第一小说网

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第206部分（第2页）

Du　Qiong　went　again　to　the　Emperor　and　suggested；　saying；　〃Your　Majesty　should　go　in　person　and　try　to　get　Zhuge　Liang　to　say　what　should　be　done。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　then　returned　to　his　palace　with　the　officials　and　told　the　Empress　Dowager　his　trouble。　She　was　also　alarmed。

〃What　can　he　mean？〃　said　she。　〃This　does　not　look　like　acting　in　the　spirit　of　the　charge　laid　upon　him　by　the　late　Emperor。　Let　me　go　myself。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Dong　Yun。　〃Your　Majesty　must　not　go。　We　think　all　is　well；　and　the　Prime　Minister　certainly　understands　and　will　do　something。　Beside；　you　must　let　His　Majesty　go　first；　and　if　the　Prime　Minister　still　shows　remissness；　then　Your　Majesty　can　summon　him　to　the　Temple　of　the　Dynasty　and　ask　him。〃

So　it　was　left　at　that。　And　the　next　day　the　Emperor　rode　in　his　chariot　to　the　gate　of　his　minister。　When　the　doorkeepers　saw　the　imperial　chariot　appear；　they　fell　upon　their　knees　to　wele　the　Emperor。

〃Where　is　the　Prime　Minister？〃　asked　he。

〃We　do　not　know。　But　we　have　orders　not　to　let　in　the　crowd　of　officers。〃

The　Emperor　then　descended　and　went　on　foot　right　in　to　the　third　gate。　Then　he　saw　Zhuge　Liang　leaning　on　a　staff　beside　a　fishpond　looking　at　the　fish。　The　Latter　Ruler　approached；　and　stood　behind　him　for　a　long　time。

Presently　the　Latter　Ruler　said　slowly　and　with　dignity；　〃Is　the　Prime　Minister　really　enjoying　himself？〃

Zhuge　Liang　started　and　looked　round。　When　he　saw　who　the　speaker　was；　he　suddenly　dropped　his　staff　and　prostrated　himself。

〃I　ought　to　be　put　to　death　ten　thousand　times！〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

But　the　Emperor　put　forth　his　hand　and　helped　him　to　rise；　saying；　〃Cao　Pi　threatens　immediate　invasion　from　five　points。　Why　will　you　not　e　forth　and　attend　to　business？〃

Zhuge　Liang　laughed。　He　conducted　the　Emperor　into　an　inner　room；　and；　when　he　was　seated；　Zhuge　Liang　addressed　the　Emperor；　saying；　〃Could　it　be　possible　that　I　was　ignorant　of　these　five　armies？　I　was　not　looking　at　the　fishes；　I　was　thinking。〃

〃But；　this　being　so；　what　shall　we　do？〃

〃I　have　already　turned　back　that　Kebi　Neng　of　the　Qiangs；　and　Meng　Huo　of　the　Mangs；　and　the　rebel　leader　Meng　Da；　and　the　army　from　Wei。　I　have　also　thought　out　a　plan　to　circumvent　the　army　from　Wu；　but　I　need　a　special　sort　of　person　to　carry　it　out。　I　want　an　envoy；　an　able　talker；　one　capable　of　persuading　other　people。　It　was　because　I　have　not　found　such　a　person　yet　that　I　was　so　deeply　in　thought。　But　Your　Majesty　may　set　your　mind　at　rest　and　not　be　anxious。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　heard　this　half　terrified　and　half　glad。

〃Surely　your　superhuman　devices　are　too　deep　for　the　mortal。　But　may　I　ask　how　these　armies　have　been　made　to　turn　back？〃

〃Since　His　Late　Majesty　bade　me　take　the　best　care　of　your　welfare；　I　dare　not　be　remiss　for　a　single　moment。　Some　officers　in　Chengdu　are　ignorant　of　that　refinement　of　war　which　consists　in　not　allowing　the　enemy　to　guess　your　plans。　How　could　I　let　them　know　anything？　When　I　heard　that　Kebi　Neng；　the　king　of　Qiangs；　might　invade；　I　remembered　that　Ma　Chaos　forefathers　were　friendly　with　those　tribespeople　and　they　had　a　high　opinion　of　Ma　Chao；　calling　him　General　Who　Possesses　Heavenly　Prestige。　So　I　sent　orders　by　dispatch　to　Ma　Chao　to　hold　the　Xiping　Pass；　and　to　prepare　ambushes　in　certain　places　and　change　them　daily　so　as　to　keep　the　Qiangs　off。　That　settled　them。

〃I　sent　hastily　to　the　south　to　order　Wei　Yan　to　move　certain　bodies　of　troops　about　through　the　southwest　territories；　to　be　seen　and　then　to　disappear；　to　go　in　and　e　out；　and　to　march　to　and　fro；　so　that　the　Mangs　should　be　perplexed。　The　Mangs　are　brave；　but　prone　to　doubts　and　hesitations；　and　they　would　not　advance　in　the　face　of　the　unknown。　Hence　there　is　nothing　to　fear　in　that　quarter。

〃I　also　knew　that　Meng　Da　and　our　Li　Yan　were　sworn　friends。　I　had　left　Li　Yan　in　charge　of　the　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace。　I　sent　Li　Yan　a　letter　and　urged　him　to　write　to　Meng　Da；　so　that　Meng　Da　would　feign　illness　and　not　move　his　army。

〃I　sent　Zhao　Yun　to　occupy　Yangping　Pass　and　all　the　strategic　positions　on　the　way　by　which　Cao　Zhen　would　march；　and　bade　him　defend　only　and　not　go　to　the　battle。　If　our　troops　refuse　to　e　out；　Cao　Zhen　will　certainly　have　to　retire。　So　all　those　four　are　settled。　But　for　greater　security　I　have　sent　Zhang　Bao　and　Guan　Xing　each　with　thirty　thousand　troops　to　camp　at　points　whence　they　can　quickly　help　any　of　the　others　who　may　need　it。　And　none　of　these　arrangements　are　known　here。

〃Now　there　is　only　Wu　left　to　deal　with。　Had　the　other　four　armies　succeeded　and　Shu　been　in　danger；　Sun　Quan　would　have　e　to　the　attack。　If　the　others　fail；　I　know　he　will　not　budge；　for　he　will　remember　that　Cao　Pi　has　just　sent　three　armies　to　attack　his　country。　And　this　being　so；　I　want　someone　with　a　ready　tongue　and　ingenious　mind　to　go　and　talk　plainly　to　Sun　Quan。　So　far　I　have　not　found　such　a　person；　and　I　am　perplexed。　I　regret　that　I　have　given　Your　Majesty　occasion　to　make　this　journey。〃

〃The　Empress　Dowager　also　wanted　to　e；〃　said　the　Emperor。　〃But　now　you　have　spoken；　O　Minister　Father；　I　am　as　one　awakened　from　a　dream。　I　shall　grieve　no　more。〃

They　two　drank　a　few　cups　of　wine　together；　and　the　Prime　Minister　escorted　his　master　to　his　chariot。　A　ring　of　courtiers　were　waiting；　and　they　could　not　help　remarking　the　happiness　that　shone　in　their　masters　face。　The　Latter　Ruler　took　his　leave　and　returned　to　his　palace；　but　the　courtiers　did　not　know　what　to　think。

＇e＇　Deng　Yu　wa