小说园

第161部分（第2页）

The　mighty　sword　in　his　right　hand；　Guan　Yu　laid　hold　of　Lu　Su　with　his　left　and；　simulating　intoxication；　said；　〃You　have　kindly　invited　me　today；　Sir；　but　do　not　say　anything　about　Jingzhou；　for　I　am　so　drunk　that　I　may　forget　our　old　friendship。　Some　other　day　I　hope　to　invite　you　to　Jingzhou；　and　then　we　will　talk　about　that　matter。〃

Poor　Lu　Sus　soul　almost　left　his　body　with　fright　as　he　was　led　down　to　the　river　bank　in　the　grip　of　his　guest。　Lu　Meng　and　Gan　Ning；　who　Lu　Su　had　placed　in　ambush；　dared　not　act　and　so　made　no　move　lest　they　should　bring　about　the　doom　of　Lu　Su。　When　they　got　to　the　bank；　Guan　Yu　released　his　host；　got　on　board；　and　then　said　farewell。　Lu　Su　stood　dumbfounded；　staring　at　the　ship；　while　a　fair　breeze　bore　it　quickly　out　of　sight。

This　episode　has　been　memorated　in　verse：

He　showed　his　contempt　for　the　soldiers　of　Wu

By　going　alone　to　their　traitor　feast；

As　Liu　Xiangru　of　old　he　was　much　bolder；

As　the　Shengchi　Lake　game　was　played　again。

Guan　Yu　took　his　homeward　way；　while　Lu　Su　and　his　two　confederates　talked　over　what　had　occurred。

〃What　can　be　done　now？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃The　only　thing　is　to　tell　our　master　and　let　him　send　an　army；〃　replied　Lu　Meng。

Lu　Su　sent　a　messenger　to　Sun　Quan；　who；　in　his　wrath；　was　for　sending　every　available　soldier　at　once　against　Jingzhou。

But　at　this　crisis　there　came　news　that　Cao　Cao　was　raising　a　huge　army　with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　South　Land。　So　hasty　orders　were　sent　to　Lu　Su　to　make　no　move；　but　to　send　all　the　troops　he　could　toward　Hefei　and　Ruxu　in　the　north　to　repel　Cao　Cao。

However；　Cao　Cao　did　not　march　south。　One　of　his　military　advisers；　Fu　Gan；　sent　in　a　memorial　against　the　scheme：

〃I；　Fu　Gan；　understand　that　inspiring　fear　is　the　chief　consideration　in　war；　as　inculcating　virtue　is　in　government。　These　two　bined　in　one　person　fit　him　to　be　a　prince。　Formerly；　in　the　days　of　disturbance；　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　attacked　the　rebels　and　restored　tranquillity　almost　everywhere；　the　only　regions　unsubdued　and　not　under　your　control　being　Wu　and　Shu。　The　former　of　these　is　protected　by　the　Great　River；　the　latter　secured　by　its　mountains；　and　both　difficult　to　conquer　by　force　of　arms。

〃My　humble　opinion　is　that　it　is　more　fitting　to　increase　the　authority　of　civil　government；　to　lay　aside　arms　and　rest　weapons；　to　cease　from　war　and　train　your　soldiers　until　the　times　shall　be　favorable。　If　your　mighty　legions　be　now　sent　to　camp　on　the　river　bank　and　the　rebels　should　take　refuge　behind　their　natural　defenses；　your　soldiers　will　be　unable　to　prove　their　prowess；　and　should　extraordinary　strategies　be　planned；　the　rebels　will　not　be　available。　In　such　a　case　your　high　prestige　would　be　impaired。　I　trust；　Illustrious　Sir；　you　will　deign　to　examine　this。〃

After　reading　this；　Cao　Cao　ceased　to　think　of　an　expedition　against　the　south。　Instead；　he　established　schools　and　set　himself　to　attract　people　of　ability。

About　the　same　time　four　of　his　officers………Wang　Can；　Du　Xi；　Wei　Kai；　and　He　He………conceived　the　idea　of　getting　for　Cao　Cao　the　honor　of　〃Prince　of　Wei〃。

But　Xun　You　opposed　this　course；　saying；　〃The　Prime　Ministers　rank　is　already　that　of　〃Duke〃；　and　he　has　received　the　additional　honor　of　the　Nine　Dignities；　so　that　his　position　is　extremely　high。　If　he　advances　to　the　rank　of　kingship；　it　will　be　inconsistent　with　reasonableness。〃

But　Cao　Cao　was　annoyed　at　this　opposition　and　said；　〃Does　the　man　wish　to　emulate　Xun　Yu？〃

When　Xun　You　heard　of　Cao　Caos　anger；　he　was　grieved　and　fell　ill；　so　that　in　a　few　days　he　died。　He　was　fifty…eight　years　of　age。　Cao　Cao　had　his　remains　interred　honorably；　and　he　stayed　his　ambition　for　princely　rank。

But　there　came　a　day　when　Cao　Cao　entered　the　Palace　wearing　his　sword　and　made　his　way　to　the　apartment　where　the　Emperor　and　the　Empress　were　seated。　The　Empress　rose　in　a　fright；　and　the　Emperor　gazed　at　his　minister　in　terror。

〃Sun　Quan　and　Liu　Bei　have　each　seized　a　portion　of　the　empire　and　no　longer　respect　the　court。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

To　this　abrupt　speech　the　Emperor　replied；　〃The　matter　lies　within　your　province。〃

Cao　Cao　answered；　angrily；　〃If　such　a　remark　be　known　outside；　they　will　say　I　treat　my　prince　without　respect！〃

〃If　you　will　help　me；　I　shall　be　most　happy；〃　said　His　Majesty。　〃If　not；　then　I　trust　to　your　kindness　to　let　me　alone。〃

At　this　Cao　Cao　glared　at　the　Emperor　and　went　out　full　of　resentment。

The　courtiers　said；　〃It　is　said　that　the　Duke　of　Wei　desires　to　bee　Prince　of　Wei；　and　soon　he　will　aspire　to　the　throne。〃

Both　the　Emperor　and　his　consort　wept。

Presently　Her　Majesty　said；　〃My　father；　Fu　Wan；　has　long　nourished　a　desire　to　slay　this　man。　Now　I　will　indite　a　secret　letter　to　my　father　to　acplish　his　end。〃

〃Remember　the　former　attempt　with　Dong　Cheng。　The　plot　was　discovered　and　great　misery　ensued。　I　fear　that　this　will　leak　out　also；　and　both　of　us　will　be　undone。〃

Said