第161部分(第2/7 页)

rd。　He　certainly　is　badly　disposed　toward　you；　and　you　must　be　careful；　General。〃

＇e＇　Liu　Xiangru；　prime　minister　of　Zhao　in　the　Warring　States　period；　boldly　behaved　in　the　court　of　the　powerful　Qin。　When　King　Zhaoxiang　of　Qin　tried　to　make　away　the　purest　jadestone　from　Zhao；　Liu　Xiangru　threatened　to　destroy　the　stone；　and　so　King　Zhaoxiang　backed　up　and　let　Liu　Xiangru　to　return　to　Zhao。　。。。。。

Guan　Yu　replied；　〃I　have　given　my　word；　and　shall　I　withdraw　from　it？　In　the　days　of　the　Warring　States；　Liu　Xiangru*　of　the　state　of　Zhao　had　not　the　force　even　to　bind　a　chicken；　yet　in　the　assembly　at　Shengchi　Lake　he　regarded　not　the　prince　and　the　ministers　of　the　powerful　state　of　Qin；　but　did　his　duty　without　fear　of　consequences。　Have　I　not　learned　to　face　any　number　of　foes？　I　cannot　break　my　promise。〃

〃If　you　must　go；〃　said　Ma　Liang；　〃at　least　go　prepared。〃

〃Tell　my　son　to　choose　out　ten　fast　ships　and　five　hundred　of　good　marines　and　be　in　readiness　to　help　me　at　need。　And　when　he　sees　a　red　flag　waved；　he　can　e　over　to　my　aid。〃

The　order　was　given；　and　the　little　squadron　was　got　ready。

The　messenger　returned　to　his　master　and　told　him　that　Guan　Yu　had　boldly　accepted　the　invitation；　and　Lu　Su　and　Lu　Meng　took　counsel　together。

〃What　do　you　think　of　this？〃　asked　Lu　Su。

〃If　Guan　Yu　es　with　a　force；　Gan　Ning　and　I　will　be　in　readiness　for　him　by　the　riverside。　And　you　will　hear　our　bomb　as　a　signal　that　we　are　attacking。　If　he　has　no　force　with　him；　the　assassins　can　set　on　during　the　banquet。〃

Next　day　a　look…out　was　kept　on　the　bank；　and　early　in　the　day　a　single　ship　came　along。　It　was　manned　by　very　few　men；　and　a　simple　red　flag　flew　out　on　the　breeze　showing　but　one　word；　Guan　。　Presently　they　could