三国演义英文版-第200章

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〃But　how　else　am　I　to　fend　off　my　two　enemies？〃
〃Fortify　your　country；　dig　out　your　moats；　and　raise　your　ramparts。　Then　you　can　wait　on　events。〃
〃If　these　rebels　invade　this　land；　the　position　will　be　critical；　as　when　fire　singes　one's　eyebrows。　It　is　idle　talk　to　tell　me　to　wait　on　events。〃
No　notice　was　taken　of　Huang　Quan；　and　Fa　Zheng　was　about　to　set　out　when　another　interfered；　crying；　〃No；　no！〃
This　was　a　secretary；　Wang　Lei。
With　bowed　head　Wang　Lei　stood　and　said；　〃My　lord　will　bring　misfortune　upon　himself　if　he　listens　to　this　Zhang　Song。〃
〃Not　so；　I　make　an　alliance　with　Liu　Bei　in　order　to　withstand　Zhang　Lu。〃
〃Zhang　Lu's　invasion　would　be　but　a　skin　disease。　Liu　Bei's　entry　into　this　country　would　be　a　mortal　malady。　Liu　Bei　is　an　unscrupulous　brave。　He　was　once　in　Cao　Cao's　service　and　plotted　against　him。　Then　he　hung　on　to　Sun　Quan　and　seized　Jingzhou。　This　shows　his　character　and　his　designs。　Think　you　that　you　two　can　dwell　together？　If　you　invite　him；　then　Shu　is　lost！〃
〃No　more　wild　talk！〃　cried　Liu　Zhang　angrily。　〃Liu　Bei　is　of　my　clan　and　family　and　will　not　ravish　me　of　my　possessions。〃
He　bade　the　guards　escort　both　men　outside　and　ordered　Fa　Zheng　to　set　out。　So　he　did；　and　before　long　came　to　Jingzhou。　When　the　salutations　were　over；　Fa　Zheng　presented　his　letter；　which　Liu　Bei　opened　and　read：
〃I；　Liu　Zhang；　a　younger　brother　of　our　family；　now　write　to　General　Liu　Bei。　From　my　humble　place　long　have　I　gazed　in　your　direction；　but　the　roads　of　the　West　River　Land　are　precipitous；　and　I　have　failed　to　send　my　tribute。　This　is　to　my　shame。　The　victims　of　misfortune　aid　each　other；　and　those　in　trouble　support　each　other。　If　friends　act　thus；　how　much　more　should　members　of　the　same　family？　Now　Zhang　Lu　is　mustering　an　army　of　invasion　on　my　northern　frontier；　much　to　the　injury　of　my　tranquillity。　Wherefore　I　send　this　letter　that　you　may　know　of　my　distress。　And　if　you　remember　the　kindly　bonds　of　family　and　will　play　a　brotherly　part　and　lead　your　armies　to　destroy　these　ruffians；　you　will　be　my　eternal　protector　and　I　shall　be　ever　grateful。　This　letter　leaves　much　unsaid；　but　I　await　your　ing。〃
This　letter　greatly　pleased　Liu　Bei。　He　made　a　banquet　for　the　bearer　thereof；　and　when　they　had　mellowed　themselves　with　wine；　he　dismissed　the　attendants　and　spoke　to　Fa　Zheng　in　confidence。
〃Friend；　I　have　long　admired　you；　and　Zhang　Song　extolled　your　virtues。　I　shall　always　feel　grateful　for　this　opportunity　of　hearing　you。〃
Fa　Zheng　bowed；　saying；　〃That　is　too　great　praise　for　a　humble　emissary　from　Shu。　But　they　say　that　horses　always　neighed　in　recognition　of　Bo　Le；　the　supreme　judge　of　horses；　and　when　a　person　has　found　his　lord；　he　dies　for　him。　Have　you　thought　further　of　Zhang　Song's　proposals；　General？〃
〃I　have　always　been　a　wanderer；　often　in　suffering　and　sorrow。　I　have　often　thought　of　the　wren　for　even　that　tiny　bird　has　a　twig　to　rest　on；　and　of　the　cunning　hare；　that　secures　safety　with　three　openings　to　its　burrow。　Does　not　a　person　need　at　least　a　shelter？　Your　land　of　the　west　is　fertile　and　a　temptation；　but　its　ruler　is　of　my　family；　and　I　cannot　plot　against　him。〃
〃Yes；　Yizhou　is　a　very　paradise。　But　without　a　ruler　it　cannot　exist。　Liu　Zhang　knows　not　how　to　use　the　wise　people；　and　his　heritage　must　speedily　pass　to　another。　Today　it　is　offered　to　your　hands；　and　you　must　not　miss　the　opportunity。　You　know　the　saying；　that　the　leader　in　the　hunt　gets　the　quarry。　If　you　will　only　consent；　I　will　serve　you　to　the　death。〃
Liu　Bei　signified　his　gratitude。　Said　he；　〃Let　me　reflect　for　a　time　and　take　advice。〃
The　banquet　terminated　and　the　guest　left。　Zhuge　Liang　conducted　Fa　Zheng　to　his　lodging　while　his　master　sat　thinking。
Then　Pang　Tong　said；　〃You　must　decide………not　to　decide　is　foolish。　You　are　of　high　intelligence；　my　lord；　and　why　do　you　hesitate？〃
〃What　should　my　reply　be？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。
〃You　know　these　surroundings………Sun　Quan　in　the　east　and　Cao　Cao　in　the　north………；　and　with　them　you　cannot　attain　your　ends。　Now　before　you　lies　a　populous；　fertile；　and　rich　land；　a　base　with　the　greatest　possibilities。　You　have　the　promise　of　assistance　from　two　men　within；　and　it　seems　like　a　gift　of　providence。　Why　hesitate？〃
〃Now　there　are　two　men　in　the　world　as　mutually　antagonistic　as　fire　and　water。　My　opposite　is　Cao　Cao。　He　is　impetuous　and　I　am　long　suffering；　he　is　cruel　and　I　am　humane；　he　feigns　while　I　am　true。　In　all　particulars　I　act　the　direct　contrary　to　him。　I　refuse　to　risk　the　loss　of　the　confidence　and　trust　of　the　world　for　a　trifling　advantage。〃

＇e＇　King　Tang　founder　of　the　Shang　Dynasty。　。。。。。
＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。
Pang　Tong　smiled　at　these　sentiments；　saying；　〃My　lord's　words　are　quite　in　accord　with　abstract　rectitude；　but　such　ideas　scarcely　suit　the　days　of　rebellion。　There　are　other　ways　of　fighting　than　with　warlike　weapons；　but　to　adhere　too　obstinately　to　the　idea　of　abstract　rectitude　is　to　do　nothing。　One　must　be　an　opportunist；　annex　the　weak　and　attack　the　willfully　deluded；　seize　the　recalcitrant　and　protect　the　docile。　These　were　the　teachings　of　the　great　Kings　Tang*　and　Wu*。　If　after　the　settlement　you　reward　with　righteousness　and　make　of　the　land　a　great　country；　will　you　be　guilty　of　a　breach　of　trust？　Remember　if　you　do　not　take　it　now；　another　will。〃
Liu　Bei；　realizing　the　truth　in　what　Pang　Tong　said；　replied；　〃These　words　are　as　jewels。　They　should　be　engraved　on　my　very　heart。〃
Thereupon　he　summoned　Zhuge　Liang　to　settle　the　details　of　an　army　to　march　west。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃This　is　an　important　place　and　must　be　very　well　defended。〃
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃I；　Pang　Tong；　and　my　two　generals　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　will　go　into　the　west。　You　and　our　three　best　generals………Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun………can　defend　Jingzhou。〃
Guan　Yu　was　told　off　to　hold　Xiangyang　and　the　narrow　pass　at　Qingni；　Zhang　Fei　manded　four　territories　along　the　river；　and　Zhao　Yun　camped　at　Jiangling。
For　the　march　westward；　Huang　Zhong　led　the　van；　Wei　Yan　had　the　rearguard；　while　Liu　Bei　moved　in　the　center　with　Liu　Feng　and　Guan　Ping　as　his　aids。　Pang　Tong　was　mander　of　the　whole　army。
Just　as　the　fifty　thousand　troops　were　starting；　there　came　Liao　Hua　to　offer　his　service。　He　and　his　troops　were　attached　to　Guan　Yu。
It　was　in　the　winter　that　the　expedition　started。　Soon　they　met　the　force　under　Meng　Da；　five　thousand　soldiers；　to　act　as　escort　into　Yizhou。　Liu　Bei　informed　Liu　Zhang　that　he　had　started；　and　the　latter　sent　orders　to　the　counties　along　the　road　to　entertain　them　well　on　the　march。
The　Imperial　Protector　proposed　to　go　out　in　person　to　wele　Liu　Bei　and　ordered　carriages　to　be　prepared　and　tents　and　banners。　All　the　escort　were　dressed　in　glittering　armor。　At　this　Secretary　Huang　Quan；　the　sturdy　opponent　of　the　invitation　to　Liu　Bei；　again　remonstrated。
〃My　lord；　if　you　go　out；　you　will　be　exposed　to　danger。　I　have　been　in　your　service　for　many　years；　and　I　would　prevent　you　from　being　the　victim　of　another's　wiles。　I　pray　you　reflect。〃
Zhang　Song　said；　〃His　words　are　those　of　one　who　would　sow　discord　in　a　family　and　encourage　the　power　of　the　robbers　who　threaten　you。　Assuredly　such　action　is　to　your　detriment。〃
Liu　Zhang　then　spoke　angrily　to　Huang　Quan；　saying；　〃I　have　decided；　and　why　do　you　oppose　me？〃
The　objector　bowed　his　head　and　wept。　Then　approaching　nearer；　he　seized　hold　of　the　Imperial　Protector's　robe　with　his　teeth　to　hinder　him。　Liu　Zhang　angrily　shook　his　robe　and　rose　from　his　seat；　but　Huang　Quan　still　held　on　till　two　of　his　teeth　fell　out。　Then　the　guards　forced　him　away；　and　he　retired；　still　crying。
As　Liu　Zhang　was　starting；　another　man　cried；　〃My　lord；　do　you　neglect　the　loyal　words　of　your　faithful　Huang　Quan　to　go　to　your　death？〃
And　he　threw　himself　prostrate　at　the　steps　in　remonstrance。　He　was　Li　Hui　of　Jianning。
〃The　prince　may　have　ministers　who　remonstrate　with　him；　and　the　father　may　have　children　who　oppose；〃　said　Li　Hui。　〃Huang　Quan　has　spoken　faithfully；　and　you　ought　to　listen。　To　let　Liu　Bei　into　this　land　is　to　wele　the　tiger　into　your　gates。〃
〃Liu　Bei　is　my　brother　and　will