第86部分(第2/7 页)

ns　can　go　to　represent　me　and　to　receive　the　guests。〃

〃They　are　full　young；〃　replied　Cai　Mao。　〃They　may　make　some　mistakes。〃

〃Then　go　to　Xinye　and　request　Liu　Bei　to　receive　the　guests；〃　said　Liu　Biao。

Nothing　could　have　pleased　Cai　Mao　more；　for　this　would　bring　Liu　Bei　within　reach　of　his　plot。　Without　loss　of　time　he　sent　to　Liu　Bei　requesting　him　to　go　to　preside　at　the　Festival。

It　has　been　said　that　Liu　Bei　made　the　best　of　his　way　home　to　Xinye。　He　felt　that　he　had　offended　by　that　slip　in　speech；　but　determined　to　keep　silence　about　it　and　attempt　no　explanation。　So　he　discussed　it　with　nobody。　Then　came　the　message　asking　him　to　preside　at　the　Festival；　and　he　needed　counsel。

Sun　Qian　said；　〃You　have　seemed　worried　and　preoccupied　lately；　and　I　think　something　untoward　happened　at　Jingzhou。　You　should　consider　well　before　you　accept　this　invitation。〃

Thereupon　Liu　Bei　told　his　confidants　the　whole　story。

Guan　Yu　said；　〃You　yourself　think　your　speech　offended　the　Imperial　Protector；　but　he　said　nothing　to　show　displeasure。　You　need　pay　no　attention　to　the　babble　of　outsiders　like　Yi　Ji。　Xiangyang　is　quite　near　and；　if　you　do　not　go；　Liu　Biao　will　begin　to　suspect　something　really　is　wrong。〃

〃You　speak　well；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Said　Zhang　Fei；　〃Banquets　are　no　good；　gatherings　are　no　better。　It　is　best　not　to　go。〃

〃Let　me　take　three　hundred　horse　and　foot　as　escort：　There　will　be　no　trouble　then；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。

〃That　is　the　best　course；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

They　soon　set　out　for　the　gathering　place；　and　Cai　Mao　met　them　at　the　boundary　and　was　most　affable　and　courteous。　Soon　arrived　the　Imperial　Protector's　sons　at　the　head　of　a　great　pany　of　officers；　civil　and　military。　Their　appearance