第160部分(第4/7 页)

uge　Liang　persuade　Liu　Bei　to　return　Jingzhou。　If　Liu　Bei　refuses；　the　family　of　Zhuge　Jin　will　suffer；　and　Zhuge　Liang　will　not　be　able　to　resist　the　claims　of　brotherhood。〃

〃But　Zhuge　Jin　is　a　loyal　and　true　gentleman。　I　could　not　lay　hands　upon　his　family！〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Explain　the　ruse　to　him。　That　will　set　his　mind　at　rest；〃　said　Zhang　Zhao。

Sun　Quan　consented　and　issued　the　mand　to　confine　the　family　of　his　retainer　in　the　palace　but　not　really　imprison　them。　Then　he　wrote　a　letter　for　Zhuge　Jin　to　take　with　him　on　his　mission。　Before　many　days　Zhuge　Jin　reached　Chengdu　and　sent　to　inform　Liu　Bei　of　his　arrival。

Liu　Bei　at　once　sought　the　advice　of　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Why　think　you　your　brother　has　e？〃

〃He　has　e　to　force　the　return　of　Jingzhou。〃

〃How　shall　I　answer　him？〃

〃You　must　do　so　and　so；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

The　plan　of　action　being　prepared；　Zhuge　Liang　went　out　of　the　city　to　wele　his　brother。　But　instead　of　taking　him　to　his　own　residence；　Zhuge　Liang　took　him　to　the　guest…house。　When　the　greetings　were　over；　the　visitor　suddenly　lifted　up　his　voice　and　wept。

〃If　you　have　any　trouble；　my　brother；　pray　tell。　Why　do　you　weep　thus？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Alas！　My　family　are　lost！〃　cried　he。

〃I　suppose　it　is　in　the　matter　of　the　return　of　Jingzhou？　If　your　family　have　been　seized　on　my　account；　how　can　I　bear　it　calmly？　But　do　not　be　anxious；　my　brother。　I　shall　certainly　find　some　way　out　of　the　difficulty。〃

This　reply　pleased　Zhuge　Jin；　and　the　two　brothers　went　to　visit　Liu　Bei。

The　letter　of　Sun　Quan　was　presented；　but　when　Liu　Bei　had　read　it　he　said；　angrily；　〃He　is　related　to　me　by　marriage；　and　he　has　profited　by　my　absence　from　Jingzhou　to　steal　away　his　siste