小说园

第146部分（第2页）

Head　downwards　at　the　city　gate　one　hung

A　last　remonstrance　in　his　outstretched　hand。

Resolved　that；　were　his　words　rejected；　he

Would　not　survive　defeat。　Sincere　was　he

Who；　desperate；　held　to　Liu　Zhangs　silken　robe

Until　his　broken　teeth　released　their　grip。

Sincere　indeed；　but　how　can　he　pare

With　stern　Wang　Lei　who　went　to　awful　death？

Liu　Zhang　with　thirty　thousand　troops　went　out　to　wele　his　clansman；　and　there　followed　one　thousand　wagons　laden　with　supplies　and　rich　stuffs。

Liu　Beis　advanced　guard　had　arrived　at　River　Dian。　During　the　march　the　people　had　brought　presents；　and　Liu　Bei　had　given　an　order　to　pay　for　everything；　under　penalty　of　death　for　disobedience。　Thus　no　one　suffered；　and　the　people　came　out　in　trusting　crowds　to　watch　the　soldiers　marching　by　and　wele　them　in　every　way。　Liu　Bei　soothed　them　with　very　gracious　words。

Then　Fa　Zheng　secretly　showed　Pang　Tong　a　letter　from　Zhang　Song　advocating　the　assassination　of　Liu　Zhang　near　the　place　of　wele。

Pang　Tong　said；　〃Say　nothing　about　this。　After　the　two　Lius　have　met；　there　may　be　opportunities；　but　this　is　too　early　to　talk。　Any　plot　would　leak　out。〃

So　nothing　was　said。

Fucheng；　where　the　meeting　was　to　take　place；　was　one　hundred　twenty　miles　from　Capital　Chengdu。　Liu　Zhang　arrived　first　and　sent　messengers　to　wele　Liu　Bei。　The　two　armies　camped　on　the　bank　of　River　Fu。　Liu　Bei　went　into　the　city　to　see　the　Imperial　Protector；　and　they　met　cordially　as　brothers　should。　Both　shed　a　few　tears；　and　by　and　bye　they　began　a　heart…to…heart　talk。　Then　followed　a　banquet；　and　after　this　each　returned　to　his　own　camp。

The　Imperial　Protector　said；　〃How　ridiculous　have　been　proved　the　fears　of　Huang　Quan　and　Wang　Lei！　They　do　not　understand　the　force　of　family　affection。　I　see　he　is　really　a　kindly　and　noble　man；　and　with　him　as　a　support　I　shall　fear　neither　Cao　Cao　nor　Zhang　Lu。　And　I　owe　all　this　to　Zhang　Song。〃

To　show　his　gratitude；　Liu　Zhang　took　off　the　green　silken　robe　he　wore　and　sent　it　as　a　gift　to　Zhang　Song；　together　with　five　hundred　ounces　of　gold。

However；　some　of　his　officers　were　not　so　content；　and　a　group　of　them　bade　him　beware。

〃Do　not　rejoice　too　soon；　O　Master；〃　said　they；　〃for　Liu　Bei　is　hard　enough　within　in　spite　of　his　mild　exterior。　You　have　not　sounded　him　yet　and　should　be　on　your　guard。〃

〃You　are　all　too　anxious；〃　said　Liu　Zhang；　laughing。　〃My　brother　is　no　double…dealer；　I　am　sure。〃

When　Liu　Bei　had　returned　to　his　own　tent；　Pang　Tong　came　in　to　ask　what　impression　he　had　of　his　host　of　that　day。

〃He　seems　a　very　honest　man；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃He　is　good　enough；　but　some　of　his　servants　are　discontented　at　this　turn　of　affairs；　and　I　would　not　guarantee　there　will　be　no　murders。　If　you　took　my　advice；　you　would　have　Liu　Zhang　assassinated　at　the　return　banquet。　A　hundred　ruffians　behind　the　arras；　a　signal　from　you；　and　the　deed　would　be　acplished。　All　that　would　be　needed；　then　would　be　a　rush　on　Capital　Chengdu。　No　sword　need　be　drawn；　no　arrow　fitted　to　the　string。〃

〃He　is　a　brother　of　my　house　and　has　treated　me　with　sincerity。　I　am　a　new…er　and　so　far　unknown　in　this　land。　Such　a　deed　would　be　abhorrent　to　all　the　world；　and　these　people　would　resent　it。　I　will　not　establish　myself　by　such　means。〃

〃The　scheme　is　not　mine。　It　originated　in　a　private　letter　from　Zhang　Song；　who　says　it　will　have　to　be　done　some　time。〃

At　this　moment　Fa　Zheng　came　in　and　said；　〃This　is　not　for　ourselves。　It　is　the　will　of　heaven。〃

〃Liu　Zhang　and　I　are　of　the　same　house；　and　I　would　shudder　at　harming　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃Sir；　you　are　wrong。　If　you　act　not　as　we　propose；　then　Zhang　Lu　will　take　Shu　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　his　mother。　What　is　there　for　you　at　the　end　of　your　long　march？　Advance；　and　success　is　yours；　retreat；　and　you　have　nothing。　And　delays　are　most　dangerous。　At　any　moment　this　scheme　may　leak　out；　and　another　will　reap　the　profit。　This　is　the　day　when　Heaven　smiles　on　you。　Act　before　Liu　Zhang　suspects　you。　Establish　yourself。〃

So　urged　Fa　Zheng；　and　Pang　Tong　backed　it。

Their　lord；　by　argument；　they　tried

From　rectitude　to　turn　aside。

What　Liu　Bei　hid　in　his　heart　will　be　explained　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　61　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　61

Chapter　61

In　The　River；　Zhao　Yun　Recovers　Liu　Shan；

With　One　Letter；　Sun　Quan　Repulses　Cao　Cao。

In　spite　of　the　persuasion　of　Pan