第一小说网

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第200部分（第2页）

Mi　Fang；　who　was　listening　unknown　to　them；　heard　one　of　them　say；　〃We　are　Jingzhou　soldiers　and　victims　of　Lu　Mengs　vile　machinations。　If　we　had　only　remained　under　Liu　Bei！　Now　he　is　Emperor　and　has　set　out　to　destroy　Wu；　and　he　will　do　it　one　day。　But　he　has　a　special　grudge　against　Mi　Fang　and　Fu　Shiren。　Why　should　we　not　kill　these　two　and　go　over　to　Shu？　They　will　think　we　have　done　well。〃

Another　said；　〃Do　not　be　hasty。　We　will　do　it　presently　when　there　is　a　chance。〃

Mi　Fang　started　as　he　heard　this。　He　told　Fu　Shiren；　saying；　〃The　troops　are　mutinous；　and　we　ourselves　are　in　danger。　Ma　Zhong　is　an　object　of　especial　hatred　to　the　Ruler　of　Shu。　Suppose　we　kill　him　and　surrender。　We　can　say　we　were　pelled　to　give　in　to　Wu；　but　as　soon　as　the　news　of　the　Emperor　came　near；　we　wanted　to　get　back。〃

〃It　will　not　do；〃　said　Fu　Shiren。　〃If　we　go；　they　will　kill　us。〃

〃No；　the　Ruler　of　Shu　is　liberal　and　kind。　And　the　heir；　Liu　Shan；　is　my　nephew。　They　will　surely　not　do　any　harm　to　a　connection。〃

In　the　end　they　decided　to　go。　And　in　the　third　watch　they　made　their　way　into　their　chiefs　tent　and　stabbed　him　to　death。　Then　they　cut　off　his　head；　and　with　their　grisly　trophy　and　a　few　dozen　followers　they　set　off　for　the　camp　of　the　Ruler　of　Shu。

They　arrived　at　the　outposts　and　were　taken　to　see　Zhang　Nan　and　Feng　Xi；　to　whom　they　told　their　tale。　Next　day　they　went　into　the　main　camp　and　were　admitted　to　the　presence　of　the　First　Ruler；　to　whom　they　offered　their　trophy。

And　they　threw　themselves　on　the　ground　and　wept；　saying　〃We　are　not　traitors。　We　were　the　victims　of　Lu　Mengs　wickedness。　He　said　that　Guan　Yu　was　dead　and　tricked　us　into　giving　up　the　cities。　We　could　not　help　surrendering。　When　we　heard　the　Sacred　Chariot　had　e；　we　slew　Ma　Zhong　to　satisfy　your　vengeance；　and　we　implore　forgiveness。〃

But　the　First　Ruler　was　angry；　and　said；　〃I　left　Chengdu　a　long　time　ago。　Why　did　you　not　e　to　confess　your　fault　before？　Now　you　find　yourselves　in　danger；　and　so　you　e　with　this　specious　tale　to　try　to　save　your　lives。　If　I　pardon　you；　how　shall　I　look　my　brother　in　the　face　when　we　meet　beneath　the　Nine　Golden　Springs？〃

Then　he　bade　Guan　Xing　set　up　an　altar　to　his　father　in　the　camp；　and　thereon　the　First　Ruler　offered　the　head　of　Ma　Zhong　in　sacrifice　before　the　tablet　of　Guan　Yu。　This　done；　he　had　Guan　Xing　strip　the　two　deserters　and　make　them　kneel　before　the　altar。　And　presently　with　his　own　hand；　Guan　Xing　hewed　them　in　pieces　as　a　sacrifice。

Presently　Zhang　Bao　came　in　and　wailed　before　the　First　Ruler；　saying；　〃The　two　enemies　of　my　uncle　have　been　slain；　but　when　will　vengeance　be　taken　upon　those　of　my　father？〃

〃Do　not　grieve；　my　nephew；〃　said　the　First　Ruler；　〃I　am　going　to　lay　waste　the　South　Land　and　slay　the　whole　of　the　curs　that　live　there。　I　will　assuredly　capture　the　two　murderers　of　your　father；　and　you　shall　hack　them　to　pieces　as　a　sacrifice。〃

Zhang　Bao　went　away；　still　weeping。

About　this　time　the　fear　of　the　First　Ruler　was　very　great　among　the　people　of　the　South　Land；　who　stood　in　dread　of　him　so　that　they　grieved　night　and　day。　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai　were　rather　frightened　too；　and　they　sent　a　report　to　their　master　of　the　assassination　of　Ma　Zhong　and　what　had　befallen　the　assassins。

Then　Sun　Quan　was　distressed　and　called　together　his　counselors。　At　this　meeting　Bu　Zhi　proposed　submission　and　self…humiliation　for　the　sake　of　peace。

Said　he；　〃There　were　five　persons………Lu　Meng；　Pan　Zhang；　Ma　Zhong；　Mi　Fang；　and　Fu　Shiren………whom　Liu　Bei　had　a　grudge　against；　and　they　are　all　dead。　Now　the　objects　of　his　hate　are　the　murderers　of　Zhang　Fei………Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da。　Why　not　send　back　Zhang　Feis　head；　and　these　two　assassins；　and　give　up　Jingzhou　and　restore　Lady　Sun　and　ask　for　peace　and　alliance　against　Wei？　This　will　make　the　army　of　Shu　retire；　and　we　shall　have　peace。〃

This　proposal　seemed　good。　So　the　head　of　Zhang　Fei　was　enclosed　in　a　sandalwood　box；　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da　were　bound　and　put　in　a　cage…cart。　All　these　were　sent；　with　letters；　by　the　hand　of　Cheng　Bing　to　the　camp　at　Xiaoting。

The　First　Ruler　was　about　to　march　farther　east　when　they　told　him　that　a　messenger　had　e　from　the　South　Land　and　what　he　had　brought。

The　Ruler　struck　his　forehead　with　both　hands；　saying；　〃This　is　the　direct　gift　of　Heaven　through　my　youngest　brothers　spirit。〃

He　bade　Zhang　Bao　prepare　an　altar　whereon　to　sacrifice　the　heads　of　his　fathers　assassins。　When　he　opened　the　box　and　saw　the　fresh　features　of　Zhang　Fei；　he　broke　into　wailing　for　the　dead。　Then　the　son　hewed　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da　in　pieces　and　offered　them　upon　the　altar。

But　this　sacrifice　did　not　appease　the　First　Rulers　anger；　and　he　still　desired　to　destroy　Wu。　Whereupon　Ma　Liang　remonstrated。

〃Your　enemies　are　now　all　dead：　You　are　avenged。　Wu　has　sent　a　high　officer　with　large　concessions　and　awaits　your　reply。〃

But　the　First　Ruler　angrily　replied；　〃The　one　I　would　grind　to　pieces　is　Sun　Quan。　To　act　as　he　proposes　and　enter　into　alliance　would　be　treachery　to　my　two　brothers　and　a　breach　of　our　oath。　Now　I　will　exterminate　Wu；　and　Wei　shall　follow。〃

He　wished　also　to　put　the　messenger　to　death　to　annihilate　all　emotions　with　Wu；　but　relented　when　his　officers　insistently　interceded。

Poor　Cheng　Bing　ran　off　terrified；　glad　to　escape　with　life。　He　went　back　and　told　the　Prince　of　Wu　how　implacable　his　enemy　seemed。

Said　he；　〃The　Ruler　of　Shu；　not　listening　to　words　of　peace；　was　determined　to　level　Wu　before　attacking　Wei。　Those　under　him　protested　in　vain。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

Sun　Quan　was　frightened　and　bewildered。

Seeing　this；　Kan　Ze　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃Since　there　is　a　sky…supporting　pillar；　why　not　use　it？〃

〃Whom　do　you　refer　to？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。

〃You　once　had　perfect　confidence　in　Zhou　Yu；　and　he　was　followed　by　Lu　Su；　equally　able。　Lu　Meng　succeeded　and　you　pinned　your　faith　upon　him。　Though　now　Lu　Meng　is　dead；　yet　there　is　Lu　Xun。　And　he　is　quite　near；　in　Jingzhou。　He　is　well…known　to　be　a　scholar；　but　really　he　is　a　bold　and　capable　man；　no　whit　inferior　to　Zhou　Yu；　in　my　opinion。　The　plan　that　broke　Guan　Yu　was　his。　If　anyone　can　destroy　Shu；　it　is　he。　If　he　fails；