第96部分(第3/7 页)

　is　an　ancient　writing　I　should　like　to　show　you。〃

And　he　led　his　visitor　to　a　small　upper　room。

〃Where　is　the　writing？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Instead　of　answering　Liu　Qi　wept；　saying；　〃My　stepmother　cannot　bear　me。　My　life　is　in　danger。　O　Master；　will　you　not　say　a　word　to　save　me？〃

Zhuge　Liang　flushed　and　rose　to　go　away。　But　he　found　the　ladder　by　which　they　had　mounted　had　been　removed。

Again　Liu　Qi　besought　some　advice；　saying；　〃Master；　you　fear　lest　it　may　get　abroad！　Is　that　why　you　are　silent？　Here　we　are　between　earth　and　sky；　and　what　you　say　will　e　out　of　your　mouth　directly　into　my　ear。　No　other　soul　can　hear。　Now　can　you　tell　me　what　to　do？〃

〃Sow　not　dissension　among　relatives；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Is　it　possible　for　me　to　make　any　plan　for　you？〃

〃Then　is　my　life　indeed　in　danger；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃I　will　die　at　your　feet。〃

So　saying；　Liu　Qi　pulled　out　a　dagger　and　threatened　to　make　an　end　of　himself。

Zhuge　Liang　checked　him；　saying；　〃There　is　a　way。〃

〃I　pray　you　tell　me。〃

＇e＇　Shen　Sheng　was　the　eldest　son　of　Duke　Xiao　of　Jin　in　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　But　Duke　Xiao　wanted　the　son　of　his　favorite　concubine；　Li　Ji；　to　succeed　him　as　the　ruler　of　Jin。　So　Duke　Xiao　falsely　accused　Shen　Sheng　of　trying　to　murder　him。　Shen　Sheng　mitted　suidcide　rather　than　flee。　The　second　eldest　son　Chong　Er　would　have　suffered　the　same；　but　he　knew　of　this　and　fled。　。。。。。

〃You　have　heard　of　the　old　tale　of　the　brothers　Shen　Sheng　and　Chong　Er*；　have　you　not？　Shen　Sheng　stayed　at　home　and　died；　his　brother　Chong　Er　went　away　and　lived　in　peace。　Now　that　Huang　Zu　is　gone　and　Jiangxia　is　weakly　defended；　why　do　you　not　ask　to　be　sent　there　to　guard　it？　Then　you　would　be　out　of　the　way　of　har