第一小说网

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第160部分（第2页）

〃How　shall　I　answer　him？〃

〃You　must　do　so　and　so；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

The　plan　of　action　being　prepared；　Zhuge　Liang　went　out　of　the　city　to　wele　his　brother。　But　instead　of　taking　him　to　his　own　residence；　Zhuge　Liang　took　him　to　the　guest…house。　When　the　greetings　were　over；　the　visitor　suddenly　lifted　up　his　voice　and　wept。

〃If　you　have　any　trouble；　my　brother；　pray　tell。　Why　do　you　weep　thus？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Alas！　My　family　are　lost！〃　cried　he。

〃I　suppose　it　is　in　the　matter　of　the　return　of　Jingzhou？　If　your　family　have　been　seized　on　my　account；　how　can　I　bear　it　calmly？　But　do　not　be　anxious；　my　brother。　I　shall　certainly　find　some　way　out　of　the　difficulty。〃

This　reply　pleased　Zhuge　Jin；　and　the　two　brothers　went　to　visit　Liu　Bei。

The　letter　of　Sun　Quan　was　presented；　but　when　Liu　Bei　had　read　it　he　said；　angrily；　〃He　is　related　to　me　by　marriage；　and　he　has　profited　by　my　absence　from　Jingzhou　to　steal　away　his　sister。　That　is　a　sort　of　kindliness　I　find　it　hard　to　bear。　When　I　am　just　going　to　lead　my　army　to　the　South　Land　to　take　vengeance；　is　it　likely　he　will　get　Jingzhou　out　of　me？〃

At　this　point　Zhuge　Liang　prostrated　himself　weeping　at　his　lords　feet　and　said；　〃The　Marquis　of　Wu　has　seized　my　brothers　family；　and　he　will　put　them　all　to　death　if　the　land　be　not　given　up。　Can　I　remain　alive　if　such　a　fate　befall　them？　I　pray　my　lord　for　my　sake　to　give　back　the　region　and　prevent　any　breach　between　my　brother　and　me。〃

But　Liu　Bei　refused。　He　seemed　obdurate；　but　Zhuge　Liang　persisted　in　his　entreaty。　Finally　Liu　Bei　reluctantly　consented。

〃Since　things　are　so；　and　the　Instructor　pleads　for　it；　I　will　return　half；〃　said　he。　〃I　will　give　up　three　territories………Changsha；　Lingling；　and　Guiyang。〃

〃Then；　as　you　have　consented；　prepare　letters　ordering　Guan　Yu　to　yield　these　three　territories；〃　said　Zhuge　Jin。

Liu　Bei　said；　〃When　you　see　my　brother；　you　must　use　most　gracious　words　to　him；　for　his　nature　is　as　a　fierce　fire；　and　even　I　fear　what　he　may　do。　So　be　very　careful。〃

Zhuge　Jin；　having　got　the　letter；　took　his　leave　and　went　straightway　to　Jingzhou。　He　asked　for　an　interview；　and　was　received　in　the　grand　reception　hall。

When　both　were　seated　in　their　respective　places；　the　emissary　produced　the　letter　of　Liu　Bei；　saying；　〃The　Imperial　Uncle　has　promised　to　return　three　territories　to　my　master；　and　I　hope；　General；　you　will　hand　them　over　at　once　and　let　me　return。〃

Guan　Yus　countenance　changed；　and　he　said；　〃The　oath　sworn　in　the　Peach　Garden　bound　me　and　my　brother　to　support　the　dynasty　of　Han。　Jingzhou　is　a　portion　of　their　domain；　and　how　can　any　part　be　given　to　another？　When　a　leader　is　in　the　field；　he　receives　no　orders；　not　even　those　of　his　prince。　Although　you　have　brought　letters　from　my　brother；　yet　will　I　not　yield　the　territories。〃

〃But　the　Marquis　of　Wu　has　laid　hands　upon　my　family；　and　they　will　be　slain　if　the　land　be　not　given　up。　I　crave　your　pity；　O　General！〃

〃This　is　but　a　ruse　on　his　part；　but　it　does　not　deceive　me！〃

〃Why　are　you　so　pitiless？〃

Guan　Yu　drew　his　sword；　saying；　〃Let　us　have　no　more。　This　sword　is　pitiless！〃

〃It　will　put　the　Instructor　to　shame；〃　said　Guan　Ping。　〃I　pray　you　not　to　be　angry；　my　father。〃

〃Were　it　not　for　my　respect　for　the　Instructor；　you　would　never　go　back　to　the　South　Land；〃　said　Guan　Yu　to　Zhuge　Jin。

Zhuge　Jin；　overwhelmed　with　shame；　took　his　leave；　sought　his　ship；　and　hastily　returned　to　Chengdu　to　see　his　brother。　But　Zhuge　Liang　had　gone　away　upon　a　journey。　However；　he　saw　Liu　Bei　and　related　what　had　happened；　and　said　that　Guan　Yu　was　going　to　slay　him。

〃My　brother　is　hasty；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃It　is　difficult　to　argue　with　him。　But　return　home　for　the　present；　and　when　I　have　finished　my　conquest　of　Hanzhong；　I　will　transfer　Guan　Yu　to　another　post；　and　then　I　may　be　able　to　return　Jingzhou。〃

Zhuge　Jin　had　no　choice　but　to　accept　this　reply　and　carry　the　unsatisfactory　news　to　his　master。

Sun　Quan　was　greatly　annoyed　and　said；　〃This　running　to　and　fro　was　nothing　more　than　one　of　your　brothers　tricks。〃

The　unhappy　messenger　denied；　saying；　〃No；　no！　Zhuge　Liang　had　interceded　with　many　tears　and　obtained　the　promise　to　return　three　territories　from　Liu　Bei。　It　was　the　obstinacy　of　Guan　Yu　that　spoiled　all。〃

〃Since　Liu　Bei　said　he　would　return　three　territories；　we　may　send　officials　to　take　over　their　administration。　Think　you　that　might　be　done？〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃What　you　say；　my　lord；　seems　most　proper。〃

The　family　of　Zhuge　Jin　were　restored　to　liberty；　and　officers　were　sent　to　take　charge　of　the　three　territories　of　Changsha；　Lingling；　and　Guiyang。

But　they　quickly　returned；　saying；　〃Guan　Yu　would　have　none　of　us；　but　had　chased　us　away　at　once　with　threats　to　kill　us　if　we　did　not　hasten！〃

Sun　Quan　then　summoned　Lu　Su　and　laid　the　blame　on　him。

〃You　are　Liu　Beis　guarantor　in　this　matter。　How　can　you　sit　quietly　looking　on　while　Liu　Bei　fails　to　perform　his　contract？〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃I　have　thought　out　a　plan　and　was　just　going　to　impart　it　to　you；〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃And　what　is　your　plan？〃

Lu　Su　said；　〃There　is　a　camp　at　Lukou。　Invite　Guan　Yu　to　a　banquet　there　and　try　to　persuade　him。　If　he　still　remains　obstinate；　have　some　assassins　ready　to　slay　him。　Should　he　refuses　the　banquet；　then　we　must　try　conclusions　with　an　army。〃

〃This　suits　me；〃　s