第288部分(第5/7 页)

r　courtesy。〃

When　the　gift　of　wine　arrived　and　the　bearers　told　Yang　Hu　the　story　of　their　reception；　he　laughed。

〃So　he　knows　I　can　drink；〃　said　Yang　Hu。

He　had　the　jar　opened；　and　the　wine　was　poured　out。　One　of　his　generals；　Chen　Yuan；　begged　him　to　drink　moderately　lest　there　should　be　some　harm　e　of　it。

〃Lu　Kang　is　no　poisoner；〃　replied　Yang　Hu。

And　he　drank。　The　friendly　intercourse　thus　continued；　and　messengers　frequently　passed　from　one　camp　to　the　other。

One　day　the　messengers　said　that　Lu　Kang　was　unwell　and　had　been　ailing　for　several　days。

〃I　think　he　suffers　from　the　same　plaint　as　I；〃　said　Yang　Hu。　〃I　have　some　remedies　ready　prepared　and　will　send　him　some。〃

The　drugs　were　taken　over　to　the　Wu　camp。

But　the　sick　man's　officers　were　suspicious　and　said；　〃This　medicine　is　surely　harmful：　It　es　from　the　enemy。〃

However；　Lu　Kang　said；　〃No；　old　Uncle　Yang　Hu　would　not　poison　a　person。　Do　not　doubt。〃

He　drank　the　decoction。　Next　day　he　was　much　better。

When　his　staff　came　to　congratulate　him；　he　said；　〃If　our　opponents　take　their　stand　upon　virtue　and　we　take　ours　upon　violence；　they　will　drag　us　after　them　without　fighting。　See　to　it　that　the　boundaries　be　well　kept　and　that　we　seek　not　to　gain　any　unfair　advantage。〃

Soon　after　came　a　special　envoy　from　the　Ruler　of　Wu　to　urge　upon　Lu　Kang　prompt　activity。

〃Our　Emperor　sends　orders　for　you　to　press　forward；〃　said　the　envoy。　〃You　are　not　to　await　a　Jin　invasion。〃

〃You　may　return；　and　I　will　send　up　a　memorial；〃　replied　Lu　Kang。

So　a　memorial　was　written　and　soon　followed　the　envoy　to　the　capital；　which　by　this　time　was　Jianye。　When　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Hao；　read　it；　he　found　therein　many　arguments　ag