第一小说网

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refuses　the　banquet；　then　we　must　try　conclusions　with　an　army。〃

〃This　suits　me；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃and　it　shall　be　done。〃

〃It　should　not　be　done！〃　interrupted　Kan　Ze。　〃The　man　is　as　bold　as　a　tiger　and　not　at　all　like　mon　humans。　The　plan　will　fail　and　result　in　more　harm。〃

〃Then　when　may　I　expect　to　get　my　Jingzhou？〃　asked　Sun　Quan；　angrily。

Sun　Quan　ordered　Lu　Su　to　carry　out　his　plan；　and　Lu　Su　went　to　Lukou　forthwith　and　settled　the　preliminaries　of　the　banquet　with　Lu　Meng　and　Gan　Ning。　The　place　selected　was　by　the　river。　Then　Lu　Su　wrote　a　letter　and　found　a　persuasive　person　to　deliver　it。　The　messenger　set　out　and　sailed　across　the　river　to　the　post；　where　he　was　received　by　Guan　Ping；　who　conducted　him　to　his　father。

〃As　Lu　Su　invites　me；　I　will　e　tomorrow。　You　may　return；〃　was　Guan　Yus　reply。

After　the　messenger　had　gone；　Guan　Ping　said　to　his　father；　〃Why　did　you　promise　to　go？　I　think　Lu　Su　means　you　no　good。〃

〃Do　you　think　I　do　not　know？　This　has　all　e　out　of　my　refusal　to　yield　those　three　territories。　They　are　going　to　try　coercion　at　this　banquet。　If　I　refuse；　they　will　think　I　fear　them。　I　will　go　tomorrow　in　a　small　ship　with　just　my　ten　personal　guards；　and　we　shall　see　whether　Lu　Su　will　dare　to　e　near　me。〃

〃But；　Father；　why　risk　your　priceless　self　in　the　very　den　of　a　tiger？　I　think　you　are　not　giving　due　importance　to　my　uncles　charge。〃

〃I　have　been　in　the　midst　of　million　blades　and　arrows；　yet　I　have　been　riding　through　it　like　traveling　through　a　meadow　of　no　one。　Think　you　that　I　shall　begin　to　show　fear　of　a　few　such　rats　as　those？〃

Nor　was　the　son　alone　in　remonstrance。　Ma　Liang　also　warned　his　chief。

〃Although　Lu　Su　has　a　great　repute；　yet　now　he　is　pushed　hard。　He　certainly　is　badly　disposed　toward　you；　and　you　must　be　careful；　General。〃

＇e＇　Liu　Xiangru；　prime　minister　of　Zhao　in　the　Warring　States　period；　boldly　behaved　in　the　court　of　the　powerful　Qin。　When　King　Zhaoxiang　of　Qin　tried　to　make　away　the　purest　jadestone　from　Zhao；　Liu　Xiangru　threatened　to　destroy　the　stone；　and　so　King　Zhaoxiang　backed　up　and　let　Liu　Xiangru　to　return　to　Zhao。　。。。。。

Guan　Yu　replied；　〃I　have　given　my　word；　and　shall　I　withdraw　from　it？　In　the　days　of　the　Warring　States；　Liu　Xiangru*　of　the　state　of　Zhao　had　not　the　force　even　to　bind　a　chicken；　yet　in　the　assembly　at　Shengchi　Lake　he　regarded　not　the　prince　and　the　ministers　of　the　powerful　state　of　Qin；　but　did　his　duty　without　fear　of　consequences。　Have　I　not　learned　to　face　any　number　of　foes？　I　cannot　break　my　promise。〃

〃If　you　must　go；〃　said　Ma　Liang；　〃at　least　go　prepared。〃

〃Tell　my　son　to　choose　out　ten　fast　ships　and　five　hundred　of　good　marines　and　be　in　readiness　to　help　me　at　need。　And　when　he　sees　a　red　flag　waved；　he　can　e　over　to　my　aid。〃

The　order　was　given；　and　the　little　squadron　was　got　ready。

The　messenger　returned　to　his　master　and　told　him　that　Guan　Yu　had　boldly　accepted　the　invitation；　and　Lu　Su　and　Lu　Meng　took　counsel　together。

〃What　do　you　think　of　this？〃　asked　Lu　Su。

〃If　Guan　Yu　es　with　a　force；　Gan　Ning　and　I　will　be　in　readiness　for　him　by　the　riverside。　And　you　will　hear　our　bomb　as　a　signal　that　we　are　attacking。　If　he　has　no　force　with　him；　the　assassins　can　set　on　during　the　banquet。〃

Next　day　a　look…out　was　kept　on　the　bank；　and　early　in　the　day　a　single　ship　came　along。　It　was　manned　by　very　few　men；　and　a　simple　red　flag　flew　out　on　the　breeze　showing　but　one　word；　Guan　。　Presently　they　could　see　him；　a　handsome　figure　in　a　green　robe　and　navy…blue　turban。　Beside　him　stood　Zhou　Cang；　his　sword…bearer；　and　near　him　were　eight　or　nine　fine…looking　men；　each　with　a　sword　at　his　side。

Guan　Yu　landed　and　was　received　by　the　trembling　Lu　Su；　who　conducted　him　to　the　hall；　bowed　his　greetings；　and　led　him　to　the　banquet　chamber。　When　Guan　Yu　drank　to　his　host；　Lu　Su　dared　not　raise　his　eyes；　but　Guan　Yu　was　perfectly　posed。

When　they　had　bee　mellow　with　wine；　Lu　Su　said；　〃I　have　a　word　to　say　to　you；　Sir；　if　haply　I　may　have　your　attention。　You　know　that　your　illustrious　brother；　the　Imperial　Uncle；　made　me　surety　with　my　master　that　Jingzhou　would　be　returned　after　Yizhou　had　been　taken。　Well；　now　that　country　is　in　his　possession；　but　Jingzhou　is　still　unreturned。　Is　not　this　a　breach　of　good　faith？〃

〃This　is　a　government　affair；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃Such　matters　should　not　be　introduced　at　a　banquet。〃

〃My　master　only　has　petty　possessions　in　the　east；　and　he　allowed　the　temporary　loan　of　Jingzhou　out　of　consideration　for　the　need　in　which　you　then　were。　But　now　you　have　Yizhou；　and　Jingzhou　should　be　given　up。　The　Imperial　Uncle　has　even　yielded　three　territories；　but　you；　Sir；　seem　unwilling　to　let　them　go。　This　seems　hard　to　explain　on　reasonable　grounds。〃

Guan　Yu　replied；　〃After　the　Red　Cliffs；　my　brother　braved　the　arrows　and　the　stones　in　the　battle　at　Wuling　and　with　all　his　strength　drove　back　the　enemy。　Did　he　get　a　single　foot　of　land　for　all　his　efforts？　Now　you　e　to　force　this　place　out　of　him。〃

〃No；　I　do　not；〃　said　Lu　Su。　〃But　at　the　time　that　you　and　your　brother　suffered　defeat　at　Dangyang；　when　you　were　helpless　and　in　the　greatest　straits；　fugitives　you　knew　not　whither；　then　my　master　was　moved　with　pity　and　did　not　grudge　the　land。　So　he　gave　your　brother　a　foothold　whence　he　might　be　able　to　acplish　other　ends。　But　your　brother　has　presumed　upon　long…suffering。　He　has　attained　his　end………the　country　of　his　desire………and　still　he　occupies　Jingzhou。　Such　greed　and　such　treachery　will　make　the　whole　world　laugh　him　to　shame；　as　you　know　quite　well。〃

〃All　that　is　no　affair　of　mine；　it　is　my　brothers。　I　cannot　yield　the　land。〃

〃I　know　that　by　the　oath　in　the　Peach　Garden　you　three　were　to　live　or　die　together。　But　your　brother　has　consented　to　yield：　How　are　you　going　to　get　out　of　that？〃

Before　Guan　Yu　could　reply；　however；　Zhou　Cang　burst　into　the　conversation；　roaring　out；　〃Only　the　virtuous　get　hold　of　territory：　Does　that　mean　only　you　people　of　East　Wu？〃

Guan　Yus　anger　now　showed　itself。　His　face　changed；　he　rose　in　his　place；　took　his　sword　from　his　sword…bearer；　and　said　fiercely；　〃How　dare　you　talk　like　this　at　a　discussion　of　state　matters？　Go！　And　go　quickly！〃

Zhou　Cang　understood。　He　left　the　hall；　made　his　way　to　the　river　and　waved　the　red　call…flag。　The　ships　of　Guan　Ping　darted　across　like　arrows　and　were　ready　for　action。