第129部分(第2/7 页)

it　till　what　other　place　was　obtained？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃My　master　can　scarcely　think　of　attacking　the　Middle　Land　yet；　but　Liu　Zhang　in　Yizhou　is　ignorant　and　weak；　and　my　master　will　attack　him。　If　he　gets　the　western　region；　then　this　place　will　be　given　up　to　you。〃

Lu　Su　had　no　alternative　and　accepted　the　offer。　Liu　Bei　with　his　own　hand　wrote　the　pledge　and　sealed　it。　Zhuge　Liang　being　named　as　guarantor　also　signed　the　document。

〃Since　I　belong　to　this　side　of　the　pact　and　one　can　hardly　have　a　guarantor　of　the　same　party；　I　would　trouble　you；　Lu　Su；　also　to　sign。　It　will　look　better　when　you　reach　the　South　Land　again；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Lu　Su　said；　〃I　know　that　your　master　is　perfectly　honorable　and　will　adhere　to　the　bargain。〃

And　so　Lu　Su　signed。　Then　he　received　the　document　in　formal　style　and　took　his　departure。　He　was　sent　off　with　every　mark　of　great　respect；　both　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　attending　him　to　his　boat。

There　the　Directing　Instructor　delivered　him　a　last　exhortation；　〃When　you　see　your　master；　speak　discreetly　and　explain　fully　so　as　not　to　create　a　bad　impression。　If　he　rejects　our　document；　we　may　get　angry　and　we　will　take　his　whole　country。　The　one　thing　now　is　for　our　two　houses　to　live　in　harmony　and　not　give　our　mon　enemy；　Cao　Cao；　an　opportunity　against　us。〃

Lu　Su　went　down　into　his　ship。　He　reached　Chaisang　and　there　saw　Zhou　Yu；　who　said；　〃Well；　how　did　you　speed　with　your　demand　for　Jingzhou？〃

〃Here　is　the　document；〃　said　Lu　Su；　giving　it　to　Zhou　Yu　to　read。

〃You　have　been　victimized　by　Zhuge　Liang！〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　stamping　his　foot　with　irritation。　〃In　name　it　may　be　temporary　occupation；　but　in　fact　it　is　humbug。　They　say　the　place　is　to　be　returned　when　they　get　the　west。