第35部分(第5/7 页)

f　Liu　Bei's　pledge　to　Lu　Bu。

Then　said　Cao　Cao；　〃The　plan　has　failed。　What　next？〃

Xun　Yu　replied；　〃I　have　another　trick　called　'Tiger　against　Wolf'　in　which　the　tiger　is　made　to　gobble　up　the　wolf。〃

〃Let　us　hear　it；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Send　to　Yuan　Shu　to　say　that　Liu　Bei　has　sent　up　a　secret　memorial　to　the　Throne　that　he　wishes　to　subdue　the　southern　regions　around　the　Huai　River。　Yuan　Shu　will　be　angry　and　attack　him。　Then　you　will　order　Liu　Bei　to　dispose　of　Yuan　Shu　and　so　set　them　destroying　each　other。　Lu　Bu　will　certainly　think　that　is　his　chance　and　turn　traitor。　This　is　the　'Tiger　against　Wolf'　trick。〃

Cao　Cao　thought　this　good　and　sent　the　messenger　and　also　sent　a　false　edict　to　Liu　Bei。　When　this　came；　the　messenger　was　received　with　all　the　ceremonies；　and　the　edict　ordered　the　capture　of　Yuan　Shu。　After　the　departure　of　the　bearer；　Liu　Bei　called　Mi　Zhu　who　pronounced　it　a　ruse。

〃It　may　be；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃but　the　royal　mand　is　not　to　be　disobeyed。〃

So　the　army　was　prepared　and　the　day　fixed。

Sun　Qian　said；　〃A　trusty　man　must　be　left　on　guard　of　the　city。〃

And　Liu　Bei　asked　which　of　his　brothers　would　undertake　this　task。

〃I　will　guard　the　city；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃I　am　constantly　in　need　of　your　advice；　so　how　can　we　part？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃I　will　guard　the　city；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃You　will　fail；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃After　one　of　your　drinking　bouts；　you　will　get　savage　and　flog　the　soldiers。　Beside　you　are　rash　and　will　not　listen　to　anyone's　advice。　I　shall　be　uneasy　all　the　time。〃

〃Henceforth　I　drink　no　more　wine。　I　will　not　beat　the　soldiers　and　I　will　always　listen　to　advice；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃I　fear　the　mouth　does　not　correspond　to　the　heart；〃　said　Mi　Zhu。