小说园

第129部分（第1页）

y　that　the　two　paramount　beauties　would　now　be　gracing　the　Bronze　Bird　Palace。　And　as　for　yourself　and　other　officers；　insignificant　though　your　families　be；　could　you　have　been　sure　to　survive？　Just　now　my　lord　did　not　reply　because　he　was　willing　to　believe　rather　that　a　scholar　of　your　abilities　would　understand　without　a　detailed　explanation；　and　I　trust　now　that　you　will。〃

This　speech　absolutely　shut　the　guests　mouth　for　a　time；　and　he　said　no　word　in　reply。　But　after　an　interval　he　said；　〃What　you　say；　Zhuge　Liang；　I　think　is　devoid　of　reason；　and　means　much　unpleasantness　for　me。〃

〃What　unpleasantness？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

The　guest　replied；　〃When　Liu　Bei　was　in　serious　straits　at　Dangyang；　I　conducted　you　across　the　river　and　introduced　you　to　my　lord。　I　opposed　Zhou　Yu　when　he　was　going　to　capture　Jingzhou；　and　then　it　came　to　agreement　that　the　place　was　to　be　ours　when　the　young　man　died。　And　I　pledged　myself　to　that。　Now　how　can　I　go　back　and　say　you　break　your　promise？　Both　my　lord　and　Zhou　Yu　will　hold　me　guilty。　I　would　not　mind　death　so　much；　but　I　fear　that　my　master　will　be　very　wrathful　and　make　war　on　the　Imperial　Uncle；　who　will　have　no　place　of　refuge　and　he　will　look　ridiculous　in　the　eyes　of　the　world　for　no　reason。〃

Replied　Zhuge　Liang；　〃I　care　not　for　Cao　Cao　with　his　million　troops　and　the　Emperor　in　name　at　his　back；　and　do　you　think　I　fear　such　a　youngster　as　Zhou　Yu？　However；　as　it　may　cause　you　some　loss　of　consideration；　I　will　try　to　persuade　my　master　to　put　the　matter　in　writing　and　give　you　a　paper　to　the　effect　that　he　is　temporarily　occupying　Jingzhou　as　a　base。　When　he　can　obtain　possession　of　some　other　city；　this　shall　be　returned　to　you。　What　think　you　the　South　Land　would　say　to　this？〃

〃Wait　till　what　other　place　was　obtained？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃My　master　can　scarcely　think　of　attacking　the　Middle　Land　yet；　but　Liu　Zhang　in　Yizhou　is　ignorant　and　weak；　and　my　master　will　attack　him。　If　he　gets　the　western　region；　then　this　place　will　be　given　up　to　you。〃

Lu　Su　had　no　alternative　and　accepted　the　offer。　Liu　Bei　with　his　own　hand　wrote　the　pledge　and　sealed　it。　Zhuge　Liang　being　named　as　guarantor　also　signed　the　document。

〃Since　I　belong　to　this　side　of　the　pact　and　one　can　hardly　have　a　guarantor　of　the　same　party；　I　would　trouble　you；　Lu　Su；　also　to　sign。　It　will　look　better　when　you　reach　the　South　Land　again；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Lu　Su　said；　〃I　know　that　your　master　is　perfectly　honorable　and　will　adhere　to　the　bargain。〃

And　so　Lu　Su　signed。　Then　he　received　the　document　in　formal　style　and　took　his　departure。　He　was　sent　off　with　every　mark　of　great　respect；　both　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　attending　him　to　his　boat。

There　the　Directing　Instructor　delivered　him　a　last　exhortation；　〃When　you　see　your　master；　speak　discreetly　and　explain　fully　so　as　not　to　create　a　bad　impression。　If　he　rejects　our　document；　we　may　get　angry　and　we　will　take　his　whole　country。　The　one　thing　now　is　for　our　two　houses　to　live　in　harmony　and　not　give　our　mon　enemy；　Cao　Cao；　an　opportunity　against　us。〃

Lu　Su　went　down　into　his　ship。　He　reached　Chaisang　and　there　saw　Zhou　Yu；　who　said；　〃Well；　how　did　you　speed　with　your　demand　for　Jingzhou？〃

〃Here　is　the　document；〃　said　Lu　Su；　giving　it　to　Zhou　Yu　to　read。

〃You　have　been　victimized　by　Zhuge　Liang！〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　stamping　his　foot　with　irritation。　〃In　name　it　may　be　temporary　occupation；　but　in　fact　it　is　humbug。　They　say　the　place　is　to　be　returned　when　they　get　the　west。　Who　knows　when　that　will　be？　Suppose　ten　years：　Then　it　will　be　ten　years　before　they　give　us　Jingzhou。　What　is　the　use　of　such　a　document　as　this？　And　you　are　a　guarantor　of　its　due　performance！　If　they　do　not　give　us　the　city；　you　get　into　trouble。　Suppose　our　lord　finds　you　in　the　wrong；　what　then？〃

Lu　Su　was　dumbfounded。　When　he　had　somewhat　recovered　his　self…possession；　he　said；　〃I　think　Liu　Bei　will　be　true　to　me。〃

〃You；　my　friend；　are　simple　and　sincere。　Liu　Bei　is　a　scoundrel　adventurer；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　a　slippery　customer。　They　and　you　are　utterly　different。〃

〃What　then　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Lu　Su　distressfully。

〃You　are　my　dear　friend；　and　your　kindness　in　freely　offering　your　store　of　grain　to　relieve　my　army　is　still　fresh　in　my　memory。　Of　course　I　will　save　you。　Do　not　be　anxious；　but　wait　a　few　days　till　we　get　news　of　what　is　doing　on　the　north　of　the　river；　and　then　we　can　decide　upon　a　plan。〃

Lu　Su　passed　some　very　uneasy　days。　Then　the　scouts　came　back　saying　that　in　Jingzhou　everything　seemed　in　excellent　order　and　the　white　flags　were　flying　everywhere；　while　outside　the　city　they　were　building　a　magnificent　mausoleum　for　Lady　Gan；　wife　of　Liu　Bei。　All　the　soldiers　were　in　mourning。

When　Zhou　Yu　knew　who　was　dead；　he　said　to　Lu　Su；　〃My　scheme　is　made。　You　will　see　Liu　Bei　just　stand　still　to　be　bound；　and　we　shall　get　Jingzhou　like　turning　a　hand。〃

〃What　is　the　main　spring　of　your　plan？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃Liu　Bei　will　want　to　remarry；　and　our　lord　has　a　sister；　Sun　Ren。　She　is　a　tough　lady；　whose　women　guards　number　many　hundreds；　all　armed　with　weapons　of　war。　Her　apartments　also　are　full　of　such　things。　I　will　write　to　our　lord　to　send　an　intermediary　to　arrange　that　the　lady　shall　wed　Liu　Bei　at　her　family　home；　and　thus　we　shall　entice　Liu　Bei　to　Nanxu。　But　instead　of　marrying　a　wife；　Liu　Bei　will　find　himself　a　prisoner；　and　then　we　will　demand　Jingzhou　as　ransom。　When　they　have　handed　over　the　region；　I　shall　find　something　else　to　say　and　nothing　will　fall　on　your　head。〃

Lu　Su　was　very　grateful。　Then　Zhou　Yu　wrote　letters　to　his　master；　and　a　swift　boat　was　chosen　to　take　Lu　Su　to　see　the　Marquis　of　Wu。

After　the　lending　of　Jingzhou　had　been　discussed；　Lu　Su　presented　the　document　given　him　by　Liu　Bei。

〃What　is　the　use　of　such　nonsense　as　this？〃　said　Sun　Quan；　when　he　had　read　it。

〃There　is　another　letter　from　General　Zhou　Yu。　And　he　says　that　if　you　will　employ　his　scheme；　you　can　recover　Jingzhou；〃　replied　Lu　Su。

Having　read　that　letter；　Sun　Quan　was　more　pleased　and　began　to　consider　who　was　the　best　person　to　send。