第一小说网

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第150部分（第1页）

Pass　and　Fucheng　are　both　yours。　Chengdu　will　follow　soon。　The　third　plan　is　to　drop　this　role　you　have　been　playing；　go　back　to　Jingzhou　and　make　a　regular　invasion。　But　if　you　ponder　these　schemes　too　long；　you　will　get　into　such　straits　that　nothing　can　save　you。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃Of　your　three　schemes；　O　Instructor；　I　find　the　first　too　summary　and　the　last　too　slow。　I　choose　the　second　scheme；　which　is　neither。〃

So　a　letter　was　written　to　Liu　Zhang　saying　that　Cao　Cao　was　sending　an　army　against　Qingni；　and　since　the　generals　there　were　unequal　to　the　defense；　Liu　Bei　had　to　go　to　help。　As　the　matter　was　pressing；　there　could　be　no　personal　leave…taking。

〃I　knew　that　the　real　desire　of　Liu　Bei　was　to　return　to　Jingzhou；〃　said　Zhang　Song；　when　he　heard　of　the　letter　to　Liu　Zhang。

Zhang　Song　then　also　posed　a　letter　to　Liu　Bei。　While　he　was　looking　about　for　a　trusty　person　to　take　it；　his　brother　Zhang　Su；　who　was　the　Governor　of　Guanghan；　came　to　see　him。　Zhang　Song　hid　the　letter　in　his　sleeve　while　he　talked　with　his　brother。　Zhang　Su　noticed　his　anxious　inquietude；　which　he　could　not　explain。　Wine　was　brought　in　and；　as　the　two　brothers　chatted　over　it；　the　letter　dropped　to　the　floor　unnoticed　by　Zhang　Song。　One　of　Zhang　Sus　servants　saw　it；　picked　it　up；　and　gave　it　to　his　master；　who　opened　and　read　it。

This　is　about　how　it　ran：

〃What　I　said　to　you　lately　was　not　mere　meaningless　talk。　Why；　then；　postpone　action？　The　ancients　valued　the　person　who　took　by　force　and　held　by　conciliation。　If　you　act　at　once；　the　whole　matter　is　in　your　hand。　Why　abandon　all　and　return　to　Jingzhou？　Surely　I　do　not　hear　aright！　When　you　get　this　letter；　attack　without　a　moments　delay　and　remember　that　I　am　your　ally　on　the　inside。　Above　all；　no　delay！〃

〃This　plot　of　my　brothers　will　end　in　the　destruction　of　the　whole　family；〃　said　Zhang　Su。　〃I　must　get　in　the　first　word。〃

So　at　once　he　went　in　and　laid　the　whole　matter　before　the　Imperial　Protector。

〃I　have　always　treated　your　brother　so　well！〃　said　Liu　Zhang；　very　angry。

Liu　Zhang　issued　orders　to　arrest　Zhang　Song　and　behead　him　and　all　his　household　in　the　market　place。

Zhang　Song；　such　as　he　have　been　but　few；

Little　thought　he　that　a　letter　would　betray

When　he　plotted　for　another。　But　success　he　never　knew；

For　himself　there　opened　out　a　gory　way。

Having　thus　learned　of　a　real　conspiracy　to　deprive　him　of　his　heritage；　Liu　Zhang　assembled　his　officers　and　asked　their　advice。

Huang　Quan　spoke　out；　saying；　〃Prompt　action　is　needed。　Send　to　every　strategic　point　telling　them　to　increase　the　garrisons　and　keep　careful　guard　and；　above　all；　prevent　the　entrance　of　any　person　from　Jingzhou。〃

Such　orders　were　sent　to　all　points　of　vantage　where　were　garrisons。

In　the　meantime；　carrying　out　Pang　Tongs　scheme；　Liu　Bei　had　marched　down　to　Fucheng；　where　he　halted　and　sent　in　a　messenger　to　invite　the　two　generals　to　e　forth　and　say　farewell。　But　they　did　not　respond　immediately　to　this　invitation。

〃What　is　the　real　meaning　of　this　retirement？〃　said　one　to　the　other。

〃This　Liu　Bei　ought　to　die；〃　said　Gao　Pei。　〃Let　us　hide　daggers　under　our　dress　and　stab　him　at　the　place　of　farewell。　That　will　end　all　our　lords　troubles。〃

〃A　most　excellent　plan；〃　said　Yang　Huai。

So　they　two；　taking　only　a　small　escort　of　two　hundred；　went　down　out　of　the　Pass　to　say　goodbye。　Most　of　their　forces　were　left　in　the　camp。

On　the　way　down　to　River　Fu；　Pang　Tong　had　said　to　his　master；　〃You　have　need　to　be　on　your　guard　against　those　two　if　they　e　to　bid　you　farewell。　If　they　do　not　e；　then　the　Pass　must　be　attacked　without　delay。〃

Just　as　he　said　this；　a　violent　gust　of　wind　overthrew　the　leading　flag　of　the　army；　and　Liu　Bei　asked　what　this　portended。

〃That　means　a　surprise。　Those　two　intend　to　assassinate　you；　so　be　on　your　guard。〃

Accordingly；　Liu　Bei　put　on　double　armor　and　girded　on　his　sword　in　readiness。　When　the　two　generals　arrived；　the　army　halted　while　the　generals　should　pay　the　farewell　visit。

Then　Pang　Tong　said　to　his　two　generals；　Wei　Yan　and　Huang　Zhong；　〃However　many　soldiers　e　down　from　the　Pass；　see　to　it　that　none　return。〃

The　two　generals　of　West　River　Land；　Yang　Huai　and　Gao　Pei；　armed　with　hidden　daggers；　came　up；　their　escort　bearing　gifts　of　sheep　and　wine。　They　marked　no　precautions　being　taken　against　an　attack　and　began　to　think　their　task　of　murder　would　be　an　easy　one。　They　were　led　in　to　where　Liu　Bei　sat　under　a　tent；　his　adviser　with　him。

They　said；　〃We　hear；　O　Imperial　Uncle；　that　you　contemplate　a　long　march；　and　therefore　we　e　to　offer　a　few　poor　gifts　to　speed　you　on　your　way。〃

The　cups　of　farewell　were　duly　filled。

Then　Liu　Bei　replied；　〃You　have　a　heavy　responsibility　to　defend　the　Pass；　Generals。　I　pray　you　drink　first。〃

They　drank。　Then　Liu　Bei　said；　〃I　have　a　secret　matter　to　talk　over　with　you。〃

So　all　the　two　hundred　soldiers　of　the　escort　were　sent　away　and　led　to　the　midst　of　the　camp。

As　soon　as　they　had　gone；　Liu　Bei　shouted；　〃My　generals；　lay　hands　upon　these　two　rebels！〃

Thereupon　Liu　Feng　and　Guan　Ping　rushed　out　from　behind　the　tent。　The　two　generals　of　the　Pass　were　taken　aback；　but　began　to　struggle。　However；　Liu　Feng　and　Guan　Ping　each　seized　one　man　and　held　him。

〃Your　lord　and　I　are　of　the　same　house；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Why　then　have　you　plotted　against　me　and　conspired　to　sow　enmity　between　us？〃

Pang　Tong　bade　them　search　the　captives；　and　the　hidden　daggers　were　found。　So　both　were　ordered　to　immediate　execution。　However；　Liu　Bei　hesitated　and　was　unwilling　to　confirm　the　sentence　and　put　them　to　death。　But　his　adviser　insisted　that　they　were　worthy　of　death　for　the　assassination　they　had　penned；　and　bade　the　executioners　fall　on。　So　the　two　men　were　beheaded。　Of　their　following　not　one　had　been　allowed　to　slip　away。