第一小说网

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第109部分（第1页）

able　support　and　you　two　brothers　would　be　together；　which　would　be　pleasant　for　you　both。　I　wish　you　success。〃

Zhuge　Jin　replied；　〃I　am　ashamed　of　the　little　service　I　have　rendered　since　I　came　here；　and　I　can　do　no　other　than　obey　your　mand　to　the　best　of　my　ability。〃

Thereupon　he　went　away　to　his　brother；　whom　he　found　in　the　guest…house。　The　younger　brother　received　him；　and　when　he　had　reached　the　inner　rooms；　Zhuge　Liang　bowed　respectfully　and；　weeping；　told　his　experiences　since　they　parted　and　his　sorrow　at　their　separation。

＇e＇　Bo　Yi　and　Shu　Qi　were　two　sons　of　the　lord　of　Guzhu。　Their　father　wished　to　establish　＇the　younger　son＇　Shu　Qi　as　his　heir。　Upon　their　fathers　death；　Shu　Qi　abdicated　in　favor　of　Bo　Yi。　But　Bo　Yi　said：　〃It　is　our　fathers　will　＇that　you　should　rule＇。〃　Then　he　ran　away。　Shu　Qi　was　not　willing　to　reign　either；　and　ran　away。　The　people　of　the　state　named　a　middle　son　as　heir。　。。。。。

Then　Zhuge　Jin；　weeping　also；　said；　〃Brother；　do　you　remember　the　story　of　Bo　Yi　and　Shu　Qi*；　the　brothers　who　would　not　be　separated？〃

〃Ah；　Zhou　Yu　has　sent　him　to　talk　me　over；〃　thought　Zhuge　Liang。　So　he　replied；　〃They　were　two　of　the　noble　people　of　old　days。　Yes；　I　know。〃

〃Those　two；　although　they　perished　of　hunger　near　the　Shouyang　Hills；　yet　never　separated。　You　and　I；　born　of　the　same　mother　and　suckled　at　the　same　breast；　yet　serve　different　masters　and　never　meet。　Are　you　not　ashamed　when　you　think　of　such　examples　as　Bo　Yi　and　Shu　Qi？〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃You　are　talking　now　of　love；　but　what　I　stand　for　is　duty。　We　are　both　men　of　Han；　and　Liu　Bei　is　of　the　family。　If　you；　brother；　could　leave　the　South　Land　and　join　me　in　serving　the　rightful　branch；　then　on　the　one　side　we　should　be　honored　as　Ministers　of　Han；　and　on　the　other　we　should　be　together　as　people　of　the　same　flesh　and　blood　should　be。　Thus　love　and　duty　would　both　receive　their　proper　meed。　What　do　you　think　of　it；　my　brother？〃

〃I　came　to　persuade　him　and　lo！　It　is　I　who　is　being　talked　over；〃　thought　Zhuge　Jin。

He　had　no　fitting　reply　to　make；　so　he　rose　and　took　his　leave。　Returning　to　Zhou　Yu；　he　related　the　story　of　the　interview。

〃What　do　you　think？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃General　Sun　Quan　has　treated　me　with　great　kindness；　and　I　could　not　turn　my　back　on　him；〃　replied　Zhuge　Jin。

〃Since　you　decide　to　remain　loyal；　there　is　no　need　to　say　much。　I　think　I　have　a　plan　to　win　over　your　brother。〃

The　wisest　people　see　eye　to　eye；

For　each　but　sees　the　right；

But　should　their　several　interests　clash；

They　all　the　fiercer　fight。

The　means　by　which　Zhou　Yu　tried　to　get　the　support　of　Zhuge　Liang　will　be　described　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　45　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　45

Chapter　45

At　The　Three　Gorges；　Cao　Cao　Loses　Soldiers；

In　The　Gathering　Of　Heroes；　Jiang　Gan　Is　Trapped。

Zhou　Yu　was　very　annoyed　by　the　words　of　Zhuge　Jin；　and　a　fierce　hatred　for　Zhuge　Liang　took　root　in　his　heart。　He　nourished　a　secret　resolve　to　make　away　with　Zhuge　Liang。　He　continued　his　preparations　for　war；　and　when　the　troops　were　all　mustered　and　ready；　he　went　in　for　a　farewell　interview　with　his　lord。

〃You　go　on　first；　Noble　Sir；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃I　will　then　march　to　support　you。〃

Zhou　Yu　took　his　leave　and　then；　with　Cheng　Pu　and　Lu　Su；　marched　out　with　the　army。　He　invited　Zhuge　Liang　to　acpany　the　expedition；　and　when　Zhuge　Liang　cheerfully　accepted；　the　four　embarked　in　the　same　ship。　They　set　sail；　and　the　fleet　made　for　Xiakou。

About　twenty　miles　from　Three　Gorges　the　fleet　anchored　near　the　shore；　and　Zhou　Yu　built　a　stockade　on　the　bank　near　the　middle　of　their　line　with　the　Western　Hills　as　a　support。　Other　camps　were　made　near　his。　Zhuge　Liang；　however；　took　up　his　quarters　in　a　small　ship。

When　the　camp　dispositions　were　plete；　Zhou　Yu　sent　to　request　Zhuge　Liang　to　e　and　give　him　advice。　Zhuge　Liang　came。

After　the　salutations　were　ended；　Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Cao　Cao；　though　he　had　fewer　troops　than　Yuan　Shao；　nevertheless　overcame　Yuan　Shao　because　he　followed　the　advice　given　by　Xun　You　to　destroy　Yuan　Shaos　supplies　at　Wuchao。　Now　Cao　Cao　has　over　eight　hundred　thousand　troops　while　I　have　but　fifty　or　sixty　thousand。　In　order　to　defeat　him；　his　supplies　must　be　destroyed　first。　I　have　found　out　that　the　main　depot　is　at　the　Iron　Pile　Mountains。　As　you　have　lived　hereabout；　you　know　the　topography　quite　well；　and　I　wish　to　entrust　the　task　of　cutting　off　supplies　to　you　and　your　colleagues　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun。　I　will　assist　you　with　a　thousand　soldiers。　I　wish　you　to　start　without　delay。　In　this　way　we　can　best　serve　our　masters。〃

Zhuge　Liang　saw　through　this　at　once。　He　thought　to　himself；　〃This　is　a　ruse　in　revenge　for　my　not　having　been　persuaded　to　enter　the　service　of　the　South　Land。　If　I　refuse；　I　shall　be　laughed　at。　So　I　will　do　as　he　asks　and　trust　to　find　some　means　of　deliverance　from　the　evil　he　intends。〃

Therefore　Zhuge　Liang　accepted　the　task　with　alacrity；　much　to　the　joy　of　Zhou　Yu。

After　the　leader　of　the　expedition　had　taken　his　leave；　Lu　Su　went　to　Zhou　Yu　secretly　and　said；　〃Why　have　you　set　him　this　task？〃

〃Because　I　wish　to　pass　his　death　without　appearing　ridiculous。　I　hope　to　get　him　killed　by　the　hand　of　Cao　Cao　and　prevent　his　doing　further　mischief。〃

Lu　Su　left　and　went　to　see　Zhuge　Liang　to　find　out　if　he　suspected　anything。　Lu　Su　found　him　looking　quite　unconcerned　and　getting　the　soldiers　ready　to　march。

Unable　to　let　Zhuge　Liang　go　without　a　warning；　however；　Lu　Su　put　a　tentative　question；　〃Do　you　think　this　expedition　will　succeed？〃

Zhuge　Liang　laughingly　replied；　〃I　am　an　adept　at　all　sorts　of　fighting；　with　foot；　horse；　and　chariots　on　land　and　marines　on　the　water。　There　is　no　doubt　of　my　success。　I　am　not　like　you　and　your　friend；　only　capable　in　one　direction。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　our　being　capable　only　in　one　direction？〃　said　Lu　Su。