第一小说网

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第124部分（第1页）

Yun　of　Changshan。〃

Zhou　Yu　was　fiercely　angry　and　gave　orders　to　assault　the　city；　but　the　defenders　sent　down　flights　and　flights　of　arrows；　and　his　troops　could　not　stay　near　the　rampart。　So　he　withdrew　and　took　counsel。　In　the　meantime　he　decided　to　send　Gan　Ning　with　a　force　of　several　thousand　to　capture　Jingzhou　City；　and　Ling　Tong　with　another　army　to　take　Xiangyang。　Nanjun　could　be　taken　later。

But　even　as　these　orders　were　being　given；　the　scouts　came　in　hurriedly　to　report；　saying；　〃After　Nanjun　fell；　Zhuge　Liang；　suddenly　forging　a　military　mission；　induced　the　guards　of　Jingzhou　City　to　leave　it　and　go　to　the　rescue　of　Cao　Ren。　Whereupon　Zhang　Fei　occupied　the　capital。〃

Soon　after　another　messenger　came；　saying；　〃Xiahou　Dun；　at　Xiangyang；　received　from　Zhuge　Liang　dispatches；　supported　by　a　mission　in　due　form；　saying　that　Cao　Ren　was　in　danger　and　needed　help；　whereupon　Xiahou　Dun　marched　off；　and　Guan　Yu　seized　that　city。〃

Thus　the　two　cities　that　Zhou　Yu　wanted　had　fallen；　without　the　least　effort；　into　the　hands　of　his　rival　Liu　Bei。

〃How　did　Zhuge　Liang　get　this　military　mission　with　which　he　has　imposed　on　the　generals？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

Cheng　Pu　replied；　〃He　seized　that　of　Chen　Jiao　and　so　has　got　all　this　region　into　his　power。〃

Zhou　Yu　uttered　a　great　cry；　for　at　that　moment　his　wound　had　suddenly　burst　open。

A　city　falls；　but　not　to　us　the　gain；

The　guerdon　is　anothers；　ours　the　pain。

The　next　chapter　will　say　what　befell　Zhou　Yu。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　52　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　52

Chapter　52

Zhuge　Liang　Negotiates　With　Lu　Su；

Zhao　Yun　Captures　Guiyang。

Zhou　Yus　anger　at　seeing　that　his　rival；　Zhuge　Liang；　had　surprised　Nanjun；　and　at　hearing　the　same　news　of　Jingzhou　and　Xiangyang；　was　but　natural。　And　this　sudden　fit　of　rage　caused　his　wound　to　reopen。　However；　he　soon　recovered。　All　his　officers　besought　him　to　accept　the　situation。

But　he　said；　〃What　but　the　death　of　that　bumpkin　Zhuge　Liang　will　assuage　my　anger？　If　Cheng　Pu　can　but　aid　me　in　an　attack　on　Nanjun；　I　can　certainly　restore　it　to　the　South　Land。〃

Soon　Lu　Su　came　in；　to　whom　Zhou　Yu　said；　〃I　simply　must　fight　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　till　it　is　decided　which　shall　have　the　upper　hand。　I　must　also　recapture　the　cities。　Perhaps　you　can　assist　me。〃

〃It　cannot　be　done；〃　replied　Lu　Su。　〃We　are　now　at　grips　with　Cao　Cao；　and　victory　or　defeat　is　undecided。　Our　lord　has　not　been　successful　in　overing　Hefei。　Do　not　fight　near　home；　or　it　will　be　like　people　of　the　same　household　destroying　each　other。　Should　Cao　Cao　take　advantage　of　this　position　to　make　a　sudden　descent；　we　should　be　in　a　parlous　condition。　Further；　you　must　remember　that　Liu　Bei　and　Cao　Cao　are　united　by　the　bonds　of　old　friendship。　If　the　pressure　bees　too　great；　Liu　Bei　may　relinquish　these　cities；　offer　them　to　Cao　Cao；　and　join　forces　with　him　to　attack　the　south。　That　would　be　a　real　misfortune。〃

〃I　cannot　help　being　angry；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　〃to　think　that　we　should　have　used　our　resources　for　their　benefit。　They　get　all　the　advantage。〃

〃Well；　let　me　go　and　see　Liu　Bei　and　talk　reason　to　him。　If　I　can　arrive　at　no　understanding；　then　attack　at　once。〃

〃Excellent　proposal！〃　cried　all　present。

So　Lu　Su；　with　his　escort；　went　away　to　Nanjun　to　carry　out　his　proposal　and　try　to　arrange　matters。　He　reached　the　city　wall　and　summoned　the　gate；　whereat　Zhao　Yun　came　out　to　speak　with　him。

〃I　have　something　to　say　to　Liu　Bei；〃　said　he。　〃I　wish　to　see　him。〃

〃My　lord　and　Zhuge　Liang　are　in　Jingzhou；〃　was　the　reply。

Lu　Su　turned　away　and　hasted　to　Jingzhou。　He　found　the　walls　bedecked　with　flags　and　everything　in　excellent　order。　In　his　heart　he　admired　the　sight；　and　thought　what　an　able　person　was　the　mander　of　that　army。

The　guards　reported　his　arrival；　and　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　them　to　throw　wide　the　gate。　Lu　Su　was　led　to　the　government　house　and；　after　the　usual　exchange　of　salutes；　Zhuge　Liang　and　his　visitor　took　their　respective　seats。

Having　finished　the　tea；　Lu　Su　said；　〃My　master；　Marquis　Sun　Quan；　and　the　mander　of　his　army；　Zhou　Yu；　have　sent　me　to　lay　before　the　Imperial　Uncle　their　views。　When　Cao　Cao　led　his　huge　host　southward；　he　gave　out　that　it　was　for　the　conquest　of　the　South　Land。　But　really　his　intention　was　to　destroy　Liu　Bei。　Happily　our　army　was　able　to　repulse　that　mighty　host　and　so　saved　him。　Wherefore　Jingzhou　with　its　nine　territories　of　forty…two　counties　ought　to　belong　to　us。　But　by　a　treacherous　move；　your　master　has　occupied　Jingzhou　and　Xiangyang；　so　that　we　have　spent　our　treasure　in　vain　and　our　armies　have　fought　to　no　purpose。　The　Imperial　Uncle　has　reaped　the　benefits　to　the　full。　This　is　not　as　it　should　be。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Lu　Su；　you　are　a　man　of　high　intelligence。　Why　do　you　hold　such　language？　You　know　the　saying　that　all　things　return　to　their　owner。　These　places　have　never　belonged　to　the　South　Land；　but　were　of　the　patrimony　of　Liu　Biao；　and　though　he　is　dead；　his　son　remains。　Should　not　the　uncle　assist　the　nephew　to　recover　his　own？　Could　my　master　have　refrained？〃

〃If　the　nephew　Liu　Qi；　the　rightful　heir；　had　occupied　these　cities；　there　would　have　been　something　to　say。　But　he　is　at　Jiangxia　and　not　here。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　see　him？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。