第一小说网

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第108部分（第1页）

ade　many　incursions　into　our　territory。　That　was　the　price　of　peace。　You　surely　would　not　grudge　two　more　women　from　among　the　mon　people。〃

〃You　do　not　know；　Sir；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu。　〃Of　those　two　women　of　the　Qiao　family　you　mentioned；　Elder　Qiao　is　the　widow　of　Sun　Ce；　our　late　ruler；　and　Younger　Qiao　is　my　wife！〃

Zhuge　Liang　feigned　the　greatest　astonishment　and　said；　〃No　indeed：　I　did　not　know。　I　blundered………a　deadly　fault………a　deadly　fault！〃

〃One　of　us　two　has　to　go：　Either　the　old　rebel　or　I。　We　shall　not　both　live。　I　swear　that！〃　cried　Zhou　Yu。

〃However；　such　a　matter　needs　a　good　deal　of　thought；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃We　must　not　make　any　mistake。〃

Zhou　Yu　replied；　〃I　hold　a　sacred　trust　from　my　late　lord；　Sun　Ce。　I　would　not　bow　the　knee　to　any　such　as　Cao　Cao。　What　I　said　just　now　was　to　see　how　you　stood。　I　left　Poyang　Lake　with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　north；　and　nothing　can　change　that　intention；　not　even　the　sword　at　my　breast　or　the　ax　on　my　neck。　But　I　trust　you　will　lend　an　arm；　and　we　will　smite　Cao　Cao　together。〃

〃Should　I　be　happy　enough　not　to　be　rejected；　I　would　render　such　humble　service　as　I　could。　Perhaps　presently　I　might　be　able　to　offer　a　plan　to　oppose　him。〃

〃I　am　going　to　see　my　lord　tomorrow　to　discuss　this　matter；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

Zhuge　Liang　and　Lu　Su　then　left。

Next　day　at　dawn　Sun　Quan　went　to　the　council　chamber；　where　his　officials；　civil　and　military；　were　already　assembled。　They　numbered　about　sixty　in　all。　The　civil；　with　Zhang　Zhao　at　their　head；　were　on　the　right；　the　military；　with　Cheng　Pu　as　their　leader；　were　ranged　on　the　left。　All　were　in　full　ceremonial　dress；　and　the　swords　of　the　soldiers　clanked　on　the　pavement。

Soon　Zhou　Yu　entered。

When　Sun　Quan　had　finished　the　usual　gracious　remarks；　Zhou　Yu　said；　〃I　hear　that　Cao　Cao　is　encamped　on　the　river　and　has　sent　a　dispatch　to　you；　my　lord。　I　would　ask　what　your　opinion　is。〃

Thereupon　the　dispatch　was　produced　and　handed　to　Zhou　Yu。

After　reading　it　through　he　said；　smiling；　〃The　old　thief　thinks　there　are　no　people　in　this　land　that　he　writes　in　this　contemptuous　strain。〃

〃What　do　you　think；　Sir？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。

〃Have　you　discussed　this　with　the　officials？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃We　have　been　discussing　this　for　days。　Some　counsel　surrender　and　some　advise　fight。　I　am　undecided；　and　therefore　I　have　asked　you　to　e　and　decide　the　point。〃

〃Who　advise　surrender？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃Zhang　Zhao　and　his　party　are　firmly　set　in　this　opinion。〃

Zhou　Yu　then　turned　to　Zhang　Zhao　and　said；　〃I　should　be　pleased　to　hear　why　you　are　for　surrender；　Master。〃

Then　Zhang　Zhao　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　has　been　attacking　all　opponents　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor；　who　is　entirely　in　his　hands。　He　does　everything　in　the　name　of　the　government。　Lately　he　has　taken　Jingzhou　and　thereby　increased　his　prestige。　Our　defense　against　him　was　the　Great　River；　but　now　he　also　has　a　large　fleet　and　can　attack　by　water。　How　can　we　withstand　him？　Wherefore　I　counsel　submission　till　some　chance　shall　offer。〃

〃This　is　but　the　opinion　of　an　ill…advised　student；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃How　can　you　think　of　abandoning　this　country　that　we　have　held　for　three　generations？〃

〃That　being　so；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃where　is　a　plan　to　e　from？〃

〃Though　Cao　Cao　assumes　the　name　of　the　Prime　Minister　of　the　empire；　he　is　at　heart　a　rebel。　You；　O　General；　are　able　in　war　and　brave。　You　are　the　heir　to　your　father　and　brother。　You　mand　brave　and　tried　soldiers；　and　you　have　plentiful　supplies。　You　are　able　to　overrun　the　whole　country　and　rid　it　of　every　evil。　There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　surrender　to　a　rebel。

〃Moreover；　Cao　Cao　has　undertaken　this　expedition　in　defiance　of　all　the　rules　of　war。　The　north　is　unsubdued。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　threaten　his　rear；　and　yet　he　persists　in　his　southern　march。　This　is　the　first　point　against　Cao　Cao。　The　northern　soldiers　are　unused　to　fighting　on　the　water。　Cao　Cao　is　relinquishing　his　well…tried　cavalry　and　trusting　to　ships。　That　is　the　second　point　against　him。　Again；　we　are　now　in　full　winter　and　the　weather　is　at　its　coldest　so　there　is　no　food　for　the　horses。　That　is　the　third　point　against。　Soldiers　from　the　central　state　marching　in　a　wet　country　among　lakes　and　rivers　will　find　themselves　in　an　unaccustomed　climate　and　suffer　from　malaria。　That　is　the　fourth　point　against。　Now　when　Cao　Caos　armies　have　all　these　points　against　them；　defeat　is　certain；　however　numerous　they　may　be；　and　you　can　take　Cao　Cao　captive　just　as　soon　as　you　wish。　Give　me　a　few　legions　of　veterans；　and　I　will　go　and　destroy　him。〃

Sun　Quan　started　up　from　his　place；　saying；　〃The　rebellious　old　rascal　has　been　wanting　to　overthrow　the　Hans　and　set　up　himself　for　years。　He　has　rid　himself　of　all　those　he　feared；　save　only　myself；　and　I　swear　that　one　of　us　two　shall　go　now。　Both　of　us　cannot　live。　What　you　say；　noble　friend；　is　just　what　I　think；　and　Heaven　has　certainly　sent　you　to　my　assistance。〃

〃Thy　servant　will　fight　a　decisive　battle；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　〃and　shrink　not　from　any　sacrifice。　Only；　General；　do　not　hesitate。〃

Sun　Quan　drew　the　sword　that　hung　at　his　side　and　slashed　off　a　corner　of　the　table　in　front　of　him；　exclaiming；　〃Let　any　other　person　mention　surrender；　and　he　shall　be　served　as　I　have　served　this　table！〃