第一小说网

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第98部分（第2页）

〃The　advice　is　good；〃　said　Kuai　Yue。　〃Opportunism　is　a　policy；　and　possibilities　need　consideration。　In　the　name　of　government；　Cao　Cao　is　fighting　against　his　neighbors。　If　our　lord　opposes　him；　he　will　be　termed　contumacious。　Beside；　any　misfortune　on　our　borders　before　our　young　lord　is　well　established　will　react　upon　the　internal　administration；　and　our　people　will　be　panic…stricken　at　the　mere　news　of　the　approach　of　a　hostile　army。　How　could　we　then　offer　any　resistance？〃

Liu　Zong　replied；　〃It　is　not　that　I　disagree　with　you；　but　I　should　be　a　laughing　stock　to　the　whole　world　were　I　to　abandon　my　heritage　without　an　effort。〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　speaker　who　said；　〃If　their　advice　is　good；　why　not　follow　it？〃

They　turned　toward　the　speaker　who　was　a　certain　Wang　Can　of　Shanyang；　a　lean；　cadaverous　individual　much　below　the　middle　height　of　a　man。

However；　his　talents　did　not　conform　to　his　physical　appearance。　When　he　was　yet　a　youth；　he　went　to　visit　Minister　Cai　Yong；　then　a　vice…chairman　of　the　Secretariat；　and　although　many　guests　of　exalted　rank　were　present；　the　host　hastened　to　wele　the　newer　with　the　greatest　deference。　The　others　were　astonished　and　asked　why　he　was　so　respectful　to　a　mere　youth。

〃He　is　a　young　man　with　the　highest　gifts；〃　said　Cai　Yong。

Wang　Can　was　widely　read　and　had　a　most　retentive　memory；　better　than　any　of　his　contemporaries。　If　he　glanced　at　a　roadside　monument　as　he　passed；　he　remembered　every　word　of　the　inscription。　If　he　saw　people　playing　chess　and　the　board　was　suddenly　overthrown；　he　could　replace　every　pip　in　its　proper　place。　He　was　a　good　mathematician　and　his　poems　were　exquisite。　At　seventeen　he　was　appointed　a　court　official　but　did　not　take　up　the　appointment。　When　the　disturbance　in　the　empire　grew　serious；　he　sought　refuge　in　Jingzhou；　where　he　was　received　with　great　honor　as　guest　of　the　Imperial　Protector。

What　he　said　was　this；　〃General；　how　do　you　pare　with　Cao　Cao？〃

〃Inferior；〃　replied　Liu　Zong。

Wang　Can　continued；　〃Cao　Cao　has　many　soldiers　and　bold　leaders。　He　is　able　and　resourceful。　He　took　Lu　Bu　at　Xiapi　and　broke　the　power　of　Yuan　Shao　at　Guandu。　He　pursued　Liu　Bei　into　Longyou　and　destroyed　Mao　Dun　at　White　Wolf　Hills。　The　destruction　of　such　firmly　established　men　shows　his　invincible　character。　Now　he　is　on　the　way　here；　and　it　will　be　very　difficult　to　withstand　him。　The　plan　proposed　is　the　best　you　can　expect；　and　you　should　not　delay　and　hesitate　till　it　is　too　late　for　ought　but　regret。〃

〃Worthy　Sir；　you　indeed　speak　to　the　point。　I　must　inform　my　mother；〃　said　the　young　ruler。

But　just　then　they　saw　his　mother　appear　from　behind　a　screen。　She　had　been　listening　to　all　that　was　said。

〃Why　refer　to　me　when　three　such　gentlemen　coincide　in　their　opinions？〃　said　Lady　Cai。

So　Liu　Zong　decided；　and　the　letter　of　surrender　was　posed　and　entrusted　to　one　Song　Zhong　to　convey　secretly　to　Cao　Cao。　Song　Zhong　went　straight　to　Wancheng　and　presented　the　letter。　It　was　received　with　joy；　and　the　bearer　well　rewarded。

The　submission　was　accepted；　and　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Tell　Liu　Zong　to　go　out　to　meet　me　in　the　open　country；　and　he　will　be　in　perpetual　tenure　of　his　land。〃

Song　Zhong　left　the　city　and　took　the　homeward　way。　He　had　nearly　reached　the　ferry　when　he　fell　in　with　a　party　of　horse。　On　a　closer　look　he　saw　the　leader　was　Guan　Yu。　The　messenger　tried　to　escape　observation；　but　was　presently　captured　and　taken　to　the　leader　to　be　questioned。　At　first　he　prevaricated　but　on　being　closely　questioned　told　the　whole　story。　Then　he　was　carried　off　to　Xinye　and　made　to　retell　his　story　to　Liu　Bei　who　heard　it　with　lamentations。

Zhang　Fei　said；　〃This　being　so；　I　propose　that　we　put　this　fellow　to　death；　then　cross　the　river；　attack　Xiangyang；　and　make　an　end　of　the　Cai　tribe　and　Liu　Zong　as　well。　Then　we　can　attack　Cao　Cao。〃

But　Liu　Bei　replied；　〃Hold　on。　I　have　something　more　to　say。〃

Then　turning　to　the　prisoner；　Liu　Bei　shouted；　〃When　they　did　all　this；　why　did　you　not　e　to　tell　me？　As　things　are　now；　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　killing　you。　You　may　go。〃

Song　Zhong　stammered　his　thanks；　threw　his　arms　over　his　head；　and　ran　away。　Liu　Bei　was　very　sad。

Presently　Yi　Ji　from　Jiangxia　was　announced。　Liu　Bei　was　very　fond　of　this　man　and　went　down　the　steps　to　wele　him。

Then　said　Yi　Ji；　〃The　heir　has　heard　that　his　father　is　dead；　but　his　stepmother　and　her　family　are　keeping　back　the　news　so　that　they　may　set　up　Liu　Zong。　He　knows　the　news　is　true；　as　he　sent　a　special　messenger　to　find　out。　He　thinks　you；　O　Prince；　may　not　know　and　has　sent　me　to　inform　you；　and　his　letter　begs　you　to　lead　all　the　troops　you　can　to　Xiangyang　to　help　him　assert　his　claims。〃

Liu　Bei　opened　and　read　the　letter。

Then　he　said；　〃Yes；　you　know　that　the　younger　son　has　usurped　the　lordship；　but　you　have　not　heard　that　he　has　already　sent　to　offer　Jingzhou　to　Cao　Cao。〃

This　news　shocked　Yi　Ji；　who　asked；　〃How　know　you　this？〃

Liu　Bei　told　of　the　capture　of　Song　Zhong。

Yi　Ji　said；　〃You　can　go　to　Xiangyang　as　if　to　attend　the　mourning　ceremonies　and　so　draw　Liu　Zong　into　ing　out　of　the　city　to　wele　you。　Then　you　can　seize　him；　slay　his　party；　and　take　the　region。〃

〃Your　advice　is　good；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃and　my　lord　ought　to　take　it。〃

Liu　Bei　wept；　saying；　〃In　his　last　interview；　my　brother　confided　his　son　and　heir　to　my　care。　If　I　lay　hands　upon　another　son　and　seize　upon　the　inheritance；　how　shall　I　be　able　to　look　my　brother　in　the　face　when　I　meet　him　by　and　by　beyond　the　grave？〃

〃If　you　do　not　act　in　this　way　now；　how　will　you　repel　Cao　Cao；　who　has　already　reached　Wancheng？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Our　best　plan　is　to　take　refuge　in　Fancheng；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。

Just　about　this　time　the　spies　came　to　say　that　Cao　Caos　army　had　reached　Bowang。　So　Yi　Ji　was　sent　off　with　instructions　to　take　measures　for　the　defense　of　Jiangxia；　while　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　discussed　plans　for　meeting　the　enemy。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃My　lord　should　not　worry。　We