第一小说网

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第197部分（第3页）

Zhang　Zhao　retired　overwhelmed　with　shame。　The　luckless　messenger　unfolded　his　tale　of　failure。

〃Then　the　South　Land　is　in　great　danger；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　as　he　heard　the　story。

But　a　certain　man　here　interposed；　saying；　〃I　have　a　way　out　of　the　difficulty。〃

He　was　Counselor　Zhao　Zi。

〃What　good　scheme　do　you　propose；　friend　Zhao　Zi？〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Let　my　lord　draw　up　a　document；　which　I　will　take　to　Cao　Pi　in　Wei；　making　a　full　statement　of　the　case；　and　get　him　to　attack　Hanzhong　and　so　draw　off　the　danger　from　our　land。〃

〃Though　the　suggestion　is　good；　yet　shall　we　not　lose　something　of　our　dignity　by　that？〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃If　there　is　any　such　thing；　I　will　simply　jump　into　the　river………I　could　not　look　the　South　Lands　people　in　the　face　again。〃

Sun　Quan　was　satisfied　and　posed　the　memorial；　styling　himself　〃Minister〃。　Therein　Zhao　Zi　was　duly　appointed　messenger。　He　took　the　document　and　soon　reached　Capital　Xuchang；　where　he　first　sought　out　the　High　Minister　Jia　Xu；　and　then　saw　the　others。

Next　day；　Jia　Xu　stood　forth　one　day　at　court　and　said；　〃East　Wu　has　sent　a　high　officer；　Zhao　Zi；　with　a　memorial。〃

〃Because　he　wants　the　armies　of　Shu　driven　off；〃　said　Cao　Pi；　smiling。

But　he　summoned　Zhao　Zi；　who；　having　prostrated　himself　in　the　outer　court；　handed　in　his　memorial。

After　reading　it；　Cao　Pi　said；　〃What　sort　of　an　over…lord　is　the　Marquis？〃

〃Intelligent；　clear…sighted；　wise；　brave；　and　perspicacious；〃　was　the　reply。

Cao　Pi　laughed；　〃Your　praise　is　none　too　enthusiastic。〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　overstate；〃　replied　Zhao　Zi；　〃but　my　master　has　shown　various　qualities　at　different　times。　He　made　use　of　Lu　Su　among　the　officials　of　high　ranks；　which　shows　his　intelligence。　He　chose　Lu　Meng　as　leader　of　all　armies；　which　showed　his　clear…sightedness。　He　captured　Yu　Jin　but　did　not　hurt　him；　which　shows　his　kindliness。　He　took　Jingzhou　without　slaughter；　which　shows　his　wisdom。　He　maintains　the　Three　Rivers　so　as　to　mand　the　respect　of　the　empire；　which　shows　his　boldness。　Lastly；　he　bows　before　Your　Majesty；　which　shows　his　perspicacity。　You　see　now　that　my　epithets　are　justifiable。〃

〃Is　he　at　all　learned？〃

〃Sire；　remember　he　mands　a　large　fleet　of　ten　thousand　battleships　and　a　huge　army　of　million　armored　soldiers。　He　endeavors　to　find　wise　and　capable　people　to　help　him；　and　his　mind　is　full　of　plans　and　projects。　When　he　has　a　little　leisure；　he　reads　the　histories　and　the　annals；　for　the　sake　of　the　general　lessons　to　be　learned　therefrom。　He　is　no　dryasdust　pedant　seeking　remarkable　passages　and　culling　model　sentences。〃

〃Do　you　think　I　could　overe　Wu？〃

〃If　a　large　state　has　military　force　to　attack；　a　small　one　has　also　preparations　for　defense。〃

〃Does　Wu　fear　Wei？〃　asked　Cao　Pi。

〃How　can　you　think　so；　considering　our　army　of　million　armored　soldiers　and　the　defensive　moats　we　have　in　the　River　Han　and　the　Great　River？〃

〃How　many　such　persons　as　high　minister　does　Wu　possess？〃

〃Nearly　a　hundred　intelligent　and　specially　qualified　ministers　like　your　servants；　of　my　sort　of　ordinary　knowledge　there　are　too　many　to　reckon　up。〃

Cao　Pi　sighed；　saying；　〃The　book　says　Going　on　mission　without　losing　the　dignity　of　the　master。　That　is　the　sort　of　man　you　are！〃

Thereupon　he　issued　the　mandate　ordering　Xing　Zhen；　Minister　of　Ceremonies　and　Sacrifices；　to　be　his　ambassador　to　Wu；　bearing　for　Sun　Quan　the　title　of　〃Prince　of　Wu〃　and　allowing　him　to　use　the　〃Nine　Signs　of　Honors〃。

But　when　the　messenger　had　gone　out　of　the　city；　Liu　Ye　went　to　remonstrate；　saying；