第93部分(第4/7 页)

and　government。　If　I　were　not　so　young　and　if　I　possessed　any　talent；　I　would　venture　to　question　you。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃Sima　Hui　and　Xu　Shu　have　both　spoken　of　you。　Can　it　be　that　their　words　were　vain？　I　trust；　O　Master；　that　you　will　not　despise　my　worthlessness　but　will　condescend　to　instruct　me。〃

〃The　two　men　you　speak　of　are　very　profound　scholars。　I　am　but　a　peasant；　a　mere　farmer；　and　who　am　I　that　I　should　talk　of　empire　politics？　Those　two　misled　you　when　they　spoke　of　me。　Why　do　you　reject　the　beautiful　jewel　for　a　worthless　pebble？〃

〃But　your　abilities　are　world　embracing　and　marvelous。　How　can　you　be　content　to　allow　time　to　pass　while　you　idle　away　life　in　these　secluded　haunts？　I　conjure　you；　O　Master；　to　remember　the　inhabitants　of　the　empire　and　remove　my　crass　ignorance　by　bestowing　instruction　upon　me。〃

〃But　what　is　your　ambition；　General？〃

Liu　Bei　moved　his　seat　nearer　to　his　host　and　said；　〃The　Hans　are　sinking：　Designing　ministers　steal　away　their　authority。　I　am　weak；　yet　I　desire　to　restore　the　state　to　its　right　mind。　But　my　ignorance　is　too　vast；　my　means　are　too　slender；　and　I　know　not　where　to　turn。　Only　you；　Master；　can　lighten　my　darkness　and　preserve　me　from　falling。　How　happy　should　I　be　if　you　would　do　so！〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃One　bold　person　after　another　has　arisen　in　various　parts　of　the　empire　ever　since　the　days　of　the　rebel　Dong　Zhuo。　Cao　Cao　was　not　so　powerful　as　Yuan　Shao；　but　he　overcame　Yuan　Shao　by　seizing　the　favorable　moment　and　using　his　soldiers　properly。　Now　he　is　all…powerful：　He　rules　an　immense　army　and；　through　his　control　of　the　court；　the　various　feudal　lords　as　well。　You　cannot　think　of　opposing　him。　Then　the　Suns　have　held　their　territory　in　the　South　Land　for　three　ge