第一小说网

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第89部分（第2页）

Cao　Cao　sent　without　loss　of　time　and　had　the　old　lady　brought　to　the　capital；　where　he　treated　her　exceedingly　well。

Presently　he　said；　〃I　hear　you　have　a　very　talented　son；　who　is　now　at　Xinye　helping　on　that　rebel　Liu　Bei　against　the　government。　There　he　is　like　a　jewel　in　a　muck　heap：　It　is　a　pity。　Supposing　you　were　to　call　him；　I　could　speak　of　him　before　the　Emperor；　and　he　might　get　an　important　office。〃

Cao　Cao　bade　his　secretaries　bring　along　paper　and　ink；　with　which　Lady　Xun　could　write　to　her　son。

〃What　sort　of　a　man　is　Liu　Bei？〃　asked　she。

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃A　mon　sort　of　person　from　Zhuo；　irresponsible　enough　to　style　himself　Imperial　Uncle；　and　so　claiming　some　sort　of　connection　with　the　Hans。　He　is　neither　trustworthy　nor　virtuous。　People　say　he　is　a　superior　man　as　far　as　externals　go；　but　a　mean　man　by　nature。〃

Lady　Xun　answered　in　a　hard　voice；　〃Why　do　you　malign　him　so　bitterly？　Everyone　knows　he　is　a　descendant　of　one　of　the　Han　princes　and　so　related　to　the　House。　He　has　condescended　to　take　a　lowly　office　and　is　respectful　to　all　people。　He　has　a　reputation　for　benevolence。　Everyone；　young　and　old；　cowherds　and　firewood　cutters；　all　know　him　by　name　and　know　that　he　is　the　finest　and　noblest　man　in　the　world。　If　my　son　is　in　his　service；　then　has　he　found　a　fitting　master。　You；　under　the　name　of　a　Han　minister；　are　really　nothing　but　a　Han　rebel。　Contrary　to　all　truths；　you　tell　me　Liu　Bei　is　a　rebel；　whereby　you　try　to　induce　me　to　make　my　son　leave　the　light　for　darkness。　Are　you　devoid　of　all　sense　of　shame？〃

As　Lady　Xun　finished　speaking；　she　picked　up　the　inkstone　to　strike　Cao　Cao。　This　so　enraged　him　that　he　forgot　himself　and　the　need　for　caution　and　bade　the　executioners　lead　off　the　old　woman　and　put　her　to　death。

Adviser　Cheng　Yu；　however；　stopped　this　act；　saying；　〃This　old　lady　wished　to　die。　But　if　you　kill　her；　your　reputation　will　be　damaged　and　hers　enhanced。　Beside　that　will　add　a　keen　desire　for　revenge　to　the　motives　which　led　Xu　Shu　to　labor　in　the　interest　of　Liu　Bei。　You　had　better　keep　her　here　so　that　Xu　Shus　body　and　his　thoughts　may　be　in　different　places。　He　can　not　devote　all　his　energies　to　helping　our　enemy　while　his　mother　is　here。　If　you　keep　her；　I　think　I　can　persuade　the　son　to　e　and　help　you。〃

So　the　outspoken　old　lady　was　saved。　She　was　given　quarters　and　cared　for。　Daily　Cheng　Yu　went　to　ask　after　her　health；　falsely　claiming　to　being　a　sworn　brother　of　her　sons；　and　so　entitled　to　serve　her　and　treat　her　as　a　filial　son　would　have　done。　He　often　sent　her　gifts　and　wrote　letters　to　her　so　that　she　had　to　write　in　reply。　And　thereby　he　learned　her　handwriting　so　that　he　could　forge　a　〃home〃　letter。　When　he　could　do　this　without　fear　of　detection；　he　wrote　one　and　sent　it　by　the　hand　of　a　trusty　person　to　Xinye。

One　day　a　man　arrived　inquiring　for　one　San　Fu。　He　claimed　to　have　a　letter　from　home　for　him。　The　soldiers　led　the　man　to　San　Fu。　The　man　said　he　was　an　official　carrier　of　letters　and　had　been　told　to　bring　this　one。　San　Fu　quickly　tore　it　open　and　read：

〃On　your　brothers　death　recently　I　was　left　alone：　No　relative　was　near；　and　I　was　lonely　and　sad。　To　my　regret；　the　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao　inveigled　me　into　ing　to　the　capital；　and　now　he　says　you　are　a　rebel；　and　he　has　throw　me　into　bonds。　However；　thanks　to　Cheng　Yu；　my　life　has　been　spared　so　far；　and；　if　you　would　only　e　and　submit　too；　I　should　be　quite　safe。　When　this　reaches　you；　remember　how　I　have　toiled　for　you　and　e　at　once；　that　you　may　prove　yourself　a　filial　son。　We　may　together　find　some　way　of　escape　to　our　own　place　and　avoid　the　dangers　that　threaten　me。　My　life　hangs　by　a　thread；　and　I　look　to　you　to　save　me。　You　will　not　require　a　second　summon。〃

Tears　gushed　from　Xu　Shus　eyes　as　he　read；　and　with　the　letter　in　his　hand　he　went　to　seek　his　chief；　to　whom　he　told　the　true　story　of　his　life。

〃I　heard　that　Liu　Biao　treated　people　well　and　went　to　him。　I　happened　to　arrive　at　a　time　of　confusion。　I　saw　he　was　of　no　use；　so　I　left　him　very　soon。　I　arrived　at　the　retreat　of　Sima　Hui　the　Water　Mirror　late　one　night　and　told　him；　and　he　blamed　me　for　not　knowing　a　master　when　I　saw　one。　Then　he　told　me　of　you　and　I　sang　that　wild　song　in　the　streets　to　attract　your　attention。　You　took　me；　you　used　me。　But　now　my　aged　mother　is　the　victim　of　Cao　Caos　wiles。　She　is　in　prison；　and　he　threatens　to　do　worse。　She　has　written　to　call　me；　and　I　must　go。　I　hoped　to　be　able　to　render　you　faithful　service；　but；　with　my　dear　mother　a　captive；　I　should　be　useless。　Therefore　I　must　leave　you　and　hope　in　the　future　to　meet　you　again。〃

Liu　Bei　broke　into　loud　moans　when　he　heard　that　his　adviser　was　to　leave。

〃The　bond　between　mother　and　son　is　divine；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃and　I　do　not　need　to　be　reminded　where　your　duty　lies。　When　you　have　seen　your　venerable　mother；　perhaps　I　may　have　again　the　happiness　of　receiving　your　instruction。〃

Having　said　farewell；　Xu　Shu　prepared　to　leave　at　once。　However；　at　Liu　Beis　wish；　he　consented　to　stay　over　the　night。

Then　Sun　Qian　said　privately　to　his　master；　〃Xu　Shu　is　indeed　a　genius；　but　he　has　been　here　long　enough　to　know　all　our　secrets。　If　you　let　him　go　over　to　Cao　Cao；　he　will　be　in　his　confidence；　and　that　will　be　to　our　detriment。　You　ought　to　keep　him　at　all　costs　and　not　let　him　go。　When　Cao　Cao　sees　Xu　Shu　does　not　e；　he　will　put　the　mother　to　death；　and　that　will　make　Xu　Shu　the　more　zealous　in　your　service；　for　he　will　burn　to　avenge　his　mothers　death。〃

〃I　cannot　do　that。　It　would　be　very　cruel　and　vile　to　procure　the　death　of　his　mother　that　I　might　retain　the　sons　services。　If　I　kept　him；　it　would　lead　to　a　rupture　of　the　parental　lien；　and　that　would　be　a　sin　I　would　rather　die　than　mit。〃

Both　were　grieved　and　sighed。

Liu　Bei　asked　the　parting　guest　to　a　banquet；　but　he　declined；　saying；　〃With　my　mother　a　prisoner　I　can　swallow　nothing；　nay；　though　it　were　brewed　from　gold　or　distilled　from　jewels。〃

〃Alas！　Your　departure　is　as　if　I　lost　both　my　hands；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Even　the　liver　of　a　dragon　or　the　marrow　of　a　phoenix　would　be　bitter　in　my　mouth。〃

They　looked　into　each　others　eyes　and　wept。　They　sat　silent　till　dawn。　When　all　was　ready　for　the　journey；　the　two　rode　out　of　the　city　side　by　side。　At　Daisy　Pavilion　they　dismounted　to　drink　the　stirrup　cup。

Liu　Bei　lifted　the　goblet　and　said；　〃It　is　my　mean　fortune　that　separates　me　from　you；　but　I　hope　that　you　may　serve　well　your　new　lord　and　bee　famous。〃

Xu　Shu　wept　as　he　replied；　〃I　am　but　a　poor　ignorant　person　whom　you　have　kindly　employed。　Unhappily　I　have　to　break　our　intercourse　in　the　middle；　but　my　venerable　mother　is　the　real　cause。　Though　Cao　Cao　use　all　manner　of　means　to　coerce　me；　yet　will　I　never　plan　for　him。〃

〃After　you　are　gone；　I　shall　only　bury　myself　in　the　hills　and　hide　in　the　forests；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Xu　Shu　said；