第一小说网

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t　the　courtiers　did　not　know　what　to　think。

＇e＇　Deng　Yu　was　mander…in…chief　of　Liu　Xiu；　the　founder　of　Latter　Han。　。。。。。

Now　Zhuge　Liang　had　noted　a　certain　man　among　the　crowd　who　smiled　and　looked　quite　happy。　Zhuge　Liang　looked　at　him　intently　and　then　recollected　his　name；　which　was　Deng　Zhi　of　Xinye；　a　descendant　of　mander　Deng　Yu　of　Han*。　Deng　Zhi　was　currently　the　Chair　of　the　Census　Board。　Zhuge　Liang　sent　a　man　privately　to　detain　Deng　Zhi；　and　when　all　the　others　had　gone；　Zhuge　Liang　led　him　into　the　library　for　a　chat。　Presently　he　came　to　the　matter　near　his　heart。

〃The　three　states　have　bee　a　fact；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Now　if　our　state　wanted　to　absorb　the　other　two　and　restore　the　condition　of　one　rule；　which　country　should　it　attack　first？〃

〃Though　Wei　is　the　real　rebel；　yet　Wei　is　strong　and　would　be　very　difficult　to　overthrow。　Any　move　against　it　would　have　to　develop　slowly。　As　our　Emperor　has　but　lately　succeeded　his　father　and　the　people　are　none　too　decided　in　his　favor；　I　should　propose　a　treaty　of　mutual　defense　with　Wu。　This　would　obliterate　the　enmity　of　His　Late　Majesty　and　would　have　important　results。　However；　you；　Sir；　may　have　another　opinion。　What　is　it？〃

〃That　is　what　I　have　been　thinking　of　this　long　time；　but　I　had　not　the　person　for　the　task。　Now　I　have　found　him。〃

〃What　do　you　want　the　person　to　do？〃　said　Deng　Zhi。

〃I　want　him　to　go　as　envoy　to　Wu　to　negotiate　such　a　treaty。　As　you　understand　the　position　so　well；　you　will　surely　do　honor　to　your　princes　mission　as　envoy。　There　is　no　other　who　would　succeed。〃

〃I　fear　I　am　not　equal　to　such　a　task：　I　am　not　clever　enough　and　too　ignorant。〃

〃I　will　inform　the　Emperor　tomorrow　and　beg　him　to　appoint　you。　Of　course　you　will　accept。〃

Deng　Zhi　consented　and　then　took　his　leave。　As　promised；　Zhuge　Liang　memorialized；　and　the　Latter　Ruler　consented　that　the　mission　should　be　entrusted　to　Deng　Zhi。　And　he　started。

The　din　of　war　will　cease　in　Wu；

When　Shus　desires　are　known。

For　the　success　or　failure　of　this　mission　read　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　86　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　86

Chapter　86

Using　Words；　Qin　Mi　Overes　Zhang　Wen；

Setting　Fire；　Xu　Sheng　Defeats　Cao　Pi。

After　his　recent　exploits；　Lu　Xun　became　the　one　hero　of　Wu。　He　was　given　the　title　General　Who　Upholds　the　State；　was　ennobled　as　Lord　of　Jiangling；　and　received　the　Governorship　of　Jingzhou。　He　became　Supreme　mander　of　all　the　military　forces。

Zhang　Zhao　and　Gu　Yong；　thinking　the　moment　opportune　for　enhancing　their　lords　dignity；　sent　in　a　memorial　proposing　that　his　rule　should　be　designated　by　a　distinctive　style；　and　Sun　Quan　assumed　〃Yellow　Might　Era〃　as　his　reign　style　（AD　222）。

Then　arrived　a　messenger　from　Wei；　and　he　was　called　in　to　an　assembly　and　bidden　to　state　his　business。

The　messenger　said；　〃Recently　Shu　sent　to　Wei　for　help；　and；　the　situation　being　misunderstood；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　dispatched　a　force　against　Wu。　Now　this　action　is　greatly　regretted。　In　Wei　it　is　thought　desirable　to　set　four　armies　in　motion　against　Shu　to　capture　it。　Now　if　Wu　will　assist；　and　success　crowns　these　efforts；　Wei　and　Wu　will　share　the　conquered　territory。〃

Sun　Quan　listened；　but　was　not　prepared　to　give　a　decided　answer。　He　betook　himself　to　his　counselors；　Zhang　Zhao　and　Gu　Yong。

They　said；　〃Lu　Xun　is　the　man　of　profound　knowledge。　He　should　be　consulted。〃

So　Lu　Xun　was　called；　and　his　speech　ran　thus：　〃Cao　Pi　is　too　firmly　established　in　the　Middle　Land　to　be　upset　now；　and　if　this　offer　of　his　be　refused；　we　shall　provoke　his　enmity。　Neither　Wei　nor　Wu；　so　far　as　I　see；　has　anyone　fit　to　oppose　Zhuge　Liang。　We　must　perforce　consent　and　put　our　army　in　order。　But　we　can　wait　till　we　see　how　the　four　armies　speed。　If　Shu　seems　likely　to　fall　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　outmaneuvered；　then　our　army　can　be　dispatched　and　we　will　take　Capital　Chengdu。　If　the　four　armies　fail；　we　shall　have　to　consider。〃

So　Sun　Quan　said　to　the　envoy　of　Wei；　〃We　are　not　ready　at　the　moment；　so　we　will　choose　a　day　to　start　later。〃

And　with　this　answer　the　envoy　left。

Next　they　made　careful　inquiries　about　the　success　or　failure　of　the　four　armies　against　Shu。

The　spies　reported：　〃The　western　Qiangs　under　King　Kebi　Neng　have　turned　back　when　they　saw　Ma　Chao　in　mand　at　Xiping　Pass。　The　southern　Mangs　led　by　Meng　Huo　have　been　perplexed　at　the　tactics　of　Wei　Yan　and　have　retreated　to　their　territories。　The　Shangyong　leader；　Meng　Da；　have　set　out；　but　half　way　have　fallen　ill　and　gone　back。　And　Cao　Zhens　army；　while　marching　toward　Yangping　Pass；　have　been　brought　to　a　halt　by　the　defensive　preparations　of　Zhao　Yun；　who　has　garrisoned　every　pass　and　occupied　every　point　of　vantage；　they　have　eventually　retreated；　after　being　camped　in　the　Xie　Valley　for　some　time。〃

Knowing　all　this；　Sun　Quan　said　to　his　officials；　〃Lu　Xuns　words　were　indeed　prophetic；　he　made　most　perfect　deductions。　Any　rash　action　on　my　part　would　place　me　on　bad　terms　with　Shu。〃

Just　then　the　ing　of　an　envoy　from　Shu　was　announced。

Said　Zhang　Zhao；　〃This　mission　is　also　part　of　Zhuge　Liangs　scheme　to　divert　danger　from　Shu。　Deng　Zhi　has　e　as　envoy。〃