第129部分(第3/7 页)

Who　knows　when　that　will　be？　Suppose　ten　years：　Then　it　will　be　ten　years　before　they　give　us　Jingzhou。　What　is　the　use　of　such　a　document　as　this？　And　you　are　a　guarantor　of　its　due　performance！　If　they　do　not　give　us　the　city；　you　get　into　trouble。　Suppose　our　lord　finds　you　in　the　wrong；　what　then？〃

Lu　Su　was　dumbfounded。　When　he　had　somewhat　recovered　his　self…possession；　he　said；　〃I　think　Liu　Bei　will　be　true　to　me。〃

〃You；　my　friend；　are　simple　and　sincere。　Liu　Bei　is　a　scoundrel　adventurer；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　a　slippery　customer。　They　and　you　are　utterly　different。〃

〃What　then　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Lu　Su　distressfully。

〃You　are　my　dear　friend；　and　your　kindness　in　freely　offering　your　store　of　grain　to　relieve　my　army　is　still　fresh　in　my　memory。　Of　course　I　will　save　you。　Do　not　be　anxious；　but　wait　a　few　days　till　we　get　news　of　what　is　doing　on　the　north　of　the　river；　and　then　we　can　decide　upon　a　plan。〃

Lu　Su　passed　some　very　uneasy　days。　Then　the　scouts　came　back　saying　that　in　Jingzhou　everything　seemed　in　excellent　order　and　the　white　flags　were　flying　everywhere；　while　outside　the　city　they　were　building　a　magnificent　mausoleum　for　Lady　Gan；　wife　of　Liu　Bei。　All　the　soldiers　were　in　mourning。

When　Zhou　Yu　knew　who　was　dead；　he　said　to　Lu　Su；　〃My　scheme　is　made。　You　will　see　Liu　Bei　just　stand　still　to　be　bound；　and　we　shall　get　Jingzhou　like　turning　a　hand。〃

〃What　is　the　main　spring　of　your　plan？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃Liu　Bei　will　want　to　remarry；　and　our　lord　has　a　sister；　Sun　Ren。　She　is　a　tough　lady；　whose　women　guards　number　many　hundreds；　all　armed　with　weapons　of　war。　Her　apartments　also　are　full　of　such　things。　I　will　write　to　our　lord　to　send　an　intermediary　to　arrange　that　the　lady　shall　wed　Liu　Bei