三国演义英文版-第142部分

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Lu　Su　had　no　alternative　and　accepted　the　offer。　Liu　Bei　with　his　own　hand　wrote　the　pledge　and　sealed　it。　Zhuge　Liang　being　named　as　guarantor　also　signed　the　document。
〃Since　I　belong　to　this　side　of　the　pact　and　one　can　hardly　have　a　guarantor　of　the　same　party；　I　would　trouble　you；　Lu　Su；　also　to　sign。　It　will　look　better　when　you　reach　the　South　Land　again；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
Lu　Su　said；　〃I　know　that　your　master　is　perfectly　honorable　and　will　adhere　to　the　bargain。〃
And　so　Lu　Su　signed。　Then　he　received　the　document　in　formal　style　and　took　his　departure。　He　was　sent　off　with　every　mark　of　great　respect；　both　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　attending　him　to　his　boat。
There　the　Directing　Instructor　delivered　him　a　last　exhortation；　〃When　you　see　your　master；　speak　discreetly　and　explain　fully　so　as　not　to　create　a　bad　impression。　If　he　rejects　our　document；　we　may　get　angry　and　we　will　take　his　whole　country。　The　one　thing　now　is　for　our　two　houses　to　live　in　harmony　and　not　give　our　mon　enemy；　Cao　Cao；　an　opportunity　against　us。〃
Lu　Su　went　down　into　his　ship。　He　reached　Chaisang　and　there　saw　Zhou　Yu；　who　said；　〃Well；　how　did　you　speed　with　your　demand　for　Jingzhou？〃
〃Here　is　the　document；〃　said　Lu　Su；　giving　it　to　Zhou　Yu　to　read。
〃You　have　been　victimized　by　Zhuge　Liang！〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　stamping　his　foot　with　irritation。　〃In　name　it　may　be　temporary　occupation；　but　in　fact　it　is　humbug。　They　say　the　place　is　to　be　returned　when　they　get　the　west。　Who　knows　when　that　will　be？　Suppose　ten　years：　Then　it　will　be　ten　years　before　they　give　us　Jingzhou。　What　is　the　use　of　such　a　document　as　this？　And　you　are　a　guarantor　of　its　due　performance！　If　they　do　not　give　us　the　city；　you　get　into　trouble。　Suppose　our　lord　finds　you　in　the　wrong；　what　then？〃
Lu　Su　was　dumbfounded。　When　he　had　somewhat　recovered　his　self…possession；　he　said；　〃I　think　Liu　Bei　will　be　true　to　me。〃
〃You；　my　friend；　are　simple　and　sincere。　Liu　Bei　is　a　scoundrel　adventurer；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　a　slippery　customer。　They　and　you　are　utterly　different。〃
〃What　then　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Lu　Su　distressfully。
〃You　are　my　dear　friend；　and　your　kindness　in　freely　offering　your　store　of　grain　to　relieve　my　army　is　still　fresh　in　my　memory。　Of　course　I　will　save　you。　Do　not　be　anxious；　but　wait　a　few　days　till　we　get　news　of　what　is　doing　on　the　north　of　the　river；　and　then　we　can　decide　upon　a　plan。〃
Lu　Su　passed　some　very　uneasy　days。　Then　the　scouts　came　back　saying　that　in　Jingzhou　everything　seemed　in　excellent　order　and　the　white　flags　were　flying　everywhere；　while　outside　the　city　they　were　building　a　magnificent　mausoleum　for　Lady　Gan；　wife　of　Liu　Bei。　All　the　soldiers　were　in　mourning。
When　Zhou　Yu　knew　who　was　dead；　he　said　to　Lu　Su；　〃My　scheme　is　made。　You　will　see　Liu　Bei　just　stand　still　to　be　bound；　and　we　shall　get　Jingzhou　like　turning　a　hand。〃
〃What　is　the　main　spring　of　your　plan？〃　said　Lu　Su。
〃Liu　Bei　will　want　to　remarry；　and　our　lord　has　a　sister；　Sun　Ren。　She　is　a　tough　lady；　whose　women　guards　number　many　hundreds；　all　armed　with　weapons　of　war。　Her　apartments　also　are　full　of　such　things。　I　will　write　to　our　lord　to　send　an　intermediary　to　arrange　that　the　lady　shall　wed　Liu　Bei　at　her　family　home；　and　thus　we　shall　entice　Liu　Bei　to　Nanxu。　But　instead　of　marrying　a　wife；　Liu　Bei　will　find　himself　a　prisoner；　and　then　we　will　demand　Jingzhou　as　ransom。　When　they　have　handed　over　the　region；　I　shall　find　something　else　to　say　and　nothing　will　fall　on　your　head。〃
Lu　Su　was　very　grateful。　Then　Zhou　Yu　wrote　letters　to　his　master；　and　a　swift　boat　was　chosen　to　take　Lu　Su　to　see　the　Marquis　of　Wu。
After　the　lending　of　Jingzhou　had　been　discussed；　Lu　Su　presented　the　document　given　him　by　Liu　Bei。
〃What　is　the　use　of　such　nonsense　as　this？〃　said　Sun　Quan；　when　he　had　read　it。
〃There　is　another　letter　from　General　Zhou　Yu。　And　he　says　that　if　you　will　employ　his　scheme；　you　can　recover　Jingzhou；〃　replied　Lu　Su。
Having　read　that　letter；　Sun　Quan　was　more　pleased　and　began　to　consider　who　was　the　best　person　to　send。
Suddenly　he　cried；　〃I　have　it。　Lu　Fan　is　the　man　to　send。〃
Sun　Quan　called　Lu　Fan　and　said　to　him；　〃I　have　just　heard　that　Liu　Bei　has　lost　his　wife。　I　have　a　sister　whom　I　should　like　to　marry　to　him　and　so　make　a　bond　of　union　between　our　two　houses。　Thus　we　should　be　united　against　Cao　Cao　and　in　support　of　the　House　of　Han。　You　are　the　one　man　to　be　intermediary；　and　I　hope　you　will　go　to　Jingzhou　and　see　to　this。〃
Under　these　orders；　Lu　Fan　at　once　began　to　prepare　his　ships　for　the　voyage　and　soon　started。
Liu　Bei　was　greatly　distressed　at　the　death　of　Lady　Gan；　fretting　for　her　day　and　night。　One　day　when　he　was　talking　with　his　adviser；　they　announced　the　arrival　of　Lu　Fan　who　had　e　on　a　mission　from　the　South　Land。
〃One　of　Zhou　Yu's　devices；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　smiling；　〃and　it　is　all　on　account　of　this　region。　I　will　just　retire　behind　the　screen　and　listen。　But　you；　my　lord；　agree　to　whatever　the　messenger　proposes。　Then　let　the　messenger　be　taken　to　the　guest…house　while　we　arrange　what　is　to　be　done。〃
So　the　envoy　was　introduced。　Bows　having　been　exchanged；　host　and　guest　being　seated　in　due　order　and　the　tea　drunk；　Liu　Bei　opened　the　interview。
〃You　must　have　some　mands　for　me；　Sir；　since　you　e　thus。〃
〃News　has　just　been　received　that　you；　O　Imperial　Uncle；　have　just　been　bereaved　of　your　consort。　I　venture　to　hope　you　would　not　object　to　an　advantageous　match；　and　I　have　e　to　propose　one。　Are　you　disposed　to　listen？〃
〃To　lose　one's　wife　in　middle　age　is　truly　a　great　misfortune；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃While　her　body　is　still　warm；　I　cannot　listen　to　proposals　for　another　marriage。〃

＇e＇　Jin　was　a　state　that　occupied　the　western　part　of　the　empire；　in　the　mountainous　area　north　of　the　Yellow　River。　During　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　under　the　leadership　of　Duke　Wen　and　his　successors；　Jin　grew　into　a　very　large　state；　which　broke　into　three　states　in　the　Warring　States　period。　Qin　was　a　western…most　state　existed　in　both　Spring　and　Autumn　and　Warring　States　periods。　Because　Jin　blocked　its　way　to　the　east；　Qin　was　shielded　from　the　wars　in　the　central　plain。　Wars　between　Qin　and　Jin　were　not　few；　but　intermarriages　between　the　two　houses　were　frequent；　and　this　alliance　strengthened　both　states。　。。。。。
Lu　Fan　said；　〃A　man　without　a　wife　is　like　a　house　without　a　ridge　pole。　At　your　age；　one　should　not　live　an　inplete　life。　I　am　e　on　the　part　of　Marquis　Sun　Quan；　who　has　a　sister；　beautiful　as　she　is；　acplished　and　well　fitted　to　be　a　mate　for　you。　Should　the　two　families　bee　allied　as　formerly　were　Qin　and　Jin*；　then　that　ruffian　Cao　Cao　would　never　dare　so　much　as　look　this　way。　Such　an　alliance　would　be　to　the　benefit　of　both　our　houses　and　of　the　state。　I　hope；　O　Imperial　Uncle；　that　you　will　fairly　consider　the　proposal。　However；　since　the　young　girl's　mother　is　dotingly　fond　of　her；　the　mother　does　not　wish　her　to　go　far　away；　and　so　I　must　ask　you　to　e　into　our　country　for　the　wedding。〃
〃Does　the　Marquis　know　of　your　ing？〃
〃How　dare　I　e　without　his　knowledge？〃
〃I　am　no　longer　young；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃I　am　fifty　and　grizzled。　This　fair　damsel；　the　sister　of　the　Marquis；　is　now　in　the　flower　of　her　youth　and　no　mate　for　me。〃
〃Although　the　damsel　is　a　woman；　yet　in　mind　she　surpasses　many　a　man；　and　she　has　said　she　will　never　wed　anyone　who　is　unknown　to　fame。　Now；　Sir；　you　are　renowned　throughout　the　four　seas。　Marriage　with　you　would　be　the　chaste　maiden　mating　with　the　born　gentleman。　Of　what　consequence　is　the　difference　in　age？〃
〃Sir；　stay　here　awhile；　and　I　will　give　you　a　reply　tomorrow；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
So　that　day　the　envoy　was　entertained　at　a　banquet　and　then　conducted　to　the　guest…house　to　repose；　while；　late　as　it　was；　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　discussed　their　plans。
〃I　knew　what　he　had　e　about；〃　said　the　adviser。　〃While　he　was　talking；　I　consulted　the　oracle　and　obtained　an　excellent　sign。　Wherefore　you　may　accept　the　proposal　and　send　Sun　Qian　back　with　this　envoy　to　arrange　the　details。　When　the　promise　has　been　ratified；　we　will　choose　a　day　and　you　shall　go　to　plete　the　ceremony。〃
〃How　can　I　thus　go　into　enemy　territory？　Zhou　Yu　has　wanted　to　slay　me　for　a　long　time。〃
〃Let　Zhou　Yu　employ　all　his　ruses。　Think　you　he　can　get　beyond　me？　Let　me　act　for　you；　and　his　calculations　will　always　fail　halfway。　Once　Sun　Quan's　sister　is　in　your　power；　there　will　be　no　fear　for　Jingzhou。〃
Still　Liu　Bei　doubted　in　his　mind。　However；　Sun　Qian　was　sent　to　the　South　Land；　with　definite　instructions；　and　traveled　thither　with　Lu　Fan。
At　the　interview　Sun　Quan　said；　〃I　wish　my　sister　could　induce　Liu　Bei　to　live　here　with　us。　He　would　e　to　no　harm。〃
Sun　Qian　took　his　leave。　And　returning　to　Jingzhou；　he　told　the　bridegroom　elect；　saying；　〃Sun　Quan's　sole　desire　is　for　our　lord　to　go　over　and　plete　the　marriage。〃
However；　Liu　Bei　feared　and　would　not　go。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　have　prepared　three　plans；　but　I　need　Zhao　Yun　to　carry　them　out。　He　will　be　sent　as　your　guard。〃
So　Zhuge　Liang　called　in　Zhao　Yun；　gave　him　three　silken　bags；　and　whispered　in　his　ear；　saying；　〃Here　are　three　schemes　enclosed　in　three　bags。　When　you　escort　our　lord　to　the　South　Land；　you　will　take　these　with　you　and　act　as　they　direct。〃
Zhao　Yun　hid　the　three　silken　bags　in　his　breast　so　that　they　should　be　at　hand　when　required。
Zhuge　Liang　next　sent　the　wedding　gifts；　and　when　these　had　been　received；　the　preliminaries　were　settled。
It　was　then　the　early　winter　of　the　fourteenth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　209）。　The　bridegroom　elect；　his　escort；　and　the　intermediary　left　the　city　of　Jingzhou　with　a　fleet　of　ten　fast　ships　to　sail　down　the　river　to　Nanxu。　Zhuge　Liang　remained　to　guard　and　rule　the　region。
But　Liu　Bei　was　far　from　feeling　fortable。　They　arrived　and　the　ships　were　made　fast。　This　done；　the　time　had　e　for　the　first　of　the　silken　bags　to　be　opened。　And　so　it　was。　Thereupon　Zhao　Yun　gave　each　of　his　five　hundred　guards　his　instructions；　and　they　went　their　several　ways。　Next　Zhao　Yun　told　Liu　Bei　what　he　was　to　do：　To　pay　his　visit　first　to　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao；　who　was　the　father…in…law　of　Sun　Ce　and　of　Zhou　Yu。
The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　resided　in　Nanxu　and　to　his　house；　leading　sheep　and　bearing　wine　jars；　went