his spear,and sliced and hacked his way out,and brought Mme Gan over to ChangBanPo.

接着，赵云只身杀了回来，在敌军中左冲右突，终于在枯井前找到糜夫人和阿斗。
Next,Zhao Yun singlehandedly slashed and hacked back,and chopped and sliced inside the enemy ranks,finally found Mme Mi and A Dou in front of a well.

此时糜夫人已身受重伤，她让赵云不要管她。赵云不同意，糜夫人便投井自杀了。
At the moment Mme Mi had a fatal injury,and told Zhao Yun to not mind her.Zhao Yun protested,and Mme Mi jumped into the well and died.

赵云只好埋了糜夫人，将阿斗缚在怀中，一连杀死曹军名将五十余员。
Zhao Yun could only bury her corpse,and bound A Dou to his chest,and killed over 50 of Cao Cao's famous generals.

曹操爱才，想收服赵云，便下令活捉他。曹军将士有所顾忌，赵云趁机冲出重围。赵云连战几十员曹将，早已人困马乏。他看到桥头上的张飞，连忙大声呼救：“翼德救我！”
Cao Cao liked talented people, and wanted to get Zhao Yun on his side,so he ordered his men to capture Zhao Yun alive.Cao Cao's general was a bit hesitant,so Zhao Yun used this moment to rush out of the tight encirclement. Zhao Yun battled tens of CaoCao's generals,and he and his horse were exhausted.He saw Zhang Fei at the head of the bridge,and shouted, "HELPPP MEEEE!"

张飞截住追兵，赵云才得以脱身。赵云见了刘备，将熟睡的阿斗交给他。
Zhang Fei held off the chasing soldiers,Zhao Yun finally hurried off.Zhao Yun met up with Liu Bei,and handed the sleeping A Dou to him.

刘备见赵云为了保护阿斗险些丧命，便将阿斗抛在地上，责怪一番。为了你这小子，几乎损我一员大将。赵云说：“赵云肝脑涂地，也难报主公知遇之恩。”
Liu Bei saw that Zhao Yun had protected A Dou and was nearly killed,and threw A Dou on the ground,and started blaming him.Just for you little guy,one of my senior generals almost died.Zhao Yun said, "Even if I am to die the cruelest death,it will be impossible to repay you."

桥头上，张飞命部下将树枝拴在马尾上，在树林中来回奔跑，冲起满天的尘土。
At the head of the bridge,Zhang Fei ordered the soldiers to hang tree branches from their horses' tails,and run back and forth in the forest,letting dust and dirt cloud up.

曹军追了过来，看到张飞横枪怒喝：“谁敢与我决一死战！”又看到树林里尘土飞扬。他们怕有伏兵，不敢上前。
Cao Cao's army caught up,and saw Zhang Fei waving his spear around shouting, "Who wants a battle to the death with me?!"and then saw the flying dirt inside the forest.They were afraid of an ambush,so they were hesitant to move forward.

曹军一退，张飞便率军追上刘备，与刘琦的援军合兵一处，往汉津、沔阳逃去。
Cao Cao's army backed up,Zhang Fei then led the army to catch up to Liu Bei,with Liu Qi's extra reinforcements,fled to HanJing and MianYang.

第八章 三请诸葛亮

第八章 三请诸葛亮
Chapter Eight: Thrice Inviting ZhuGe Liang

刘备攻取许都时大败，只好率兵去投奔诸侯刘表。刘表对刘备非常热情，刘表的后妻蔡氏却对刘备不满，因为刘备不同意她的小儿子继承父位。
When Liu Bei went to attack XuDu he suffered a crushing defeat,he could only take his army back to seek help from warlord Liu Biao.Liu Biao was very nice to Liu Bei,but Liu Biao's second wife Cai Shi did not approve of Liu Bei,because Liu Bei was against her son inheriting his father's title.

蔡夫人让弟弟蔡瑁率兵去杀刘备，刘备逃走时被檀溪拦住去路。眼看追兵就要追上了，刘备只好打马往溪里跳去。谁知那马一跃而起，飞身跳到了对岸。
Mme Cai asked her little brother Cai Mao lead the army to kill Liu Bei,but when Liu Bei was escaping Creek Tan was blocking his way.when he saw that the army was catching up with him,Liu Bei could only get his horse to gallop towards the stream.Who knew that when the horse leaped up,it would leap over to the other side.

刘备来到对岸后，一位吹短笛的牧童认出了他，并邀请他去见师父水镜先生。
After Liu Bei reached the other side,a flute playing shephard boy recognized him,and invited him to meet Master Shui Jing.

草堂里，刘备见到气宇不凡的水镜先生。水镜先生让他广求贤才，以成大事。刘备问：“敢问怎样才能成就大事?”水镜先生道：“卧龙、凤雏，两人得一，可安天下。”
Inside the grass hut,Liu Bei met the extraordinary Mr. Shui Jing.Shui Jing wanted him to seek more talented people,and turn it into a great achievement.Liu Bei asked, "Can I ask how turn into such a great achievement?"Shui Jing replied, "Wo Long, Feng Chu,you need to recruit one of them,and you can dominate the world."

刘备回去后，巧遇贤士徐庶。徐庶说:“诸葛孔明，人称卧龙，诸葛孔明是一位天下奇才，将军可去拜访。”
After Liu Bei returned,he had a chance encounter with Xu Shu.Xu Shu said, "ZhuGe KongMing,also called Wo Long,ZhuGe KongMing is one of the world's greatest talented people,you're going to meet him."

于是，刘备和关羽、张飞一起去隆中卧龙冈拜访诸葛亮，不料诸葛亮没有在家。
Whereupon,Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei went together to the prosperous WoLong Hill to meet ZhuGe Liang,but consequentially ZhuGe Liang wasn't home.

回去时，刘备遇到诸葛亮的朋友崔州平。刘备想让他出山相助，可他却长揖而去。他的理由是生性闲散，无意于功名。
When they went back,Liu Bei met ZhuGe Lian's friend Cui Zhou Ping.Liu Bei wanted him to help,but he refused.He said it was because his life was short,and didn't care about honor and titles.

刘备回去后天天打听诸葛亮的消息。一天，他听说诸葛亮回来了，立即准备出发。
After Liu Bei went back he gathered for any news about ZhuGe Liang.One day,he heard that ZhuGe Liang returned,and immediately set out.

张飞建议派个人去请诸葛亮，可是刘备不以为然，于是三兄弟再次来到卧龙冈。
Zhang Fei suggested that they send someone to invite ZhuGe Liang,but Liu Bei disagreed,so the three brothers once again went to WoLong Place.

刘备跟着小童走进草庐，看见一个年轻人一边烤火，一边唱着贤士待明主的歌。
Liu Bei followed a little kid into the grass hut,and saw a young man warming up by a fire,while singing some folk songs.

刘备欢喜地说:“总算见到先生了。”年轻人还礼说自己是诸葛均，二哥诸葛亮昨天出门闲游了，不知何时回来。刘备只好留了封信给诸葛亮，便告辞了。
Liu Bei laughed, "I can finally meet you, mister."The young man introduced himself as ZhuGe Jun,and his older brother ZhuGe Liang went out yesterday to travel,and didn't know when he would return.Liu Bei could only leave a letter for ZhuGe Liang,and bid fare-well.

转眼过了新年，刘备选好日子，换上干净衣服，又要去隆中拜会诸葛亮。关羽、张飞都很不高兴，关羽说:“还是别去了，估计他徒有虚名，不敢见我们。”
New year passed in the blink of an eye,Liu Bei picked a day,changed into clean clothes,and went once again to meet ZhuGe Liang.Guan Yu and Zhang Fei weren't very happy,and Guan Yu said, "Maybe you shouldn't go,maybe he really isn't as famous as they describe him,and doesn't have the balls to meet us."

张飞听了关羽的话，嚷着要把诸葛亮绑过来。刘备训斥二人无礼，二人只好相随。
Zhang Fei heard Guan Yu's words,and started ranting about forcing ZhuGe Liang to come over here.Liu Bei scolded the two men for their rudeness,and the two quieted down.

到了隆中，刘备得知诸葛亮正在午睡，便只身站在茅庐的阶下静静等候。
After arriving at LongZhong,Liu Bei heard that ZhuGe Liang was sleeping,so he stood straight outside the thatched room and quietly waited.

过了一个时辰，诸葛亮醒了，听说刘备已等很久，连忙走出来，将他迎进茅庐。
After two hours,ZhuGe Liang woke up,and heard that Liu Bei had waited outside for a long time,and hurriedly walked out,and invited him into the cottage.

诸葛亮取出地图，建议先取荆州，再夺西川，与曹、孙形成鼎立之势后再图中原。
ZhuGe Liang retrieved a map,and suggested that they first take JingZhou,then go to XiChuan,and with Cao Cao and Sun Quan and each rule their own land then go for the Central Plains.

刘备听后极为敬佩，再三恳请诸葛亮出山相助。诸葛亮见他如此诚恳，便答应了。
After Liu Bei heard his plan he admired this man even more,then pleaded for ZhuGe Liang to join him.ZhuGe Liang saw that he was very sincere,and agreed.

Life is short?

Here's Indy's latest work.

刘备想让他出山相助，可他却长揖而去。他的理由是生性闲散，无意于功名。

Liu Bei wanted him to help, but he refused. He said it was because his life was short, and didn't care about honor.

I found that the way she translated those highlighted parts is very interesting. It's hard for her to explain why she did so. It's surprising that a short statement "but he refused" really captured the meaning, and I don't know what could be better than that.

When I saw "his life was short", I almost bursted into laughter. It was funny. It's so American: Life is short!