第85部分(第3/7 页)

yang。　So　Liu　Bei　hastily　dismounted　and　asked　why。

Yi　Ji　replied；　〃Yesterday　I　heard　that　Kuai　Yue　told　the　Imperial　Protector　that　that　horse　was　a　Dilu　horse　and　brought　disaster　to　its　owner。　That　is　why　it　was　returned　to　you。　How　can　you　mount　it　again？〃

〃I　am　deeply　touched　by　your　affection；〃　replied　Liu　Bei；　〃but　a　person's　life　is　governed　by　fate；　and　what　a　horse　can　interfere　with　that？〃

Yi　Ji　admitted　his　superior　view；　and　thereafter　he　kept　in　touch　with　Liu　Bei　wherever　he　went。

The　arrival　of　Liu　Bei　in　Xinye　was　a　matter　of　rejoicing　to　all　the　inhabitants；　and　the　whole　administration　was　reformed。

In　the　spring　of　the　twelfth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　207）；　Liu　Bei's　wife；　Lady　Gan；　game　birth　to　a　son　who　was　named　Liu　Shan。　The　night　of　his　birth　a　crane　settled　on　the　roof　of　the　house；　screeched　some　forty　times　and　then　flew　away　westward。

Just　at　the　time　of　birth　a　miraculous　incense　filled　the　chamber。　Lady　Gan　one　night　had　dreamed　that　she　was　looking　up　at　the　sky；　and　the　constellation　of　the　Great　Bear　had　fallen　down　her　throat。　And　she　conceived　soon　after。

While　Cao　Cao　was　absent　from　the　capital　on　his　northern　expedition；　Liu　Bei　went　to　Liu　Biao　and　said　to　him；　〃Why　do　you　not　take　this　opportunity　to　march　against　the　capital？　An　empire　might　follow　from　that。〃

〃I　am　well　placed　here；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Why　should　I　attempt　other　things？〃

Liu　Bei　said　no　more。　Then　the　Imperial　Protector　invited　him　into　the　private　apartments　to　drink。　While　they　were　so　engaged；　Liu　Biao　suddenly　began　to　sigh　despondently。

〃O　brother；　why　do　you　sigh　thus？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃I　have　a　secret　sorrow　that　is　difficult　to　speak　about；〃　said　Liu　Biao。

Liu　Bei　wa