第一小说网

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第109部分（第2页）

〃I　have　heard　the　street　children　in　your　country　singing：

〃To　lay　an　ambush；　hold　a　pass；

Lu　Su　is　the　man　to　choose；

But　when　you　on　the　water　fight；

Zhou　Yu　is　the　man　to　use。

〃You　are　only　fit　for　ambushes　and　guarding　passes　on　land；　just　as　Zhou　Yu　only　understands　fighting　on　the　water；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Lu　Su　carried　this　story　to　Zhou　Yu；　which　only　incensed　him　the　more　against　Zhuge　Liang。

〃How　dare　he　flout　me；　saying　I　cannot　fight　a　land　battle？　I　will　not　let　him　go。　I　will　go　myself　with　ten　thousand　troops　and　cut　off　Cao　Caos　supplies。〃

Lu　Su　went　back　and　told　this　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　smiled　and　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　only　wanted　me　to　go　on　this　expedition　because　he　wanted　Cao　Cao　to　kill　me。　And　so　I　teased　him　a　little。　But　he　cannot　bear　that。　Now　is　the　critical　moment；　and　Marquis　Sun　Quan　and　my　master　must　act　in　harmony　if　we　are　to　succeed。　If　each　one　tries　to　harm　the　other；　the　whole　scheme　will　fail。　Cao　Cao　is　no　fool；　and　it　is　he　who　usually　attack　enemies　through　cutting　off　their　supplies。　Do　you　not　think　Cao　Cao　has　already　taken　double　precautions　against　any　surprise　of　his　own　depot？　If　Zhou　Yu　tries；　he　will　be　taken　prisoner。　What　he　ought　to　do　is　to　bring　about　a　decisive　naval　battle；　whereby　to　dishearten　the　northern　soldiers；　and　then　find　some　other　means　to　defeat　them　utterly。　If　you　could　persuade　him　what　his　best　course　was；　it　would　be　well。〃

Without　loss　of　time；　Lu　Su　went　to　Zhou　Yu　to　relate　what　Zhuge　Liang　had　told　him。

Zhou　Yu　shook　his　head　when　he　heard　it　and　beat　the　ground　with　his　foot；　saying；　〃This　man　is　far　too　clever。　He　beats　me　ten　to　one。　He　will　have　to　be　done　away　with；　or　the　South　Land　will　suffer。〃

Said　Lu　Su；　〃This　is　the　moment　to　use　people。　You　must　think　of　the　countrys　good　first　of　all。　When　once　Cao　Cao　is　defeated；　you　may　do　as　you　please。〃

Zhou　Yu　had　to　confess　the　reasonableness　of　this。

Liu　Bei　had　ordered　his　nephew　Liu　Qi　to　hold　Jiangxia；　while　he　and　the　bulk　of　the　army　returned　to　Xiakou。　Thence　he　saw　the　opposite　bank　thick　with　banners　and　flags　and　glittering　with　every　kind　of　arms　and　armors。　He　knew　then　that　the　expedition　from　the　South　Land　had　started。　So　he　moved　all　his　force　from　Jiangxia　to　Fankou。

Then　he　assembled　his　officers　and　said　to　them；　〃Zhuge　Liang　went　to　Wu　some　time　ago；　and　no　word　has　e　from　him；　so　I　know　not　how　the　business　stands。　Will　anyone　volunteer　to　go　to　find　out？〃

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Mi　Zhu。

So　presents　were　prepared　and　gifts　of　flesh　and　wine；　and　Mi　Zhu　prepared　to　journey　to　the　South　Land　on　the　pretext　of　offering　a　congratulatory　feast　to　the　army。　He　set　out　in　a　small　ship　and　went　down　river。　He　stopped　opposite　the　camp；　and　the　soldiers　reported　his　arrival　to　Zhou　Yu；　who　ordered　him　to　be　brought　in。　Mi　Zhu　bowed　low　and　expressed　the　respect　which　Liu　Bei　had　for　Zhou　Yu　and　offered　the　various　gifts。　The　ceremony　of　reception　was　followed　by　a　banquet　in　honor　of　the　guest。

Mi　Zhu　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　been　here　a　long　time；　and　I　desire　that　he　may　return　with　me。〃

〃Zhuge　Liang　is　making　plans　with　me；　and　I　could　not　let　him　return；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃I　also　wish　to　see　Liu　Bei　that　we　may　make　joint　plans。　But　when　one　is　at　the　head　of　a　great　army；　one　cannot　get　away　even　for　a　moment。　If　your　master　would　only　e　here；　it　would　be　very　gracious　on　his　part。〃

Mi　Zhu　agreed　that　Liu　Bei　might　e　and　presently　took　his　leave。

Then　Lu　Su　asked　Zhou　Yu；　〃What　is　your　reason　for　desiring　Liu　Bei　to　e？〃

〃Liu　Bei　is　the　one　bold　and　dangerous　man　and　must　be　removed。　I　am　taking　this　opportunity　to　persuade　him　to　e。　When　he　shall　be　slain；　a　great　danger　will　cease　to　threaten　our　interests。〃

Lu　Su　tried　to　dissuade　him　from　this　scheme；　but　Zhou　Yu　was　deaf　to　all　Lu　Su　said。

Zhou　Yu　even　issued　orders：　〃Arrange　half　a　hundred　executioners　to　be　ready　to　hide　within　the　lining　of　the　tent　if　Liu　Bei　decides　to　e；　and　when　I　drop　a　cup；　that　will　be　a　signal　for　them　to　fall　on　and　slay　him。〃

Mi　Zhu　returned　and　told　Liu　Bei　that　his　presence　was　desired　by　Zhou　Yu。　Suspecting　nothing；　Liu　Bei　at　once　ordered　them　to　prepare　a　fast　vessel　to　take　him　without　loss　of　time。

Guan　Yu　was　opposed　to　his　going；　saying；　〃Zhou　Yu　is　artful　and　treacherous；　and　there　is　no　news　from　Zhuge　Liang。　Pray　think　more　carefully。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃I　have　joined　my　forces　to　theirs　in　this　attack　on　our　mon　enemy。　If　Zhou　Yu　wishes　to　see　me　and　I　refuse　to　go；　it　is　a　betrayal。　Nothing　will　succeed　if　both　sides　nourish　suspicions。〃

〃If　you　have　finally　decided　to　go；　then　will　I　go　with　you；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃And　I　also；〃　cried　Zhang　Fei。

But　Liu　Bei　said；　〃Let　Guan　Yu　e　with　me　while　you　and　Zhao　Yun　keep　guard。　Jian　Yong　will　hold　Exian。　I　shall　not　be　away　long。〃

So　leaving　these　orders；　Liu　Bei　embarked　with　Guan　Yu　on　a　small　boat。　The　escort　did　not　exceed　twenty。　The　light　craft　traveled　very　quickly　down　the　river。　Liu　Bei　rejoiced　greatly　at　the　sight　of　the　war　vessels　in　tiers　by　the　bank；　the　soldiers　in　their　breastplates；　and　all　the　pomp　and　panoply　of　war。　All　was　in　excellent　order。

As　soon　as　he　arrived；　the　guards　ran　to　tell　Zhou　Yu。

〃How　many　ships　has　he？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

They　replied；　〃Only　one；　and　the　escort　is　only　about　a　score。〃

〃His　fate　is　sealed；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

Zhou　Yu　sent　for　the　executioners　and　p