第一小说网

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第188部分（第1页）

The　messenger　who　had　brought　the　dead　warriors　head　told　the　story　of　Guan　Yu　cursing　and　reviling　Sun　Quan；　and　of　what　had　befallen　Lu　Meng。

Cao　Cao；　filled　with　dread；　prepared　sacrifices　and　performed　the　rites　for　the　honored　dead。　An　effigy　was　carved　out　of　heavy　fragrant　wood　and　buried　outside　the　south　gate　with　all　the　rites　of　a　princely　noble；　a　huge　concourse　of　officials　of　all　grades　following　in　the　procession。　At　the　funeral　Cao　Cao　himself　bowed　before　the　coffin　and　poured　a　libation。　He　also　conferred　on　the　dead　the　posthumous　title　of　Prince　of　Jingzhou；　and　appointed　guardians　of　the　tomb。　The　messenger　was　sent　back　to　Wu。

Now　the　spirit　of　Guan　Yu　did　not　dissipate　into　space；　but　wandered　through　the　void　till　it　came　to　a　certain　spot　in　Dangyang　on　a　famous　hill　known　as　the　Mount　of　the　Jade　Spring。　There　lived　a　venerable　Buddhist　priest　whose　name　in　the　faith　was　Transverse　Peace。　He　was　originally　of　the　State　Guardian　Temple　in　the　River　Si　Pass　and　abbot　of　that　temple。　In　the　course　of　roaming　about　the　world；　he　had　reached　this　place。　Entranced　with　its　natural　beauty；　he　had　built　himself　a　shelter　of　boughs　and　grass；　where　he　sat　in　meditation　on　the　〃Way〃。　He　had　a　novice　with　him　to　beg　food　and　to　attend　to　his　simple　wants。

This　night；　about　the　third　watch；　the　moon　was　bright　and　the　air　serene。　Transverse　Peace　sat　in　his　usual　attitude　in　the　silence　of　the　mountains。

Suddenly　he　heard　a　great　voice　calling　in　the　upper　air；　〃Give　back　my　head！　Give　back　my　head！〃

Gazing　upward　Transverse　Peace　saw　the　shape　of　a　man　mounted　on　a　red　horse。　In　the　hand　was　a　shining　blade　like　unto　the　green…dragon　saber。　Two　military　figures　were　with　him；　one　on　either　side。　He　on　the　left　had　a　white　face；　he　on　the　right　was　swarthy　of　countenance　with　a　curly　beard。　And　they　followed　the　figure　with　the　shining　blade。　They　floated　along　on　a　cloud　which　came　to　rest　on　the　summit　of　the　mountain。

The　recluse　recognized　the　figure　as　that　of　Guan　Yu；　so　with　his　yaks　tail　flagellum　he　smote　the　lintel　of　his　hut　and　cried；　〃Where　is　Guan　Yu？〃

The　spirit　understood；　and　the　figure　dismounted；　glided　down；　and　came　to　rest　at　the　door　of　the　hut。

Interlacing　its　fingers；　it　stood　in　a　reverential　attitude　and　said；　〃Who　is　my　teacher；　and　what　is　his　name　in　the　faith？〃

〃In　the　State　Guardian　Temple　in　River　Si　Pass；　I　once　saw　you；　O　Noble　Sir；　and　I　was　not　likely　to　forget　your　face；〃　replied　the　priest。

〃I　am　deeply　grateful　for　the　help　you　gave　me。　Misfortune　has　befallen　me；　and　I　have　ceased　to　live。　I　would　seek　the　pure　instruction　and　beg　you　to　indicate　the　obscure　way。〃

〃Let　us　not　discuss　former　wrongdoings　nor　present　correct　actions。　Later　events　are　the　inevitable　result　of　former　causes。　I　know　that　Lu　Meng　has　injured　you。　You　call　aloud　for　the　return　of　your　head。　But　who　will　also　return　the　heads　of　your　several　victims………Yan　Liang；　Wen　Chou；　and　the　manders　of　the　five　passes？〃

Thereupon　Guan　Yu　seemed　suddenly　to　prehend；　bowed　in　token　of　assent；　and　disappeared。　After　this　appearance　to　the　recluse；　his　spirit　wandered　hither　and　thither　about　the　mountain；　manifesting　its　sacred　character　and　guarding　the　people。

Impressed　by　his　virtue；　the　inhabitants　built　a　temple　on　the　Mount　of　the　Jade　Spring；　wherein　they　sacrificed　at　the　four　seasons。　In　later　days；　one　wrote　a　couplet　for　the　temple；　the　first　member　reading：

〃Ruddy　faced；　reflecting　the　honest　heart　within；　out…riding　the　wind　on　the　Red　Hare　steed；　mindful　of　the　Red　Emperor；〃

〃In　the　light　of　clear　lamp；　reading　the　histories；　resting　on　the　Green…Dragon　saber　curved　as　the　young　moon；　heart　pure　as　the　azure　heaven。〃

Meanwhile　in　Shu；　having　conquered　East　River　Land；　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　returned　to　his　capital　Chengdu。

Fa　Zheng　memorialized；　saying；　〃O　Prince；　thy　consorts　has　passed　away；　and　the　Lady　Sun　has　returned　to　her　maiden　home；　perhaps　never　to　e　again。　Human　relations　should　not　be　set　at　nought；　wherefore　another　consort　should　be　sought；　so　that　all　things　may　be　correctly　ordered　within　the　Palace。〃

The　Prince　having　signified　his　acceptance　of　the　principle；　Fa　Zheng　continued；　〃There　is　the　sister　of　Wu　Yi；　ely　and　good；　and　declared　by　the　physiognomist　as　destined　to　high　honor。　She　was　betrothed　to　Liu　Mao；　son　of　Liu　Yan；　but　he　died　in　youth；　and　she　has　remained　unwedded。　Take　her　as　a　wife。〃

〃It　is　inpatible　with　propriety。　Liu　Mao　and　I　are　of　the　same　ancestry。〃

〃As　to　the　degree　of　relationship；　would　it　differ　from　the　marriage　between　Duke　Wen　of　Jin　and　Lady　Huai　Ying？〃

Upon　this　precedent　the　Prince　gave　his　consent　and　wedded　the　lady；　and　she　bore　to　him　two　sons；　the　elder　of　whom　was　named　Liu　Yung　and　the　younger　Liu　Li。

Meanwhile；　the　whole　land　of　Shu　was　prospering；　the　people　were　tranquil；　and　the　state　was　being　wealthy。　The　fields　in　both　River　Lands　yielded　bountiful　harvests。

Suddenly　there　came　one　who　told　of　the　attempt　of　Sun　Quan　to　ally　himself　with　Guan　Yu　by　marriage；　and　the　indignant　rejection　of　the　proposal。

〃Jingzhou　is　in　danger；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Recall　and　replace　Guan　Yu。〃

Then　began　to　arrive　a　series　of　messengers　from　Jingzhou；　bearers　of　news　of　the　moves　in　the　game。　At　first　they　brought　good　tidings；　then　evil。　Guan　Xing　came　first　to　tell　of　the　drowning　of　the　seven　armies　of　Yu　Jin。　Then　one　reported　the　installation　of　beacon　towers　along　the　river　bank；　and　other　preparations　which　seemed　as　near　perfect　as　any　could　be。　And　Liu　Beis　anxiety　ceased。

But　evil　tidings　were　on　the　way。　Liu　Bei　was　ill　at　ease　and　felt　a　creepiness　of　the　skin　that　boded　evil。　He　was　restless　by　day　and　sleepless　by　night。　One　night　he　rose　from　his　couch　and　was　reading　by　the　light　of　a　candle　when　drowsiness　overcame　him；　and　he　fell　asleep　over　the　low　table　by　his　side。　He　dreamed。　A　cold　gust　of　wind　swept　through　the　chamber；　almost　putting　out　the　candle　flame。　When　it　brightened　again　he　glanced　up　and　saw　a　figure　standing　near　the　light。

〃Who　are　you；　who　thus　e　by　night　to　my　chamber？〃　asked　he。

The　figure　made　no　reply；　and　Liu　Bei　got　up　to　go　over　and　see　who　it　was。　Then　the　figure　took　the　shape　of　his　brother。　But　it　avoided　him；　retreating　as　he　advanced。

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Brother；　there　is　nothing　wrong；　I　hope。　But　surely　something　of　great　importance　brings　you　here　thus　in　the　dead　of　the　night。　And　why　do　you　avoid　me；　your　brother；　who　loves　you　as　himself？〃

Then　the　figure　wept　and　said；　〃Brother；　send　your　armies　to　avenge　me。〃

As　Guan　Yu　said　that；　a　chilly　blast　went　through　the　room；　and　the　figure　disappeared。　Just　then　Liu　Bei　awoke　and　knew　that　he　had　dreamed。

The　drums　were　beating　the　third　watch　as　he　awoke。　He　felt　greatly　worried　and　disturbed。　So　he　went　into　the　front　portion　of　the　Palace　and　sent　for　Zhuge　Liang。　Soon　he　came；　and　Liu　Bei　told　him　of　the　vision。

〃You　have　been　thinking　too　deeply　of　Guan　Yu　lately；　my　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃There　is　no　need　to　be　distressed。〃

But　Liu　Bei　could　not　find　fort；　and　Zhuge　Liang　was　long　in　calming　his　feelings　and　arguing　away　his　fancies。