第一小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第107部分（第1页）

but　now　Lu　Su　has　returned　bringing　with　him　the　Directing　Instructor　of　Liu　Beis　army；　Zhuge　Liang。　Zhuge　Liang；　desiring　to　avenge　himself　for　the　recent　defeat；　has　talked　our　lord　into　a　mind　for　war；　and　Lu　Su　persists　in　supporting　that　policy。　They　only　await　your　final　decision。〃

〃Are　you　all　unanimous　in　your　opinions？〃

〃We　are　perfectly　unanimous；〃　said　Zhang　Zhao。

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃The　fact　is　I　have　also　desired　to　submit　for　a　long　time。　I　beg　you　to　leave　me　now；　and　tomorrow　we　will　see　our　master；　and　I　shall　make　up　his　mind　for　him。〃

So　they　took　their　leave。　Very　soon　came　the　military　party　led　by　Cheng　Pu；　Huang　Gai；　and　Han　Dang。　They　were　admitted　and　duly　inquired　after　their　hosts　health。

Then　the　leader　Cheng　Pu　said；　〃Have　you　heard　that　our　country　is　about　to　pass　under　anothers　government？〃

〃No；　I　have　heard　nothing；〃　replied　the　host。

〃We　helped　General　Sun　Quan　to　establish　his　authority　here　and　carve　out　this　kingdom；　and　to　gain　that　end　we　fought　many　a　battle　before　we　conquered　the　country。　Now　our　lord　lends　his　ear　to　his　civil　officers　and　desires　to　submit　himself　to　Cao　Cao。　This　is　a　most　shameful　and　pitiful　course；　and　we　would　rather　die　than　follow　it。　So　we　hope　you　will　decide　to　fight；　and　you　may　depend　upon　our　struggling　to　the　last　person。〃

〃And　are　you　unanimous；　Generals？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

Huang　Gai　suddenly　started　up　and　smote　his　forehead；　saying；　〃They　may　take　my　head；　but　I　swear　never　to　surrender。〃

〃Not　one　of　us　is　willing　to　surrender；〃　cried　all　the　others。

〃My　desire　also　is　to　decide　matters　with　Cao　Cao　on　the　battlefield。　How　could　we　think　of　submission？　Now　I　pray　you　retire；　Generals；　and　when　I　see　our　lord；　I　will　settle　his　doubts。〃

So　the　war　party　left。　They　were　quickly　succeeded　by　Zhuge　Jin；　Lu　Fan；　and　their　faction。

They　were　brought　in　and；　after　the　usual　courtesies；　Zhuge　Jin　said；　〃My　brother　has　e　down　the　river　saying　that　Liu　Bei　desires　to　ally　himself　with　our　lord　against　Cao　Cao。　The　civil　and　military　hold　different　opinions　as　to　the　course　to　be　pursued。　But　as　my　brother　is　so　deeply　concerned；　I　am　unwilling　to　say　much　on　either　side。　We　are　awaiting　your　decision。〃

〃And　what　do　you　think　about　it？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃Submission　is　an　easy　road　to　tranquillity；　while　the　result　of　war　is　hard　to　foretell。〃

Zhou　Yu　smiled；　〃I　shall　have　my　mind　made　up。　e　tomorrow　to　the　palace；　and　the　decision　shall　be　announced。〃

The　trimmers　took　their　leave。　But　soon　after　came　Lu　Meng；　Gan　Ning；　and　their　supporters；　also　desirous　of　discussing　the　same　thing；　and　they　told　him　that　opinions　differed　greatly；　some　being　for　peace　and　others　for　war。　One　party　constantly　disputed　with　the　other。

〃I　must　not　say　much　now；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu；　〃but　you　will　see　tomorrow　in　the　palace；　when　the　matter　will　be　fully　debated。〃

They　went　away　leaving　Zhou　Yu　smiling　cynically。

About　eventide　Lu　Su　and　Zhuge　Liang　came；　and　Zhou　Yu　went　out　to　the　main　gate　to　receive　them。

When　they　had　taken　their　proper　seats；　Lu　Su　spoke　first；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　has　e　against　the　South　Land　with　a　huge　army。　Our　master　cannot　decide　whether　to　submit　or　give　battle　and　waits　for　your　decision。　What　is　your　opinion？〃

Zhou　Yu　replied；　〃We　may　not　oppose　Cao　Cao　when　he　acts　at　the　mand　of　the　Emperor。　Moreover；　he　is　very　strong；　and　to　attack　him　is　to　take　serious　risks。　In　my　opinion；　opposition　would　mean　defeat　and；　since　submission　means　peace；　I　have　decided　to　advise　our　lord　to　write　and　offer　surrender。〃

〃But　you　are　wrong！〃　stammered　Lu　Su。　〃This　country　has　been　under　the　same　rule　for　three　generations　and　cannot　be　suddenly　abandoned　to　some　other。　Our　late　lord　Sun　Ce　said　that　you　were　to　be　consulted　on　matters　beyond　the　border；　and　we　depended　upon　you　to　keep　the　country　as　secure　and　solid　as　the　Taishan　Mountains。　Now　you　adopt　the　view　of　the　weaklings　and　propose　to　yield！　I　cannot　believe　you　mean　it。〃

Replied　Zhou　Yu；　〃The　six　territories　contain　countless　people。　If　I　am　the　means　of　bringing　upon　them　the　misery　of　war；　they　will　hate　me。　So　I　have　decided　to　advise　submission。〃

〃But　do　you　not　realize　our　lords　might　and　the　strength　of　our　country？　If　Cao　Cao　does　attack；　it　is　very　uncertain　that　he　will　realize　his　desire。〃

The　two　wrangled　for　a　long　time；　while　Zhuge　Liang　sat　smiling　with　folded　arms。

Presently　Zhou　Yu　asked；　〃Why　do　you　smile　thus；　Master？〃

And　Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　am　smiling　at　no　other　than　your　opponent　Lu　Su；　who　knows　nothing　of　the　affairs　of　the　day。〃

〃Master；〃　said　Lu　Su；　〃what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　this　intention　to　submit　is　perfectly　reasonable。　It　is　the　one　proper　thing。〃