第一小说网

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第118部分（第1页）

〃How　are　you；　General？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃My　heart　pains　me。　Every　now　and　again　I　feel　faint　and　dizzy。〃

〃Have　you　taken　any　remedies？〃

〃My　gorge　rises　at　the　thought。　I　could　not。〃

〃I　saw　Zhuge　Liang　just　now；　and　he　says　he　could　heal　you。　He　is　just　outside；　and　I　will　call　him　if　you　like。〃

〃Ask　him　to　e　in。〃

Zhou　Yu　bade　his　servants　help　him　to　a　sitting　position；　and　Zhuge　Liang　entered。

〃I　have　not　seen　you　for　days；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃How　could　I　guess　that　you　were　unwell？〃

〃How　can　anyone　feel　secure？　We　are　constantly　the　playthings　of　luck；　good　or　bad。〃

〃Yes。　Heavens　winds　and　clouds　are　not　to　be　measured。　No　one　can　reckon　their　ings　and　goings；　can　they？〃

Zhou　Yu　turned　pale　and　a　low　groan　escaped　him；　while　his　visitor　went　on；　〃You　feel　depressed；　do　you　not？　As　though　troubles　were　piling　up　in　your　heart？〃

〃That　is　exactly　how　I　feel；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃You　need　cooling　medicine　to　dissipate　this　sense　of　oppression。〃

〃I　have　taken　a　cooling　draught；　but　it　has　done　no　good。〃

〃You　must　get　the　humors　into　good　order　before　the　drugs　will　have　any　effect。〃

Zhou　Yu　began　to　think　Zhuge　Liang　knew　what　was　really　the　matter　and　resolved　to　test　him。

〃What　should　be　taken　to　produce　a　favorable　temper？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃I　know　one　means　of　producing　a　favorable　temper；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。

〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me。〃

Zhuge　Liang　got　out　writing　materials；　sent　away　the　servants；　and　then　wrote　a　few　words：

〃To　defeat　Cao　Cao

You　have　to　use　fire；

All　are　in　your　wish；

But　wind　from　the　east。〃

This　he　gave　to　the　sick　general；　saying；　〃That　is　the　origin　of　your　illness。〃

Zhou　Yu　read　the　words　with　great　surprise；　and　it　confirmed　his　secret　opinion　that　Zhuge　Liang　really　was　rather　more　than　human。　He　decided　that　the　only　course　was　to　be　open　and　tell　him　all。

So　he　said；　〃Since　you　know　the　cause　of　the　disease；　what　do　you　remend　as　treatment？　The　need　of　a　remedy　is　very　urgent。〃

〃I　have　no　great　talent；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃but　I　have　had　to　do　with　humans　of　no　ordinary　gifts　from　whom　I　have　received　certain　magical　books　called　Concealing　Method。　I　can　call　the　winds　and　summon　the　rains。　Since　you　need　a　southeast　breeze；　General；　you　must　build　an　altar　on　the　Southern　Hills；　the　Altar　of　the　Seven　Stars。　It　must　be　nine　spans　high；　with　three　steps；　surrounded　by　a　guard　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　humans　bearing　flags。　On　this　altar　I　will　work　a　spell　to　procure　a　strong　southeast　gale　for　three　days　and　three　nights。　Do　you　approve？〃

〃Never　mind　three　whole　days；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃One　day　of　strong　wind　will　serve　my　purpose。　But　it　must　be　done　at　once　and　without　delay。〃

〃I　will　sacrifice　for　a　wind　for　three　days　from　the　twentieth　day　of　the　moon。　Will　that　suit　you？〃

Zhou　Yu　was　delighted　and　hastily　rose　from　his　couch　to　give　the　necessary　orders。　He　manded　that　five　hundred　men　should　be　sent　to　the　mountains　to　build　the　altar；　and　he　told　off　the　guard　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　to　bear　the　flags　and　be　at　the　orders　of　Zhuge　Liang。

Zhuge　Liang　took　his　leave；　went　forth；　and　rode　off　with　Lu　Su　to　the　mountains　where　they　measured　out　the　ground。　He　bade　the　soldiers　build　the　altar　of　red　earth　from　the　southeast　quarter。　It　was　two　hundred　and　forty　spans　in　circuit；　square　in　shape；　and　of　three　tiers；　each　of　three　spans；　in　all　nine　spans　high。

On　the　lowest　tier　he　placed　the　flags　of　the　twenty…eight　〃houses〃　of　the　heavens　and　four　constellations：　On　the　east　seven；　with　blue　flags；　on　the　north　seven；　with　black　flags；　on　the　west　seven；　with　white　flags；　and　on　the　south　seven；　with　red　flags。

Around　the　second　tier　he　placed　sixty…four　yellow　flags；　corresponding　to　the　number　of　the　diagrams　of　the　Book　of　Divination；　in　eight　groups　of　eight。

Four　men　were　stationed　on　the　highest　platform；　each　wearing　a　Taoist　headdress　and　a　black　silk　robe　embroidered　with　the　phoenix　and　confined　with　wide　sashes。　They　wore　scarlet　boots　and　square…cut　skirts。　On　the　left　front　stood　a　man　supporting　a　tall　pole　bearing　at　its　top　a　plume　of　light　feathers　to　show　by　their　least　movement　the　winds　first　breathing。　On　the　right　front　was　a　man　holding　a　tall　pole　whereon　was　a　flag　with　the　symbol　of　the　seven　stars　to　show　the　direction　and　force　of　the　wind。　On　the　left　rear　stood　a　man　with　a　sword；　and　on　the　right　rear　a　man　with　a　censer。

Below　the　altar　were　forty…four　men　holding　flags；　umbrellas；　spears；　lances；　yellow　banners；　white　axes；　red　banderoles；　and　black　ensigns。　And　these　were　spaced　about　the　altar。

On　the　appointed　day　Zhuge　Liang；　having　chosen　a　propitious　moment；　bathed　his　body　and　purified　himself。　Then　he　robed　himself　as　a　Taoist；　loosened　his　locks；　and　approached　the　altar。

He　bade　Lu　Su　retire；　saying；　〃Return　to　the　camp　and　assist　the　General　in　setting　out　his　forces。　Should　my　prayers　avail　not；　do　not　wonder。〃