三国演义英文版-第317部分

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my　brother；　the　Ruler　of　Shu。　What　place　should　be　first　conquered？〃
Hua　Jiao　replied；　〃Now　that　Chengdu　has　fallen　and　the　Throne　there　been　overturned；　Sima　Yan　will　assuredly　desire　to　absorb　this　southern　land。　Your　Majesty　should　display　virtue　and　restore　confidence　to　your　people。　That　would　be　the　best　plan。　If　you　engage　in　war；　it　will　be　like　throwing　on　hemp　to　put　out　a　fire………the　hemp　only　adds　to　the　blaze。　This　is　worthy　of　careful　consideration。〃
But　Sun　Hao　grew　angry　and　said；　〃I　desire　to　take　this　opportunity　to　return　to　my　real　heritage。　Why　do　you　employ　this　ill…omened　language？　Were　it　not　for　your　long　service；　now　would　I　slay　you　and　expose　your　head　as　a　warning。〃
He　bade　the　lictors　hustle　Minister　Hua　Jiao　from　his　presence；　and　Hua　Jiao　left　the　court。
〃It　is　pitiful；〃　said　Hua　Jiao。　〃Ere　long　our　silky；　beautiful　country　will　pass　to　another！〃
So　Hua　Jiao　retired。
And　the　Ruler　of　Wu　ordered　Lu　Kang；　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　to　camp　his　army　at　Jiangkou　in　order　to　attack　Xiangyang。
Spies　reported　this　in　Luoyang；　and　it　was　told　the　Ruler　of　Jin。　When　Sima　Yan　heard　that　the　army　of　Wu　threatened　to　invade　Xiangyang；　he　called　a　council。
Jia　Chong　stood　forth；　saying；　〃I　hear　the　government　of　Wu；　under　its　present　ruler；　Sun　Hao；　is　devoid　of　virtue；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wu　has　turned　aside　out　of　the　road。　Your　Majesty　should　send　mander　Yang　Hu　to　oppose　this　army。　When　internal　trouble　shall　arise；　let　him　attack；　and　victory　will　then　be　easy。〃
The　Ruler　of　Jin　issued　an　edict　ordering　Yang　Hu　to　prepare；　and　so　he　mustered　his　troops　and　set　himself　to　guard　the　county。
Yang　Hu　became　very　popular　in　Xiangyang。　Any　of　the　soldiers　of　Wu　who　desired　to　desert　to　the　other　side　were　allowed　to　e　over。　He　employed　only　the　fewest　possible　troops　on　patrol　duty。　Instead　he　set　his　soldiers　to　till　the　soil；　and　they　cultivated　an　extensive　area；　whereby　the　hundred　days　supplies　with　which　they　set　out　were　soon　increased　to　enough　for　ten　years。
Yang　Hu　maintained　great　simplicity；　wearing　the　lightest　of　garments　and　no　armor。　His　personal　escort　and　servants　numbered　only　about　ten。
One　day　his　officers　came　to　his　tent　and　said；　〃The　spies　reported　great　laxity　in　the　enemy's　camp。　It　is　time　to　make　an　attack！〃
But　Yang　Hu　replied；　〃You　must　not　despise　Lu　Kang；　for　he　is　able　and　crafty。　Formerly　his　master　sent　him　to　attack　Xiling；　and　he　slew　Bu　Chan　and　many　of　his　generals；　before　I　could　save　that　city。　So　long　as　Lu　Kang　remains　in　mand；　I　shall　remain　on　the　defensive。　I　shall　not　attack　till　there　be　trouble　and　confusion　among　our　enemies。　To　be　rash　and　not　await　the　proper　moment　to　attack　is　to　invite　defeat。〃
They　found　him　wise　and　said　no　more。　They　only　kept　the　boundaries。
One　day　Yang　Hu　and　his　officers　went　out　to　hunt；　and　it　happened　that　Lu　Kang　had　chosen　the　same　day　to　hunt。　Yang　Hu　gave　strict　orders　not　to　cross　the　boundary；　and　so　each　hunted　only　on　his　own　side。
Lu　Kang　was　astonished　at　the　enemy's　scrupulous　propriety。
He　sighed；　〃The　soldiers　of　Yang　Hu　have　so　high　a　discipline　that　I　may　not　make　any　invasion　now。〃
In　the　evening；　after　both　parties　had　returned；　Yang　Hu　ordered　an　inspection　of　the　slaughtered　game　and　sent　over　to　the　other　side　any　that　seemed　to　have　been　first　struck　by　the　soldiers　of　Wu。
Lu　Kang　was　greatly　pleased　and　sent　for　the　bearers　of　the　game。
〃Does　your　leader　drink　wine？〃　asked　he。
They　replied；　〃Only　fine　wines　does　he　drink。〃
〃I　have　some　very　old　wine；〃　replied　Lu　Kang；　smiling；　〃and　I　will　give　of　it　to　you　to　bear　to　your　general　as　a　gift。　It　is　the　wine　I　myself　brew　and　drink　on　ceremonial　occasions；　and　he　shall　have　half　in　return　for　today's　courtesy。〃
They　took　the　wine　and　left。
〃Why　do　you　give　him　wine？〃　asked　Lu　Kang's　officers。
〃Because　he　has　shown　kindness；　and　I　must　return　courtesy　for　courtesy。〃
When　the　gift　of　wine　arrived　and　the　bearers　told　Yang　Hu　the　story　of　their　reception；　he　laughed。
〃So　he　knows　I　can　drink；〃　said　Yang　Hu。
He　had　the　jar　opened；　and　the　wine　was　poured　out。　One　of　his　generals；　Chen　Yuan；　begged　him　to　drink　moderately　lest　there　should　be　some　harm　e　of　it。
〃Lu　Kang　is　no　poisoner；〃　replied　Yang　Hu。
And　he　drank。　The　friendly　intercourse　thus　continued；　and　messengers　frequently　passed　from　one　camp　to　the　other。
One　day　the　messengers　said　that　Lu　Kang　was　unwell　and　had　been　ailing　for　several　days。
〃I　think　he　suffers　from　the　same　plaint　as　I；〃　said　Yang　Hu。　〃I　have　some　remedies　ready　prepared　and　will　send　him　some。〃
The　drugs　were　taken　over　to　the　Wu　camp。
But　the　sick　man's　officers　were　suspicious　and　said；　〃This　medicine　is　surely　harmful：　It　es　from　the　enemy。〃
However；　Lu　Kang　said；　〃No；　old　Uncle　Yang　Hu　would　not　poison　a　person。　Do　not　doubt。〃
He　drank　the　decoction。　Next　day　he　was　much　better。
When　his　staff　came　to　congratulate　him；　he　said；　〃If　our　opponents　take　their　stand　upon　virtue　and　we　take　ours　upon　violence；　they　will　drag　us　after　them　without　fighting。　See　to　it　that　the　boundaries　be　well　kept　and　that　we　seek　not　to　gain　any　unfair　advantage。〃
Soon　after　came　a　special　envoy　from　the　Ruler　of　Wu　to　urge　upon　Lu　Kang　prompt　activity。
〃Our　Emperor　sends　orders　for　you　to　press　forward；〃　said　the　envoy。　〃You　are　not　to　await　a　Jin　invasion。〃
〃You　may　return；　and　I　will　send　up　a　memorial；〃　replied　Lu　Kang。
So　a　memorial　was　written　and　soon　followed　the　envoy　to　the　capital；　which　by　this　time　was　Jianye。　When　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Hao；　read　it；　he　found　therein　many　arguments　against　attacking　Jin　and　exhortations　to　exercise　a　virtuous　rule　instead　of　engaging　in　hostilities。　It　angered　him。
〃They　say　Lu　Kang　has　e　to　an　understanding　with　the　enemy；　and　now　I　believe　it！〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wu。
Thereupon　he　deprived　Lu　Kang　of　his　mand　and　took　away　his　mission　and　degraded　him　into　Marching　General。　Sun　Ji；　General　of　the　Left　Army；　was　sent　to　supersede　Lu　Kang。　And　none　dared　to　intervene。
Sun　Hao　became　still　more　arbitrary　and　of　his　own　will　changed　the　year…style　once　more　to　the　Phoenix　（AD　269）。　Day　by　day　his　life　became　more　wanton　and　vicious。　The　soldiers　in　every　camp　murmured　with　anger　and　resentment；　and　at　last　three　high　officers………Prime　Minister　Wan　Yu；　General　Liu　Ping；　and　Minister　of　Agriculture　Lou　Xuan………boldly　and　earnestly　remonstrated　with　the　Emperor　for　his　many　irregularities。　They　suffered　death。　Within　ten　years　more　than　forty　ministers　were　put　to　death　for　doing　their　duty。
Sun　Hao　maintained　an　extravagantly　large　guard　of　fifty　thousand　heavy　cavalry；　and　these　soldiers　were　the　terror　of　everyone。
Now　when　Yang　Hu；　on　the　Jin　side　of　the　frontier；　heard　that　his　opponent　Lu　Kang　had　been　removed　from　his　mand　and　that　the　conduct　of　the　Ruler　of　Wu　had　bee　wholly　unreasonable；　he　knew　that　the　time　was　near　for　him　to　conquer　Wu。　Wherefore　he　presented　a　memorial：
〃Although　fate　is　superior　to　human；　yet　success　depends　upon　human　effort。　Now　as　the　geographic　difficulties　of　the　South　Land　are　not　as　those　of　the　River　Lands；　while　the　ferocity　of　Sun　Hao　exceeds　that　of　Liu　Shan；　the　misery　of　the　people　of　Wu　exceeds　that　of　the　dwellers　in　Shu。　Our　armies　are　stronger　than　ever　before；　and　if　we　miss　this　opportunity　to　bring　the　whole　land　under　one　rule；　but　continue　to　weary　our　army　with　continual　watching　and　cause　the　world　to　groan　under　the　burden　of　militarism；　then　our　efficiency　will　decline　and　we　shall　not　endure。〃
When　Sima　Yan　read　this；　he　gave　orders　for　the　army　to　move。　But　three　officers………Jia　Chong；　Xun　Xu；　and　Feng　Dan………opposed　it；　and　the　orders　were　withdrawn。
Yang　Hu　was　disappointed　at　the　news　and　said；　〃What　a　pity　it　is　that　of　ten　affairs　in　the　world；　one　always　meets　with　eight　or　nine　vexations！〃
In　the　fourth　year　of　Universal　Tranquillity；　in　Jin　calendar　（AD　278）；　Yang　Hu　went　to　court　and　asked　leave　to　retire　on　account　of　ill　health。
Before　granting　him　leave　to　go；　Sima　Yan　asked；　〃Do　you　have　plans　to　propose　to　settle　the　empire？〃
Yang　Hu　replied；　〃Sun　Hao　is　a　very　cruel　ruler　and　could　be　conquered　without　fighting。　If　he　were　to　die　and　a　wise　successor　sat　upon　his　throne；　Your　Majesty　would　never　be　able　to　gain　possession　of　Wu。〃
The　Ruler　of　Jin　realized　the　truth；　and　he　said；　〃Suppose　your　army　attacked　now。　What　then？〃
〃I　am　now　too　old　and　too　ill　for　the　task；〃　replied　Yang　Hu。　〃Some　other　bold　and　capable　leader　must　be　found。〃
Yang　Hu　left　the　court　and　retired　to　his　home。　Toward　the　end　of　the　year　he　was　nigh　unto　death；　and　the　Ruler　of　Jin　went　to　visit　him。　The　sight　of　his　master　at　his　bedside　brought　tears　to　the　eyes　of　the　faithful　old　leader。
〃If　I　died　a　myriad　times；　I　could　never　requite　Your　Majesty；〃　said　Yang　Hu。
Sima　Yan　also　wept；　saying；　〃My　great　grief　is　that　I　could　not　take　advantage　of　your　abilities　to　attack　Wu。　Who　now　is　there　to　carry　out　your　design？〃
Hesitatingly　the　sick　man　replied；　〃I　am　dying　and　must　be　wholly　sincere。　General　Du　Yu　is　equal　to　the　task；　and　is　the　one　man　to　attack　Wu。〃
Sima　Yan　said；　〃How　beautiful　it　is　to　bring　good　people　into　prominence！　But　why　did　you　write　a　memorial　remending　certain　people　and　then　burn　the　draft　so　that　no　one　knew？〃
The　dying　man　answered；　〃I　bowed　before　the　officials　in　open　court；　but　I　did　not　beseech　the　kindness　of　the　private　attendants。〃
So　Yang　Hu　died；　and　Sima　Yan　wailed　for　him　and　then　returned　to　his　palace。　He　conferred　on　the　dead　leader　the　posthumous　rank　of　Imperial　Guardian　and　Lord　of　Juping。　The　traders　closed　their　shops　out　of　respect　to　his　memory；　and　all　the　frontier　camps　were　filled　with　wailing。　The　people　of　Xiangyang；　recalling　that　he　loved　to　wander　on　the　Xian　Hills；　built　there　a　temple　to　him　and　set　up　a　stone　and　sacrificed　regularly　at　the　four　seasons。　The　passers…by　were　moved　to　tears　when　they　read　Yang　Hu's　name　on　the　tablet；　so　that　it　came　to　be　called　〃The　Stone　of　Tears〃。

I　saw　the　fragments　of　a　shattered　stone
One　spring　time　on　the　hillside；　when；　alone；
I　walked　to　greet　the　sun。　The　pines　distilled
Big　drops　of　dew　unceasing；　sadness　filled
My　heart。　I　knew　this　was　the　Stone　of　Tears；
The　stone　of　memory　of　long…past　years。

On　the　strength