小说园

第143部分（第1页）

＇e＇　Pei　was　a　small　ancient　state；　homeland　of　Liu　Bang。

＇e＇　East　River　Land　corresponded　to　the　mountainous　region　of　Hanzhong；　which　means　〃Within　Han〃；　or　the　land　of　the　ancient　state　of　Han。

The　fame　of　these　doings　penetrated　west　into　Hanzhong；　and　one　of　the　first　to　be　moved　to　indignation　was　Zhang　Lu；　Governor　of　Hanning。　This　Zhang　Lu　was　a　native　of　Pei*。　He　was　a　grandson　of　Zhang　Ling　who　retired　to　Mount　Humming；　in　the　East　River　Land*；　where　he　had　posed　a　work　on　Taoism　for　the　purpose　of　deluding　the　multitude。

Yet　all　the　people　respected　Zhang　Ling；　and　when　he　died　his　son；　Zhang　Heng；　carried　on　his　work；　and　taught　the　same　doctrines。　Disciples　had　to　pay　a　fee　in　rice；　five　carts。　The　people　of　his　day　called　him　the　Rice　Thief。

After　Zhang　Heng　passed　away；　his　son　Zhang　Lu　followed　his　step。　Zhang　Lu　styled　himself　Master　Superior；　and　his　disciples　were　called　monly　Devil　Soldiers。　A　headman　was　called　Libationer；　and　those　who　made　many　converts　were　called　Chief　Libationers。　Perfect　sincerity　was　the　ruling　tenet　of　the　cult；　and　no　deceit　was　permitted。　When　anyone　fell　ill；　an　altar　was　set　up　and　the　invalid　was　taken　into　the　Room　of　Silence　where　he　could　reflect　upon　his　sins　and　confess　openly。　Then　he　was　prayed　for。　The　director　of　prayers　was　called　Superintending　Libationer。

When　praying　for　a　person；　they　wrote　his　name　and　his　confession　on　a　slip　and　made　three　copies　thereof；　called　〃The　Writing　of　the　Three　Gods〃。　One　copy　was　burned　on　the　mountain　top　as　a　means　of　informing　Heaven；　another　was　burned　to　inform　Earth；　and　the　third　was　sunk　in　water　to　tell　the　Controller　of　the　Waters。　If　the　sick　person　recovered；　he　paid　as　fee　five　carts　of　rice。

They　had　Public　Houses　of　Charity　wherein　the　poor　found　rice　and　flesh　and　means　of　cooking。　Any　wayfarer　was　allowed　to　take　of　these　according　to　the　measure　of　his　appetite。　Those　who　took　in　excess　would　invite　punishment　from　on　high。　Offenses　were　pardoned　thrice；　afterwards　offenders　were　punished。　They　had　no　officials　but　all　were　subject　to　the　control　of　the　Libationers。

This　sort　of　cult　had　been　spreading　in　Hanzhong　for　some　thirty　years　and　had　escaped　repression　so　far　because　of　the　remoteness　of　the　region。　All　the　Government　did　was　to　give　Zhang　Lu　the　title　of　General　Who　Guards　the　South　and　the　post　of　Governor　of　Hanning　and　take　means　to　secure　from　him　a　full　quota　of　local　tribute。

When　the　reports　of　Cao　Caos　success　against　the　west；　and　his　prestige　and　influence；　reached　the　Hanzhong　people；　Zhang　Lu　met　with　his　counselors　to　discuss　the　matter。

Said　Zhang　Lu；　〃Ma　Teng　has　died；　and　Ma　Chao　defeated；　thus　the　northwest　has　fallen。　Cao　Caos　next　ambition　will　be　the　southwest；　and　Hanzhong　will　be　his　first　attack。　I　should　act　first　by　assuming　the　title　of　Prince　of　Hanzhong　and　superintending　the　defense。〃

In　reply　one　Yan　Pu　said；　〃The　army　of　this　region　counts　one　hundred　thousand；　and　there　are　ample　supplies　of　everything。　East　River　Land　is　a　natural　stronghold　with　its　mountains　and　rivers。　Now　Ma　Chaos　soldiers　are　newly　defeated；　and　the　fugitives　from　the　Ziwu　Valley　are　very　numerous。　We　can　add　them　to　our　army　by　several　ten…thousands　more。　My　advice　is　that　as　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou　is　weak；　we　should　take　possession　of　the　forty…one　counties　of　West　River　Land；　and　then　you　may　set　up　your　sovereign　as　soon　as　you　like。〃

This　speech　greatly　pleased　Zhang　Lu；　who　then　began　to　concert　measures　with　his　brother；　Zhang　Wei；　to　raise　an　army。

＇e＇　Liu　Yan　had　been　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Youzhou；　where　Liu　Bei　and　his　brother　first　fought　the　Yellow　Scarves。

Stories　of　the　movement　reached　Yizhou；　whose　Imperial　Protector　was　Liu　Zhang。　A　son　of　Liu　Yan*；　a　descendant　from　Prince　Gong　of　the　Imperial　House。　Prince　Gong　had　been　moved　out　to　Jingling　several　generations　ago；　and　the　family　had　settled　there。　Later；　Liu　Yan　became　Imperial　Protector　of　Yizhou；　and　when　he　died　in　due　course　in　the　first　year　of　Prosperous　Stability　（AD　194）；　his　son　was　remended　for　the　vacant　Protectorship。

There　was　enmity　between　Liu　Zhang　and　Zhang　Lu；　for　Liu　Zhang　had　put　to　death　Zhang　Lus　mother　and　brother。　After　that　Liu　Zhang　dispatched　Pang　Xi　as　Governor　of　Baxi　to　ward　off　Zhang　Lu。

But　Liu　Zhang　had　always　been　feeble；　and　when　he　received　news　from　his　mander　of　Zhang　Lus　movements；　his　heart　sank　within　him　for　fear；　and　he　hastily　called　in　his　advisers。

At　the　council　one　haughtily　said；　〃My　Master；　be　not　alarmed。　I　am　no　genius；　but　I　have　a　bit　of　a　healthy　tongue；　and　with　that　I　will　make　Zhang　Lu　afraid　even　to　look　this　way。〃

When　plots　did　grow　about　the　west；

It　suited　Jingzhous　plans　the　best。

The　speakers　name　and　lineage　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　60　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　60

Chapter　60

Zhang　Song　Turns　The　Tables　On　Yang　Xiu；

Pang　Tong　Proposes　The　Occupation　Of　Shu。

The　man　who　proposed　the　plan　spoken　of　in　the　last　chapter　was　Zhang　Song；　who　belonged　to　Yizhou　and　held　the　small　office　of　Supernumerary　Charioteer。　He　had　a　broad　forehead；　protuberant　at　the　temples　like　a　countrymans　hoe；　and　a　pointed　head。　His　nose　was　flat　and　his　teeth　protruded。　He　was　a　dwarf　in　stature　but　had　a　deep　voice　like　a　great　bell。

〃What　proposal　have　you　to　offer　that　may　avert　this　danger？〃　asked　the　Imperial　Protector。

〃My　proposal　is　that　we　gain　the　support　of　Cao　Cao。　As　we　know；　he　has　made　a　clean　sweep　of　the　empire。　Lu　Bu　went　first；　and　both　the　Yuans　followed；　all　exterminated。　Lately　he　has　destroyed　Ma　Chao。　In　short　he　is　the　one　man　against　whom　no　one　can　stand。　Therefore；　my　lord；　prepare　me　worthy　gifts　to　take　to　the　capital；　and　I　will　get　Cao　Cao　to　march　an　army　against　Hanzhong；　which　will　keep　this　Zhang　Lu　occupied　so　that　we　shall　be　left　alone。〃