第179部分(第2/7 页)

oposal。〃

But　the　warrior　flared　up。

〃How　can　a　tiger's　daughter　marry　with　a　dog's　whelp？　Were　it　not　for　your　brother；　I　would　take　your　head。　Say　no　more！〃

Guan　Yu　called　his　servants　to　hustle　forth　the　hapless　messenger；　who　ran　away　with　his　hands　over　his　head；　too　astonished　to　look　anyone　in　the　face。　And　reaching　his　own　place；　he　dared　not　hide　the　manner　of　his　reception；　but　told　the　whole　truth。

〃What　ruffianism！〃　exclaimed　the　Marquis。

Thereupon　Sun　Quan　ordered　the　council　again　to　consider　an　attack　on　Jingzhou。

Bu　Zhi　rose　and　said；　〃It　has　been　long　manifest　that　Cao　Cao　wishes　to　usurp　the　Throne；　but　he　is　afraid　of　Liu　Bei。　Now　we　are　to　attack　Shu　with　an　army；　and　so　Cao　Cao　wants　to　shift　the　misfortune　to　us　indeed。〃

〃But　I　also　want　the　place；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

Said　Bu　Zhi；　〃Cao　Ren　is　already　camped　at　Fancheng　and　Xiangyang　and　in　no　danger　from　the　river。　If　Cao　Cao　can　take　Jingzhou　by　land；　why　does　he　not　take　it？　However；　he　wants　you；　my　lord；　to　send　your　army；　and　you　can　judge　his　real　intention　from　this。　Send　to　Cao　Cao　and　tell　him　to　make　Cao　Ren　attack　by　land。　Then　Guan　Yu　must　take　the　army　from　Jingzhou　to　Fancheng。　When　Guan　Yu　has　left　Jingzhou；　you　can　send　an　army　to　seize　it。〃

Sun　Quan　thought　the　scheme　good　and　sent　letters　with　these　proposals　to　Cao　Cao。　Cao　Cao　adopted　the　plan；　and　having　sent　the　messenger　back　to　the　South　Land；　he　next　sent　Man　Chong　to　help　Cao　Ren　at　Fancheng　as　Adviser　in　the　matter　of　attack。　He　also　sent　dispatches　to　the　South　Land　to　ask　for　the　assistance　of　Sun　Quan's　marine　force。

Having　laid　on　Wei　Yan　the　task　of　holding　the　East　River　Land；　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong；　with　his　officers；　returned　to　Chengdu　and　began　to