三国演义英文版-第226部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Zhuge　Liang　and　all　those　present　wept　and　prostrated　themselves；　saying；　〃We　pray　Your　Majesty　repose　yourself。　We　will　do　our　utmost　whereby　to　prove　our　gratitude　for　the　kindness　we　have　received。〃
At　the　First　Ruler's　mand　the　attendants　raised　Zhuge　Liang　from　the　earth。　With　one　hand　the　dying　man　brushed　away　the　falling　tears；　while　with　the　other　he　grasped　Zhuge　Liang's　hand。
And　he　said；　〃The　end　is　near。　I　have　something　more　to　say　as　to　a　close　general。〃
〃What　holy　mand　has　Your　Majesty　to　give？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
The　First　Ruler　said；　〃You　are　many　times　more　clever　than　Cao　Pi；　and　you　must　safeguard　the　kingdom　and　plete　the　great　work。　If　my　son　can　be　helped；　help　him。　But　if　he　proves　a　fool；　then　take　the　throne　yourself　and　be　a　ruler。〃
Such　a　speech　almost　startled　Zhuge　Liang　out　of　his　senses。　A　cold　sweat　broke　out　all　over　his　body；　and　his　limbs　threatened　to　cease　to　support　him。
He　fell　on　his　knees；　saying；　〃I　could　never　do　otherwise　than　wear　myself　to　the　bone　in　the　service　of　your　son；　whom　I　will　serve　till　death。〃
He　knocked　his　head　upon　the　ground　till　blood　ran　down。
The　dying　man　called　Zhuge　Liang　closer；　and　at　the　same　time　making　his　two　sons　e　near；　he　said　to　them；　〃My　sons；　remember　your　father's　words。　After　my　death　you　are　to　treat　the　Prime　Minister　as　you　would　your　father　and　be　not　remiss；　for　thereby　you　will　fulfill　your　father's　hopes。〃
He　made　the　two　Princes　pay　to　Zhuge　Liang　the　obeisance　due　to　a　father。
Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃Were　I　destroyed　and　ground　into　the　earth；　I　should　be　unable　to　repay　the　kindness　I　have　experienced。〃
Turning　to　the　assembled　officers；　the　First　Ruler　said；　〃As　you　have　seen；　I　have　confided　my　orphan　son　to　the　care　of　the　Prime　Minister　and　bidden　my　sons　treat　him　as　a　father。　You　too；　Sirs；　are　to　treat　him　with　deference。　This　is　my　dying　request　and　charge　to　you。〃
Turning　to　Zhao　Yun；　he　said；　〃You　and　I　have　gone　together　through　many　dangers　and　difficulties。　Now　es　the　parting　of　our　ways。　You　will　not　forget　our　old　friendship；　and　you　must　see　to　it　that　my　sons　follow　my　precepts。〃
〃I　shall　never　dare　to　give　other　than　my　best；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃The　fidelity　of　the　dog　and　horse　is　mine　to　give　and　shall　be　theirs。〃
Then　the　First　Ruler　turned　to　the　others；　〃Noble　Sirs；　I　am　unable　to　speak　to　you　one　by　one　and　lay　a　charge　upon　each　individual。　But　I　say　to　you：　Maintain　your　self…respect。〃
These　were　his　last　words。　He　was　sixty…three；　and　he　died　on　the　twenty…fourth　day　of　the　fourth　month　（AD　222）。　A　poem　was　written　by　Du　Fu　on　his　death：

The　Emperor　set　out　to　destroy　the　land　that　lay　through　the　Three　Gorges；
Failed　he　and　breathed　his　last　in　the　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace；
The　Palace　fair　of　his　thoughts　lay　not　this　side　the　highlands。
Beautiful　chambers　are　vainly　sought　in　his　rural　temple；
Now　are　the　pines　near　his　shrine　nesting　places　for　herons；
Through　the　courts　aged　peasants　saunter；　enjoying　their　leisure；
Nearby　often　is　found　a　shrine　to　this　famous　strategist；
Prince　and　minister's　needs　are　now　but　offerings　in　season。

Thus　died　the　First　Ruler。　All　present　lifted　up　their　voices　and　wept。
The　Prime　Minister　led　the　procession　that　escorted　the　coffin　to　the　capital；　and　the　heir；　Liu　Shan；　came　to　the　outskirts　of　the　city；　as　a　dutiful　son　should；　to　receive　the　remains　with　due　respect。　The　coffin　was　laid　in　the　Great　Hall　of　the　Palace；　wherein　they　lamented　and　performed　the　ceremonies　appointed。　At　the　end　of　these　the　testament　was　opened　and　read：
〃I　first　fell　ill　from　a　simple　ailment。　Other　disorders　followed；　and　it　became　evident　that　I　should　not　recover。
〃They　say　that　death　at　fifty　cannot　be　called　premature。　As　I　have　passed　sixty；　I　may　not　resent　the　call。　But　when　I　think　of　you　and　your　brothers；　I　regret。　Now　I　say　to　you；　strive　and　strive　again。　Do　not　do　evil　because　it　is　a　small　evil；　do　not　leave　undone　a　small　good　because　it　is　a　small　good。　Only　with　wisdom　and　virtue　people　can　be　won。　But　your　father's　virtue　was　but　slender；　and　do　not　imitate。
〃After　my　death　you　are　to　conduct　the　affairs　of　the　state　with　the　Prime　Minister。　You　are　to　treat　him　as　a　father　and　serve　him　without　remissness。　You　and　your　brothers　are　to　seek　instructions。　This　is　my　final　and　simple　mand。〃
When　the　officials　had　read　this；　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃The　state　cannot　go　a　single　day　without　a　ruler；　wherefore　I　beg　you　to　install　the　heir　as　successor　to　the　great　line　of　Han。〃
Thereupon　the　ceremony　was　performed；　and　the　new　Emperor　took　his　place。　The　style　of　the　reign　was　changed　to　〃Beginning　Prosperity〃。　Zhuge　Liang　was　made　Lord　of　Wuxiang　and　Imperial　Protector　of　Yizhou。
Then　they　buried　the　late　Emperor　at　Huiling　with　the　posthumous　style　of　Liu　Bei　the　Glorious　Emperor。
The　Empress；　of　the　Wu　family；　was　formally　created　Empress　Dowager。　The　late　Consort　Gan　became　the　Glorious　Empress；　and　the　Lady　Mi　was　granted　similar；　also　posthumous；　rank。　There　were　promotions　in　rank　and　rewards　for　all；　and　a　general　amnesty　was　proclaimed。
Before　long；　knowledge　of　these　things　came　to　the　Middle　Land；　and　a　report　was　sent　to　Capital　Luoyang　and　made　known　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei。
Cao　Pi　felt　relieved　and　was　glad　of　the　death　of　his　rival；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　dead：　I　am　no　longer　worried。　An　attack　during　the　critical　moment　can　bring　a　victory　over　Shu。〃
But　Jia　Xu　dissuaded　him；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　gone；　but　surely　he　has　confided　the　care　of　the　state　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　is　indebted　to　him　so　deeply。　He　will　exhaust　every　effort　to　support　his　young　lord。　You　may　not　hastily　attack。〃
As　Jia　Xu　tendered　this　remonstrance；　a　man　suddenly　stepped　out　from　the　serried　ranks　of　courtiers　and　said　fiercely；　〃If　you　neglect　this　moment；　can　you　expect　a　more　favorable　opportunity？〃
All　eyes　turned　to　the　speaker。　It　was　Sima　Yi。
The　interruption　greatly　pleased　Cao　Pi；　who　at　once　asked　how　it　was　to　be　done。
Sima　Yi　propounded　his　plan　in　the　following　speech：　〃It　would　be　very　difficult　to　obtain　success　with　our　own　resources。　Hence　we　must　use　five　armies　and　attack　all　round　at　the　same　time；　so　as　to　divide　Zhuge　Liang。〃
〃Where　are　the　five　armies　to　e　from？〃　said　Cao　Pi。

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。
Sima　Yi　went　on；　〃The　first　is　to　be　got　from　Liaodong；　from　the　Xianbi　State。　You　must　write　to　King　Kebi　Neng　and　send　him　presents　of　gold　and　silks　so　that　he　may　send　one　hundred　thousand　Qiang　troops　from　Liaoxi　to　attack　Xiping　Pass。　Secondly；　the　king　of　the　Mang　Tribes；　Meng　Huo；　must　be　persuaded　to　lead　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　attack　the　south　of　Shu………Yizhou；　Yongchang；　Zangge；　and　Yuesui。　Thirdly；　you　must　send　an　ambassador　to　Wu　with　fair　promises　of　an　increase　of　territory；　and　so　induce　Sun　Quan　to　march　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　the　attack　of　the　Three　Gorges；　making　Fucheng　his　objective。　The　fourth　army　can　be　got　from　General　Meng　Da　in　Shangyong；　who　can　muster　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　attack　Hanzhong。　Lastly；　our　own　force　of　one　hundred　thousand　troops　may　be　placed　under　Cao　Zhen；　who　will　attack　by　way　of　Yangping　Pass。　With　five　hundred　thousand　troops　making　simultaneous　attacks　along　five　different　directions；　it　would　be　hard　for　Zhuge　Liang　to　hold　his　own；　even　if　he　had　the　talent　of　Lu　Wang*　himself。〃
The　scheme　delighted　Cao　Pi；　who　at　once　cast　about　for　four　glib…tongued　messengers。　He　also　issued　a　mission　to　Cao　Zhen　as　mander…in…Chief　with　the　order　to　take　Yangping　Pass。
At　this　time　Zhang　Liao　and　most　others　of　the　veterans　who　had　served　Cao　Cao　were　keeping　watch　in　various　stations　and　passes　and　fords　in　Jizhou；　Xuzhou；　Qingzhou；　and　Hefei。　They　were　not　summoned　for　this　expedition　to　the　west。
After　the　accession　of　Liu　Shan；　the　Latter　Ruler；　many　of　those　who　had　served　his　father　gradually　died　after　the　decease　of　their　master。　The　work　of　the　administration　of　the　country；　the　choice　of　officials；　law…making；　taxation；　decision　of　legal　cases；　was　all　done　by　the　Prime　Minister。
As　the　Latter　Ruler　had　no　consort；　the　courtiers；　headed　by　Zhuge　Liang；　proposed；　saying；　〃The　daughter　of　the　late　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　Zhang　Fei　is　prudent；　and　she　is　now　seventeen。　Your　Majesty　should　make　her　Empress。〃
So　Lady　Zhang　was　married　to　the　Emperor　and　became　Empress　Zhang。
It　was　in　the　autumn　of　the　first　year　of　Beginning　Prosperity　（AD　223）　that　the　Latter　Ruler　heard　of　the　plans　and　intentions　of　Wei　against　his　state。
The　persons　who　told　him　gave　him　full　details　said：　〃Wei　has　mustered　five　armies　of　one　hundred　thousand　each　to　march　against　the　River　Lands。　The　first　army　led　by　mander…in…Chief　Cao　Zhen　is　heading　to　Yangping　Pass。　The　second　army　from　Shangyong　led　by　the　rebel　Meng　Da　is　planning　to　attack　Hanzhong。　The　third　army　from　Wu　is　threatening　the　Three　Gorges。　The　fourth　army　under　King　Kebi　Neng　of　the　Qiang　tribes　is　marching　to　Xiping　Pass。　And　the　fifth　army　by　Meng　Huo　of　the　Mang　nations　is　approaching　the　southern　border　near　Yizhou；　Yongchang；　Zangge；　and　Yuesui。　The　border　stations　have　sent　flying　requests　for　help。　We　have　informed　the　Prime　Minister。　But　his　conduct　puzzles　us。　We　do　not　know　why　he　does　not　take　some　action　instead　of　remaining　shut　up　in　his　palace　all　the　time。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　became　really　alarmed；　and　he　sent　one　of　his　personal　attendants　to　call　the　Prime　Minister　to　court。
The　servant　was　gone　a　long　time；　and　then　returned　to　say：　〃The　servants　in　the　residence　said　the　Prime　Minister　was　ill　and　not　to　be　seen。〃
The　young　Emperor's　distress　increased；　and　he　sent　two　High　Ministers………Dong　Yun　and　Du　Qiong………to　Zhuge　Liang；　saying　they　were　to　see　him　even　if　he　was　on　his　couch　and　tell　him　the　dreadful　news　of　invasion。　They　went；　but　they　got　no　farther　than　the　gate。　The　keepers　of　the　gate　refused　them　admission。
But　Du　Qiong　said；　〃The　First　Ruler　had　confided　his　son　to　the　Prime　Minister。　It　has　not　been　long　since　His　Majesty's　accession　to　the　Throne　that　Cao　Pi　threatens　to　invade　our　territories　with　five　armies。　This　is　ur