第一小说网

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第136部分（第2页）

Lu　Su　had　the　coffin　of　Zhou　Yu　taken　to　Wuhu；　where　Sun　Quan　received　it　with　sacrifices　and　lamentations。　The　dead　leader　was　buried　in　his　native　place。

Zhou　Yus　family　consisted　of　two　sons　and　a　daughter；　the　children　being　named　Zhou　Xun；　Zhou　Yin；　and　Zhou　Ying。　Sun　Quan　treated　them　with　generosity　and　tenderness。

Lu　Su　was　not　satisfied　that　he　was　the　fittest　successor　to　his　late　chief　and　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　was　not　right　in　remending　me；　for　I　have　not　the　requisite　ability　and　am　unfitted　for　this　post。　But　I　can　mend　to　you　a　certain　able　man；　conversant　with　all　knowledge；　and　a　most　capable　strategist；　not　inferior　to　the　old　Guan　Zhong　or　Yue　Yi；　one　whose　plans　are　as　good　as　those　of　Sun　Zi　and　Wu　Qi；　the　most　famous　masters　of　the　Art　of　War。　Zhou　Yu　often　took　his　advice；　and　Zhuge　Liang　believes　in　him。　And　he　is　at　hand。〃

This　was　good　news　for　Sun　Quan；　who　asked　the　mans　name；　and　when　he　heard　it　was　Pang　Tong　or　Young　Phoenix；　he　replied；　〃Yes；　I　know　him　by　reputation。　Let　him　e。〃

Whereupon　Pang　Tong　was　invited　to　the　palace　and　introduced。　The　formal　salutations　over；　Sun　Quan　was　disappointed　with　the　mans　appearance；　which　was　indeed　extraordinary。　Pang　Tong　had　bushy　eyebrows；　a　turned…up　nose；　and　a　stubby　beard。　So　Sun　Quan　was　prejudiced　against　Pang　Tong。

〃What　have　you　studied；〃　asked　Sun　Quan；　〃and　what　are　you　master　of？〃

Pang　Tong　replied；　〃One　must　not　be　narrow　and　obstinate；　one　must　change　with　circumstances。〃

〃How　does　your　learning　pare　with　that　of　Zhou　Yu？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。

〃My　learning　is　not　to　be　pared　with　his　in　the　least。　Mine　is　far　greater。〃

Now　Sun　Quan　had　always　loved　his　late　general；　and　he　could　not　bear　to　hear　him　disparaged。　This　speech　of　Pang　Tong　only　increased　his　dislike。

So　Sun　Quan　said；　〃You　may　retire；　Sir。　I　will　send　for　you　when　I　can　employ　you。〃

Pang　Tong　uttered　one　long　sigh　and　went　away。

When　he　had　gone；　Lu　Su　said；　〃My　lord；　why　not　employ　him？〃

〃What　good　would　result？　He　is　just　one　of　those　mad　fellows。〃

〃He　did　good　service　at　the　Red　Cliffs　fight；　however；　for　it　was　he　who　got　Cao　Cao　to　chain　his　ships　together。〃

〃It　was　simply　that　Cao　Cao　wished　to　chain　his　ships　together。　No　credit　was　due　to　this　fellow。　In　any　case　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　will　not　employ　him。　That　much　is　certain。〃

Lu　Su　went　out　and　explained　to　Pang　Tong　that　the　failure　was　not　due　to　lack　of　remendation；　but　simply　a　whim　of　Sun　Quan；　and　he　must　put　up　with　it。　The　disappointed　suitor　hung　his　head　and　sighed　many　times　without　speaking。

〃I　fear　you　are　doomed　to　constant　disappointment　here；〃　said　Lu　Su。　〃There　is　nothing　you　can　hope　for；　eh？〃

But　still　Pang　Tong　was　silent。

〃With　your　wonderful　gifts；　of　course　you　will　be　successful　whithersoever　you　may　go。　You　may　take　my　word　for　that。　But　to　whom　will　you　go？〃

〃I　think　I　will　join　Cao　Cao；〃　said　Pang　Tong　suddenly。

〃That　would　be　hinging　a　gleaming　pearl　into　darkness。　Rather　go　to　Liu　Bei；　who　would　appreciate　you　and　employ　you　fittingly。〃

〃The　truth　is　that　I　have　been　thinking　of　this　for　a　long　time；〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃I　was　only　joking　just　now。〃

〃I　will　give　you　a　letter　to　Liu　Bei。　And　if　you　go　to　him；　you　must　try　to　maintain　peace　between　him　and　my　lord　and　get　them　to　act　together　against　Cao　Cao。〃

〃That　has　been　the　one　desire　of　my　life。〃

Pang　Tong　took　the　letter　offered　by　Lu　Su　and　soon　made　his　way　to　Jingzhou　City。　He　arrived　at　a　moment　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　absent　on　an　inspection　journey；　but　the　doorkeeper　announced　him　and　said　he　had　e　to　throw　in　his　lot　with　Liu　Bei。　He　was　received；　for　he　was　no　stranger　in　name。

When　Pang　Tong　was　admitted；　he　made　the　ordinary　salutation　but　did　not　make　an　obeisance　and　this；　coupled　with　his　ugly　face；　did　not　please　his　host。

〃You　have　e　a　long　and　arduous　journey；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

At　this　point　the　suitor　should　have　produced　his　letters　from　Zhuge　Liang　and　Lu　Su；　but　did　not。

Instead　he　replied；　〃I　hear；　O　Imperial　Uncle；　that　you　are　weling　the　wise　and　receiving　scholars；　wherefore　I　have　e　to　join　your　service。〃

〃The　country　is　decently　peaceful　now；　and　unfortunately　there　is　no　office　vacant。　But　away　to　the　northeast　there　is　a　small　magistracy；　Leiyang；　which　needs　a　chief。　I　can　offer　you　that　post　until　there　should　be　something　more　fitting。〃

Pang　Tong　thought　this　rather　poor　wele　for　a　person　of　his　talent。　But　his　friend　was　absent；　so　he　could　do　nothing　but　control　his　annoyance　and　accept。　He　took　his　leave　and　started。

But　when　he　arrived　at　his　post；　he　paid　no　attention　to　business　at　all。　He　gave　himself　up　entirely　to　dissipation。　The　taxes　were　not　collected　nor　were　lawsuits　decided。

News　of　this　reaching　Liu　Bei；　who　was　angry　and　said；　〃Here　is　this　stiff…necked　pedant　throwing　my　administration　into　disorder。〃

So　Liu　Bei　sent　Zhang　Fei　to　the　county　with　orders　to　make　a　general　inspection　of　the　whole　county　and　look　into　any　irregularities　and　disorders。　But　as　Liu　Bei　thought　there　might　be　some　tact　needed；　Sun　Qian　was　also　sent　as　coadjutor。

In　due　course　the　inquisitors　arrived　at　Leiyang；　where　they　were　received　by　the　officials　and　weled　by　the　people　at　the　boundary。　But　the　Magistrate　did　not　appear。

〃Where　is　the　Magistrate？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。

〃Ever　since　his　arrival；　a　hundred　days　ago　and　more；　he　has　attended　to　no