第一小说网

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第145部分（第1页）

〃Not　so；　indeed；〃　said　Zhang　Song。　〃Illustrious　Sir；　you　are　of　the　lineage　of　Han。　Your　noble　character　is　widely　known。　No　one　could　say　that　your　fate　excludes　all　thoughts　of　occupying　territory；　where　you　might　begin　to　set　up　authority　and　take　an　emperors　position。〃

Liu　Bei　deprecated　such　a　suggestion；　〃Sir；　you　go　too　far。　This　really　is　too　much。〃

The　next　three　days　were　spent　in　banquets　and　wine　parties；　but　all　the　time　no　mention　was　made　of　West　River　Land。　And　when；　at　the　end　of　that　time；　Zhang　Song　took　leave；　his　host　was　at　the　three…mile　〃parting　road〃　to　bid　him　farewell　and　offer　refreshment。

When　the　moment　came　for　the　parting；　Liu　Bei　raised　his　wine…cup　and　said；　〃I　am　sincerely　grateful　that　you　deigned　to　e　here。　You　have　prolonged　your　visit　to　three　days；　but　now　the　moment　of　parting　has　e。　Who　knows　when　I　may　have　the　privilege　of　receiving　your　instructions　again？〃

As　Liu　Bei　said　this；　the　tears　flowed；　but　he　hid　them　while　Zhang　Song；　willing　to　believe　that　this　emotion　was　on　his　account；　thought　how　wonderfully　kind　and　noble　his　host　must　be　to　be　thus　affected。　Quite　overe；　Zhang　Song　decided　to　speak　about　the　west。

So　he　said；　〃I　have　thought　that　I；　too；　would　e　to　you　one　day；　but　so　far　I　have　found　no　way。　In　Jingzhou　I　see　Sun　Quan　on　the　east；　always　ready　to　pounce；　I　see　Cao　Cao　on　the　north；　greedy　to　swallow。　So　this　is　not　a　wholly　desirable　place　for　you　to　remain　in。〃

〃I　know　this　but　too　well；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃but　I　have　no　secure　place　to　go　to。〃

〃Yizhou　is　well　protected；　has　much　fertile　soil；　is　populous　and　well　governed。　Its　scholars　are　attracted　by　your　virtue。　If　you　marched　your　armies　westward；　you　could　easily　bee　a　real　power　there　and　restore　the　glory　of　the　Hans。〃

〃But　how　dare　I　attempt　this？　The　ruler　is　also　of　the　Imperial　House。　The　whole　region　is　devoted　to　him　for　his　good　deeds；　and　no　other　person　could　attain　such　a　hold。〃

〃I　am　no　traitor；〃　said　Zhang　Song；　〃but　in　your　presence　I　feel　constrained　to　be　perfectly　open　and　plain。　Liu　Zhang；　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Yizhou；　is　naturally　weak　and　can　neither　use　the　wise　nor　employ　the　capable。　Then　again　Zhang　Lu　threatens　on　the　north。　People　are　distracted　and　would　gladly　wele　an　appreciative　ruler。　The　journey　I　have　just　made　was　to　propose　to　support　Cao　Cao　and　place　the　region　under　him；　but　I　found　him　rebellious　and　set　on　evil；　proud　and　arrogant。　So　I　have　turned　aside　to　you。　If　you　will　take　Yizhou；　you　will　have　a　base　from　which　to　deal　with　Hanzhong　when　you　will；　and　the　whole　empire　beside。　You　will　continue　the　rightful　line；　and　your　name　will　live　in　history。　Would　not　that　be　real　fame？　If　then　you　think　of　taking　our　region；　I　am　willing　to　do　what　little　I　can　as　an　ally　within。　But　do　you　contemplate　such　a　step？〃

〃I　am　deeply　grateful　that　you　think　so　well　of　me。　But　the　Imperial　Protector　being　a　member　of　the　family；　I　should　lay　myself　open　to　general　execration；　were　I　to　attack　him。〃

〃When　a　hero　finds　himself　in　the　world；　his　duty　is　to　work　out　his　destiny；　to　exert　himself　and　perform　his　task　as　best　as　he　can；　to　press　forward　among　the　foremost。　At　the　moment　the　position　is　that；　if　you　fail　to　seize　this　opportunity；　some　other　will　take　possession　of　Yizhou；　and　you　will　regret　when　too　late。〃

〃And　I　have　heard　much　of　the　difficult　nature　of　the　country；　its　many　high　mountains　and　numerous　streams；　and　its　narrow　roads。　How　could　such　a　country　be　invaded？〃

Then　Zhang　Song　drew　the　map　from　his　sleeve；　saying；　〃I　am　so　deeply　affected　by　your　virtue　that　I　offer　you　this　map　of　the　country；　whereby　its　roads　and　rivers　may　be　known。〃

Liu　Bei　unrolled　the　map。　It　was　covered　with　notes；　on　the　lie　of　the　land；　lengths　and　widths；　and　such　matters。　Strategic　points　on　rivers　and　hills　were　shown；　and　store…houses　and　granaries　and　treasuries。　Everything　was　plainly　stated。

Zhang　Song　went　on；　〃Sir；　you　can　prepare　your　plans　promptly。　I　have　two　friends　who　will　certainly　help　you。　And　when　they　e　to　see　you；　you　may　be　perfectly　frank　with　them。　Their　names　are　Fa　Zheng　and　Meng　Da。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him　with　joined　hands。

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃As　the　blue　mountains　grow　not　old　and　the　green　waters　always　remain；　so　shall　I　never　forget。　And　when　I　shall　have　acplished　my　task；　you　shall　have　no　mean　reward。〃

Replied　Zhang　Song；　〃I　look　for　no　reward。　Having　met　with　an　enlightened　lord；　I　felt　pelled　to　unbosom　myself　to　him。〃

Zhang　Song　left　soon　after；　and　Guan　Yu　escorted　him　for　several　miles。

After　arrival　in　Yizhou；　Zhang　Song　lost　no　time　in　visiting　his　close　friend　Fa　Zheng；　who　was　from　Fufeng。　Fa　Zheng　was　told　of　Cao　Caos　arrogance　and　haughtiness　toward　scholars　and　good　people。

〃As　for　the　man　himself；〃　said　Zhang　Song；　〃he　is　a　man　to　grieve　with　but　not　a　person　to　rejoice　with。　I　have　promised　Yizhou　to　Liu　Bei；　the　Imperial　Uncle；　and　I　want　your　especial　advice　and　assistance。〃

〃I　think　Liu　Zhang　is　incapable；〃　said　Fa　Zheng；　〃and　I　have　felt　drawn　to　Liu　Bei　for　some　time　past。　So　we　are　in　sympathy　here。〃

Shortly　after　Meng　Da　arrived。　Meng　Da　and　Fa　Zheng　were　fellow　townsmen。　When　Meng　Da　entered　the　room；　he　saw　the　other　two　in　earnest　and　secret　conversation。

And　he　said；　〃I　know　what　you　two　are　about。　You　are　scheming　to　hand　over　Yizhou　to　somebody。〃

〃It　is　really　so。　You　have　guessed　right；〃　said　Zhang　Song。

〃But　to　whom　ought　it　to　go？〃　said　Fa　Zheng。

〃There　is　but　one：　Liu　Bei；〃　said　Meng　Da。

All　three　clapped　their　hands　and　laughed。