小说园

第132部分（第1页）

d　in　front　and　rear；　they　left　the　precincts　of　the　city；　traveling　as　quickly　as　they　could。

That　day；　at　the　new　year　banquet；　Sun　Quan　drank　freely　so　that　he　had　to　be　helped　to　his　chamber；　and　the　guests　left。　Before　very　long　the　escape　of　the　fugitives　became　known；　but　it　was　then　dark；　and　when　they　tried　to　tell　Sun　Quan；　they　could　not　rouse　him。　He　slept　heavily　until　the　fifth　watch。

The　next　morning；　when　Sun　Quan　heard　the　story；　he　asked　advice　of　his　counselors。

Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃They　have　got　away　today；　but　trouble　will　surely　e　of　it。　Therefore；　pursue　after　them　without　loss　of　time。〃

So　Chen　Wu　and　Pan　Zhang；　with　five　hundred　of　veterans；　were　sent　out　with　orders　to　use　all　speed　both　by　day　and　by　night　and　bring　back　the　fugitives。

They　left。　Sun　Quans　anger　burned　hot　against　Liu　Bei。　In　his　wrath　he　seized　his　jade　inkstone　and　dashed　it　to　the　ground　where　it　shivered　to　pieces。

Said　Cheng　Pu；　〃My　lord；　your　wrath　is　in　vain；　for　I　do　not　think　your　generals　will　catch　the　runaways。〃

〃Will　they　dare　to　disobey　my　order？〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Our　young　lady　had　always　delighted　to　look　upon　war　and　is　very　fierce　and　determined。　All　the　officers　fear　her。　Now　she　has　gone　with　her　husband　of　her　own　free　will；　and　those　sent　in　pursuit；　if　once　they　look　upon　her　countenance；　will　not　dare　to　lay　hands　on　her。〃

Sun　Quans　wrath　burned　the　more　fiercely　at　these　words。

He　drew　the　sword　girded　at　his　side　and　called　up　Jiang　Qin　and　Zhou　Tai；　saying；　〃You　two　take　this　sword　and　bring　back　the　heads　of　my　sister　and　Liu　Bei。　And　if　you　do　not；　I　will　put　you　to　death。〃

With　this　order　they　set　out　in　pursuit；　leading　a　whole　thousand　troops。　Meanwhile　Liu　Bei　and　his　wife　were　pressing　forward　with　all　speed。　When　night　fell；　they　rested　for　a　time　by　the　roadside；　but　not　for　long。　Just　as　they　reached　the　confines　of　Chaisang；　they　turned　and　saw　a　great　cloud　of　dust　and　the　soldiers　said　that　a　force　was　ing　in　pursuit。

〃What　shall　we　do　if　they　e　up　with　us？〃　said　Liu　Bei　excitedly　to　Zhao　Yun。

〃My　lord；　you　go　on　in　front　and　I　will　prevent　pursuit。〃

As　they　turned　the　foot　of　a　hill；　they　saw　a　troop　of　soldiers　blocking　their　road　in　front。

Two　generals　were　there　and　they　bellowed；　〃Liu　Bei；　dismount　and　yield　yourself　captive。　We　are　here　by　order　of　mander　Zhou　Yu；　and　you　have　kept　us　waiting　long！〃

Now　the　thought　had　e　to　Zhou　Yu　that　Liu　Bei　would　try　to　flee；　and　so　he　had　sent　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng；　with　three　thousand　troops；　to　intercept　him　at　this　critical　spot。　They　had　made　a　camp　there　and　kept　a　lookout　from　the　hilltops；　for　Zhou　Yu　had　calculated　that　Liu　Bei　would　certainly　pass　that　way。　So　when　Liu　Bei　and　his　cavalcade　appeared；　they　all　buckled　on　their　arms　and　barred　the　way。

Greatly　fearing；　Liu　Bei　rode　back　to　consult　Zhao　Yun；　to　whom　he　said；　〃In　front　a　force　barring　the　road；　in　rear　pursuers。　There　is　no　escape。　What　can　we　do？〃

〃Do　not　be　alarmed；　my　lord。　The　Directing　Instructor　gave　me　three　plans　enclosed　in　three　silken　bags。　Two　have　been　used　and　have　answered　admirably。　There　is　yet　the　third；　and　my　orders　were　to　open　the　bag　in　such　a　strait　as　this。　This　is　a　day　of　great　danger　such　as　calls　me　to　open　the　bag。〃

Thereupon　Zhao　Yun　opened　the　bag　and　handed　it　to　Liu　Bei。

As　soon　as　Liu　Bei　had　seen　the　contents；　he　hastened　to　Lady　Suns　carriage　and　began　to　weep；　saying；　〃I　have　something　private　to　say；　and　I　must　tell　you。〃

〃What　have　you　to　tell　me；　my　husband？　Tell　me　the　whole　truth；〃　replied　she。

〃Your　brother　and　Zhou　Yu　formerly　made　a　plot　for　you　to　marry　me；　not　for　your　sake；　but　to　get　me　into　their　power　and　hold　me　so　that　they　might　recover　Jingzhou。　They　were　set　on　my　murder；　and　you　were　the　bait　with　which　to　hook　me。　Careless　of　consequences　I　came；　for　I　knew　that　the　spirit　of　a　heroine　dwelt　in　your　bosom　and　you　would　pity　me。　Lately　I　heard　that　harm　was　intended　me；　and　so　I　made　danger　to　Jingzhou　the　excuse　to　escape。　Happily　for　me　you　have　remained　true　and　e　with　me。　But　now　the　Marquis　is　pursuing　us；　and　Zhou　Yus　soldiers　are　in　front。　Only　you；　my　wife；　can　extricate　us　from　this　danger；　and　if　you　refuse；　then　slay　me　where　I　stand　that　I　may　thus　show　my　gratitude　for　your　kindness。〃

Lady　Sun　grew　angry　and　said；　〃Then　does　my　brother　forget　that　I　am　his　sister？　How　will　he　ever　look　me　in　the　face？　I　can　extricate　us　from　this　danger。〃

Thereupon　she　bade　her　people　push　the　carriage　to　the　front。　She　rolled　up　the　curtains　and　herself　called　out；　〃Xu　Sheng；　Ding　Feng；　are　you　turned　traitors　then？〃

The　two　generals　slid　out　of　their　saddles；　dropped　their　arms；　and　stood　meekly　in　front　of　the　carriage。

〃We　are　no　traitors；〃　said　they。　〃We　have　the　mander…in…Chiefs　orders　to　camp　here　and　await　Liu　Bei。〃

〃Zhou　Yu　is　an　interfering　scoundrel；〃　cried　she。　〃We　of　the　land　of　the　south　have　never　harmed　you；　and　Liu　Bei；　the　Uncle　of　the　Great　Family；　is　my　husband。　I　have　already　told　my　mother　and　my　brother　of　our　journey；　and　now　I　find　you　with　an　army　at　the　foot　of　these　hills　preventing　our　passage。　Is　it　that　you　would　plunder　us　of　our　valuables？〃

The　two　generals　mumbled　dissent。　They　would　not　dare　such　a　thing。

〃We　pray　you；　O　Lady；　stay　your　anger。　This　is　no　plan　of　ours。　We　do　but　obey　our　Generals　orders。〃

〃So　you　fear　Zhou　Yu　and　not　me！〃　cried　she　scornfully。　〃Think　you　that　if　he　slays　you；　I　will　not　slay　him？〃

She　broke　into　a　torrent　of　abuse　of　Zhou　Yu。　Then　she　bade　them　push　her　carriage　forward。

The　two　leaders　thought　within　themselves；　〃We　are　but　men　of　lowly　rank。　We　dare　not　dispute　with　Lady　Sun。〃

Beside　they　saw　Zhao　Yun　was　bursting　with　wrath。　So　they　ordered　their　troops　to　stand　aside　and　leave　the　road　clear。

The　cavalcade　had　only　gone　a　few　miles　when　up　came　the　pursuers。　The　two　generals　told　the　new…ers　what　had　happened。

〃You　were　wrong　to　let　them　pass；〃　said　Chen　Wu　and　Pan　Zhang。　〃We　have　orders　from　the　Marquis　himself　to　arrest　them。〃

Thereupon　all　four　went　in　pursuit。

When　the　noise　of　the　approaching　force　reached　the　ears　of　Liu　Bei；　he　said　to　his　wife；　〃They　are　again　pursuing　us。　What　now？〃

〃Husband；　go　on　in　front。　Zhao　Yun　and　I　will　keep　them　off。〃