三国演义英文版-第150章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ce　given　by　Xun　You　to　destroy　Yuan　Shao's　supplies　at　Wuchao。　Now　Cao　Cao　has　over　eight　hundred　thousand　troops　while　I　have　but　fifty　or　sixty　thousand。　In　order　to　defeat　him；　his　supplies　must　be　destroyed　first。　I　have　found　out　that　the　main　depot　is　at　the　Iron　Pile　Mountains。　As　you　have　lived　hereabout；　you　know　the　topography　quite　well；　and　I　wish　to　entrust　the　task　of　cutting　off　supplies　to　you　and　your　colleagues　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun。　I　will　assist　you　with　a　thousand　soldiers。　I　wish　you　to　start　without　delay。　In　this　way　we　can　best　serve　our　masters。〃
Zhuge　Liang　saw　through　this　at　once。　He　thought　to　himself；　〃This　is　a　ruse　in　revenge　for　my　not　having　been　persuaded　to　enter　the　service　of　the　South　Land。　If　I　refuse；　I　shall　be　laughed　at。　So　I　will　do　as　he　asks　and　trust　to　find　some　means　of　deliverance　from　the　evil　he　intends。〃
Therefore　Zhuge　Liang　accepted　the　task　with　alacrity；　much　to　the　joy　of　Zhou　Yu。
After　the　leader　of　the　expedition　had　taken　his　leave；　Lu　Su　went　to　Zhou　Yu　secretly　and　said；　〃Why　have　you　set　him　this　task？〃
〃Because　I　wish　to　pass　his　death　without　appearing　ridiculous。　I　hope　to　get　him　killed　by　the　hand　of　Cao　Cao　and　prevent　his　doing　further　mischief。〃
Lu　Su　left　and　went　to　see　Zhuge　Liang　to　find　out　if　he　suspected　anything。　Lu　Su　found　him　looking　quite　unconcerned　and　getting　the　soldiers　ready　to　march。
Unable　to　let　Zhuge　Liang　go　without　a　warning；　however；　Lu　Su　put　a　tentative　question；　〃Do　you　think　this　expedition　will　succeed？〃
Zhuge　Liang　laughingly　replied；　〃I　am　an　adept　at　all　sorts　of　fighting；　with　foot；　horse；　and　chariots　on　land　and　marines　on　the　water。　There　is　no　doubt　of　my　success。　I　am　not　like　you　and　your　friend；　only　capable　in　one　direction。〃
〃What　do　you　mean　by　our　being　capable　only　in　one　direction？〃　said　Lu　Su。
〃I　have　heard　the　street　children　in　your　country　singing：

〃To　lay　an　ambush；　hold　a　pass；
Lu　Su　is　the　man　to　choose；
But　when　you　on　the　water　fight；
Zhou　Yu　is　the　man　to　use。

〃You　are　only　fit　for　ambushes　and　guarding　passes　on　land；　just　as　Zhou　Yu　only　understands　fighting　on　the　water；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
Lu　Su　carried　this　story　to　Zhou　Yu；　which　only　incensed　him　the　more　against　Zhuge　Liang。
〃How　dare　he　flout　me；　saying　I　cannot　fight　a　land　battle？　I　will　not　let　him　go。　I　will　go　myself　with　ten　thousand　troops　and　cut　off　Cao　Cao's　supplies。〃
Lu　Su　went　back　and　told　this　to　Zhuge　Liang；　who　smiled　and　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　only　wanted　me　to　go　on　this　expedition　because　he　wanted　Cao　Cao　to　kill　me。　And　so　I　teased　him　a　little。　But　he　cannot　bear　that。　Now　is　the　critical　moment；　and　Marquis　Sun　Quan　and　my　master　must　act　in　harmony　if　we　are　to　succeed。　If　each　one　tries　to　harm　the　other；　the　whole　scheme　will　fail。　Cao　Cao　is　no　fool；　and　it　is　he　who　usually　attack　enemies　through　cutting　off　their　supplies。　Do　you　not　think　Cao　Cao　has　already　taken　double　precautions　against　any　surprise　of　his　own　depot？　If　Zhou　Yu　tries；　he　will　be　taken　prisoner。　What　he　ought　to　do　is　to　bring　about　a　decisive　naval　battle；　whereby　to　dishearten　the　northern　soldiers；　and　then　find　some　other　means　to　defeat　them　utterly。　If　you　could　persuade　him　what　his　best　course　was；　it　would　be　well。〃
Without　loss　of　time；　Lu　Su　went　to　Zhou　Yu　to　relate　what　Zhuge　Liang　had　told　him。
Zhou　Yu　shook　his　head　when　he　heard　it　and　beat　the　ground　with　his　foot；　saying；　〃This　man　is　far　too　clever。　He　beats　me　ten　to　one。　He　will　have　to　be　done　away　with；　or　the　South　Land　will　suffer。〃
Said　Lu　Su；　〃This　is　the　moment　to　use　people。　You　must　think　of　the　country's　good　first　of　all。　When　once　Cao　Cao　is　defeated；　you　may　do　as　you　please。〃
Zhou　Yu　had　to　confess　the　reasonableness　of　this。
Liu　Bei　had　ordered　his　nephew　Liu　Qi　to　hold　Jiangxia；　while　he　and　the　bulk　of　the　army　returned　to　Xiakou。　Thence　he　saw　the　opposite　bank　thick　with　banners　and　flags　and　glittering　with　every　kind　of　arms　and　armors。　He　knew　then　that　the　expedition　from　the　South　Land　had　started。　So　he　moved　all　his　force　from　Jiangxia　to　Fankou。
Then　he　assembled　his　officers　and　said　to　them；　〃Zhuge　Liang　went　to　Wu　some　time　ago；　and　no　word　has　e　from　him；　so　I　know　not　how　the　business　stands。　Will　anyone　volunteer　to　go　to　find　out？〃
〃I　will　go；〃　said　Mi　Zhu。
So　presents　were　prepared　and　gifts　of　flesh　and　wine；　and　Mi　Zhu　prepared　to　journey　to　the　South　Land　on　the　pretext　of　offering　a　congratulatory　feast　to　the　army。　He　set　out　in　a　small　ship　and　went　down　river。　He　stopped　opposite　the　camp；　and　the　soldiers　reported　his　arrival　to　Zhou　Yu；　who　ordered　him　to　be　brought　in。　Mi　Zhu　bowed　low　and　expressed　the　respect　which　Liu　Bei　had　for　Zhou　Yu　and　offered　the　various　gifts。　The　ceremony　of　reception　was　followed　by　a　banquet　in　honor　of　the　guest。
Mi　Zhu　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　been　here　a　long　time；　and　I　desire　that　he　may　return　with　me。〃
〃Zhuge　Liang　is　making　plans　with　me；　and　I　could　not　let　him　return；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃I　also　wish　to　see　Liu　Bei　that　we　may　make　joint　plans。　But　when　one　is　at　the　head　of　a　great　army；　one　cannot　get　away　even　for　a　moment。　If　your　master　would　only　e　here；　it　would　be　very　gracious　on　his　part。〃
Mi　Zhu　agreed　that　Liu　Bei　might　e　and　presently　took　his　leave。
Then　Lu　Su　asked　Zhou　Yu；　〃What　is　your　reason　for　desiring　Liu　Bei　to　e？〃
〃Liu　Bei　is　the　one　bold　and　dangerous　man　and　must　be　removed。　I　am　taking　this　opportunity　to　persuade　him　to　e。　When　he　shall　be　slain；　a　great　danger　will　cease　to　threaten　our　interests。〃
Lu　Su　tried　to　dissuade　him　from　this　scheme；　but　Zhou　Yu　was　deaf　to　all　Lu　Su　said。
Zhou　Yu　even　issued　orders：　〃Arrange　half　a　hundred　executioners　to　be　ready　to　hide　within　the　lining　of　the　tent　if　Liu　Bei　decides　to　e；　and　when　I　drop　a　cup；　that　will　be　a　signal　for　them　to　fall　on　and　slay　him。〃
Mi　Zhu　returned　and　told　Liu　Bei　that　his　presence　was　desired　by　Zhou　Yu。　Suspecting　nothing；　Liu　Bei　at　once　ordered　them　to　prepare　a　fast　vessel　to　take　him　without　loss　of　time。
Guan　Yu　was　opposed　to　his　going；　saying；　〃Zhou　Yu　is　artful　and　treacherous；　and　there　is　no　news　from　Zhuge　Liang。　Pray　think　more　carefully。〃
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃I　have　joined　my　forces　to　theirs　in　this　attack　on　our　mon　enemy。　If　Zhou　Yu　wishes　to　see　me　and　I　refuse　to　go；　it　is　a　betrayal。　Nothing　will　succeed　if　both　sides　nourish　suspicions。〃
〃If　you　have　finally　decided　to　go；　then　will　I　go　with　you；〃　said　Guan　Yu。
〃And　I　also；〃　cried　Zhang　Fei。
But　Liu　Bei　said；　〃Let　Guan　Yu　e　with　me　while　you　and　Zhao　Yun　keep　guard。　Jian　Yong　will　hold　Exian。　I　shall　not　be　away　long。〃
So　leaving　these　orders；　Liu　Bei　embarked　with　Guan　Yu　on　a　small　boat。　The　escort　did　not　exceed　twenty。　The　light　craft　traveled　very　quickly　down　the　river。　Liu　Bei　rejoiced　greatly　at　the　sight　of　the　war　vessels　in　tiers　by　the　bank；　the　soldiers　in　their　breastplates；　and　all　the　pomp　and　panoply　of　war。　All　was　in　excellent　order。
As　soon　as　he　arrived；　the　guards　ran　to　tell　Zhou　Yu。
〃How　many　ships　has　he？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。
They　replied；　〃Only　one；　and　the　escort　is　only　about　a　score。〃
〃His　fate　is　sealed；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。
Zhou　Yu　sent　for　the　executioners　and　placed　them　in　hiding　between　the　outer　and　inner　tents；　and　when　all　was　arranged　for　the　assassination　he　contemplated；　he　went　out　to　receive　his　visitor。　Liu　Bei　came　with　his　brother　and　escort　into　the　midst　of　the　army　to　the　mander's　tent。
After　the　salutations；　Zhou　Yu　wished　Liu　Bei　to　take　the　upper　seat；　but　he　declined　saying；　〃General；　you　are　famous　throughout　all　the　empire；　while　I　am　a　nobody。　Do　not　overwhelm　me　with　too　great　deference。〃
So　they　took　the　positions　of　simple　friends；　and　refreshments　were　brought　in。
Now　by　chance　Zhuge　Liang　came　on　shore　and　heard　that　his　master　had　arrived　and　was　with　the　mander…in…Chief。　The　news　gave　Zhuge　Liang　a　great　shock；　and　he　said　to　himself；　〃What　is　to　be　done　now？〃
He　made　his　way　to　the　reception　tent　and　stole　a　look　therein。　He　saw　murder　written　on　Zhou　Yu's　countenance　and　noted　the　assassins　hidden　within　the　walls　of　the　tent。　Then　he　got　a　look　at　Liu　Bei；　who　was　laughing　and　talking　quite　unconcernedly。　But　when　he　noticed　the