小说园

第85部分（第2页）

Presently　Liu　Biao　said；　〃Cao　Cao　has　returned；　and　he　is　stronger　than　ever。　I　am　afraid　he　means　to　absorb　this　region。　I　am　sorry　I　did　not　follow　your　advice　for　I　have　missed　an　opportunity。〃

〃In　this　period　of　disruption；　with　strife　on　every　side；　one　cannot　pretend　that　there　will　be　no　more　opportunities。　If　you　only　take　what　that　offers；　there　will　be　nothing　to　regret。〃

〃What　you　say；　brother；　is　quite　to　the　point；〃　replied　Liu　Biao。

They　drank　on　for　a　time　till　presently　Liu　Bei　noticed　that　his　host　was　weeping；　and　when　he　asked　the　cause　of　these　tears；　Liu　Biao　replied；　〃It　is　that　secret　sorrow　I　spoke　of　to　you　before。　I　wished　to　tell　you；　but　there　was　no　opportunity　that　day。〃

〃O　brother；　what　difficulty　have　you；　and　can　I　assist　you？　I　am　entirely　at　your　service。〃

〃My　first　wife；　of　the　Chen　family；　bore　me　a　son　Liu　Qi；　my　eldest。　He　grew　up　virtuous　but　weakly　and　unfitted　to　succeed　me　in　my　office。　Later　I　took　a　wife　of　the　Cai　family；　who　bore　me　a　son　named　Liu　Zong；　fairly　intelligent。　If　I　pass　over　the　elder　in　favor　of　the　younger；　there　is　the　breach　of　the　rule　of　primogeniture。　But　if　I　follow　law　and　custom；　there　are　the　intrigues　of　the　Cai　family　and　clan　to　be　reckoned　with。　Further；　the　army　is　in　the　hollow　of　their　hands。　There　will　be　trouble；　and　I　cannot　decide　what　to　do。〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃All　experience　proves　that　to　set　aside　the　elder　for　the　younger　is　to　take　the　way　of　confusion。　If　you　fear　the　power　of　the　Cai　faction；　then　gradually　reduce　its　power　and　influence；　but　do　not　let　doting　affection　lead　you　into　making　the　younger　your　heir。〃

Liu　Biao　pondered　silent。　But　Lady　Cai　had　had　a　suspicion　why　her　lord　had　summoned　Liu　Bei　and　what　was　the　subject　of　discussion；　so　she　had　determined　to　listen　secretly。　She　was　behind　the　screen　when　the　matter　was　talked　over；　and　she　conceived　deep　resentment　against　Liu　Bei　for　what　he　had　said。

On　his　side；　Liu　Bei　felt　that　his　advice　had　fallen　upon　a　forbidden　subject；　and　he　arose　and　walked　across　the　room。　As　he　did　so　he　noticed　that　he　was　getting　heavy　and　stiff；　and　a　furtive　tear　stole　down　his　cheek　as　he　thought　of　the　past。　When　he　returned　and　sat　down；　his　host　noticed　the　traces　of　weeping　and　asked　the　cause　of　his　sorrow。

〃In　the　past　I　was　always　in　the　saddle；　and　I　was　slender　and　lithe。　Now　it　is　so　long　since　I　rode　that　I　am　getting　stout；　and　the　days　and　months　are　slipping　by………wasted。　I　shall　have　old　age　on　me　in　no　time；　and　I　have　acplished　nothing。　So　I　am　sad。〃

〃I　have　heard　a　story　that　when　you　were　at　Xuchang　at　the　season　of　green　plums；　you　and　Cao　Cao　were　discussing　heroes。　You　mentioned　this　name　and　that　to　him　as　humans　of　parts；　and　he　rejected　everyone　of　them。　Finally　he　said　that　you　and　he　were　the　only　two　persons　of　real　worth　in　the　whole　empire。　If　he　with　all　his　power　and　authority　did　not　dare　to　place　himself　in　front　of　you；　I　do　not　think　you　need　grieve　about　having　acplished　nothing。〃

At　this　flattering　speech　Liu　Bei；　as　wine　was　getting　the　better　of　him　and　in　a　half　maudlin　manner；　replied；　〃If　I　only　had　a　starting　point；　then　I　would　not　be　afraid　of　anyone　in　a　world　full　of　fools。〃

His　host　said　no　more　and　the　guest；　feeling　that　he　had　slipped　up　in　speech；　rose　as　if　drunk；　took　leave；　and　staggered　out　saying　he　must　return　to　his　lodging　to　recover。

The　episode　has　been　celebrated　in　a　poem：

When　with　crooking　fingers　counting；

Cao　Cao　reckoned　up　the　forceful

Humans　of　real　determination；

Only　two　he　found；　and　one　was

Liu　Bei。　But　by　inaction

He　had　grown　both　fat　and　slothful；

Yet　the　months　and　years　in　passing

Fretted　him　with　nought　acplished。

Though　Liu　Biao　kept　silence　when　he　heard　the　words　of　Liu　Bei；　yet　he　felt　the　more　uneasy。　After　the　departure　of　his　guest；　he　retired　into　the　inner　quarters　where　he　met　his　wife。

Lady　Cai　said；　〃I　happened　to　be　behind　the　screen　just　now　and　so　heard　the　words　of　Liu　Bei。　They　betray　scant　regard　for　other　people　and　mean　that　he　would　take　your　territory　if　he　could。　If　you　do　not　remove　him；　it　will　go　ill　with　you。〃

Her　husband　made　no　reply；　but　only　shook　his　head。

Then　Lady　Cai　took　counsel　with　her　kinsman　Cai　Mao；　who　said；　〃Let　me　go　to　the　guest…house　and　slay　him　forthwith；　and　we　can　report　what　we　have　done。〃

His　sister　consented　and　he　went　out；　and　that　night　told　off　a　party　of　soldiers　to　do　the　foul　deed。

Now　Liu　Bei　sat　in　his　lodging　by　the　light　of　a　single　candle　till　about　the　third　watch；　when　he　prepared　to　retire　to　bed。　He　was　startled　by　a　knock　at　his　door　and　in　came　Yi　Ji；　who　had　heard　of　the　plot　against　his　new　master　and　had　e　in　the　darkness　to　warn　him。　He　related　the　details　of　the　plot　and　urged　speedy　departure。

〃I　have　not　said　farewell　to　my　host。　How　can　I　go　away？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃If　you　go　to　bid　him　farewell；　you　will　fall　a　victim　to　the　Cai　faction；〃　said　Yi　Ji。

So　Liu　Bei　said　a　hasty　good…bye　to　his　friend；　called　up　his　escort；　and　they　all　mounted　and　rode　away　by　the　light　of　the　stars　toward　Xinye。　Soon　after　they　had　left　the　soldiers　arrived　at　the　guest…house；　but　their　intended　victim　was　already　well　on　his　way。

Naturally　the　failure　of　the　plot　chagrined　the　treacherous　Cai　Mao；　but　he　took　the　occasion　to　scribble　some　calumnious　verses　on　one　of　the　partitions。

Then　he　went　to　see　Liu　Biao　to　whom　he　sai