小说园

第146部分（第1页）

is　fertile　and　a　temptation；　but　its　ruler　is　of　my　family；　and　I　cannot　plot　against　him。〃

〃Yes；　Yizhou　is　a　very　paradise。　But　without　a　ruler　it　cannot　exist。　Liu　Zhang　knows　not　how　to　use　the　wise　people；　and　his　heritage　must　speedily　pass　to　another。　Today　it　is　offered　to　your　hands；　and　you　must　not　miss　the　opportunity。　You　know　the　saying；　that　the　leader　in　the　hunt　gets　the　quarry。　If　you　will　only　consent；　I　will　serve　you　to　the　death。〃

Liu　Bei　signified　his　gratitude。　Said　he；　〃Let　me　reflect　for　a　time　and　take　advice。〃

The　banquet　terminated　and　the　guest　left。　Zhuge　Liang　conducted　Fa　Zheng　to　his　lodging　while　his　master　sat　thinking。

Then　Pang　Tong　said；　〃You　must　decide………not　to　decide　is　foolish。　You　are　of　high　intelligence；　my　lord；　and　why　do　you　hesitate？〃

〃What　should　my　reply　be？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃You　know　these　surroundings………Sun　Quan　in　the　east　and　Cao　Cao　in　the　north………；　and　with　them　you　cannot　attain　your　ends。　Now　before　you　lies　a　populous；　fertile；　and　rich　land；　a　base　with　the　greatest　possibilities。　You　have　the　promise　of　assistance　from　two　men　within；　and　it　seems　like　a　gift　of　providence。　Why　hesitate？〃

〃Now　there　are　two　men　in　the　world　as　mutually　antagonistic　as　fire　and　water。　My　opposite　is　Cao　Cao。　He　is　impetuous　and　I　am　long　suffering；　he　is　cruel　and　I　am　humane；　he　feigns　while　I　am　true。　In　all　particulars　I　act　the　direct　contrary　to　him。　I　refuse　to　risk　the　loss　of　the　confidence　and　trust　of　the　world　for　a　trifling　advantage。〃

＇e＇　King　Tang　founder　of　the　Shang　Dynasty。　。。。。。

＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。

Pang　Tong　smiled　at　these　sentiments；　saying；　〃My　lords　words　are　quite　in　accord　with　abstract　rectitude；　but　such　ideas　scarcely　suit　the　days　of　rebellion。　There　are　other　ways　of　fighting　than　with　warlike　weapons；　but　to　adhere　too　obstinately　to　the　idea　of　abstract　rectitude　is　to　do　nothing。　One　must　be　an　opportunist；　annex　the　weak　and　attack　the　willfully　deluded；　seize　the　recalcitrant　and　protect　the　docile。　These　were　the　teachings　of　the　great　Kings　Tang*　and　Wu*。　If　after　the　settlement　you　reward　with　righteousness　and　make　of　the　land　a　great　country；　will　you　be　guilty　of　a　breach　of　trust？　Remember　if　you　do　not　take　it　now；　another　will。〃

Liu　Bei；　realizing　the　truth　in　what　Pang　Tong　said；　replied；　〃These　words　are　as　jewels。　They　should　be　engraved　on　my　very　heart。〃

Thereupon　he　summoned　Zhuge　Liang　to　settle　the　details　of　an　army　to　march　west。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃This　is　an　important　place　and　must　be　very　well　defended。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃I；　Pang　Tong；　and　my　two　generals　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　will　go　into　the　west。　You　and　our　three　best　generals………Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun………can　defend　Jingzhou。〃

Guan　Yu　was　told　off　to　hold　Xiangyang　and　the　narrow　pass　at　Qingni；　Zhang　Fei　manded　four　territories　along　the　river；　and　Zhao　Yun　camped　at　Jiangling。

For　the　march　westward；　Huang　Zhong　led　the　van；　Wei　Yan　had　the　rearguard；　while　Liu　Bei　moved　in　the　center　with　Liu　Feng　and　Guan　Ping　as　his　aids。　Pang　Tong　was　mander　of　the　whole　army。

Just　as　the　fifty　thousand　troops　were　starting；　there　came　Liao　Hua　to　offer　his　service。　He　and　his　troops　were　attached　to　Guan　Yu。

It　was　in　the　winter　that　the　expedition　started。　Soon　they　met　the　force　under　Meng　Da；　five　thousand　soldiers；　to　act　as　escort　into　Yizhou。　Liu　Bei　informed　Liu　Zhang　that　he　had　started；　and　the　latter　sent　orders　to　the　counties　along　the　road　to　entertain　them　well　on　the　march。

The　Imperial　Protector　proposed　to　go　out　in　person　to　wele　Liu　Bei　and　ordered　carriages　to　be　prepared　and　tents　and　banners。　All　the　escort　were　dressed　in　glittering　armor。　At　this　Secretary　Huang　Quan；　the　sturdy　opponent　of　the　invitation　to　Liu　Bei；　again　remonstrated。

〃My　lord；　if　you　go　out；　you　will　be　exposed　to　danger。　I　have　been　in　your　service　for　many　years；　and　I　would　prevent　you　from　being　the　victim　of　anothers　wiles。　I　pray　you　reflect。〃

Zhang　Song　said；　〃His　words　are　those　of　one　who　would　sow　discord　in　a　family　and　encourage　the　power　of　the　robbers　who　threaten　you。　Assuredly　such　action　is　to　your　detriment。〃

Liu　Zhang　then　spoke　angrily　to　Huang　Quan；　saying；　〃I　have　decided；　and　why　do　you　oppose　me？〃

The　objector　bowed　his　head　and　wept。　Then　approaching　nearer；　he　seized　hold　of　the　Imperial　Protectors　robe　with　his　teeth　to　hinder　him。　Liu　Zhang　angrily　shook　his　robe　and　rose　from　his　seat；　but　Huang　Quan　still　held　on　till　two　of　his　teeth　fell　out。　Then　the　guards　forced　him　away；　and　he　retired；　still　crying。

As　Liu　Zhang　was　starting；　another　man　cried；　〃My　lord；　do　you　neglect　the　loyal　words　of　your　faithful　Huang　Quan　to　go　to　your　death？〃

And　he　threw　himself　prostrate　at　the　steps　in　remonstrance。　He　was　Li　Hui　of　Jianning。

〃The　prince　may　have　ministers　who　remonstrate　with　him；　and　the　father　may　have　children　who　oppose；〃　said　Li　Hui。　〃Huang　Quan　has　spoken　faithfully；　and　you　ought　to　listen。　To　let　Liu　Bei　into　this　land　is　to　wele　the　tiger　into　your　gates。〃

〃Liu　Bei　is　my　brother　and　will　not　harm　me；〃　said　the　Imperial　Protector。　〃And　any　other　who　shall　oppose　me　shall　suffer　death。〃

So　Li　Hui　was　thrust　out。

〃The　officers　of　Shu　regard　the　safety　of　their　families　and　no　longer　render　you　service。　The　generals　are　arrogant；　and　each　has　some　scheme　of　his　own　to　further。　If　you　do　not　get　Liu　Bei　to　oppose　the　enemy　without　and　your　own　people　oppose　you　within；　surely　you　are　on　the　road　to　ruin。〃

So　spoke　Zhang　Song；　and　the　Imperial　Protector　replied；　〃I　know　the　plan　is　for　my　advantage。〃

Whereupon　he　mounted　his　horse　to　ride　out　to　Elm　Tree　Bridge。

Then　a　messenger　reported　to　him：　〃Wang　Lei　has　suspended　himself；　head　downwards；　at　the　city　gate。　In　one　hand　he　holds　a　written　remonstrance　and　in　the　other　a　knife。　And　he　says　that　if　you　heed　him　not；　he　will　cut　the　rope　and　die　at　your　feet。〃

Liu　Zhang　went　to　the　gate；　took　the　writing　and　read：

〃Good　medicine　is　bitter　in　the　mouth　but　good　for　the　disease；　faithful　words　offend　the　ear　but　are　good　for　the　conduct。　Of　old　King　Huai　of　Chu　listened　not　to　Qu　Yuan；　but　attended　the　meeting　at　Wu　Pass　and　was　captured　by　the　state　of　Qin。　Sir；　you　are　thoughtlessly　leaving　your　place　to　go　to　wele　Liu　Bei；　but　I　fear　there　is　a　way　out　and　none　in。　Could　you　but　behead　Zhang　Song　in　the　market　place　and　have　nothing　to　do　with　this　league　with　Liu　Bei；　it　would　be　for　the　happiness　of　old　and　young；　and　assure　the　safety　of　yourself。〃

Anger　rose　in　Liu　Zhangs　breast　as　he　read。

〃Why　do　you　insult　me　when　I　go　to　meet　a　kindly　man　I　feel　as　if　I　were　about　to　enjoy　the　delight　of　seeing　brother？〃

At　this　Wang　Lei　gave　a　great　cry；　severed　the　rope；　and　fell　to　the　ground　battered　and　dead。