第124部分(第3/7 页)

I　have　something　to　say　to　Liu　Bei；〃　said　he。　〃I　wish　to　see　him。〃

〃My　lord　and　Zhuge　Liang　are　in　Jingzhou；〃　was　the　reply。

Lu　Su　turned　away　and　hasted　to　Jingzhou。　He　found　the　walls　bedecked　with　flags　and　everything　in　excellent　order。　In　his　heart　he　admired　the　sight；　and　thought　what　an　able　person　was　the　mander　of　that　army。

The　guards　reported　his　arrival；　and　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　them　to　throw　wide　the　gate。　Lu　Su　was　led　to　the　government　house　and；　after　the　usual　exchange　of　salutes；　Zhuge　Liang　and　his　visitor　took　their　respective　seats。

Having　finished　the　tea；　Lu　Su　said；　〃My　master；　Marquis　Sun　Quan；　and　the　mander　of　his　army；　Zhou　Yu；　have　sent　me　to　lay　before　the　Imperial　Uncle　their　views。　When　Cao　Cao　led　his　huge　host　southward；　he　gave　out　that　it　was　for　the　conquest　of　the　South　Land。　But　really　his　intention　was　to　destroy　Liu　Bei。　Happily　our　army　was　able　to　repulse　that　mighty　host　and　so　saved　him。　Wherefore　Jingzhou　with　its　nine　territories　of　forty…two　counties　ought　to　belong　to　us。　But　by　a　treacherous　move；　your　master　has　occupied　Jingzhou　and　Xiangyang；　so　that　we　have　spent　our　treasure　in　vain　and　our　armies　have　fought　to　no　purpose。　The　Imperial　Uncle　has　reaped　the　benefits　to　the　full。　This　is　not　as　it　should　be。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Lu　Su；　you　are　a　man　of　high　intelligence。　Why　do　you　hold　such　language？　You　know　the　saying　that　all　things　return　to　their　owner。　These　places　have　never　belonged　to　the　South　Land；　but　were　of　the　patrimony　of　Liu　Biao；　and　though　he　is　dead；　his　son　remains。　Should　not　the　uncle　assist　the　nephew　to　recover　his　own？　Could　my　master　have　refrained？〃

〃If　the　nephew　Liu　Qi；　the　rightful　heir；　had　occupied　these　cities；　there　would　have　been　someth