第一小说网

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第207部分（第2页）

〃That　being　so；　how　should　I　reply？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。

＇e＇　Li　Yiji　was　diplomat　and　adviser　of　Liu　Bang。　Li　Yiji　went　on　mission　to　discuss　peace　between　Liu　Bang　and　King　Tian　Guang　of　Qi。　Li　Yiji　demanded　a　ceasefire　as　condition　for　talk。　Tian　Guang　plied。　While　the　discussion　was　going　on；　Liu　Bang　attacked。　Tian　Guang　enraged　and　threw　Li　Yiji　into　boiling　oil。　。。。。。

〃I　will　tell　you。　Set　up　a　large　cauldron　and　pour　therein　a　quantity　of　oil。　Light　a　fire　beneath。　When　the　oil　is　boiling；　choose　a　goodly　pany　of　your　tallest　and　brawniest　fighting　guards；　arm　them　and　draw　them　up　in　lines　between　the　Palace　gate　and　your　throne　room。　Then　summon　Deng　Zhi。　But　before　he　can　say　a　word；　forewarn　him　that　he　will　have　the　same　fate　of　being　boiled　in　oil　if　being　guilty　of　the　same　sort　of　treachery　as　Li　Yiji*　when　he　was　a　persuader　to　the　state　of　Qi。　Then　see　what　Deng　Zhi　will　say。〃

Sun　Quan　followed　this　advice；　and　prepared　the　cauldron　of　oil　and　had　the　strong　guards　ready。　Then　he　bade　them　introduce　the　envoy。

Deng　Zhi　came；　his　ceremonial　dress　in　perfect　order；　and　advanced　as　far　as　the　gate。　Seeing　the　grim　array　of　fighting　men　armed；　some　with　gleaming　swords；　some　with　great　axes；　some　with　long　spears；　and　some　with　short　knives；　he　understood　at　once　what　was　meant；　but　he　never　blenched。　He　advanced　quite　steadily　and　bravely　till　he　reached　the　door　of　the　hall。　Even　when　he　saw　the　boiling　cauldron　of　oil　and　the　savage　executioners　glaring　at　him；　he　only　smiled。

He　was　led　to　the　front　of　the　curtain　behind　which　sat　the　Prince　of　Wu；　and　he　made　the　ordinary　salutation　of　raising　his　extended　arms；　but　he　did　not　bow　in　obeisance。

The　Prince　bade　his　attendants　roll　up　the　curtain；　and　called　out；　〃Why　do　you　not　make　an　obeisance？〃

Deng　Zhi　replied；　〃The　envoy　of　the　superior　state　does　not　make　an　obeisance　to　the　ruler　of　a　smaller　country。〃

〃If　you　do　not　control　that　tongue　of　yours；　but　will　let　it　wag；　you　will　be　like　that　fellow　Li　Yiji　who　went　to　talk　to　Qi。　You　will　soon　find　yourself　in　the　cauldron。〃

Then　Deng　Zhi　laughed　aloud；　saying；　〃People　say　there　are　many　sages　in　Wu。　No　one　would　believe　that　they　would　be　frightened　of　a　simple　scholar。〃

This　reply　only　increased　Sun　Quans　anger；　and　he　said；　〃Who　fears　an　unmerited　fool　like　you？〃

〃If　you　fear　not　the　envoy；　why　so　anxious　about　what　he　may　have　to　say？〃

〃Because　you　e　here　as　spokesman　of　Zhuge　Liang；　and　you　want　me　to　sever　with　Wei　and　turn　to　your　country。　Is　not　that　your　message？〃

〃I　am　a　simple　scholar　of　Shu；　and　I　am　e　to　explain　matters　to　the　state　of　Wu。　But　here　I　find　armed　guards　and　a　boiling　cauldron　all　prepared　against　an　envoy。　How　can　I　form　any　other　opinion　than　that　you　will　not　allow　me　to　speak？〃

As　soon　as　Sun　Quan　heard　these　words；　he　bade　the　soldiers　go；　and　called　the　envoy　into　the　hall。

There　he　invited　Deng　Zhi　to　a　seat　and　said；　〃What　is　the　real　matter　between　Wei　and　Wu？　I　desire　that　you　would　inform　me。〃

Then　Deng　Zhi　replied；　〃Do　you；　great　Prince；　desire　to　discuss　peace　with　Wei　or　with　Shu？〃

〃I　really　desire　to　discuss　peace　with　the　Ruler　of　Shu。　But　he　is　young　and　inexperienced　and　ignorant；　and　unable　to　carry　a　matter　through。〃

〃Prince；　you　are　a　valiant　warrior；　just　as　Zhuge　Liang　is　a　great　minister。　Now　Shu　has　the　strength　of　its　mountainous　geography　just　as　Wu　has　the　protection　of　its　three　rivers。　If　these　two　countries　are　at　peace；　they　are　mutually　protective。　They　may　swallow　up　the　rest　of　the　empire；　or　they　may　stand　secure　alone。　If　you　send　tribute　to　Wei　and　acknowledge　yourself　one　of　its　ministers；　you　will　be　expected　to　attend　at　court；　and　your　heir…apparent　will　bee　a　servant　in　that　court；　and　if　you　disobey；　an　army　of　Wei　will　be　sent　to　attack　you。　Shu　also　will　e　down　the　river　and　invade　your　country。　Then　the　South　Land　will　be　yours　no　longer。　And　if　you　listen　not　to　these　words　of　mine；　and　refuse　my　offer；　I　shall　mit　suicide　before　your　face　and　so　justify　the　post　I　have　as　an　envoy。〃

As　Deng　Zhi　spoke　these　last　words；　he　gathered　up　his　robes　and　marched　down　the　hall　as　though　he　was　just　going　to　jump　into　the　cauldron。

〃Stop　him！〃　cried　Sun　Quan；　and　they　did　so。

Then　he　requested　Deng　Zhi　to　go　into　an　inner　apartment；　where　he　treated　the　envoy　as　a　guest　of　the　highest　honor。

〃O　Master；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃your　words　exactly　express　my　thoughts；　and　I　desire　to　make　a　league　of　peace　with　your　country。　Are　you　willing　to　be　the　intermediary？〃

〃Just　now　it　was　you；　O　Prince；　who　wished　to　boil　this　poor　servant。　Now　it　is　also　you　who　wishes　to　use　him。　How　can　such　a　doubtful　person　be　trusted？〃

〃My　mind　is　made　up；〃　replied　Sun　Quan。　〃Do　not　doubt　me；　Master。〃

Deng　Zhi　was　detained；　and　a　conclave　of　officers　gathered。

Said　Sun　Quan　to　the　assembly；　〃Under　my　hand　are　all　eighty…one　counties　of　the　southeast；　and　I　have　the　lands　of　Jingzhou　to　boot；　yet　I　am　not　so　well　off　as　that　little　country　of　Shu；　for　Shu　has　Deng　Zhi　for　an　envoy；　and　he　glorifies　his　lord。　I　have　no　one　to　send　to　declare　my　wishes　to　Shu。〃

Then　one　stepped　forth　and　said　he　would　go。　The　speaker　was　Zhang　Wen　of　Wucheng；　who　held　the　office　of　Imperial　mander。

〃Sir；　I　fear　that　when　you　reach　Shu　and　are　in　the　presence　of　Zhuge　Liang；　you　will　not　explain　my　real　sentiments；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

Zhang　Wen　replied；　〃Think　you　that　I　shall　fear　him？　He　also　is　but　a　man。〃

Sun　Quan　conferred　great　gifts　on　Zhang　Wen；　and　sent　him　on　the　return　mission　to　Shu　to　negotiate　the　league　of　peace。

While　Deng　Zhi　was　absent；　Zhuge　Liang　said　to　his　lord；　〃This　mission　to　Wu　will　succeed；　and　of　the　many　wise　people　in　the　east　one　will　e　as　return　envoy。　Your　Majesty　should　treat　him　with　courtesy；　and　let　him　return　to　Wu　to　plete　the　league。　For　if　we　have　an　alliance　with　Wu；　Wei　will　not　dare　to　send　an　army　against　us。　And　if　we　are　safe　from　those　quarters；　I　will　lead　an　expedition　to　subdue　the　Mangs　in　the　south　country。　After　that　we　can　deal　with　Wei。　If　Wei　is　reduced；　Wu　will　not　last　long；　and　the　whole　empire　will　again　be