小说园

第132部分（第2页）

So　Liu　Bei　and　a　small　pany　went　on　toward　the　river　bank；　while　Zhao　Yun　reined　up　beside　the　ladys　carriage　and　set　out　his　troops　ready　for　battle。　And　when　the　four　generals　came　up；　they　dismounted　and　stood　with　folded　arms。

〃What　are　you　doing　here；　Generals？〃　asked　Lady　Sun。

〃We　have　orders　from　our　lord　to　request　you　and　Liu　Bei　to　return。〃

Calmly　but　bitterly　she　said；　〃So　this　is　the　sort　of　fools　you　are！　You　would　make　dissension　between　brother　and　sister。　But　I　am　a　wife　on　my　way　to　my　husbands　home。　Nor　am　I　leaving　clandestinely；　for　I　had　my　mothers　gracious　permission。　Now　we；　husband　and　wife；　are　going　to　Jingzhou。　If　even　my　brother　were　here　himself；　he　would　let　us　pass　in　all　politeness。　But　you；　because　you　have　weapons　in　your　hands；　would　slay　us！〃

She　abused　the　four　men　to　their　faces　so　that　they　looked　from　one　to　another　in　shame。　And　each　in　his　heart　thought；　〃Say　what　one　will；　after　all　they　two　are　brother　and　sister　and　the　Dowager　Marchioness　is　the　controlling　power。　Sun　Quan　is　most　obedient　and　would　never　dare　oppose　his　mothers　decision。　When　the　reaction　es；　then　indeed　we　shall　certainly　be　found　in　the　wrong。　We　had　better　be　kind。〃

Another　thing　was　that　one　of　the　two　they　sought；　Liu　Bei；　was　not　there　and　Zhao　Yun　looked　angry　and　dangerous。　Finally；　muttering　to　themselves；　they　gave　way　and　with　one　accord　retired　and　left　the　road　open。　Lady　Sun　passed　through。

〃We　four　will　go　to　see　the　mander…in…Chief　and　report；〃　said　Xu　Sheng。

But　that　did　not　please　them　all；　and　they　stood　irresolute。　Presently　they　saw　a　column　of　troops　sweeping　down　on　them　like　a　hurricane。　These　were　Jiang　Qin　and　Zhou　Tai　with　their　pany。

〃Have　you　fellows　seen　Liu　Bei？〃　they　cried　as　they　rushed　up。

〃He　has　just　passed　along。〃

〃Why　did　you　not　arrest　him？〃

〃Because　of　what　Lady　Sun　said。〃

〃That　is　just　as　the　Marquis　feared；　and　so　he　gave　us　this　sword　and　told　us　first　to　slay　his　sister　and　then　Liu　Bei。　And　if　we　disobey；　he　will　put　us　to　death。〃

〃What　can　be　done？　They　are　far　away　by　now。〃

Jiang　Qin　said；　〃After　all　they　are　but　a　few　and　on　foot。　They　cannot　travel　very　fast。　Let　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　go　to　Zhou　Yu　to　tell　him；　and　he　can　send　fast　boats　to　pursue　them　on　the　river　while　we　follow　up　on　the　bank。　We　must　get　them　either　on　water　or　land；　and　we　must　not　listen　to　what　they　say。〃

Whereupon　two　went　back　to　report　and　four　to　the　river　bank。　Meanwhile　Liu　Bei　had　got　a　long　way　from　Chaisang　and　reached　Loving　Shore。　He　now　felt　calmer。　He　went　along　the　bank　of　the　river　seeking　a　boat；　but　there　was　no　craft　on　the　broad　bosom　of　the　stream。　He　bowed　his　head　in　deep　sorrow。

Zhao　Yun　bade　him　be　of　good　courage；　saying；　〃My　lord；　you　have　just　escaped　from　the　tigers　jaws　and　had　not　far　to　go。　Moreover；　I　suspect　Zhuge　Liang　has　something　prepared　for　us。〃

But　his　master　was　despondent。　His　thoughts　were　back　to　the　pleasures　he　had　enjoyed　but　a　few　hours　since　in　the　house　of　his　wife；　and　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　A　poem　has　been　written　on　this　episode：

By　the　bank　of　the　deep　flowing　Great　River

Once　was　a　wedding；

And　the　ruling　houses　of　two　states　yet　to　be

Were　allied　by　marriage。

See　the　beautiful　maiden　stepping　slowly

To　the　golden　bridal　chamber！

Yet　was　the　marriage　but　a　ruse。

Its　author　vainly　imagined　that　a　hero；

Sinking　in　amorous　toils；

Would　forget　his　high　intent。

Liu　Bei　bade　Zhao　Yun　go　along　the　bank　to　seek　some　boats。　Then　the　soldiers　told　him　there　was　a　huge　cloud　of　dust　on　the　road。　Ascending　one　of　the　hills；　he　looked　back　whence　they　had　e　and　saw　the　whole　earth　as　it　were　covered　with　an　advancing　host。

He　sighed　and　said；　〃We　have　fled　before　them　now　for　days；　worn　out　our　soldiers　and　jaded　our　horses；　and　all　to　die　in　a　strange　place。〃

He　watched　the　enemy　ing　nearer　and　nearer。　Then　as　things　began　to　look　most　desperate；　he　saw　a　line　of　some　twenty　boats　all　in　the　act　of　setting　their　sails。

〃By　good　luck　here　are　some　ships；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃Let　us　get　on　board；　row　to　the　further　bank；　and　see　what　can　be　done。〃

Liu　Bei　and　his　bride　hastened　down　the　bank　and　went　into　a　ship。　The　soldiers　were　embarked。　Then　they　saw　in　the　hold　of　the　ship　someone　in　Taoist　dress。

That　person　came　up　with　a　smile；　saying；　〃My　lord；　again　you　see　Zhuge　Liang。　He　has　waited　a　long　time。〃

All　the　soldiers　on　board　were　from　Jingzhou；　and　Liu　Bei　rejoiced　at　the　sudden　happy　turn　of　affairs。

Before　long　the　four　pursuing　leaders　reached　the　bank。

Zhuge　Liang　pointed　to　them　and　laughed；　saying；　〃I　foresaw　this　a　long　time　ago。　You　may　return　and　tell　Zhou　Yu　not　to　use　the　Fair　Damsel　Trick　again。〃

Those　on　the　bank　sent　a　flight　of　arrows　at　the　ships；　but　they　were　already　too　far　away。　The　four　generals　on　the　bank　looked　very　foolish。

As　the　boats　were　sailing　along；　a　great　noise　was　heard　on　the　river　behind　them；　and　there　appeared　a　huge　fleet　of　war　ships；　sailing　under　the　flag　of　Zhou　Yu。　He　also　was　there　in　mand　of　the　fleet；