小说园

第104部分（第1页）

rds。　Besides；　we　have　no　one　to　send。〃

〃Your　elder　brother　Zhuge　Jin　is　there　as　adviser　and　is　longing　to　see　you。　I　am　but　a　simple　wight；　but　I　should　be　pleased　to　discuss　affairs　with　my　master　and　you。〃

〃But　Zhuge　Liang　is　my　Directing　Instructor；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃and　I　cannot　do　without　him。　He　cannot　go。〃

Lu　Su　pressed　him。　Liu　Bei　pretended　to　refuse　permission。

〃It　is　important。　I　pray　you　give　me　leave　to　go；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Then　Liu　Bei　consented。　And　they　soon　took　leave　and　the　two　set　out　by　boat　for　Sun　Quans　headquarters。

A　little　boat　sailed　down　the　stream

With　Zhuge　Liang　well　content；

For　he　could　see　his　enemies

To　fiery　perdition　sent。

The　result　of　this　journey　will　appear　in　the　following　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　43　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　43

Chapter　43

Zhuge　Liang　Disputes　With　The　Southern　Scholars；

Lu　Su　Denounces　The　Majority　Opinion。

In　the　boat　on　the　way　to　Chaisang；　the　two　travelers　beguiled　the　time　by　discussing　affairs。

Lu　Su　impressed　upon　his　panion；　saying；　〃When　you　see　my　master；　do　not　reveal　the　truth　about　the　magnitude　of　Cao　Caos　army。〃

〃You　do　not　have　to　remind　me；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang；　〃but　I　shall　know　how　to　reply。〃

When　the　boat　arrived；　Zhuge　Liang　was　lodged　in　the　guests　quarters；　and　Lu　Su　went　alone　to　see　his　master。　Lu　Su　found　Sun　Quan　actually　at　a　council；　assembled　to　consider　the　situation。　Lu　Su　was　summoned　thereto　and　questioned　at　once　upon　what　he　had　discovered。

〃I　know　the　general　outline；　but　I　want　a　little　time　to　prepare　my　report；〃　replied　Lu　Su。

Then　Sun　Quan　produced　Cao　Caos　letter　and　gave　it　to　Lu　Su。

〃That　came　yesterday。　I　have　sent　the　bearer　of　it　back；　and　this　gathering　is　to　consider　the　reply；〃　said　he。

Lu　Su　read　the　letter：

〃When　I；　the　Prime　Minister；　received　the　imperial　mand　to　punish　a　fault；　my　banners　went　south　and　Liu　Zong　became　my　prisoner；　while　the　people　of　Jingzhou　flocked　to　my　side　at　the　first　rumor　of　my　ing。　Under　my　hand　are　one　million　strong　and　a　thousand　able　leaders。　My　desire　is；　General；　that　we　go　on　a　great　hunting　expedition　into　Jiangxia　and　together　attack　Liu　Bei。　We　will　share　his　land　between　us；　and　we　will　swear　perpetual　amity。　If　happily　you　would　not　be　a　mere　looker…on；　I　pray　you　reply　quickly。〃

〃What　have　you　decided　upon；　my　lord？〃　asked　Lu　Su　as　he　finished　the　letter。

〃I　have　not　yet　decided。〃

Then　Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃It　would　be　imprudent　to　withstand　Cao　Caos　hundred　legions　backed　by　the　imperial　authority。　Moreover；　your　most　important　defense　against　him　is　the　Great　River；　and　since　Cao　Cao　has　gained　possession　of　Jingzhou；　the　river　is　his　ally　against　us。　We　cannot　withstand　him；　and　the　only　way　to　tranquillity；　in　my　opinion；　is　submission。〃

〃The　words　of　the　speaker　accord　with　the　manifest　decree　of　providence；〃　echoed　all　the　assembly。