第一小说网

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第158部分（第2页）

The　fact　was　that　Ma　Chao　had　begun　to　see　he　could　not　win　in　direct　and　simple　bat；　so　he　thought　to　try　a　ruse。　By　a　false　flight；　as　though　he　knew　he　had　lost；　he　would　inveigle　Zhang　Fei　into　pursuit。　He　picked　up　a　copper　mace　secretly　and　kept　a　careful　watch　on　his　opponent　for　the　most　favorable　moment　to　strike。　But　Ma　Chaos　flight　only　put　Zhang　Fei　upon　his　guard；　and　when　the　moment　came　for　the　blow　with　the　mace　he　dodged；　so　that　the　weapon　flew　harmlessly　past　his　ear。　Then　Zhang　Fei　turned　his　horse。　Whereupon　Ma　Chao　began　to　pursue。　Then　Zhang　Fei　pulled　up；　took　his　bow；　fitted　an　arrow　to　the　string；　and　let　fly　at　Ma　Chao。　But　Ma　Chao　also　dodged；　and　the　arrow　flew　by。　Then　each　returned　to　his　own　side。

Then　Liu　Bei　came　out　to　the　front　of　his　battle　line　and　called　out；　〃Note　well；　O　Ma　Chao；　that　I；　who　have　never　treated　people　other　than　with　kindness　and　justice　and　truth　and　sincerity；　swear　that　I　will　not　take　advantage　of　your　period　of　repose　to　pursue　or　attack。　Wherefore　you　may　rest　awhile　in　peace。〃

Ma　Chao；　hearing　these　words；　withdrew　guarding　the　rear；　and　the　other　generals　one　by　one　returned；　while　Liu　Bei　drew　off　his　army　toward　the　Pass。

Early　next　day　Zhang　Fei　was　once　more　going　down　out　of　the　Pass　to　fight；　when　they　told　him　that　the　Directing　Instructor　had　arrived。　Liu　Bei　went　to　receive　him；　and　Zhuge　Liang　at　once　began　to　speak　of　Ma　Chao。

〃He　is　the　most　terrible　leader　of　the　age。　If　he　fights　a　desperate　battle　with　Zhang　Fei；　loss　of　a　general　will　ensue。　So　I　have　e　as　quickly　as　I　could。　I　left　Mianzhu　in　the　safe　hands　of　Zhao　Yun　and　Huang　Zhong。　I　think　I　have　a　little　ruse　left　that　will　bring　Ma　Chao　over　to　our　side。〃

〃Now　I　have　seen　the　man。　I　greatly　admire　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃If　we　could　only　win　him　over！〃

〃Then　listen；　my　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Zhang　Lu　greatly　desires　the　title　of　Prince　of　Hanzhong。　Among　his　most　intimate　subordinates；　I　know　Yang　Song　open　to　bribery。　So　we　will　send　a　person　secretly　to　see　him　and　give　him　gold　and　silver　and　so　win　his　support。　This　done；　we　will　write　to　Zhang　Lu　and　tell　him　that　you　are　set　upon　taking　Yizhou　from　its　present　ruler；　which　will　give　an　opportunity　to　wipe　out　the　enmity　he　has　so　long　nourished　against　Liu　Zhang；　and　that　the　reward　of　his　remaining　firmly　on　our　side　to　the　end　will　be　that　you　will　memorialize　the　Throne　for　the　coveted　title　for　him。　This　will　make　him　order　Ma　Chao　to　return；　and；　when　that　is　done；　I　shall　find　a　means　of　winning　him　over。〃

Liu　Bei　wrote　a　letter　and　sent　it　by　the　hand　of　Sun　Qian　together　with　gold　and　pearls。　Sun　Qian　went　by　secret　roads　to　give　these　to　Yang　Song。　And　when　he　found　Yang　Song　and　explained　his　mission　in　private；　he　was　quickly　led　into　the　presence　of　Zhang　Lu。

〃How　can　Liu　Bei　memorialize　the　Throne　to　confer　on　me　the　rank　of　a　prince　when　he　is　but　a　simple　General　himself？〃　asked　Zhang　Lu；　when　he　understood　the　offer　and　its　conditions。

〃He　is　an　Imperial　Uncle；〃　said　Yang　Song。　〃With　such　a　rank　he　could　present　such　a　memorial。〃

Zhang　Lu　assented。　He　sent　orders　to　Ma　Chao　to　cease　fighting；　and　Sun　Qian　remained　as　the　guest　of　Yang　Song　till　he　should　see　whether　Ma　Chao　would　obey　the　mand。　Before　long　the　messenger　returned　with　a　word　from　Ma　Chao　that　he　could　not　cease　fighting　till　he　had　been　successful。　A　second　and　third　messenger　returned　with　a　similar　response。

〃This　Ma　Chao　is　untrustworthy；〃　said　Yang　Song。　〃He　will　not　withdraw　his　soldiers　because　he　contemplates　rebellion。　That　is　the　real　reason。〃

Yang　Song　set　stories　afloat　rumoring：　〃Ma　Chao　desires　to　make　himself　the　ruler　of　the　west　and　has　said　that　he　will　no　longer　be　content　with　subordinate　rank。　And　he　means　to　avenge　the　death　of　his　father。〃

The　rumors　came　to　the　ear　of　Zhang　Lu；　and　he　asked　Yang　Song　what　should　be　done。

Yang　Song　proposed；　saying；　〃Give　Ma　Chao　a　limit　of　a　month　in　order　to　acplish　his　task；　provided　he　consents　to　three　conditions。　And　if　he　does　not　agree；　he　will　have　to　be　put　to　death。　The　three　conditions　are　the　capture　of　West　River　Land；　the　head　of　Liu　Zhang；　and　the　repulse　of　the　Jingzhou　troops。　If　he　fails　in　anyone　of　these；　just　bring　his　head。　Meanwhile；　Zhang　Wei　should　be　sent　as　guard　at　one　of　the　strategic　points　which　will　control　Ma　Chaos　army　in　case　of　rebellion。〃

When　Ma　Chao　heard　the　three　demands　made　on　him；　he　was　greatly　troubled；　saying；　〃What　can　such　a　charge　mean？〃

After　taking　counsel　with　Ma　Dai；　it　seemed　best　to　suspend　fighting；　and　the　army　returned。

But　Yang　Song　had　not　yet　attained　his　end；　so　he　said　to　Zhang　Lu；　〃Ma　Chaos　return　with　an　army　will　be　a　danger；　and　hence　all　the　points　of　vantage　on　the　homeward　road　must　be　guarded　so　that　to　stop　him。〃

Thus　Ma　Chao　was　helpless　and　could　see　no　way　out　of　the　difficulty。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　said　to　his　lord；　〃Now　is　my　chance　to　use　my　little　three　inches　of　unworn　tongue。　Ma　Chao　is　in　a　fix。　I　am　going　to　his　camp　to　persuade　him　to　e　over　to　your　side。〃

〃But　I　do　not　like　you　to　run　such　a　risk；　Instructor。　You　are　my　most　necessary　support；　and　if　anything　happened　to　you；　what　should　I　do？〃

Zhuge　Liang　was　set　upon　going　and　persisted　in　his　request。　Liu　Bei　again　and　again　refused。　At　this　juncture　a　messenger　came　with　letters　from　Zhao　Yun。　Liu　Bei　called　him　in　and　questioned　him。　He　was　Li　Hui　of　Jianning；　the　man　who　had　formerly　remonstrated　so　earnestly　with　Liu　Zhang。

〃You　once　pleaded　with　your　master　to　keep　me　out。　Why　are　you　here　now？〃

〃Because　the　prudent　bird　chooses　its　perch；　and　the　wise　person　his　master。　I　did　attempt　to　dissuade　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou　from　a　course　which　I　felt　to　be　disastrous；　and　thereby　fulfilled　my　duty　as　his　servant。　He　rejected　my　counsel；　and　I　knew　he　would　fail。　Your　liberality；　O　General；　has　won　over　all　the　region；　and　success　must　be　yours。　I　wish　to　serve　under　your　banner。〃

〃Your　services　will　surely　be　of　great　advantage　to　me；　Sir；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Then　Li　Hui　began　to　talk　of　Ma　Chao；　〃I　knew　him　when　we　were　in　West　Valley　Land　together。　He　is　now　in　great　straits；　and　I　may　be　able　to　talk　him　over。　What　say　you？〃

〃Just　the　man　to　go　instead　of　me；〃　interjected　Zhuge　Liang。　〃But　what　arguments　will　you　use？〃

Li　Hui　leaned　over　and　whispered　in　his　ear　thus　and　thus。　What　he　said　seemed　to　please　Zhuge　Liang　mightily；　and　he　was　bidden　to　go　forthwith。

Arrived　at　the　camp；　Li　Hui　sent　in　his　name；　at　which　Ma　Chao　remarked；　〃Yes；　I　know　him………a　glib　and　specious　persuader。　I　know　what　he　has　e　for；　too。〃

So　Ma　Chao　placed　a　score　of　armed　ruffians　in　hiding　about　his　tent　and　told