第145部分(第3/7 页)

n　Zhang　Song　drew　the　map　from　his　sleeve；　saying；　〃I　am　so　deeply　affected　by　your　virtue　that　I　offer　you　this　map　of　the　country；　whereby　its　roads　and　rivers　may　be　known。〃

Liu　Bei　unrolled　the　map。　It　was　covered　with　notes；　on　the　lie　of　the　land；　lengths　and　widths；　and　such　matters。　Strategic　points　on　rivers　and　hills　were　shown；　and　store…houses　and　granaries　and　treasuries。　Everything　was　plainly　stated。

Zhang　Song　went　on；　〃Sir；　you　can　prepare　your　plans　promptly。　I　have　two　friends　who　will　certainly　help　you。　And　when　they　e　to　see　you；　you　may　be　perfectly　frank　with　them。　Their　names　are　Fa　Zheng　and　Meng　Da。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him　with　joined　hands。

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃As　the　blue　mountains　grow　not　old　and　the　green　waters　always　remain；　so　shall　I　never　forget。　And　when　I　shall　have　acplished　my　task；　you　shall　have　no　mean　reward。〃

Replied　Zhang　Song；　〃I　look　for　no　reward。　Having　met　with　an　enlightened　lord；　I　felt　pelled　to　unbosom　myself　to　him。〃

Zhang　Song　left　soon　after；　and　Guan　Yu　escorted　him　for　several　miles。

After　arrival　in　Yizhou；　Zhang　Song　lost　no　time　in　visiting　his　close　friend　Fa　Zheng；　who　was　from　Fufeng。　Fa　Zheng　was　told　of　Cao　Cao's　arrogance　and　haughtiness　toward　scholars　and　good　people。

〃As　for　the　man　himself；〃　said　Zhang　Song；　〃he　is　a　man　to　grieve　with　but　not　a　person　to　rejoice　with。　I　have　promised　Yizhou　to　Liu　Bei；　the　Imperial　Uncle；　and　I　want　your　especial　advice　and　assistance。〃

〃I　think　Liu　Zhang　is　incapable；〃　said　Fa　Zheng；　〃and　I　have　felt　drawn　to　Liu　Bei　for　some　time　past。　So　we　are　in　sympathy　here。〃

Shortly　after　Meng　Da　arrived。　Meng　Da　and　Fa　Zheng　were　fellow　townsmen。　When　Meng　Da　entered　the　room；　he　saw　the　other　two　in　earnest　an