第一小说网

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第36部分（第2页）

Himself　to　slay。

Zhang　Feis　fate　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　15　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　15

Chapter　15

Taishi　Ci　Fights　With　The　Little　Prince；

Sun　Ce　Cuts　Short　The　White　Tiger　King。

In　the　last　chapter　it　was　recorded　that　Zhang　Fei　was　about　to　end　his　life　with　his　own　weapon　in　Xuyi。

But　Liu　Bei　rushed　forward　and　caught　Zhang　Fei　in　his　arms；　snatched　away　the　sword；　and　threw　it　on　the　earth；　saying；　〃Brothers　are　as　hands　and　feet；　wives　and　children　are　as　clothing。　You　may　mend　your　torn　dress；　but　who　can　reattach　a　lost　limb？　We　three；　by　the　Oath　of　the　Peach　Garden；　swore　to　seek　the　same　death　day。　The　city　is　lost；　it　is　true；　and　my　wives　and　little　ones；　but　I　could　not　bear　that　we　should　die　ere　our　course　be　run。　Beside；　Xuzhou　was　not　really　ours；　and　Lu　Bu　will　not　harm　my　family　but　will　rather　seek　to　preserve　them。　You　made　a　mistake；　worthy　brother；　but　is　it　one　deserving　of　death？〃

And　Liu　Bei　wept。　His　brothers　were　much　affected　and　their　tears　fell　in　sympathy。

As　soon　as　the　news　of　Lu　Bus　successful　seizure　of　his　protectors　region　reached　Yuan　Shu；　Yuan　Shu　sent　promises　of　valuable　presents　to　Lu　Bu　to　induce　him　to　join　in　a　further　attack　on　Liu　Bei。　The　presents　are　said　to　have　been　fifty　thousand　carts　of　grain；　five　hundred　horses；　ten　thousand　ounces　of　gold　and　silver；　and　a　thousand　rolls　of　colored　silk。

Lu　Bu　swallowed　the　bait　and　ordered　Gao　Shun　to　lead　forth　fifty　thousand　troops。　But　Liu　Bei　heard　of　the　threatened　attack；　so　he　made　inclement　weather　an　excuse　to　moved　his　few　soldiers　out　of　Xuyi　for　Guangling；　before　the　attacking　force　came　up。

However；　Gao　Shun　demanded　the　promised　reward　through　Ji　Ling；　who　put　Gao　Shun　off；　saying；　〃My　lord　has　gone　away。　I　will　settle　this　as　soon　as　I　can　see　him　and　get　his　decision。〃

With　this　answer　Gao　Shun　returned　to　Lu　Bu；　who　could　not　decide　what　to　do。

Then　came　a　letter　from　Yuan　Shu：

〃Although　Gao　Shun　had　gone　to　attack　Liu　Bei；　yet　Liu　Bei　had　not　been　destroyed；　and　no　reward　could　be　given　till　he　was　actually　taken。〃

Lu　Bu　railed　at　what　he　called　the　breach　of　faith　and　was　inclined　to　attack　Yuan　Shu　himself。

However；　his　adviser；　Chen　Gong；　opposed　this　course；　saying；　〃You　should　not。　Yuan　Shu　is　in　possession　of　Shouchun　and　has　a　large　army；　well　supplied。　You　are　no　match　for　him。　Rather　ask　Liu　Bei　to　take　up　his　quarters　at　Xiaopei　as　one　of　your　wings　and；　when　the　time　es；　let　him　lead　the　attack；　both　south　and　north。　Then　Yuan　Shu　and　Yuan　Shao　will　fall　before　you；　and　you　will　be　very　powerful。〃

Finding　this　advice　good；　Lu　Bu　sent　letters　to　Liu　Bei　asking　him　to　return。

After　the　flight　of　Liu　Bei；　Yuan　Shu　attacked　Guangling　and　reduced　Liu　Beis　force　by　half。　When　the　messenger　from　Lu　Bu　came；　Liu　Bei　read　the　letter。　He　was　quite　content　with　the　offer；　but　his　brothers　were　not　inclined　to　trust　Lu　Bu。

〃Such　a　dishonorable　man　must　have　a　motive；〃　said　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei。

〃Since　he　treats　me　kindly；　I　cannot　but　trust　him；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。

So　Liu　Bei　went　back　to　Xuzhou。　Lu　Bu；　fearing　that　Liu　Bei　might　doubt　his　sincerity；　restored　Liu　Beis　family；　and　when　Lady　Gan　and　Lady　Mi　saw　their　lord；　they　told　him　that　they　had　been　kindly　treated　and　guarded　by　soldiers　against　any　intrusion；　and　provisions　had　never　been　wanting。

〃I　knew　he　would　not　harm　my　family；〃　said　Liu　Bei　to　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei。

However；　Zhang　Fei　was　not　pleased　and　would　not　acpany　his　brothers　into　the　city　when　they　went　to　express　their　thanks。　He　went　to　escort　the　two　ladies　to　Xiaopei。

At　the　interview　Lu　Bu　said；　〃I　did　not　wish　to　take　the　city；　but　your　brother　behaved　very　badly；　drinking　and　flogging　the　soldiers；　and　I　came　to　guard　it　lest　some　evil　should　befall。〃

〃But　I　had　long　wished　to　yield　it　to　you；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Thereupon　Lu　Bu　wished　to　retire　in　favor　of　Liu　Bei　who；　however；　would　not　hear　of　it。　Liu　Bei　returned　and　took　up　his　quarters　in　Xiaopei；　but　his　two　brothers　would　not　take　the　situation　kindly　and　were　very　discontented。

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃One　must　bow　to　ones　lot。　It　is　the　will　of　Heaven；　and　one　cannot　struggle　against　fate。〃

Lu　Bu　sent　presents　of　food　and　stuffs；　and　peace　reigned　between　the　two　houses。

In　Shouchun；　Yuan　Shu　prepared　a　great　banquet　for　his　soldiers　when　it　was　announced　that　Sun　Ce　had　subdued　Lu　Gang；　the　Governor　of　Lujiang。　Yuan　Shu　summoned　the　victor；　who　made　obeisance　at　the　foot　of　the　hall　of　audience。　Yuan　Shu；　sitting　in　state；　asked　for　details　of　the　campaign　and　then　invited　Sun　Ce　to　the　banquet。

After　the　unhappy　death　of　his　father　Sun　Jian；　Sun　Ce　had　returned　to　the　lower　region　of　the　Great　River；　where　he　had　devoted　himself　to　peaceful　ends；　inviting　to　his　side　good　people　and　able　scholars。　Afterwards；　when　a　quarrel　broke　out　between　his　mothers　brother；　Governor　Wu　Jing　of　Dangyang；　and　the　late　Imperial　Protector　of　Xuzhou；　Tao　Qian；　Sun　Ce　removed　his　mother　with　all　the　family　to　Que；　he　himself　taking　service　under　Yuan　Shu；　who　admired　and　loved　him　greatly。

〃If　I　had　a　son　like　Sun　Ce；〃　said　Yuan　Shu；　〃I　should　die　without　regret。〃

Yuan　Shu　appointed　Sun　Ce　mander　and　sent　him　on　various　expeditions；　all　of　which　were　successful。　After　this　banquet　to　celebrate　the　victory　over　Lu　Gang；　Sun　Ce　returned　to　his　camp　very　bitter　over　the　arrogant　and　patronizing　airs　of　his　patron。　Instead　of　retiring　to　his　tent；　Sun　Ce　walked　up　and　down　by　the　light　of　the　moon。

〃Here　am　I；　a　mere　nobody；　and　yet　my　father　was　such　a　hero！〃

And　he　cried　out　and　wept　in　spite　of　himself。

Then　suddenly　appeared　one　who　said；　laughing　loudly；　〃What　is　this；　Sun　Ce？　While　your　noble　father　enjoyed　the　light　of　the　sun；　he　made　free　use　of　me。　If　his　son　has　any　difficulty　to　resolve；　why　does　he　not　refer　it　to　me　also　instead　of　weeping　here　alone？〃

Looking　at　the　speaker　Sun　Ce　saw　it　was　Zhu　Zhi；　a　native　of　Dangyang；　who　had　been　in　Sun　Jians　service。　Sun　Ce　then　ceased　weeping