小说园

第98部分（第1页）

For　skill　in　letters　he　was　famed；

In　speech；　he　dukes　and　princes　shamed；

Historians　his　merits　tell；

Recorders　say　that　he　did　well。

After　wreaking　his　wrath　on　Kong　Rong；　Cao　Cao　issued　the　order　to　march。　Xun　Yu　was　left　in　mand　of　the　capital。

About　this　time　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou　became　seriously　ill；　and　he　summoned　Liu　Bei　to　his　chamber。　Liu　Bei　went　acpanied　by　his　two　brothers；　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　and　Directing　Instructor　Zhuge　Liang。

Liu　Biao　said；　〃The　disease　has　attacked　my　very　vitals；　and　my　time　is　short。　I　confide　my　orphans　to　your　guardianship。　My　sons　is　unfit　to　succeed　to　my　place；　and　I　pray　you；　my　brother；　administer　the　region　after　my　death。〃

Liu　Bei　wept；　saying；　〃I　will　do　my　utmost　to　help　my　nephews。　What　else　could　I　do；　indeed？〃

Even　at　this　moment　came　the　news　of　the　march　of　Cao　Caos　armies；　and　Liu　Bei；　taking　hasty　leave　of　his　kinsman；　was　forced　to　hurry　to　his　station。　The　evil　tidings　aggravated　the　sick　mans　condition；　and　he　began　to　make　his　last　arrangements。　In　his　testament　he　appointed　Liu　Bei　the　guardian　of　his　son　Liu　Qi；　who　was　to　succeed　in　the　lordship。

This　arrangement　greatly　angered　his　wife；　Lady　Cai。　She　closed　the　inner　doors　against　all　and　confided　to　her　own　partisans；　of　whom　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　were　her　confidants；　the　keeping　of　the　outer　gates。

The　heir　was　at　Jiangxia；　and　he　came　to　make　filial　inquiries　as　soon　as　his　fathers　condition　became　serious。

But　Cai　Mao　refused　him　admittance　and　said；　〃Your　father　sent　you　to　guard　Jiangxia。　Such　a　very　responsible　post　should　by　no　means　have　been　quitted　without　orders。　Suppose　it　was　attacked；　what　might　not　happen？　If　your　father　sees　you；　he　will　be　very　angry；　and　it　will　make　him　worse。　That　would　be　most　undutiful；　and　you　should　return　to　your　mand　at　once。〃

Liu　Qi　stood　out　for　some　time；　but　admittance　was　denied　him　in　spite　of　his　tears。　So　he　returned　to　his　post。　Meanwhile　Liu　Biao　rapidly　grew　worse。　He　anxiously　looked　for　his　son；　but　Liu　Qi　came　not。　Suddenly　Liu　Biao　uttered　piercing　shrieks　and　then　passed　away。

When　the　Yuans　were　lords　of　the　north；

And　Liu　Biao　held　the　bank　of　the　river；

It　seemed；　so　strong　were　they　both；

That　they　would　endure　forever。

But　the　family　affairs　troubled　their　states；

And；　meddling；　confusion　made；

It　was　mournful　indeed　to　see

How　quickly　the　houses　decayed。

So　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Biao　died。　Then　the　widow　and　her　partisans　took　counsel　together　and　forged　a　testament　conferring　the　lordship　of　Jingzhou　on　the　second　son　Liu　Zong　before　they　published　the　news　of　the　death。

The　wrongful　heir　was　then　fourteen　years　of　age。　But　he　was　a　cunning　boy；　so　he　assembled　the　officials　and　said；　〃My　father　has　passed　away；　and　my　elder　brother　is　at　Jiangxia。　More　than　that；　our　uncle　is　at　Xinye。　You　have　made　me　lord；　but　if　my　brother　and　uncle　e　here　with　an　army　to　punish　me　for　usurping　the　lordship；　what　explanation　can　I　offer？〃

At　first　no　one　replied。

Then　Adviser　Li　Gui　rose　and　said；　〃You　speak　well。　Now　hasten　to　send　letters　of　mourning　to　your　brother　and　ask　him　to　e　and　take　his　inheritance。　Also　call　upon　Liu　Bei　to　e　and　assist　in　the　administration。　Then　shall　we　be　safe　against　our　enemies………Cao　Cao　on　the　north　and　Sun　Quan　on　the　south。　I　consider　this　the　most　excellent　plan。〃

But　Cai　Mao　replied　harshly；　〃Who　are　you　to　speak　thus　wildly　and　oppose　the　testament　of　our　late　lord？〃

Li　Gui　began　to　abuse　him；　saying；　〃You　and　your　party　have　fabricated　this　testament；　setting　aside　the　rightful　heir。　Now　the　whole　region　is　in　the　hands　of　the　Cai　family。　If　our　dead　lord　knew　your　doings；　he　would　slay　you！〃

Cai　Mao　ordered　the　lictors　to　take　Li　Gui　away　to　execution。　He　was　hurried　out；　but　his　tongue　ceased　not。

So　the　younger　son　was　placed　in　his　fathers　seat；　and　the　Cai　clan　shared　among　them　the　whole　military　authority　of　the　region。　The　defense　of　Jingzhou　was　confided　to　Liu　Xin　and　Deng　Yi；　while　Lady　Cai　and　her　son　took　up　their　residence　in　Xiangyang　so　as　to　be　out　of　the　reach　of　the　rightful　heir　and　his　uncle。　They　interred　the　remains　of　the　late　Imperial　Protector　on　the　east　of　Xiangyang；　near　the　bank　of　the　Han　River。　No　notice　of　the　death　was　sent　to　Liu　Qi；　the　son；　or　to　Liu　Bei；　his　uncle。

Liu　Zong　arrived　at　Xiangyang；　but；　before　he　had　had　time　to　recover　from　the　fatigue　of　the　journey；　the　startling　news　of　the　approach　of　Cao　Caos　great　army　came　in。　He　summoned　Kuai　Yue　and　Cai　Mao　and　others　to　ask　counsel。

One　of　the　secretaries；　Fu　Xuan；　offered　his　advice；　saying；　〃Not　only　are　we　threatened　by　a　great　army　from　the　north；　but　the　elder　son；　who　is　the　real　heir；　at　Jiangxia；　and　his　uncle　at　Xinye；　are　to　be　reckoned　with。　These　two　have　not　been　notified　of　the　death；　and　they　will　resent　that。　We　shall　be　in　sad　case　if　they　also　march　against　us。　But　if　you　will　adopt　my　suggestion；　then　our　people　will　be　as　steady　as　Taishan　Mountains　and　our　young　lords　position　and　rank　will　be　assured。〃

〃What　is　your　plan？〃　asked　the　young　lord。

〃To　offer　the　whole　region　to　Cao　Cao；　who　will　treat　our　young　master　most　liberally。〃

〃What　advice！〃　said　Liu　Zong　angrily。　〃Am　I　to　yield　my　heritage　to　another　before　I　have　even　fairly　succeeded　to　it？〃