小说园

第85部分（第1页）

to　Jingzhou　City。

Liu　Biao；　grateful　for　this　service；　rode　out　to　the　boundary　to　wele　the　victors。　They　reentered　the　city　and　grand　banquets　were　instituted；　at　which　they　emptied　great　goblets　in　congratulations　over　the　victory。

＇e＇　Yue；　Wu；　and　Shu　were　three　states　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　and　the　Warring　States　periods。　Yue　and　Wus　territory　was　approximately　that　of　the　South　Land。　Shu　was　in　the　mountainous　region　west　of　Jingzhou。　。。。。。

At　one　of　these　banquets　the　Imperial　Protector　said；　〃With　such　heroism　as　my　brother　has　shown；　Jingzhou　has　one　upon　whom　to　rely。　But　a　source　of　sorrow　is　the　borders　with　the　lands　of　Yue；　Wu；　and　Shu*；　from　which　a　raid　may　e　at　any　time。　Zhang　Lu　of　Shu　and　Sun　Quan　of　Yue　and　Wu　are　to　be　feared。〃

〃But　I　have　three　bold　generals；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃quite　equal　to　any　task　you　can　set　them。　Send　Zhang　Fei　to　keep　ward　on　the　southern　border　of　Yue；　Guan　Yu　to　guard　the　city　of　Guzi　against　Zhang　Lu　in　the　west；　and　Zhao　Yun　holding　the　Three　Gorges　will　protect　you　from　Sun　Quan。　Why　need　you　grieve？〃

The　scheme　appealed　strongly　to　the　Imperial　Protector；　but　Cai　Mao　did　not　approve。

So　he　spoke　to　his　sister；　Liu　Biaos　wife；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　putting　his　troops　in　such　manding　positions　all　round　the　region。　That　is　the　danger。〃

Lady　Cai；　thus　influenced　by　her　brother；　undertook　to　remonstrate；　and　that　night　began　by　saying　to　Liu　Biao；　〃Some　in　the　Jingzhou　army　seem　to　have　a　great　liking　for　Liu　Bei。　They　are　always　ing　and　going。　You　ought　to　take　precautions。　I　do　not　think　you　should　let　Liu　Bei　stay　in　the　city。　Why　not　send　him　on　some　mission？〃

〃Liu　Bei　is　a　good　man；〃　replied　the　Imperial　Protector。

〃I　think　others　differ　from　you；〃　said　the　lady。

Liu　Biao　said　nothing　but　muttered　to　himself。　Soon　after　he　went　out　of　the　city　to　see　Liu　Bei　and　noticed　he　was　riding　a　very　handsome　horse。　They　told　him　it　was　a　prize　taken　from　the　recently　conquered　rebels；　and　as　he　praised　it　very　warmly；　Liu　Bei　presented　it　to　him。　Liu　Biao　was　delighted　and　rode　it　back　to　the　city。　Kuai　Yue　saw　it　and　asked　where　it　had　e　from。　The　Imperial　Protector　told　him　it　was　a　gift　from　Liu　Bei。

Kuai　Yue　said；　〃My　passed…away　brother；　Kuai　Liang；　knew　horses　very　well；　and　I　am　not　a　bad　judge。　This　horse　has　tear…tracks　running　down　from　its　eyes　and　a　white　blaze　on　its　forehead。　It　is　called　a　Dilu　horse；　and　it　is　a　danger　to　his　master。　That　is　why　Zhang　Wu　was　killed。　I　advise　you　not　to　ride　it。〃

Liu　Biao　began　to　think。

Soon　after　he　asked　Liu　Bei　to　a　banquet　and　in　the　course　of　it　said；　〃You　kindly　presented　me　with　a　horse　lately；　and　I　am　most　grateful。　But　you　may　need　it　on　some　of　your　expeditions　and；　if　you　do　not　mind；　I　would　like　to　return　it。〃

Liu　Bei　rose　and　thanked　him。

The　Imperial　Protector　continued；　〃You　have　been　here　a　long　time；　and　I　fear　I　am　spoiling　your　career　as　a　warrior。　Now　Xinye　in　Xiangyang　is　no　poverty…stricken　town。　How　would　you　like　to　garrison　it　with　your　own　troops？〃

Liu　Bei　naturally　took　the　offer　as　a　mand　and　set　out　as　soon　as　he　could；　taking　leave　of　the　Imperial　Protector　the　next　day。　And　so　he　took　up　his　quarters　in　Xinye。

When　he　left　Jingzhou　City；　he　noticed　in　the　gate　a　person　making　him　emphatic　salutations；　and　the　man　presently　said；　〃You　should　not　ride　that　horse。〃

Liu　Bei　looked　at　the　man　and　recognized　in　the　speaker　one　of　the　secretaries　of　Liu　Biao　named　Yi　Ji；　a　native　of　Shanyang。　So　Liu　Bei　hastily　dismounted　and　asked　why。

Yi　Ji　replied；　〃Yesterday　I　heard　that　Kuai　Yue　told　the　Imperial　Protector　that　that　horse　was　a　Dilu　horse　and　brought　disaster　to　its　owner。　That　is　why　it　was　returned　to　you。　How　can　you　mount　it　again？〃

〃I　am　deeply　touched　by　your　affection；〃　replied　Liu　Bei；　〃but　a　persons　life　is　governed　by　fate；　and　what　a　horse　can　interfere　with　that？〃

Yi　Ji　admitted　his　superior　view；　and　thereafter　he　kept　in　touch　with　Liu　Bei　wherever　he　went。

The　arrival　of　Liu　Bei　in　Xinye　was　a　matter　of　rejoicing　to　all　the　inhabitants；　and　the　whole　administration　was　reformed。

In　the　spring　of　the　twelfth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　207）；　Liu　Beis　wife；　Lady　Gan；　game　birth　to　a　son　who　was　named　Liu　Shan。　The　night　of　his　birth　a　crane　settled　on　the　roof　of　the　house；　screeched　some　forty　times　and　then　flew　away　westward。

Just　at　the　time　of　birth　a　miraculous　incense　filled　the　chamber。　Lady　Gan　one　night　had　dreamed　that　she　was　looking　up　at　the　sky；　and　the　constellation　of　the　Great　Bear　had　fallen　down　her　throat。　And　she　conceived　soon　after。

While　Cao　Cao　was　absent　from　the　capital　on　his　northern　expedition；　Liu　Bei　went　to　Liu　Biao　and　said　to　him；　〃Why　do　you　not　take　this　opportunity　to　march　against　the　capital？　An　empire　might　follow　from　that。〃

〃I　am　well　placed　here；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Why　should　I　attempt　other　things？〃

Liu　Bei　said　no　more。　Then　the　Imperial　Protector　invited　him　into　the　private　apartments　to　drink。　While　they　were　so　engaged；　Liu　Biao　suddenly　began　to　sigh　despondently。

〃O　brother；　why　do　you　sigh　thus？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃I　have　a　secret　sorrow　that　is　difficult　to　speak　about；〃　said　Liu　Biao。

Liu　Bei　was　on　the　point　of　asking　what　it　was　when　Lady　Cai　came　and　stood　behind　the　screen；　whereat　Liu　Biao　hung　his　head　and　became　silent。　Before　long　host　and　guest　bade　each　other　farewell；　and　Liu　Bei　went　back　to　his　own　place　at　Xinye。

That　winter　they　heard　that　Cao　Cao　had　returned　from　Liucheng；　and　Liu　Bei　sighed　when　he　reflected　that　his　friend　had　paid　no　heed　to　his　advice。

Unexpectedly　a　messenger　came　from　the　capital　city　with　a　request　that　Liu　Bei　would　go　thither　to　consult　with　the　Imperial　Protector。　So　he　started　at　once　with　the　messenger　to　Jingzhou　City。　He　was　received　very　kindly；　and　when　the　salutations　were　over；　the　two　men　went　into　the　private　quarters　at　the　rear　to　dine。