第146部分(第1/7 页)

is　fertile　and　a　temptation；　but　its　ruler　is　of　my　family；　and　I　cannot　plot　against　him。〃

〃Yes；　Yizhou　is　a　very　paradise。　But　without　a　ruler　it　cannot　exist。　Liu　Zhang　knows　not　how　to　use　the　wise　people；　and　his　heritage　must　speedily　pass　to　another。　Today　it　is　offered　to　your　hands；　and　you　must　not　miss　the　opportunity。　You　know　the　saying；　that　the　leader　in　the　hunt　gets　the　quarry。　If　you　will　only　consent；　I　will　serve　you　to　the　death。〃

Liu　Bei　signified　his　gratitude。　Said　he；　〃Let　me　reflect　for　a　time　and　take　advice。〃

The　banquet　terminated　and　the　guest　left。　Zhuge　Liang　conducted　Fa　Zheng　to　his　lodging　while　his　master　sat　thinking。

Then　Pang　Tong　said；　〃You　must　decide………not　to　decide　is　foolish。　You　are　of　high　intelligence；　my　lord；　and　why　do　you　hesitate？〃

〃What　should　my　reply　be？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃You　know　these　surroundings………Sun　Quan　in　the　east　and　Cao　Cao　in　the　north………；　and　with　them　you　cannot　attain　your　ends。　Now　before　you　lies　a　populous；　fertile；　and　rich　land；　a　base　with　the　greatest　possibilities。　You　have　the　promise　of　assistance　from　two　men　within；　and　it　seems　like　a　gift　of　providence。　Why　hesitate？〃

〃Now　there　are　two　men　in　the　world　as　mutually　antagonistic　as　fire　and　water。　My　opposite　is　Cao　Cao。　He　is　impetuous　and　I　am　long　suffering；　he　is　cruel　and　I　am　humane；　he　feigns　while　I　am　true。　In　all　particulars　I　act　the　direct　contrary　to　him。　I　refuse　to　risk　the　loss　of　the　confidence　and　trust　of　the　world　for　a　trifling　advantage。〃

＇e＇　King　Tang　founder　of　the　Shang　Dynasty。　。。。。。

＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。

Pang　Tong　smiled　at　these　sentiments；