第86部分(第3/7 页)

put　Liu　Bei　more　at　ease。　He　was　conducted　to　the　guest…house；　and　Zhao　Yun　posted　his　men　so　as　to　guard　it　pletely；　while　he　himself；　armed；　remained　close　to　his　chief。

Liu　Qi　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃My　father　is　feeling　unwell　and　could　not　e；　wherefore　he　begs　you；　Uncle　Liu　Bei；　to　preside　at　the　various　ceremonies　and　give　encouragement　to　the　officers　who　administer　the　region。〃

〃Really　I　am　unfit　for　such　responsibilities；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃But　my　brother's　mand　must　be　obeyed。〃

Next　day　it　was　reported　that　the　officials　from　forty…two　counties　of　nine　territories　of　Jingzhou　had　all　arrived。

Then　Cai　Mao　said　to　Kuai　Yue；　〃This　Liu　Bei　is　the　villain　of　the　age　and　if　left　alive　will　certainly　work　harm　to　us。　He　must　be　got　rid　of　now。〃

〃I　fear　you　would　forfeit　everybody's　favor　if　you　harmed　him；〃　replied　Kuai　Yue。

〃I　have　already　secretly　spoken　in　these　terms　to　the　Imperial　Protector；〃　said　Cai　Mao；　〃and　I　have　his　word　here。〃

〃So　it　may　be　regarded　as　settled。　Then　we　can　prepare。〃

Cai　Mao　added；　〃My　brothers　are　ready。　Cai　He　is　posted　on　the　road　to　the　Xian　Hills　from　the　east　gate；　Cai　Zhong　and　Cai　Xun　are　on　the　north　and　south　roads。　No　guard　is　needed　on　the　west　as　the　Tan　Torrent　is　quite　safeguard　enough。　Even　with　legions；　Liu　Bei　could　not　get　over　that。〃

Kuai　Yue　replied；　〃I　notice　that　Zhao　Yun　never　leaves　him。　I　feel　sure　he　expects　some　attack。〃

〃I　have　placed　five　hundred　men　in　ambush　in　the　city。〃

〃We　will　tell　Wen　Ping　and　Wang　Wei　to　invite　all　the　military　officers　to　a　banquet　at　one　of　the　pavilions　outside　the　city；　and　Zhao　Yun　will　be　among　them。　Then　will　be　our　opportunity。〃

Cai　Mao　thought　this　a　good　device　for　getting　Zhao　Yun　out　of　the　way。