第197部分(第2/7 页)

are　still　recent；　and　what　will　happen　in　future？〃

Both　fell　at　his　feet　and　implored　forgiveness。

〃Which　of　you　two　is　the　elder？〃　asked　the　First　Ruler。

〃I　am　the　elder　by　a　year；〃　said　Zhang　Bao。

The　First　Ruler　then　bade　Guan　Xing　bow　to　Zhang　Bao　as　to　an　elder　brother；　and　there；　in　front　of　all；　they　broke　an　arrow　as　a　pledge　that　each　would　always　succor　the　other。

Then　the　First　Ruler　issued　a　mandate　appointing　Hu　Ban　the　Van　Leader；　and　the　two　young　men　were　enrolled　as　his　own　escort。

The　advance　began　on　land　and　on　water；　and　they　made　a　brave　show　as　they　moved　against　the　land　of　Wu。

In　the　meantime　the　two　assassins；　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da；　with　the　grim　evidence　of　their　deed；　duly　reached　Wu　and　told　their　story　to　the　Marquis　who　received　them。

Then　Sun　Quan　said　to　his　assembled　officers；　〃Liu　Bei　has　declared　himself　Emperor　and　is　leading　against　us　in　person　a　great　host　of　more　than　seven　hundred　thousand。　What　shall　we　do；　for　the　danger　is　imminent？〃

They　all　turned　pale　and　looked　one　at　another。　Then　Zhuge　Jin　spoke　out。

〃I　have　been　in　your　service　these　many　years　and　have　never　justified　the　favor　you　have　shown　me。　I　will　risk　my　life　and　go　to　this　Liu　Bei　of　Shu　that　I　may　talk　to　him　plainly　and　prove　to　him　the　advantages　of　friendship　and　alliance　against　Cao　Pi。〃

This　offer　pleased　Sun　Quan；　who　then　appointed　Zhuge　Jin　as　his　messenger　to　try　to　induce　the　First　Ruler　to　keep　the　peace。

Messengers　pass　when　states　are　at　wrangle；

May　this　one　succeed　and　unravel　this　tangle！

What　fortune　attended　this　messenger　will　be　related　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　82　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong