小说园

第90部分（第1页）

〃After　you　are　gone；　I　shall　only　bury　myself　in　the　hills　and　hide　in　the　forests；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Xu　Shu　said；　〃I　had　in　my　heart　for　you　the　position　of　leader　of　the　chieftains；　but　my　plans　have　been　altogether　upset　by　my　mother。　I　have　been　of　no　advantage　to　you；　nor　should　I　do　any　good　by　remaining。　But　you　ought　to　seek　some　person　of　lofty　wisdom　to　help　you　in　your　great　enterprise。　It　is　unseemly　to　be　downcast。〃

〃I　shall　find　none　to　help　better　than　you；　my　master。〃

〃How　can　I　permit　such　extravagant　praise？〃　said　Xu　Shu。　〃I　am　only　a　useless　blockhead。〃

As　he　moved　off；　he　said　to　the　followers；　〃Officers；　I　hope　you　will　render　the　Princely　One　good　service；　whereby　to　write　his　name　large　in　the　countrys　annals　and　cause　his　fame　to　glow　in　the　pages　of　history。　Do　not　be　like　me；　a　person　who　has　left　his　work　half　done。〃

They　were　all　deeply　affected。　Liu　Bei　could　not　bring　himself　to　part　from　his　friend。　He　escorted　him　a　little　further；　and　yet　a　little　further；　till　Xu　Shu　said；　〃I　will　not　trouble　you；　O　Princely　One；　to　e　further。　Let　us　say　our　farewell　here。〃

Liu　Bei　dismounted；　took　Xu　Shu　by　the　hands；　and　said；　〃Alas！　We　part。　Each　goes　his　way；　and　who　knows　if　we　shall　meet　again？〃

His　tears　fell　like　rain　and　Xu　Shu　wept　also。　But　the　last　goodbyes　were　said。　When　the　traveler　had　gone；　Liu　Bei　stood　gazing　after　the　little　party　and　watched　it　slowly　disappear。　At　the　last　glimpse　he　broke　into　lamentation。

〃He　is　gone！　What　shall　I　do？〃

One　of　the　trees　shut　out　the　traveler　from　his　sight；　and　Liu　Bei　pointed　at　it；　saying；　〃Wish　that　I　could　cut　down　every　tree　in　the　countryside！〃

〃Why？〃　said　his　officers。

〃Because　they　hinder　my　sight　of　Xu　Shu。〃

Suddenly　they　saw　Xu　Shu　galloping　back。

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃He　is　returning：　Can　it　he　that　he　is　going　to　stay？〃

So　he　hastened　forward　to　meet　Xu　Shu；　and　when　they　got　near　enough；　he　cried；　〃This　return　is　surely　for　no　slight　reason。〃

Checking　his　horse；　Xu　Shu　said；　〃In　the　turmoil　of　my　feelings；　I　forgot　to　say　one　word。　There　is　a　person　of　wonderful　skill　living　about　seven　miles　from　the　city　of　Xiangyang。　Why　not　seek　him？〃

〃Can　I　trouble　you　to　ask　him　to　visit　me？〃

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Zhang　Liang　was　Liu　Bangs　counselor。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Guan　Zhong　was　priminister　of　Duke　Huan　of　Qi。　Guan　Zhong　made　Qi　a　powerful　state　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Yue　Yi　was　a　great　general　of　Yan。　Yue　Yi　helped　Yan　overe　Qi；　which　was　a　dominant　state　during　the　Warring　States　period。　。。。。。

〃He　will　not　condescend　to　visit　you。　You　must　go　to　him。　But　if　he　consents；　you　will　be　as　fortunate　as　the　Zhou　when　they　got　the　aid　of　Lu　Wang*；　or　the　Han　when　Zhang　Liang*　came　to　help。〃

〃How　does　the　unknown　pare　with　yourself？〃

〃With　me？　pared　with　him　I　am　as　a　worn…out　carthorse　to　a　palomino；　an　old　duck　to　a　phoenix。　This　man　often　pares　himself　with　the　ancient　sages　Guan　Zhong*　and　Yue　Yi*　but；　in　my　opinion；　he　is　far　their　superior。　He　has　the　talent　to　measure　the　heavens　and　mete　the　earth。　He　is　a　man　who　overshadows　every　other　in　the　world。〃

〃I　would　know　his　name。〃

〃He　belongs　to　Langye；　and　his　name　is　Zhuge　Liang。　He　is　of　the　family　of　the　former　General　Zhuge　Feng。　His　father；　Zhuge　Gui；　was　the　Deputy　Governor　of　Taishan　but　died　young；　and　the　young　fellow　went　with　his　uncle　Zhuge　Xuan　to　Jingzhou。　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Biao　was　an　old　friend　of　his　uncle；　and　Zhuge　Liang　became　settled　in　Xiangyang。　Then　his　uncle　died；　and　he　and　his　younger　brother；　Zhuge　Jun；　returned　to　their　farm　in　Nanyang　and　worked　as　farmers。　They　used　to　amuse　themselves　with　the　position　of　songs　in　the　Liangfu　style。

〃On　their　land　was　a　ridge　of　hills　called　the　Sleeping　Dragon；　and　the　elder　of　the　brothers　took　it　as　a　name　and　called　himself　Master　Sleeping　Dragon。　This　is　your　man。　He　is　a　veritable　genius。　You　ought　really　to　visit　him。　And　if　he　will　help　you；　you　need　feel　no　more　anxiety　about　peace　in　the　empire。〃

〃Water　Mirror　spoke　that　time　of　two　persons；　Sleeping　Dragon　and　Young　Phoenix；　and　said　if　only　one　of　them　could　be　got　to　help　me　all　would　be　well。　Surely　he；　whom　you　speak　of；　is　one　of　them。〃

〃Young　Phoenix　is　Pang　Tong　of　Xiangyang；　and　Sleeping　Dragon　is　Zhuge　Liang。〃

Liu　Bei　jumped　with　delight；　〃Now　at　last　I　know　who　the　mysterious　ones　are。　How　I　wish　they　were　here！　But　for　you　I　should　have　still　been　an　unclued　man；〃　said　he。

Someone　has　celebrated　in　verse　this　interview　where　Xu　Shu　from　horseback　remended　Zhuge　Liang：

Liu　Bei　heard　that　his　able　friend