第一小说网

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第124部分（第2页）

At　the　same　time　he　ordered　the　servants　to　request　Liu　Qi　to　e。　Thereupon　Liu　Qi　at　once　appeared；　supported　by　two　attendants。

Addressing　Lu　Su；　Liu　Qi　said；　〃I　am　too　weak　to　perform　the　correct　ceremonies。　I　pray　you　pardon　me；　Lu　Su。〃

Lu　Su　said　not　a　word。　He　was　too　much　taken　aback。　However；　he　recovered　himself　presently　and　said；　〃But　if　the　heir　had　not　been　here；　what　then？〃

〃The　heir　is　living　but　from　day　to　day。　Should　he　go；　then………there　will　be　something　to　talk　about。〃

〃Should　he　die；　then　you　ought　to　return　these　cities　to　us。〃

〃You　state　the　exact　facts；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Then　a　banquet　was　prepared　and；　that　over；　Lu　Su　took　his　leave。　He　hastened　back　to　his　own　camp　and　gave　Zhou　Yu　an　account　of　his　mission。

〃But　what　is　there　for　us　in　the　chance　of　Liu　Qis　death？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃He　is　in　his　very　first　youth。　When　will　these　places　fall　to　us？〃

〃Rest　content；　General。　Let　me　guarantee　the　return　of　these　places。〃

〃But　how　can　you？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃Liu　Qi　has　indulged　too　freely　in　wine　and　women。　He　is　a　wreck　and　rotten　to　the　core；　miserably　emaciated　and　panting　for　breath。　I　will　not　give　him　half　a　years　life。　Then　I　will　go　to　Liu　Bei；　and　he　will　be　unable　to　deny　the　request。〃

But　Zhou　Yu　was　still　unmollified。

Suddenly　came　a　messenger　from　Sun　Quan；　who　said；　〃Our　lord　is　laying　siege　to　Hefei　but　in　several　battles　has　had　no　victory。　He　now　orders　you　to　withdraw　from　here　and　go　to　Hefei　to　help　him。〃

Thereupon　Zhou　Yu　marched　back　to　Chaisang。　Having　reached　home；　he　began　to　give　attention　to　the　recovery　of　his　health。　He　sent　Cheng　Pu　with　the　marine　and　land　forces　to　Hefei　ready　for　Sun　Quans　call。

Liu　Bei　was　exceedingly　well　satisfied　with　the　possession　of　his　new　region；　and　his　thoughts　turned　to　more　ambitious　schemes。　Then　a　certain　man　came　to　him　to　suggest　a　plan。　This　man　was　Yi　Ji　and；　remembering　the　kindly　feeling　of　other　days；　Liu　Bei　received　him　most　graciously。

When　Yi　Ji　was　seated；　and　his　host　had　asked　what　he　proposed；　he　said；　〃You　wish　for　a　plan　to　acplish　yet　greater　deeds。　Why　not　seek　wise　people　and　ask　them？〃

〃Where　are　these　wise　people　to　be　found？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

Yi　Ji　replied；　〃In　this　region　there　is　a　certain　family　named　Ma；　five　brothers；　all　of　whom　are　known　as　men　of　ability。　The　youngest　is　called　Ma　Su。　The　ablest　is　Ma　Liang；　who　has　white　hairs　in　his　eyebrows；　and　the　villagers　have　a　little　rhyming　couplet　that　means　There　are　five　sons　in　the　family　Ma；　but　white　eyebrows　is　the　best　of　them。　You　should　get　this　man　to　draw　up　a　plan　for　you。〃

So　Liu　Bei　told　them　to　request　his　presence。　Ma　Liang　came　and　was　received　with　great　respect。

He　was　asked　to　suggest　a　plan　for　the　security　of　the　newly　acquired　region；　and　he　said；　〃Attacked　as　it　is　on　all　sides；　this　region　is　not　one　in　which　one　is　permanently　secure。　You　should　let　Liu　Qi　remain　here　till　he　is　recovered　from　his　present　illness；　but　the　actual　protection　of　the　place　is　to　be　placed　in　the　hands　of　trusty　friends。　Obtain　an　edict　appointing　him　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou；　and　the　people　will　be　content。　Then　conquer　Wuling；　Changsha；　Guiyang；　and　Lingling。　And　with　the　resources　you　will　thus　acquire；　you　will　have　the　means　for　further　plans。　That　should　be　your　policy。〃

〃Which　of　the　four　territories　should　be　first　taken？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃The　nearest；　Lingling；　which　lies　in　the　west　of　River　Xiang。　The　next　is　Wuling；　and　after　these　the　other　two。〃

Ma　Liang　was　given　an　appointment　as　Imperial　Protector　Assistant；　with　Yi　Ji　as　his　second。　Then　Liu　Bei　consulted　Zhuge　Liang　about　sending　Liu　Qi　to　Xiangyang；　so　that　Guan　Yu　could　be　free　to　return。　Next　they　made　preparations　to　attack　Lingling；　and　Zhang　Fei　was　to　lead　the　van。　Zhao　Yun　was　to　guard　the　rear；　while　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　were　to　mand　the　main　body。　A　fifteen　thousand　troops　were　left　to　hold　Jingzhou。　Mi　Zhu　and　Liu　Feng　were　left　to　guard　Jiangling。

The　Governor　of　Lingling　was　Liu　Du。　When　danger　thus　threatened；　he　called　in　his　son　Liu　Xiang；　and　they　discussed　the　case。

The　son　was　very　self…confident　and　said　to　his　father；　〃Have　no　anxiety。　They　may　have　the　known　and　famous　warriors；　Zhang　Fei　and　Zhao　Yun；　but　we　have　our　leader；　Xing　Darong；　who　is　match　for　any　number　of　men。　He　can　withstand　them。〃

So　Liu　Xiang；　with　the　famous　leader；　was　entrusted　with　the　defense。　At　the　head　of　a　full　ten　thousand　troops；　they　made　a　camp　about　ten　miles　from　the　city；　with　the　shelter　of　hills　and　a　river。　Their　scouts　brought　news　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　close　at　hand　with　one　army。　Xing　Darong　decided　to　check　his　advance　and　went　forth　to　oppose　him。　When　both　sides　were　arrayed；　Xing　Darong　rode　to　the　front。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　battle…ax　called　Cleaver　of　Mountains。

In　a　mighty　voice　he　cried；　〃Rebels；　how　es　it　that　you　have　dared　to　enter　our　territory？〃

From　the　center　of　the　opposing　army；　where　appeared　a　cluster　of　yellow　flags；　there　came　out　a　small　four…wheeled　carriage　in　which　sat；　very　erect；　a　certain　man　dressed　in　white；　with　a　turban　on　his　head。　In　one　hand　he　held　a　feather　fan；　with　which　he　signed　to　the　warrior　to　approach。

At　the　same　time　he　said；　〃I　am　Zhuge　Liang　of　Nanyang；　whose　plans　broke　up　the　countless　legions　of　Cao　Cao　so　that　nothing　of　them　returned　whence　they　started。　How　then　can　you　hope　to　oppose　me？　I　now　offer　you　peace；　and　it　will　be　well　for　you　to　surrender。〃

Xing　Darong　laughed　derisively；　saying；　〃Their　defeat　was　owing　to　the　plan　of　Zhou　Yu。　You　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　How　dare　you　try　to　deceive　me？〃

So　saying　he　swung　up　his　battle…ax　and　came　running　toward　Zhuge　Liang。　But　Zhuge　Liang　turned　his　carriage　and　retired　within　the　lines　which　closed　up　behind　him。　Xing　Darong　came　rushing　on。　As　he　reached　the　array；　the　troops　fell　away　on　both　sides　and　let　him　enter。　Well　within　he　looked　round　for　his　chief　opponent。　Seeing　a　yellow　flag　moving　along　quietly；　he　concluded　that　Zhuge　Liang