第124部分(第4/7 页)

ing　to　say。　But　he　is　at　Jiangxia　and　not　here。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　see　him？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

At　the　same　time　he　ordered　the　servants　to　request　Liu　Qi　to　e。　Thereupon　Liu　Qi　at　once　appeared；　supported　by　two　attendants。

Addressing　Lu　Su；　Liu　Qi　said；　〃I　am　too　weak　to　perform　the　correct　ceremonies。　I　pray　you　pardon　me；　Lu　Su。〃

Lu　Su　said　not　a　word。　He　was　too　much　taken　aback。　However；　he　recovered　himself　presently　and　said；　〃But　if　the　heir　had　not　been　here；　what　then？〃

〃The　heir　is　living　but　from　day　to　day。　Should　he　go；　then………there　will　be　something　to　talk　about。〃

〃Should　he　die；　then　you　ought　to　return　these　cities　to　us。〃

〃You　state　the　exact　facts；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Then　a　banquet　was　prepared　and；　that　over；　Lu　Su　took　his　leave。　He　hastened　back　to　his　own　camp　and　gave　Zhou　Yu　an　account　of　his　mission。

〃But　what　is　there　for　us　in　the　chance　of　Liu　Qi's　death？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃He　is　in　his　very　first　youth。　When　will　these　places　fall　to　us？〃

〃Rest　content；　General。　Let　me　guarantee　the　return　of　these　places。〃

〃But　how　can　you？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃Liu　Qi　has　indulged　too　freely　in　wine　and　women。　He　is　a　wreck　and　rotten　to　the　core；　miserably　emaciated　and　panting　for　breath。　I　will　not　give　him　half　a　year's　life。　Then　I　will　go　to　Liu　Bei；　and　he　will　be　unable　to　deny　the　request。〃

But　Zhou　Yu　was　still　unmollified。

Suddenly　came　a　messenger　from　Sun　Quan；　who　said；　〃Our　lord　is　laying　siege　to　Hefei　but　in　several　battles　has　had　no　victory。　He　now　orders　you　to　withdraw　from　here　and　go　to　Hefei　to　help　him。〃

Thereupon　Zhou　Yu　marched　back　to　Chaisang。　Having　reached　home；　he　began　to　give　attention　to　the　recovery　of　his　health。　He　sent