第一小说网

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第196部分（第2页）

Next　day　they　reported　a　body　of　horsemen　ing。　The　First　Ruler　went　out　of　the　camp　to　look　at　them　and　presently　saw　a　young　general；　dressed　all　in　white　armor；　sweeping　forth　in　quite　a　terror。　The　First　Ruler　recognized　that　was　Zhang　Bao。

As　soon　as　Zhang　Bao　reached　the　First　Rulers　presence；　he　dismounted　and　bowed　to　the　earth；　weeping；　〃My　father　has　been　killed　by　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da。　They　have　gone　over　to　Wu；　taking　my　fathers　head　with　them！〃

The　news　was　very　grievous；　and　the　First　Ruler　burst　into　tears　and　even　refused　food。

His　officers　remonstrated；　saying；　〃Now　Your　Majesty　has　the　loss　of　two　brothers　to　avenge；　and　you　must　not　destroy　yourself。〃

So　after　a　time　he　began　to　eat　and　drink；　and　he　then　offered　the　leadership　of　the　van　to　Zhang　Bao；　saying；　〃Are　you　and　Hu　Ban　willing　to　lead　your　troops　to　attack　Wu　and　to　avenge　your　father？〃

〃For　my　country　or　for　my　father；　I　would　shrink　from　no　sacrifice；〃　said　the　young　man。

Just　as　the　force　for　the　young　mans　leadership　was　being　organized；　another　party　of　horsemen　approached；　also　dressed　in　white　armors。　This　was　a　small　force　under　Guan　Xing；　son　of　Guan　Yu。　The　youth　also　threw　himself　to　the　ground　and　wept。

At　sight　of　Guan　Xing；　thoughts　stirred　in　the　First　Rulers　breast；　and　he　burst　into　tears。　Neither　reason　nor　persuasion　could　stop　them。

〃I　think　of　the　plain　and　simple　days　of　long　ago　when　we　pledged　ourselves　one　to　the　other。　Now　I　am　Emperor。　How　I　should　rejoice　to　share　my　good　fortune　with　them！　But　they　have　met　violent　deaths；　and　the　sight　of　these　two　youths　wrings　my　heart　to　the　very　core。〃

〃Young　gentlemen；　please　retire；〃　said　the　officers　to　the　two　youthful　generals；　〃and　let　our　Sacred　One　repose　his　dragon　body。〃

They　went。

Said　the　attendants；　〃Your　Majesty　is　no　longer　young。　You　are　over　sixty；　remember；　and　it　is　not　fitting　that　you　give　way　to　such　extreme　sorrow。〃

〃But　my　brothers………dead；〃　wailed　the　First　Ruler。　〃How　can　I　live　without　them？〃

He　broke　into　a　fresh　paroxysm　and　beat　his　head　on　the　ground。

〃What　can　be　done？〃　asked　the　officers　one　to　another。　〃He　is　in　such　trouble！　How　can　we　fort　him？〃

Ma　Liang　said；　〃Sire；　it　is　bad　for　the　army　to　spend　whole　days　in　wailing　and　tears　when　leading　against　the　enemy。〃

And　then　Chen　Zhen　said；　〃There　is　a　certain　hermit　living　among　the　Blue　Mountains；　near　Chengdu；　who　is　said　to　be　three　hundred　years　old。　He　is　called　Li　Yin；　and　people　say　he　is　a　seer。　Let　us　tell　His　Majesty　and　let　him　send　for　this　old　man　that　he　may　know　what　the　future　may　have　in　store。　It　will　have　more　weight　than　anything　we　can　say。〃

They　went　to　the　First　Ruler　and　told　him。　He　agreed　to　summon　the　seer　and　sent　Chen　Zhen　with　the　mand。　Soon　the　messenger　reached　the　town　near　the　hills　and　asked　the　people　where　the　prophet　dwelt。　They　led　him　far　into　a　secluded　valley　like　a　fairy　village；　very　unlike　any　ordinary　spot。　Soon　a　lad　came　to　receive　the　visitor。

〃You　are　surely　Chen　Zhen。〃

Chen　Zhen　was　startled　that　the　lad　knew　him；　and　still　more　so　at　the　familiar　address；　and　said；　〃O　superhuman　boy；　how　do　you　know　my　name　so　well？〃

〃Last　evening　my　master　told　me　that　a　messenger　with　an　imperial　mand　would　e　today　and　mentioned　your　name。〃

〃Truly　he　is　more　than　wise；〃　said　Chen　Zhen。　〃His　reputation　is　not　unfounded。〃

So　the　two　proceeded　to　the　old　mans　abode；　and　Chen　Zhen　declared　his　errand。　The　old　man　said　he　was　too　aged　to　travel。

〃But　the　Emperor　anxiously　desires　to　see　you　face　to　face；　if　haply　you　would　not　mind　making　the　effort。〃

In　the　end；　and　after　much　persuasion；　Li　Yin　consented　and　went。　The　First　Ruler　received　him　affably；　surprised　at　the　contrast　between　his　hoary　head　and　fresh　boyish　plexion。　The　venerable　one　had　green　eyes；　with　square　and　sparkling　pupils。　His　carriage　was　erect；　and　he　stood　straight　as　a　pine　tree。

〃This　is　no　mon　man；〃　thought　the　First　Ruler；　and　he　treated　him　with　distinguished　courtesy。

The　seer　said；　〃I　am　but　an　old　man　of　the　barren　hill　country；　without　learning　or　wisdom。　You　shame　me；　O　Emperor；　by　calling　me；　and　I　know　not　why。〃

〃My　two　brothers　and　I　swore　a　mutual　oath　some　thirty　years　ago。　But　now　my　both　brothers　have　gone；　both　by　violent　deaths。　I　would　lead　a　great　army　to　avenge　them　and　wish　to　know　how　the　expedition　will　end。　Hearing　that　you；　Venerable　Sir；　are　learned　in　the　deeper　mysteries；　I　sent　for　you　and　beg　you　to　tell　me。〃

〃But　this　is　fate。　It　is　not　for　an　old　man　like　me　to　know。〃

But　the　First　Ruler　pressed　him　to　say。　However；　the　aged　one　got　paper　and　a　brush　and　wrote　〃soldiers；　horses；　weapons〃　again　and　again　on　many　sheets　of　paper。　Having　done　this；　he　suddenly　tore　them　into　fragments。　Further；　he　drew　a　picture　of　a　tall　man　lying　supine　and　another　above　him　digging　a　grave。　And　over　all　he　wrote　〃white〃。

After　this　he　bowed　and　departed；　leaving　the　First　Ruler　annoyed。

〃This　is　only　a　demented　man。　What　he　says　is　not　worthy　of　confidence；〃　said　the　First　Ruler。

And　he　burned　the　paper。　Then　he　ordered　an　advance　at　full　speed。

Zhang　Feis　son；　Zhang　Bao；　came　in；　saying；　〃Hu　Ban　and　his　army　have　e。　I　pray　that　I　may　be　appointed　to　lead　the　van。〃

The　First　Ruler　admired　his　noble　intent　and　gave　him　a　Van　Leaders　seal。

But　just　as　Zhang　Bao　was　attaching　the　seal　to　his　girdle；　another　youth　boldly　stepped　forth　and　said；　〃Leave　that　seal　to　me！〃

It　was　Guan　Xing；　son　of　Guan　Yu。

〃I　have　already　received　my　mission；〃　said　Zhang　Bao。

〃What　abilities　have