第29部分(第2/7 页)

The　noble　Liu　Bei　here　is　the　most　prominent　man　of　the　time；　and　you　should　serve　him　well。〃

Still　would　Liu　Bei　have　put　from　him　such　a　post；　but　just　then　the　Imperial　Protector；　pointing　to　his　heart　to　indicate　his　sincerity；　passed　away。

When　the　ceremonial　wailing　of　the　officials　was　over；　the　insignia　of　office　were　brought　to　Liu　Bei。　But　he　would　have　none　of　them。　The　following　days　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　and　country　around　crowded　into　the　state　residence；　bowing　and　with　tears；　calling　upon　Liu　Bei　to　receive　the　charge。

〃If　you　do　not；　we　cannot　live　in　pence；〃　said　they。

To　these　requests　his　brothers　added　their　persuasion；　till　at　length　he　consented　to　assume　the　administrative　duties。　He　forthwith　appointed　Sun　Qian　and　Mi　Zhu　as　his　Advisers；　and　Chen　Deng　his　Secretary。　He　moved　his　army　from　Xiaopei　to　Xuzhou　City；　and　he　put　forth　proclamations　to　reassure　the　people。

He　also　attended　to　the　burial　ceremonies；　he　and　all　his　army　dressing　in　mourning。　After　the　fullest　sacrifices　and　ceremonies；　a　burial　place　for　the　late　Imperial　Protector　was　found　close　to　the　source　of　the　Yellow　River。　The　dead　man's　testament　was　forwarded　to　court。

The　news　of　the　events　in　Xuzhou　duly　reached　the　ears　of　Cao　Cao；　then　in　Juancheng。

Said　he；　angrily；　〃I　have　missed　my　revenge。　This　Liu　Bei　has　simply　stepped　into　mand　of　the　region　without　expending　half　an　arrow：　He　sat　still　and　attained　his　desire。　But　I　will　put　him　to　death　and　then　dig　up　Tao　Qian's　corpse　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　my　noble　father！〃

Orders　were　issued　for　the　army　to　prepare　for　a　new　campaign　against　Xuzhou。

＇e＇　The　Land　Within　the　Passes；　or　Guanzhong；　was　the　area　around　Changan。

But　Adviser　Xun　Yu　remo