小说园

第160部分（第1页）

Then　Fa　Zheng　spoke　up；　〃The　founder　of　Han；　Liu　Bang；　drew　up　three　chapters　of　law；　and　the　people　were　all　profoundly　affected　by　his　virtue。　I　would　rather　that　the　laws　be　few　and　liberal　that　people　may　be　forted。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃You　only　look　at　one　side。　The　laws　of　Qin　were　fiercely　cruel　and　provoked　resentment　among　the　people。　It　was　fitting　that　the　Supreme　Ancestor　should　temper　them　with　kindness。　Under　the　weak　administration　of　Liu　Zhang；　there　has　never　been　an　efficient　government；　and　there　is　a　lack　of　respect　for　the　law。　The　proper　relationship　between　ruler　and　minister　has　been　gradually　obscured。　Favor　has　been　the　means　of　rising；　and　the　highest　in　rank　have　been　the　basest。　Kindness　has　been　extended　into　license；　and　the　most　benefited　have　been　the　most　contemptuous。　And　thereby　have　crept　in　many　evils。　Now　I　mean　to　inculcate　respect　for　the　dignity　of　the　law；　and　kindness　shall　follow　its　attainment：　There　shall　be　moderation　in　conferring　rank；　but　honor　shall　really　follow　on　such　promotion。　In　the　mutual　cooperation　of　kindness　and　honor　and　in　proper　distinction　between　superiors　and　inferiors　lies　the　efficiency　of　a　government。〃

Fa　Zheng　had　no　argument　to　oppose。　In　due　time　all　became　perfectly　tranquil；　and　all　the　forty…one　counties；　with　their　respective　garrisons；　were　peaceful　and　contented。

As　Governor　of　the　Shu　District；　Fa　Zheng　earned　much　hatred；　busying　himself　in　returning　favors　and　avenging　past　deeds　however　small　they　were。　One　person　told　of　the　plaints　to　Zhuge　Liang；　urging　his　reproof。

But　Zhuge　Liang　referred　to　his　meritorious　services；　saying；　〃When　our　lord　was　in　Jingzhou；　fearful　of　Cao　Cao　on　the　north　and　trembling　lest　he　be　attacked　from　the　east　by　Sun　Quan；　it　was　Fa　Zheng　who　supported　him；　gave　him　directions；　and　added　wings　to　him　so　that　he　could　soar　this　high。　In　these　prosperous　days　one　can　hardly　begin　to　discipline　Fa　Zheng。　Could　we　reasonably　forbid　him　following　somewhat　his　own　way？〃

So　no　investigation　was　made；　but　Fa　Zheng　heard　of　the　plaints　and　corrected　his　faults。

One　day；　when　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　were　resting　and　at　leisure；　Guan　Ping　arrived　with　a　letter　from　his　father；　thanking　his　elder　brother　for　the　handsome　gifts。

Making　obeisance　and　handing　in　his　letter；　Guan　Ping　said；　〃My　father　was　anxious　to　e　into　Yizhou　to　try　conclusions　with　Ma　Chao。〃

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃If　he　were　to　e　and　fight；　I　fear　they　would　not　both　survive。〃

〃There　is　nothing　to　be　anxious　about；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃I　will　write　to　Guan　Yu。〃

Liu　Bei　feared　that　his　brothers　impulsive　temperament　might　lead　to　trouble；　so　he　told　Zhuge　Liang　to　pose　a　letter　and　send　back　by　Guan　Ping。

When　Guan　Ping　came　again　to　his　father；　the　first　question　was：　〃Did　you　mention　the　contest　with　Ma　Chao？〃

Then　the　letter　was　produced；　and　this　is　what　it　said：

＇e＇　Ying　Bu　（BC　？…195）　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　close　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Enobled　as　King　of　Huainan。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Peng　Yue　（BC　？…196）　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　close　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Ennobled　as　King　of　Liang。　。。。。。

〃I　hear　you　are　anxious　to　decide　whether　of　the　twain；　Ma　Chao　or　yourself；　is　the　better　man。　Now　I　can　measure　Ma　Chao。　He　may　be　unusually　brave　and　bold；　but　he　is　only　of　the　class　of　Ying　Bu*　and　Peng　Yue*　of　old。　He　might　be　a　worthy　rival　of　your　younger　brother；　but　he　is　far　from　the　standard　set　by　you；　O　Lord　of　the　Beautiful　Beard。　You　have　a　most　important　charge。　If　you　e　into　the　West　River　Land；　and　Jingzhou　should　be　lost；　would　you　not　be　guilty　of　a　terrible　failure？　I　think　you　will　see　this。〃

Guan　Yu　stroked　his　long　beard　and　smiled　as　he　read　the　letter。

〃The　Instructor　knows　me　thoroughly；〃　said　he　to　himself。

He　showed　the　letter　to　his　clients　and　friends　and　thought　no　more　of　going　westward。

The　successes　of　Liu　Bei　in　the　west　had　been　duly　noted　by　Sun　Quan；　who　thought　he　was　surely　now　going　to　obtain　the　much…coveted　Jingzhou。　So　he　called　in　Zhang　Zhao　and　Gu　Yong　to　ask　advice。

Sun　Quan　said；　〃When　Liu　Bei　occupied　Jingzhou　temporarily；　he　pledged　he　would　return　the　region　to　the　South　Land　when　he　would　possess　Yizhou。　Now　he　has　taken　the　forty…one　counties　of　West　River　Land。　If　Jingzhou　is　not　returned；　I　will　take　it　by　force。〃

Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃I　have　already　a　scheme　that　will　need　no　fighting。　Liu　Bei　will　offer　the　place　to　you　with　both　hands。〃

In　Shu　there　shine　new　sun　and　moon；

Wu　dreams　Jingzhou　will　be　his　soon。

We　shall　see　in　the　next　chapter　the　scheme　to　recover　the　much…desired　region。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　66　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　66

Chapter　66

Armed　With　Sword；　Guan　Yu　Goes　To　A　Feast　Alone；

For　The　State；　Empress　Fu　Offers　Her　Life。

The　scheme；　which　Zhang　Zhao　had　in　mind；　he　laid　before　his　master　thus：　〃The　one　man　upon　whom　Liu　Bei　relies　most　is　Zhuge　Liang。　Now　his　brother　is　in　your　service　and　in　your　power。　All　you　have　to　do　is　to　seize　Zhuge　Jins　family　and　send　him　west　to　see　Zhuge　Liang　and　make　Zhuge　Liang　persuade　Liu　Bei　to　return　Jingzhou。　If　Liu　Bei　refuses；　the　family　of　Zhuge　Jin　will　suffer；　and　Zhuge　Liang　will　not　be　able　to　resist　the　claims　of　brotherhood。〃

〃But　Zhuge　Jin　is　a　loyal　and　true　gentleman。　I　could　not　lay　hands　upon　his　family！〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Explain　the　ruse　to　him。　That　will　set　his　mind　at　rest；〃　said　Zhang　Zhao。

Sun　Quan　consented　and　issued　the　mand　to　confine　the　family　of　his　retainer　in　the　palace　but　not　really　imprison　them。　Then　he　wrote　a　letter　for　Zhuge　Jin　to　take　with　him　on　his　mission。　Before　many　days　Zhuge　Jin　reached　Chengdu　and　sent　to　inform　Liu　Bei　of　his　arrival。

Liu　Bei　at　once　sought　the　advice　of　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Why　think　you　your　brother　has　e？〃

〃He　has　e　to　force　the　return　of　Jingzhou。〃