第一小说网

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第164部分（第1页）

Zhang　Lu　could　not　decide　which　to　do。　His　brother；　Zhang　Wei；　maintained　that　burning　everything　and　flight　was　the　only　course。

Zhang　Lu　said；　〃I　have　been　always　loyal　at　heart　and　desired　to　return　to　allegiance　when　circumstances　would　permit。　I　have　been　unable　to　attain　my　desire；　but　now　fight　seems　the　only　course　open　to　me。　However；　the　granaries　and　treasures；　the　public　offices；　and　the　government　property　of　all　kinds　must　be　kept　safe。〃

So　the　public　buildings　were　all　carefully　barred　and　sealed。　The　same　night；　in　the　late　evening；　Zhang　Lu　and　his　family　went　out　through　the　south　gate　and　found　their　way　through。　Cao　Cao　let　them　go　unpursued。　When　Cao　Cao　entered　the　city　and　saw　the　proofs　of　Zhang　Lus　care　of　the　government　property；　he　passionated　the　Governors　misfortunes。　He　then　sent　a　messenger　into　Bazhong　to　induce　Zhang　Lu　to　surrender。　Zhang　Lu　was　disposed　to　do　so；　but　his　brother　would　not　hear　of　it。　Yang　Song　wrote　a　secret　letter　to　Cao　Cao　urging　him　to　attack　and　promising　treacherous　aid。

Cao　Cao　presently　attacked；　and　Zhang　Wei　came　out　to　meet　him。　But　his　opponent　was　the　mighty　Xu　Chu；　who　made　short　work　of　him。　The　beaten　soldiers　fled　back　into　the　city；　which　Zhang　Lu　then　decided　to　defend。

As　this　would　not　give　Yang　Song　the　chance　to　carry　out　his　treacherous　scheme；　he　persuaded　his　master；　saying；　〃If　we　stay　passive；　death　will　surely　e。　My　lord　should　go　out　and　fight　the　enemy　to　the　conclusion；　leaving　me　to　defend　the　city。〃

Zhang　Lu　took　this　advice；　although　it　was　opposed　by　Yan　Pu；　and　went　out。　But　before　his　van　got　near　the　enemy；　his　rear　ranks　began　to　desert；　and　Zhang　Lu　retreated。　Cao　Cao　pursued　him　to　the　city　walls；　where　Zhang　Lu　found　the　gates　shut　against　him。

〃Surrender；　O　Zhang　Lu！〃　cried　Cao　Cao。

There　being　now　no　way　open；　Zhang　Lu　dismounted；　prostrated　himself；　and　gave　in。　Because　of　this　and　his　care　of　the　public　property；　Cao　Cao　treated　him　with　great　kindness　and　consoled　him　with　the　title　of　General　Who　Guards　the　South。　Yan　Pu　and　many　others　also　were　enrolled　among　the　nobles。　To　each　county　was　appointed　a　Military　mander；　in　addition　to　the　Governor。　All　the　soldiers　were　feasted　and　rewarded。

Then　Yang　Song；　who　had　sold　his　master；　came　and　sued　for　honors。　He　was　condemned　to　public　execution　and　exposure。

Selling　ones　lord　may　make　great　service；

But　the　gains　thereof　are　vanity；

No　glory　clings　to　his　house　but　a　shameful　death；

Wherefore　Yang　Song　is　an　object　of　contempt　forever。

When　the　East　River　Land　was　quite　subdued；　First　Secretary　Sima　Yi　said；　〃The　people　of　Shu　are　not　loyal　to　Liu　Bei　because　of　his　uprooting　the　late　ruler；　Liu　Zhang。　If　on　the　strength　of　your　present　success　you　press　forward；　Liu　Bei　will　bee　as　a　shattered　tile。　The　wise　person　takes　the　occasion　when　it　serves；　and　this　should　not　be　missed。〃

Cao　Cao　sighed；　〃There　is　no　end………as　human　want　has　no　limit：　Now　that　I　have　Hanzhong；　I　am　forced　into　taking　Yizhou。〃

Liu　Ye　supported　his　colleague；　saying；　〃Sima　Yi　spoke　well。　If　you　delay；　Zhuge　Liang　will　have　bee　top　minister；　while　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　the　other　bold　warriors　will　be　at　the　head　of　the　army。　If　the　people　of　Shu　once　settle　down；　and　the　points　of　vantage　are　held；　you　will　not　be　able　to　overe　them。〃

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃My　soldiers　have　marched　far　and　suffered　much。　Beside　we　must　show　pity。〃

Wherefore　he　rested　his　army　for　a　time。

Meanwhile　the　populace　of　Yizhou；　having　heard　of　Cao　Caos　success　in　the　East　River　Land；　concluded　that　the　West　River　Land　would　suffer　next；　and　fear　spread　among　them。　Whereupon　Liu　Bei　called　in　the　Directing　Instructor　and　asked　his　advice。

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　can　make　Cao　Cao　retreat　of　his　own　accord。〃

〃What　is　that　plan？〃

〃A　part　of　Cao　Caos　army　is　camped　at　Hefei　because　of　the　fear　of　Sun　Quan。　If　now　we　restore　three　territories　of　Jingzhou………Changsha；　Jiangxia；　and　Guiyang………；　and　send　a　specious　person　to　talk；　we　can　make　Sun　Quan　attack　Hefei；　which　will　lead　to　Cao　Cao　going　southward　and　not　looking　to　the　west。〃

〃Who　is　a　fit　person　for　the　messenger？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

And　Yi　Ji　replied；　〃I　will　go。〃

Liu　Bei；　well…satisfied；　wrote　letters　and　prepared　gifts；　with　which　Yi　Ji　went；　calling　in　at　Jingzhou　City　on　the　way　to　tell　Guan　Yu。　Then　he　went　on　to　the　capital　city　of　Jianye　and　saw　Sun　Quan。

After　the　greetings；　Sun　Quan　asked；　〃On　what　business　do　you　e？〃

Yi　Ji　replied；　〃On　a　former　occasion　Zhuge　Jin　would　have　had　the　three　territories　of　Changsha；　Lingling；　and　Guiyang；　but　for　the　absence　of　the　Directing　Instructor；　which　prevented　the　actual　transfer。　Now　I　am　the　bearer　of　letters　giving　Changsha；　Guiyang；　and　Jiangxia　back　to　you。　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　wanted　to　restore　all　the　territories　of　Jingzhou；　including　those　of　Xiangyang；　Nanjun；　and　Lingling。　But　now　that　Cao　Cao　has　got　possession　of　East　River　Land；　there　is　no　place　for　General　Guan　Yu。　Hefei　is　weak；　and　we　hope　you　will　attack　it　so　as　to　make　Cao　Cao　withdraw　to　the　south　and　let　my　master　take　the　East　River　Land；　when　he　will　restore　the　whole　of　the　Jingzhou　Region。〃

〃Go　back　to　the　guest…house；　and　let　me　take　counsel　in　this　matter；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

As　soon　as　Yi　Ji　had　gone；　the　Marquis　of　Wu　turned　to　his　officers　and　asked　what　should　be　done。

Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃All　this　is　because　Liu　Bei　fears　that　Cao　Cao　will　attack　him。　However；　since　Cao　Cao　is　absent　in　Hanzhong；　it　would　be　well　to　seize　the　opportunity　and　attack　Hefei。〃

Sun　Quan　accepted　the　advice。　After　he　had　sent　the　messenger　away；　he　began　to　prepare　for　the　expedition。　He　left　Lu　Su　in　mand　over　the　three　territories　of　Changsha；　Jiangxia；　and　Guiyang。　Then　Sun　Quan　encamped　at　Lukou；　withdrew　Generals　Lu　Meng　and　Gan　Ning；　and　sent　to　Yuhang　for　General　Ling　Tong。