第207部分(第1/7 页)

t　the　courtiers　did　not　know　what　to　think。

＇e＇　Deng　Yu　was　mander…in…chief　of　Liu　Xiu；　the　founder　of　Latter　Han。　。。。。。

Now　Zhuge　Liang　had　noted　a　certain　man　among　the　crowd　who　smiled　and　looked　quite　happy。　Zhuge　Liang　looked　at　him　intently　and　then　recollected　his　name；　which　was　Deng　Zhi　of　Xinye；　a　descendant　of　mander　Deng　Yu　of　Han*。　Deng　Zhi　was　currently　the　Chair　of　the　Census　Board。　Zhuge　Liang　sent　a　man　privately　to　detain　Deng　Zhi；　and　when　all　the　others　had　gone；　Zhuge　Liang　led　him　into　the　library　for　a　chat。　Presently　he　came　to　the　matter　near　his　heart。

〃The　three　states　have　bee　a　fact；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Now　if　our　state　wanted　to　absorb　the　other　two　and　restore　the　condition　of　one　rule；　which　country　should　it　attack　first？〃

〃Though　Wei　is　the　real　rebel；　yet　Wei　is　strong　and　would　be　very　difficult　to　overthrow。　Any　move　against　it　would　have　to　develop　slowly。　As　our　Emperor　has　but　lately　succeeded　his　father　and　the　people　are　none　too　decided　in　his　favor；　I　should　propose　a　treaty　of　mutual　defense　with　Wu。　This　would　obliterate　the　enmity　of　His　Late　Majesty　and　would　have　important　results。　However；　you；　Sir；　may　have　another　opinion。　What　is　it？〃

〃That　is　what　I　have　been　thinking　of　this　long　time；　but　I　had　not　the　person　for　the　task。　Now　I　have　found　him。〃

〃What　do　you　want　the　person　to　do？〃　said　Deng　Zhi。

〃I　want　him　to　go　as　envoy　to　Wu　to　negotiate　such　a　treaty。　As　you　understand　the　position　so　well；　you　will　surely　do　honor　to　your　prince's　mission　as　envoy。　There　is　no　other　who　would　succeed。〃

〃I　fear　I　am　not　equal　to　such　a　task：　I　am　not　clever　enough　and　too　ignorant。〃

〃I　will　inform　the　Emperor　tomorrow　and　beg　him　to　appoint　you。　Of　course　you　w