三国演义英文版-第44部分

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So　he　sent　invitations　to　both　Liu　Bei　and　Ji　Ling　to　e　to　a　banquet。
Liu　Bei　was　for　accepting　the　invitation　and　going；　but　his　brothers　dissuaded　him；　saying；　〃There　is　some　treachery　in　his　heart。〃
〃I　have　treated　him　too　well　for　him　to　do　me　any　harm；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
So　he　mounted　and　rode　away；　the　two　brothers　following。　They　came　to　the　camp。
The　host　said；　〃Now　by　a　special　effort　I　have　got　you　out　of　danger。　I　hope　you　will　not　forget　that　when　you　e　into　your　own。〃
Liu　Bei　thanked　him　heartily　and　was　invited　to　take　a　seat。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　took　up　their　usual　place　as　guards。
But　when　Ji　Ling　was　announced；　Liu　Bei　felt　a　spasm　of　fear　and　got　up　to　go　away。
〃You　two　are　invited　for　the　particular　purpose　of　a　discussion；〃　said　the　host。　〃Do　not　take　it　amiss。〃
Liu　Bei；　being　quite　ignorant　of　his　intentions；　was　very　uneasy。　Presently　his　fellow　guest　entered。　Seeing　Liu　Bei　in　the　tent；　and　in　the　seat　of　honor；　Ji　Ling　was　puzzled；　hesitated　and　tried　to　withdraw。　But　the　attendants　prevented　this　and　Lu　Bu；　advancing；　laid　hold　of　him　and　drew　him　into　the　tent　as　if　he　had　been　a　child。
〃Do　you　wish　to　slay　me？〃　asked　Ji　Ling。
〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Lu　Bu。
〃Then　you　are　going　to　slay　Long…Ears？〃
〃No；　not　that。〃
〃Then　what　does　it　mean？〃
〃Liu　Bei　and　I　are　brothers。　Now；　General；　you　are　besieging　him；　and　so　I　have　e　to　the　rescue。〃
〃Then　slay　me；〃　said　Ji　Ling。
〃There　would　be　no　sense　in　that。　All　my　life　I　have　disliked　fighting　and　quarrels；　but　have　loved　making　peace。　And　now　I　want　to　settle　the　quarrel　between　you　two。〃
〃May　I　ask　how　you　think　of　doing　so？〃
〃I　have　a　means　and　one　approved　of　Heaven　itself。〃
Then　Lu　Bu　drew　Ji　Ling　within　the　tent　and　led　him　up　to　Liu　Bei。　The　two　men　faced　each　other；　full　of　mutual　suspicion；　but　their　host　placed　himself　between　them　and　they　took　their　seats；　Liu　Bei　on　the　right　hand　of　the　host。
The　banquet　began。　After　a　number　of　courses　almost　in　silence；　Lu　Bu　spoke；　saying；　〃I　wish　you　two　gentlemen　to　listen　to　me　and　put　an　end　to　your　strife。〃
Liu　Bei　made　no　reply；　but　Ji　Ling　said；　〃I　have　e　with　an　army　of　one　hundred　thousand　at　the　express　bidding　of　my　master　to　take　Liu　Bei。　How　can　I　cease　the　strife？　I　must　fight。〃
〃What！〃　exclaimed　Zhang　Fei　drawing　his　sword。　〃Few　as　we　are；　we　regard　you　no　more　than　a　lot　of　children。　What　are　you　pared　with　a　million　Yellow　Scarves？　You　dare　hurt　our　brother！〃
Guan　Yu　urged　him　to　be　silent；　saying；　〃Let　us　see　what　General　Lu　Bu　has　to　say　first。　After　that　there　will　be　time　to　go　to　our　tents　and　fight。〃
〃I　beg　you　both　to　e　to　an　understanding。　I　cannot　let　you　fight；〃　said　Lu　Bu。
Now　on　one　side　Ji　Ling　was　discontented　and　angry；　on　the　other　Zhang　Fei　was　dying　for　a　fight；　and　neither　of　the　two　chiefly　concerned　would　signify　assent。
Then　suddenly　the　host　turned　to　his　attendants；　saying；　〃Bring　my　trident　halberd！〃
They　did　so；　and　he　sat　there　gripping　that　graceful　but　effective　weapon　in　his　right　hand。　Both　guests　felt　very　ill　at　ease　and　turned　pale。
Lu　Bu　went　on；　saying；　〃I　have　tried　to　persuade　you　to　make　peace；　for　that　is　the　mand　of　the　Most　High。　It　shall　be　put　to　the　test。〃
He　then　bade　his　servants　take　the　halberd　outside　beyond　the　gate　and　set　it　up。
Then　speaking　to　his　two　guests；　he　said；　〃That　gate　is　one　hundred　and　fifty　paces　distant。　If　I　can　hit　that　left　branch　of　the　halberd…head　with　an　arrow；　you　will　both　withdraw　your　armies。　If　I　miss；　you　can　go　away　and　prepare　for　immediate　battle。　I　shall　stand　against　either　of　you　who　does　not　abide　by　what　I　say。〃
Ji　Ling　thought　to　himself；　〃That　small　mark　at　that　distance！　How　could　anyone　hit　it？〃
So　he　assented；　thinking　he　would　have　plenty　of　fighting　after　his　host　had　missed　the　mark。　Of　course　Liu　Bei　was　willing。
They　all　sat　down　again　and　wine　was　served。　When　this　had　been　drunk；　the　host　called　for　his　bow　and　arrows。　Liu　Bei　silently　prayed　that　Lu　Bu　would　hit　the　mark。
Lu　Bu　turned　back　his　sleeves；　carefully　fitted　an　arrow　to　the　string　and　pulled　the　bow　to　its　utmost　stretch。　A　slight　exclamation　escaped　him　as　the　bow　curved　like　the　harvest　moon　sailing　through　the　sky。　〃Twang！〃　went　the　bowstring；　and　the　arrow　sped　like　a　falling　star。　And　it　struck　the　slender　tongue　of　the　halberd　head　full　and　square。　A　roar　of　acclamation　from　all　sides　greeted　the　exploit。
The　multitude　people　often　hail　their　praise：

O　Lu　Bu　was　a　wonderful　archer；
And　the　arrow　he　shot　sped　straight；
By　hitting　the　mark　he　saved　his　friend
That　day　at　his　camp　gate。
Hou　Yi；　the　archer　of　ancient　days；
Brought　down　each　mocking　sun；
And　the　apes　that　gibbered　to　fright　Yang　Youji
Were　slain　by　him；　one　by　one。
But　we　sing　of　Lu　Bu　that　drew　the　bow；
And　his　feathered　shaft　that　flew；
For　one　hundred　thousand　soldiers　could　doff　their　mails
When　he　hit　the　mark　so　true。

Lu　Bu　laughed　loud　at　the　success　of　his　shot。
Dropping　his　bow　he　seized　his　guests　by　the　hands；　saying；　〃The　mand　of　Heaven　indeed！　And　now　you　cease　from　fighting！〃
He　ordered　the　soldier　attendants　to　pour　out　great　goblets　of　wine　and　each　drank。　Liu　Bei　in　his　inmost　heart　felt　rather　lucky；　his　fellow　guest　sat　silent；　nodding　his　head。
Presently　Ji　Ling　said；　〃I　cannot　disobey　your　mand；　General；　but　let　me　depart。　What　will　my　master　say　and　will　he　believe　me？〃
〃I　will　write　a　letter　and　confirm　it；〃　said　Lu　Bu。
After　a　few　more　rounds　of　the　wine；　Ji　Ling　asked　that　he　might　have　the　letter　and　after　that　departed。
When　the　brothers　took　their　leave；　Lu　Bu　again　reminded　Liu　Bei；　saying；　〃Do　not　forget　I　have　delivered　you　today！〃
Liu　Bei　thanked　him　and　departed。　Next　day　the　leaders　broke　camps；　and　the　soldiers　were　gone。
When　Ji　Ling　had　got　back　to　the　South　of　River　Huai　and　told　the　story　of　the　feat　of　archery　and　the　peace　making　that　followed；　and　had　presented　the　letter；　his　lord　was　very　wroth。
〃Lu　Bu　repays　me　for　all　my　grain　with　this　bit　of　play　acting！〃　cried　Yuan　Shu。　〃He　has　saved　Liu　Bei；　but　I　will　lead　a　large　army　myself　and　settle　both　Liu　Bei　and　him。〃
〃Be　careful；　my　lord；〃　said　Ji　Ling。　〃Lu　Bu　is　braver　and　stronger　than　most　leaders　and　has　a　wide　territory。　He　and　Liu　Bei　together　make　a　powerful　bination；　not　easy　to　break。　But　there　is　another　course。　I　have　found　out　that　his　wife；　Lady　Yan；　has　a　daughter　just　of　marriageable　age；　and　as　you　have　a　son；　you　could　arrange　a　marriage　alliance　with　Lu　Bu。　If　his　daughter　wedded　your　son；　Lu　Bu　would　certainly　slay　your　enemy　for　you。　This　is　called　'Relative…above…Stranger'　plan。〃
This　scheme　appealed　to　Yuan　Shu；　who　soon　set　about　its　acplishment。　He　sent　presents　by　the　hand　of　Han　Yin；　who　was　to　discuss　the　question。

＇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。　。。。。。
When　Han　Yin　saw　Lu　Bu；　he　said；　〃My　master　has　an　immense　respect　for　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　and　he　desires　to　ensure　perpetual　alliance　between　the　two　families　by　a　marriage；　an　alliance　such　as　existed　between　the　ancient　states　of　Qin　and　Jin*。〃
Lu　Bu　was　well　disposed　toward　the　scheme；　but　went　in　to　consult　his　wife。　Now　Lu　Bu　had　two　wives　and　one　concubine。　He　first　married　a　lady　of　the　Yan　family；　and　she　was　the　legal　wife。　Then　he　took　Diao　Chan　as　a　concubine。　And　while　he　was　living　at　Xiaopei；　he　had　married　a　secondary　wife；　a　daughter　of　Cao　Bao。　Lady　Cao　had　died　quite　young　leaving　no　issue。　Neither　had　Diao　Chan　borne　any　children。　So　that　Lu　Bu　had　but　one　child；　this　daughter；　of　whom　he　was　dotingly　fond。
When　he　broached　the　subject；　his　wife　said；　〃The　Yuans　have　dominated　the　regions　around　the　River　Huai　these　many　years。　They　have　a　large　army　and　are　very　prosperous。　One　day　a　Yuan　will　bee　emperor；　and　our　daughter　may　hope　to　be　an　empress。　But　how　many　sons　has　Yuan　Shu？〃
〃Only　this　one。〃
〃Then　we　should　accept　the　offer。　Even　if　our　daughter　does　not　bee　Empress；　Xuzhou　has　a　new　ally。〃
Lu　Bu　decided　to　accept　and　so　treated　the　messenger　with　extreme　generosity。　Han　Yin　went　back　with　a　favorable　answer。　The　wedding　gifts　were　then　prepared　ready　for　Han　Yin　to　take　to　the　bride's　family。　They　were　received　and　banquets　and　merry…making　filled　all　the　time。
Next　day　Chen　Gong　went　to　see　the　messenger　in　his　lodging；　and　when　the　usual　ceremonies　and　greetings　had　been　exchanged；　the　two　men　sat　down　to　talk。
When　the　servants　had　been　sent　out　of　earshot；　Chen　Gong　said；　〃Who　originated　this　scheme　by　which　Yuan　Shu　and　Lu　Bu　are　to　bee　connections　by　this　marriage　so　that　Liu　Bei's　head　may　fall？〃
Han　Yin　was　terrified。　〃I　pray　you　not　to　let　it　get　abroad；〃　said　he。
〃I　certainly　shall　keep　it　secret。　But　if　there　be　any　delay；　some　other　person　will　find　it　out　and　that　spells　failure；〃　said　Chen　Gong。
〃What　would　best　be　done？〃
〃I　will　see　Lu　Bu　and　get　him　to　send　the　girl　immediately　so　that　the　marriage　may　be　concluded　quickly。〃
〃If　it　happened　thus；　my　master　would　indeed　hold　you　in　high　respect。〃
With　this　Chen　Gong　took　his　leave　and　sought　an　interview　with　Lu　Bu。
〃I　hear　your　daughter　is　to　be　married　to　Yuan　Shu's　son。　That　is　capital；　but　no　one　knows　when。〃
〃That　has　yet　to　be　considered；〃　said　Lu　Bu。
〃There　were　certain　fixed　rules　as　to　the　period　between　sending　presents　and　consummation　of　the　marriage：　Emperors；　a　year；　nobles；　half　a　year；　high　officers；　three　months；　and　mon　people；　one　month。〃
Lu　Bu　replied；　〃As　to　Yuan　Shu；　Heaven　has　already　put　into　his　hands　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal；　and　he　will　surely　arrive　at　the　dignity　one　day。　So；　I　should　think　the　imperial　rule　would　apply。〃
〃No；　it　will　not。〃
〃The　nobles'　rule；　then？〃
〃No；　nor　that。〃
〃The　high　officers'？〃
〃Not　even　that。〃