第55部分(第2/7 页)

f　the　maids　opposed　Zheng　Xuan's　wishes；　so　as　punishment　she　was　made　to　kneel　in　front　of　the　steps。　Another　girl　made　fun　of　her；　quoting　from　an　ode：

〃What　are　you　doing　there　in　the　mire？〃

The　kneeling　girl　capped　the　verse　from　another　ode；　quoted　she：

〃That　was　but　a　simple　word　I　said；

Yet　brought　it　wrath　upon　my　head。〃

Such　was　the　family　in　which　Zheng　Xuan　had　been　born。　In　the　reign　of　the　Emperor　Huan；　he　rose　to　the　rank　of　Chair　of　the　Secretariat。　But　when　the　Ten　Eunuchs　began　to　control　the　government；　he　gave　up　office　and　retired　into　the　country　to　Xuzhou。　Liu　Bei　had　known　him　before；　had　consulted　him　on　many　occasions；　and　greatly　respected　him。

Liu　Bei　was　glad　that　he　had　remembered　this　man；　and　without　loss　of　time；　in　pany　with　Chen　Deng；　he　went　to　Zheng　Xuan's　house　to　ask　him　to　draft　this　letter；　which　Zheng　Xuan　generously　consented　to　do。

Sun　Qian　was　entrusted　with　the　task　of　delivery　and　set　out　at　once。　Yuan　Shao　read　it　and　considered　the　matter　long　before　speaking。

〃Liu　Bei　destroyed　my　brother；　and　I　ought　not　to　help　him；　but　out　of　consideration　for　the　writer　of　this　letter　I　must。〃

Thereupon　Yuan　Shao　assembled　his　officers　to　consider　an　attack　upon　Cao　Cao。

Adviser　Tian　Feng　said；　〃Do　not　raise　an　army。　The　people　are　worn　out；　and　the　granaries　are　empty　with　these　constant　wars。　Let　us　rather　report　the　recent　victory　of　Gongsun　Zan　to　the　Throne。　If　that　does　not　reach　the　Emperor；　then　memorialize　that　Cao　Cao　is　hindering　the　government。　Then　raise　an　army；　occupy　Liyang；　assemble　a　Yellow　River　fleet　in　Henan；　prepare　weapons；　send　out　your　various　divisions；　and　within　three　years　you　will　win　all　round。〃

Adviser　Shen　Pei　replied；　〃I　do　n