第4部分(第6/7 页)

e　throughout　the　whole　empire。　Then　reward　the　worthy。　Thereby　the　land　would　be　wholly　tranquil。〃

But　the　eunuchs　fiercely　opposed　this　and　said　Zhang　Jun　was　insulting　the　Emperor；　and　the　Emperor　bade　the　guards　thrust　Zhang　Jun　out。

However；　the　eunuchs　took　counsel　together　and　one　said；　〃Surely　someone　who　rendered　some　service　against　rebels　resents　being　passed　over。〃

So　they　caused　a　list　of　unimportant　people　to　be　prepared　for　preferment　by　and　by。　Among　them　was　Liu　Bei；　who　received　the　post　of　magistrate　of　the　county　of　Anxi；　to　which　he　proceeded　without　delay　after　disbanding　his　army　and　sending　them　home　to　their　villages。　He　retained　two　dozens　or　so　as　escort。

The　three　brothers　reached　Anxi；　and　soon　the　administration　of　the　county　was　so　reformed　and　the　rule　so　wise　that　in　a　month　there　was　no　law…breaking。　The　three　brothers　lived　in　harmony；　eating　at　the　same　table　and　sleeping　on　the　same　couch。　But　when　Liu　Bei　was　in　public　sessions　or　in　pany　of　others；　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　would　stand　in　attendance；　were　it　even　a　whole　day。

Four　months　after　their　arrival；　there　came　out　a　general　order　for　the　reduction　of　the　number　of　military　officers　holding　civil　posts；　and　Liu　Bei　began　to　fear　that　he　would　be　among　those　thrown　out。　In　due　course　the　inspecting　official；　Du　Biao　by　name；　arrived　and　was　met　at　the　boundary。　But　to　the　polite　obeisance　of　Liu　Bei；　he　made　no　return；　save　a　wave　of　his　whip　as　he　sat　on　his　horse。　This　made　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　furious。　But　worse　was　to　follow。

When　the　inspector　had　arrived　at　his　lodging；　he　took　his　seat　on　the　dais；　leaving　Liu　Bei　standing　below。　After　a　long　time　he　addressed　Liu　Bei。

〃Magistrate；　what　was　your　origin？〃

Liu　Bei　repl