小说园

第111部分（第1页）

〃You　have　been　well　I　hope　since　last　we　met；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。

〃You　have　wandered　far　and　suffered　much　in　this　task　of　emissary　in　Cao　Caos　cause；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃I　have　not　seen　you　for　a　very　long　time；〃　said　the　envoy　much　taken　aback；　〃and　I　came　to　visit　you　for　the　sake　of　old　times。　Why　do　you　call　me　an　emissary　for　the　Cao　Caos　cause？〃

＇e＇　Shi　Kuang；　aka　Master　Kuang；　was　perhaps　the　most　famous　musician　in　ancient　China；　said　to　have　been　music　master　to　Duke　Ping　of　Jin　in　the　Spring　and　Autumn　Period。　Huainanzi　says　that　when　Shi　Kuang　played　〃Bai　Xue〃　（White　Snow）　strange　birds　descended；　acpanied　by　wind　and　rain。　Bai　Xue　gives　expression　to　the　meanings　of　〃awe…inspiring　righteousness　and　cleanness〃　and　〃as　superb　as　the　bamboo　in　snow〃。　。。。。。

〃Though　I　am　not　so　profound　a　musician　as　Shi　Kuang*　of　old；　yet　I　can　prehend　the　thought　behind　the　music；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu。

〃As　you　choose　to　treat　your　old　friend　like　this；　I　think　I　will　take　my　leave；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。

Zhou　Yu　laughed　again；　and　taking　Jiang　Gan　by　the　arm；　said；　〃Well；　I　feared　you　might　be　ing　on　his　behalf　to　try　to　persuade　me。　But　if　this　is　not　your　intention；　you　need　not　go　away　so　hastily。〃

So　they　two　entered　the　tent。　When　they　had　exchanged　salutes　and　were　seated　as　friends；　Zhou　Yu　bade　them　call　his　officers　that　he　might　introduce　them。　They　soon　appeared　civil　and　military　officials；　all　dressed　in　their　best。　The　military　officers　were　clad　in　glittering　silver　armor　and　the　staff　looked　very　imposing　as　they　stood　ranged　in　two　lines。

The　visitor　was　introduced　to　them　all。　Presently　a　banquet　was　spread；　and　while　they　feasted；　the　musicians　played　songs　of　victory　and　the　wine　circulated　merrily。

Under　the　mellowing　influence；　Zhou　Yus　reserve　seemed　to　thaw　and　he　said；　〃Jiang　Gan　is　an　old　fellow　student　of　mine；　and　we　are　pledged　friends。　Though　he　has　arrived　here　from　the　north；　he　is　no　artful　pleader　so　you　need　not　be　afraid　of　him。〃

Then　Zhou　Yu　took　off　the　manding　sword　which　he　wore　as　mander…in…Chief　and　handed　it　to　Taishi　Ci；　saying；　〃You　take　this　and　wear　it　for　the　day　as　master　of　the　feast。　This　day　we　meet　only　as　friends　and　speak　only　of　friendship；　and　if　anyone　shall　begin　a　discussion　of　the　questions　at　issue　between　Cao　Cao　and　the　South　Land；　just　slay　him。〃

Taishi　Ci　took　the　sword　and　seated　himself　in　his　place。　Jiang　Gan　was　not　a　little　overe；　but　he　said　no　word。

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Since　I　assumed　mand；　I　have　tasted　no　drop　of　wine；　but　today　as　an　old　friend　is　present　and　there　is　no　reason　to　fear　him；　I　am　going　to　drink　freely。〃

So　saying　he　quaffed　a　huge　goblet　and　laughed　loudly。

The　rhinoceros　cups　went　swiftly　round　from　guest　to　guest　till　all　were　half　drunk。　Then　Zhou　Yu；　laying　hold　of　the　guests　hand；　led　him　outside　the　tent。　The　guards　who　stood　around　all　braced　themselves　up　and　seized　their　shinning　weapons。

〃Do　you　not　think　my　soldiers　a　fine　lot　of　fellows？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃Strong　as　bears　and　bold　as　tigers；〃　replied　Jiang　Gan。

Then　Zhou　Yu　led　him　to　the　rear　of　the　tent　whence　he　saw　the　grain　and　forage　piled　up　in　mountainous　heaps。

〃Do　you　not　think　I　have　a　fairly　good　store　of　grain　and　forage？〃

〃Your　troops　are　brave　and　your　supplies　ample：　The　empires　gossip　is　not　baseless；　indeed。〃

Zhou　Yu　pretended　to　be　quite　intoxicated　and　went　on；　〃When　you　and　I　were　students　together；　we　never　looked　forward　to　a　day　like　this；　did　we？〃

〃For　a　genius　like　you；　it　is　nothing　extraordinary；〃　said　the　guest。

Zhou　Yu　again　seized　his　hand；　and　they　sat　down。

＇e＇　Su　Qin　was　prime　minister　of　six　states　during　the　Warring　States　period。　Su　Qin　was　the　leader　of　the　〃Perpendicular　Unionists〃；　the　diplomats　who　lobbied　a　group　of　states　from　north　to　south　to　make　war　with　Qin。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Zhang　Yi　was　prime　minister　of　Qin　during　the　Warring　States　period。　Zhang　Yi　was　the　leader　of　the　〃Horizontal　Unionists〃；　the　diplomats　who　persuaded　a　group　of　states　from　east　to　west　to　make　peace　with　Qin。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Li　Yiji　was　a　diplomat　and　adviser　of　Liu　Bang。　Li　Yiji　went　on　mission　to　discuss　peace　between　Liu　Bang　and　King　Tian　Guang　of　Qi。　Li　Yiji　demanded　a　ceasefire　as　condition　for　talk。　Tian　Guang　plied。　While　the　discussion　was　going　on；　Liu　Bang　attacked。　Tian　Guang　enraged　and　threw　Li　Yiji　into　boiling　oil。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Lu　Jia　was　a　philosopher；　diplomat；　and　counselor　to　Liu　Bang。　Author　of　〃New　Discourses〃　that　advocaded　goodness　and　justice　instead　of　harshness　and　punishment。　In　BC　196；　Liu　Bang　made　it　a　law　that　people　with　virtues　were　to　be　remended　to　the　government　for　office。　。。。。。

〃A　man　of　the　time；　I　have　found　a　proper　lord　to　serve。　In　his　service；　we　rely　upon　the　right　feeling　between　minister　and　prince　outside；　and　at　home　we　are　firm　in　the　kindly　feeling　of　relatives。　He　listens　to　my　words　and　follows　my　plans。　We　share　the　same　good　or　evil　fortune。　Even　when　the　great　old　persuaders　like　Su　Qin*；　Zhang　Yi*；　Lu　Jia*；　and　Li　Yiji*　lived　again；　even　when　their　words　poured　forth　like　a　rushing　river；　their　tongues　were　as　a　sharp　sword；　it　is　impossible　to　move　such　as　I　am！〃

Zhou　Yu　burst　into　a　loud　laugh　as　he　finished；　and　Jiang　Gans　face　had　bee　clay…colored。　Zhou　Yu　then　led　his　guest　back　into　the　tent；　and　again　they　fell　to　drinking。

Presently　Zhou　Yu　pointed　to　the　others　at　table　and　said；　〃These　are　all　the　best　and　bravest　of　the　land　of　the　south。　One　might　call　this　the　Gathering　of　Heroes。〃

They　drank　on　till　daylight　failed　and　continued　after　lamps　had　been　lit。　Zhou　Yu　even　gave　an　exhibition　of　sword　play　and　sang　this　song：

When　a　man　is　in　the　world；　O；

He　ought　to　do　his　best。

And　when　hes　done　his　best；　O。

He　ought　to　have　his　rest。

And　when　I　have　my　rest；　O；

Ill　quaff　my　wine　with　zest。

And　when　Im　drunk　as　drunk　can　be；　O；

Ill　sing　the　madmans　litany。

A　burst　of　applause　greeted　the　song。　By　this　time　it　was　getting　late；　and　the　guest　begged　to　be　excused。