第35部分(第3/7 页)

n　ruse　known　as　'Rival　Tigers　and　One　Prey。'　Liu　Bei　has　no　decree　authorizing　him　to　govern　the　region。　You；　Sir　Prime　Minister；　can　procure　one　for　him；　and　when　sending　it；　and　so　conferring　upon　him　right　in　addition　to　his　might；　you　can　enclose　a　private　note　telling　him　to　get　rid　of　Lu　Bu。　If　he　does；　then　he　will　have　lost　a　vigorous　warrior　from　his　side；　and　he　could　be　dealt　with　as　occasions　serve。　Should　he　fail；　then　Lu　Bu　will　slay　him。　This　is　'Rival　Tigers　and　One　Prey'　ruse；　they　wrangle　and　bite　each　other。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　that　this　was　a　good　plan；　so　he　memorialized　for　the　formal　appointment；　which　he　sent　to　Liu　Bei。　Liu　Bei　was　created　General　Who　Conquers　the　East；　Lord　of　Yicheng；　and　Imperial　Protector　of　Xuzhou　as　well。　At　the　same　time　a　private　note　was　enclosed。

In　Xuzhou；　when　Liu　Bei　heard　of　the　change　of　capital；　he　began　to　prepare　a　congratulatory　address。　In　the　midst　of　this　an　imperial　messenger　was　announced　and　was　met　which　all　ceremony　outside　the　gate。　When　the　epistle　had　been　reverently　received；　a　banquet　was　prepared　for　the　messenger。

The　messenger　said；　〃This　decree　was　obtained　for　you　by　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him。　Then　the　messenger　drew　forth　his　secret　letter。

After　reading　it；　Liu　Bei　said；　〃This　matter　can　be　easily　arranged。〃

The　banquet　over　and　the　messenger　conducted　to　his　lodging　to　seek　repose。　Liu　Bei；　before　going　to　rest；　called　in　his　councilors　to　consider　the　letter。

〃There　need　be　no　punction　about　putting　him　to　death；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃Lu　Bu　is　a　bad　man。〃

〃But　he　came　to　me　for　protection　in　his　weakness：　How　can　I　put　him　to　death？　That　would　be　immoral；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃If　he　was　a　good　man；　it　would　be　difficult；〃