第198部分(第2/7 页)

receive　any　rank　from　Wei。〃

〃But　on　one　occasion　Liu　Bang　received　the　princedom　of　Han　（Hanzhong）　from　Xiang　Yu。　I　have　to　depend　upon　circumstances。　Why　refuse？〃

Sun　Quan　discussed　the　matter　no　more；　but　went　out　at　the　head　of　a　great　gathering　of　officers　to　wele　the　messenger。

Xing　Zhen；　the　bearer　of　the　mandate　from　Wei；　on　first　arrival　ported　himself　haughtily　as　the　representative　of　a　superior　country　and　an　imperial　ambassador。　And　when　he　entered　the　city；　he　did　not　descend　from　his　carriage。　Wherefore　Zhang　Zhao　ventured　to　rebuke　him。

〃Everyone　must　obey　the　rules　of　courtesy　as　everyone　must　respect　the　laws。　You；　Sir；　are　behaving　proudly　as　if　there　was　no　such　thing　as　a　sword　in　this　country。〃

Immediately　the　messenger　descended　from　his　chariot　and　was　presented　to　Sun　Quan。　Afterwards　they　went　in　side　by　side。

As　the　cavalcade　proceeded；　a　loud　voice　was　heard　in　the　rear　of　the　two　carriages；　crying；　〃Here　we　are　prevented　from　risking　our　lives　in　smashing　Wei　and　swallowing　Shu；　and　our　lord　receives　a　title　from　another　man。　Are　not　such　things　shameful？〃

The　man　was　Xu　Sheng。

And　Xing　Zhen　sighed；　saying；　〃If　all　the　leaders　and　ministers　of　the　South　Land　are　like　this；　the　Prince　of　Wu　will　not　long　be　content　to　obey　another。〃

However；　the　title　was　accepted。　And　when　he　had　received　the　felicitations　of　his　officers；　Sun　Quan　gave　orders　to　collect　beautiful　works　in　jade　and　brilliant　pearls；　which　were　sent　to　Wei　as　return　gifts。

Not　long　after　came　tidings　of　the　forces　of　Shu：　〃The　First　Ruler；　together　with　King　Shamo　Ke　of　the　Mang　nations；　leads　his　own　army　and　a　large　number　of　tribesmen　from　the　east　and　south。　Furthermore；　he　is　aided　by　the　two　Shu　genera