第一小说网

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第136部分（第1页）

iu　Bei　in　your　family　as　though　you　were　feeding　a　fierce　tiger。　None　can　foretell　the　fate　of　the　empire　in　these　nervous　days　of　stress　and　of　peculiar　anxiety　for　you。

〃Lu　Su　is　most　loyal；　careful　in　all　matters　and　a　fitting　man　to　succeed　to　my　office。　When　a　person　is　near　death；　his　words　are　wise。　If　I　may　haply　retain　your　regard；　I　may　die　but　I　shall　not　decay。〃

〃Zhou　Yu　should　have　been　a　kings　counselor！〃　cried　Sun　Quan；　amid　his　tears。　〃He　has　left　me　alas！　too　soon；　and　whom　have　I　to　lean　upon？　But　he　remends　Lu　Su；　and　I　can　do　nothing　better　than　take　that　advice。〃

Whereupon　Sun　Quan　appointed　Lu　Su　to　the　vacant　mand；　mandership…in…Chief。　Sun　Quan　also　saw　that　the　coffin　of　his　beloved　general　was　sent　to　Chaisang　ready　for　the　funeral　sacrifices。

The　night　of　Zhou　Yus　death；　Zhuge　Liang　was　gazing　up　at　the　heavens　when　he　saw　a　star　of　a　general　fall　to　the　earth。

〃Zhou　Yu　is　dead；〃　said　he　with　a　smile。

At　dawn　he　sent　to　tell　Liu　Bei；　who　sent　people　to　find　out；　and　they　came　back　to　say　it　was　true　that　Zhou　Yu　had　died。

〃Now　that　this　has　e　to　pass；　what　should　we　do？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃Lu　Su　will　succeed；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃And　I　see　in　the　heavens　signs　of　an　assembly　of　generals　in　the　southeast；　so　I　shall　go　there。　The　mourning　for　Zhou　Yu　will　serve　as　a　pretext。　I　may　find　some　able　leaders　there　to　be　of　help　to　you。〃

〃I　am　afraid　lest　the　generals　of　the　South　Land　harm　you；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃While　Zhou　Yu　lived；　I　did　not　fear。　Is　there　anything　to　dread　now　that　he　is　gone？〃

However；　Zhuge　Liang　took　Zhao　Yun　as　mander　of　his　escort　when　he　embarked　for　Baqiu；　and　on　the　road　he　heard　of　Lu　Sus　succession　to　the　late　generals　post。　As　the　coffin　of　Zhou　Yu　had　been　sent　to　Chaisang；　Zhuge　Liang　continued　his　journey　thither　and；　on　landing；　was　kindly　received　by　Lu　Su。　The　officers　of　the　South　Land　did　not　conceal　their　enmity；　but　the　sight　of　the　redoubtable　Zhao　Yun；　always　close　at　hand；　kept　them　from　trying　to　hurt　Zhuge　Liang。

The　officers　brought　by　Zhuge　Liang　were　arranged　in　order　before　the　bier；　and　he　himself　poured　the　libation。　Then　he　knelt　and　read　this　threnody：

〃Alas；　Zhou　Yu！　Hapless　are　you　in　your　early　death。　Length　of　days　is　in　the　hands　of　God；　yet　do　humans　suffer　and　my　heart　is　deeply　grieved　for　you。　I　pour　this　libation　that　your　spirit　may　enjoy　its　fragrance。

〃I　lament　you。　I　lament　your　younger　days　passed　in　the　panionship　of　Sun　Ce；　when；　preferring　eternal　principles　to　material　wealth；　you　abode　in　a　humble　cottage。

〃I　lament　your　ripe　strength　when　you　guarded　distant　Baqiu；　putting　fear　into　the　heart　of　Liu　Biao；　destroying　rebels；　and　ensuring　safety。

〃I　lament　the　grace　of　your　manhood。　Married　to　a　fair　maid　of　the　Qiao　family；　son…in…law　of　a　great　minister；　you　were　such　as　would　add　luster　to　the　Han　Court。

〃I　lament　your　resolute　purpose　when　you　opposed　the　pledge…giving　to　Cao　Cao。　As　in　the　beginning　your　wings　drooped　not；　so　in　the　end　your　pinions　spread　wide。

〃I　lament　your　abandon；　when　your　false　friend；　Jiang　Gan；　came　to　you　at　Poyang　Lake。　There　you　manifested　your　lofty　ideals。

〃I　lament　your　magnificent　talents；　proved　in　civil　administration　as　in　military　science。　With　fire　attacking　the　fierce　enemy　at　the　Red　Cliffs；　you　brought　his　strength　to　weakness。

〃I　recall　you　as　you　were　but　yesterday；　bold　and　successful；　and　I　weep　your　untimely　death。　Prostrate　I　weep　tears　of　sorrow。　Loyal　and　upright　in　heart；　noble　and　spiritual　by　nature；　your　life　has　been　but　three　decades；　but　your　fame　will　endure　for　ages。

〃I　mourn　for　your　affection。　My　bowels　writhe　with　sorrow；　and　my　deep…seated　sadness　will　never　cease。　The　very　heavens　are　darkened；　the　army　is　sad；　your　lord　sheds　tears；　your　friends　weep　floods。

〃Scanty　of　ability　am　I；　yet　even　of　me　you　begged　plans　and　sought　schemes　to　aid　the　South　Land　to　repulse　Cao　Cao；　to　restore　the　Hans　and　fort　the　Lius。　But　with　you　as　the　firm　corner　stone　and　your　perfect　dispositions；　could　the　final　result　cause　any　anxiety？

〃Alas；　my　friend！　The　quick　and　the　dead　are　ever　separate；　they　mingle　never。　If　in　the　deep　shades　spirits　have　understanding；　you　now　read　my　inmost　heart；　yet　hereafter　there　will　be　none　on　earth　to　prehend。

〃Alas；　the　pain！

〃Deign　to　accept　this　my　sacrifice。〃

The　sacrifice　finished；　Zhuge　Liang　bowed　to　the　ground　and　keened　while　his　tears　gushed　forth　in　floods。　He　was　deeply　moved。

Those　who　stood　on　guard　by　the　bier　said　one　to　another；　〃People　lied　when　they　said　these　two　were　enemies。　Look　at　the　sincerity　shown　in　sacrifice。〃

And　Lu　Su　was　particularly　affected　by　the　display　of　feeling　and　thought；　〃Plainly　Zhuge　Liang　loved　Zhou　Yu　much；　but　Zhou　Yu　was　not　broadminded　enough　and　would　have　done　Zhuge　Liang　to　death。〃

Before　Sleeping　Dragon　emerged　from　his　Nanyang　retreat；

A　brilliant　man　had　descended　upon　this　earth；

Since；　O　Azure　Heaven；　ye　made　Zhou　Yu；

Why　needed　Yellow　Earth　produce　an　Zhuge　Liang？

Lu　Su　gave　a　banquet　for　Zhuge　Liang　after　which　the　guest　left。

Just　as　Zhuge　Liang　was　embarking；　his　arm　was　clutched　by　a　person　in　Taoist　dress　who　said　with　a　smile；　〃You　exasperated　literally　to　death　the　man　whose　body　lies　up　there。　To　e　here　as　a　mourner　is　an　open　insult　to　the　South　Land。　It　is　as　good　as　to　say　they　have　no　other　left。〃

Zhuge　Liang　turned　to　look；　and　he　saw　it　was　no　other　than　Pang　Tong；　or　the　Young　Phoenix。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　laughed　in　his　turn；　and　they　two　hand　in　hand　went　down　into　the　ship；　where　they　talked　heart　to　heart　for　a　long　time。

Before　leaving；　Zhuge　Liang　gave　his　friend　a　letter　and　said；　〃I　do　not　think　that　Sun　Quan　will　use　you　as　you　merit。　If　you　find　life　here　distasteful；　then　you　may　e　to　Jingzhou　and　help　to　support　my　master。　He　is　liberal　and　virtuous　and　will　not　disdain　what　you　have　spent　your　life　in　learning。〃

Then　they　parted；　and　Zhuge　Liang　went　alone　to　Jingzhou。