第36部分(第5/7 页)

is　few　soldiers　out　of　Xuyi　for　Guangling；　before　the　attacking　force　came　up。

However；　Gao　Shun　demanded　the　promised　reward　through　Ji　Ling；　who　put　Gao　Shun　off；　saying；　〃My　lord　has　gone　away。　I　will　settle　this　as　soon　as　I　can　see　him　and　get　his　decision。〃

With　this　answer　Gao　Shun　returned　to　Lu　Bu；　who　could　not　decide　what　to　do。

Then　came　a　letter　from　Yuan　Shu：

〃Although　Gao　Shun　had　gone　to　attack　Liu　Bei；　yet　Liu　Bei　had　not　been　destroyed；　and　no　reward　could　be　given　till　he　was　actually　taken。〃

Lu　Bu　railed　at　what　he　called　the　breach　of　faith　and　was　inclined　to　attack　Yuan　Shu　himself。

However；　his　adviser；　Chen　Gong；　opposed　this　course；　saying；　〃You　should　not。　Yuan　Shu　is　in　possession　of　Shouchun　and　has　a　large　army；　well　supplied。　You　are　no　match　for　him。　Rather　ask　Liu　Bei　to　take　up　his　quarters　at　Xiaopei　as　one　of　your　wings　and；　when　the　time　es；　let　him　lead　the　attack；　both　south　and　north。　Then　Yuan　Shu　and　Yuan　Shao　will　fall　before　you；　and　you　will　be　very　powerful。〃

Finding　this　advice　good；　Lu　Bu　sent　letters　to　Liu　Bei　asking　him　to　return。

After　the　flight　of　Liu　Bei；　Yuan　Shu　attacked　Guangling　and　reduced　Liu　Bei's　force　by　half。　When　the　messenger　from　Lu　Bu　came；　Liu　Bei　read　the　letter。　He　was　quite　content　with　the　offer；　but　his　brothers　were　not　inclined　to　trust　Lu　Bu。

〃Such　a　dishonorable　man　must　have　a　motive；〃　said　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei。

〃Since　he　treats　me　kindly；　I　cannot　but　trust　him；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。

So　Liu　Bei　went　back　to　Xuzhou。　Lu　Bu；　fearing　that　Liu　Bei　might　doubt　his　sincerity；　restored　Liu　Bei's　family；　and　when　Lady　Gan　and　Lady　Mi　saw　their　lord；　they　told　him　that　they　had　been　kindly　treated　and　guarded　by　soldiers　agains