第一小说网

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第106部分（第1页）

on　man。　He　is　one　to　be　incited　perhaps；　but　not　to　be　persuaded。　It　will　be　better　to　see　what　he　has　to　say　first；　then　I　will　try　to　stir　him　to　action。〃

The　serving　of　tea　being　now　finished；　Sun　Quan　began　with　the　usual　gracious　ceremonial　expressions。

〃Lu　Su　has　often　spoken　of　your　genius；〃　said　the　host。　〃It　is　a　great　pleasure　to　meet　you。　I　trust　you　will　confer　upon　me　the　advantage　of　your　instruction。〃

〃I　am　neither　clever　nor　learned；〃　was　the　reply。　〃It　humiliates　me　to　hear　such　words。〃

〃You　have　been　at　Xinye　lately；　and　you　helped　your　master　to　fight　that　decisive　battle　with　Cao　Cao；　so　you　must　know　exactly　the　measure　of　his　military　strength。〃

〃My　masters　army　was　small　and　his　generals　were　few；　the　city　was　paltry　and　lacked　supplies。　Hence　no　stand　could　be　made　against　such　a　force　as　Cao　Cao　had。〃

〃How　many　has　he　in　all？〃

〃Horse　and　foot；　land　and　marine；　he　has　a　million。〃

〃Is　there　not　some　doubt　about　that？〃　said　Sun　Quan；　surprised。

〃None　whatever。　When　Cao　Cao　went　to　Yanzhou；　he　had　the　two　hundred　thousand　soldiers　of　Qingzhou。　He　gained　five　or　six　hundred　thousand　more　when　Yuan　Shao　fell。　He　has　three　or　four　hundred　thousand　troops　newly　recruited　in　the　capital。　Lately　he　has　acquired　two　or　three　hundred　thousand　troops　in　Jingzhou。　And　if　these　be　reckoned　up；　the　total　is　not　less　than　a　million　and　a　half。　Hence　I　said　a　million　for　I　was　afraid　of　frightening　your　officers。〃

Lu　Su　was　much　disturbed　and　turned　pale。　He　looked　meaningfully　at　the　bold　speaker；　but　Zhuge　Liang　would　not　see。　Sun　Quan　went　on　to　ask　if　his　archenemy　had　a　corresponding　number　of　leaders。

〃Cao　Cao　has　enough　administrators　and　strategists　to　control　such　a　host；　and　his　capable　and　veteran　leaders　are　more　than　a　thousand；　perhaps　more　than　two　thousand。〃

〃What　will　be　Cao　Caos　next　move　now　that　he　has　overe　Jingzhou？〃

〃He　is　camped　along　the　river；　and　he　has　collected　a　fleet。　If　he　does　not　intend　to　invade　the　South　Land；　what　can　his　intentions　be？〃

〃Since　that　is　his　intention；　it　is　a　case　of　fight　or　not　fight。　I　wish　you　would　decide　that　for　me。〃

〃I　have　something　I　could　say；　but　I　fear；　Sir；　you　would　not　care　to　hear　it。〃

〃I　am　desirous　of　hearing　your　most　valuable　opinion。〃

〃Strife　has　prevailed　for　a　long　time；　and　so　you　have　raised　your　army　in　the　South　Land　and　Liu　Bei　collected　his　forces　south　of　the　Han　River　to　act　in　contest　for　the　empire　against　Cao　Cao。　Now　Cao　Cao　has　overe　most　of　his　difficulties；　and　his　recent　conquest　of　Jingzhou　has　won　him　great　and　wide　renown。　Though　there　might　be　one　bold　enough　to　tackle　him；　yet　there　is　no　foothold　for　such。　That　is　how　Liu　Bei　has　been　forced　to　e　here。　But；　General；　I　wish　you　to　measure　your　forces　and　decide　whether　you　can　venture　to　meet　Cao　Cao　and　that　without　loss　of　time。　If　you　cannot；　then　follow　the　advice　of　your　councilors：　Cease　your　military　preparations　and　yield；　turn　your　face　to　the　north　and　serve。〃

Sun　Quan　did　not　reply。　But　his　guest　went　on；　〃You　have　the　reputation　of　being　reasonable；　but　I　know　also　you　are　inclined　to　hesitate。　Still　this　matter　is　most　important；　and　evil　will　be　quickly　upon　you　if　you　do　not　decide。〃

Then　replied　Sun　Quan；　〃If　what　you　say　represents　the　actual　conditions；　why　does　not　Liu　Bei　yield？〃

＇e＇　Tian　Heng　was　a　warrior　of　Qi　at　the　end　of　the　Warring　States　period　and　Qin　Dynasty。　In　his　bid　to　regain　the　lost　kingdom　of　Qi；　Tian　Heng　rebelled　against　Qin　and　fought　both　Liu　Bang　and　Xiang　Yu。　Read　Tian　Heng　Island　。

〃Well；　you　know　Tian　Heng*；　that　hero　of　the　state　of　Qi：　His　character　was　too　noble　for　him　to　submit　to　any　shame。　It　is　necessary　to　remember　that　Liu　Bei　also　is　an　off…shoot　from　the　Dynastic　Family；　beside　being　a　man　of　great　renown。　Everyone　looks　up　to　him。　His　lack　of　success　is　simply　the　will　of　Heaven；　but　manifestly　he　could　not　bow　the　knee　to　anyone。〃

These　last　words　touched　Sun　Quan　to　the　quick；　and　he　could　not　control　his　anger。　He　shook　out　his　sleeves；　rose；　and　left　the　audience　chamber。　Those　present　smiled　at　each　other　as　they　dispersed。

But　Lu　Su　was　annoyed　and　reproached　Zhuge　Liang　for　his　maladroit　way　of　talking　to　Sun　Quan；　saying；　〃Luckily　for　you；　my　lord　is　too　large…minded　to　rebuke　you　to　your　face；　for　you　spoke　to　him　most　contemptuously。〃

Zhuge　Liang　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。

〃What　a　sensitive　fellow　it　is！〃　cried　he。　〃I　know　how　Cao　Cao　could　be　destroyed；　but　he　never　asked　me。　So　I　said　nothing。〃

〃If　you　really　do　know　how　that　could　be　done；　I　will　certainly　beg　my　lord　to　ask　you。〃

〃Cao　Caos　hosts　in　my　eyes　are　but　as　swarms　of　ants。　I　have　but　to　lift　my　hand；　and　they　will　be　crushed；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Lu　Su　at　once　went　into　his　masters　private　room；　where　he　found　Sun　Quan　still　very　irritable　and　angry。

〃Zhuge　Liang　insulted　me　too　deeply；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃I　have　already　reproached　him；〃　said　Lu　Su；　〃and　he　laughed　and　said　you　were　too　sensitive。　He　would　not　give　you　any　advice　without　being　asked　for　it。　Why　did　you　not　seek　advice　from　him；　my　lord？〃

At　once　Sun　Quans　anger　changed　to　joy。

He　said；　〃So　he　had　a　plan　ready；　and　his　words　were　meant　to　provoke　me。　I　did　despise　him　for　a　moment；　and　it　has　very　nearly　lost　me。〃

So　Sun　Quan　returned　to　the　audience　chamber　where　the　guest　was　still　seated　and　begged　Zhuge　Liang　to　continue　his　speech。

Sun　Quan　spoke　courteously；　saying；　〃I　offended　you　just　now。　I　hope　you　are　not　implacable。〃

〃And　I　also　was　rude；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃I　entreat　pardon。〃