三国演义英文版-第270章

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〃I　think　of　the　plain　and　simple　days　of　long　ago　when　we　pledged　ourselves　one　to　the　other。　Now　I　am　Emperor。　How　I　should　rejoice　to　share　my　good　fortune　with　them！　But　they　have　met　violent　deaths；　and　the　sight　of　these　two　youths　wrings　my　heart　to　the　very　core。〃
〃Young　gentlemen；　please　retire；〃　said　the　officers　to　the　two　youthful　generals；　〃and　let　our　Sacred　One　repose　his　dragon　body。〃
They　went。
Said　the　attendants；　〃Your　Majesty　is　no　longer　young。　You　are　over　sixty；　remember；　and　it　is　not　fitting　that　you　give　way　to　such　extreme　sorrow。〃
〃But　my　brothers………dead；〃　wailed　the　First　Ruler。　〃How　can　I　live　without　them？〃
He　broke　into　a　fresh　paroxysm　and　beat　his　head　on　the　ground。
〃What　can　be　done？〃　asked　the　officers　one　to　another。　〃He　is　in　such　trouble！　How　can　we　fort　him？〃
Ma　Liang　said；　〃Sire；　it　is　bad　for　the　army　to　spend　whole　days　in　wailing　and　tears　when　leading　against　the　enemy。〃
And　then　Chen　Zhen　said；　〃There　is　a　certain　hermit　living　among　the　Blue　Mountains；　near　Chengdu；　who　is　said　to　be　three　hundred　years　old。　He　is　called　Li　Yin；　and　people　say　he　is　a　seer。　Let　us　tell　His　Majesty　and　let　him　send　for　this　old　man　that　he　may　know　what　the　future　may　have　in　store。　It　will　have　more　weight　than　anything　we　can　say。〃
They　went　to　the　First　Ruler　and　told　him。　He　agreed　to　summon　the　seer　and　sent　Chen　Zhen　with　the　mand。　Soon　the　messenger　reached　the　town　near　the　hills　and　asked　the　people　where　the　prophet　dwelt。　They　led　him　far　into　a　secluded　valley　like　a　fairy　village；　very　unlike　any　ordinary　spot。　Soon　a　lad　came　to　receive　the　visitor。
〃You　are　surely　Chen　Zhen。〃
Chen　Zhen　was　startled　that　the　lad　knew　him；　and　still　more　so　at　the　familiar　address；　and　said；　〃O　superhuman　boy；　how　do　you　know　my　name　so　well？〃
〃Last　evening　my　master　told　me　that　a　messenger　with　an　imperial　mand　would　e　today　and　mentioned　your　name。〃
〃Truly　he　is　more　than　wise；〃　said　Chen　Zhen。　〃His　reputation　is　not　unfounded。〃
So　the　two　proceeded　to　the　old　man's　abode；　and　Chen　Zhen　declared　his　errand。　The　old　man　said　he　was　too　aged　to　travel。
〃But　the　Emperor　anxiously　desires　to　see　you　face　to　face；　if　haply　you　would　not　mind　making　the　effort。〃
In　the　end；　and　after　much　persuasion；　Li　Yin　consented　and　went。　The　First　Ruler　received　him　affably；　surprised　at　the　contrast　between　his　hoary　head　and　fresh　boyish　plexion。　The　venerable　one　had　green　eyes；　with　square　and　sparkling　pupils。　His　carriage　was　erect；　and　he　stood　straight　as　a　pine　tree。
〃This　is　no　mon　man；〃　thought　the　First　Ruler；　and　he　treated　him　with　distinguished　courtesy。
The　seer　said；　〃I　am　but　an　old　man　of　the　barren　hill　country；　without　learning　or　wisdom。　You　shame　me；　O　Emperor；　by　calling　me；　and　I　know　not　why。〃
〃My　two　brothers　and　I　swore　a　mutual　oath　some　thirty　years　ago。　But　now　my　both　brothers　have　gone；　both　by　violent　deaths。　I　would　lead　a　great　army　to　avenge　them　and　wish　to　know　how　the　expedition　will　end。　Hearing　that　you；　Venerable　Sir；　are　learned　in　the　deeper　mysteries；　I　sent　for　you　and　beg　you　to　tell　me。〃
〃But　this　is　fate。　It　is　not　for　an　old　man　like　me　to　know。〃
But　the　First　Ruler　pressed　him　to　say。　However；　the　aged　one　got　paper　and　a　brush　and　wrote　〃soldiers；　horses；　weapons〃　again　and　again　on　many　sheets　of　paper。　Having　done　this；　he　suddenly　tore　them　into　fragments。　Further；　he　drew　a　picture　of　a　tall　man　lying　supine　and　another　above　him　digging　a　grave。　And　over　all　he　wrote　〃white〃。
After　this　he　bowed　and　departed；　leaving　the　First　Ruler　annoyed。
〃This　is　only　a　demented　man。　What　he　says　is　not　worthy　of　confidence；〃　said　the　First　Ruler。
And　he　burned　the　paper。　Then　he　ordered　an　advance　at　full　speed。
Zhang　Fei's　son；　Zhang　Bao；　came　in；　saying；　〃Hu　Ban　and　his　army　have　e。　I　pray　that　I　may　be　appointed　to　lead　the　van。〃
The　First　Ruler　admired　his　noble　intent　and　gave　him　a　Van　Leader's　seal。
But　just　as　Zhang　Bao　was　attaching　the　seal　to　his　girdle；　another　youth　boldly　stepped　forth　and　said；　〃Leave　that　seal　to　me！〃
It　was　Guan　Xing；　son　of　Guan　Yu。
〃I　have　already　received　my　mission；〃　said　Zhang　Bao。
〃What　abilities　have　you　for　such　a　task？〃　cried　Guan　Xing。
〃That　I　have　been　training　as　a　soldier　since　my　boyhood。　I　can　shoot　and　never　miss。〃
〃I　should　like　to　see　your　prowess；〃　said　the　First　Ruler；　〃that　I　may　decide　who　is　the　better。〃
Zhang　Bao　ordered　some　of　his　people　to　set　up　a　flag　at　a　hundred　paces；　and　on　the　flag　he　drew　a　heart　in　red。　Then　he　took　his　bow　and　shot　three　arrows；　each　of　which　went　through　the　heart。　Those　present　mended　the　performance。
Then　Guan　Xing　seized　his　bow；　saying；　〃What　is　it　to　hit　such　a　mark？〃
Just　as　he　said　this　a　flock　of　wild　geese　flew　over　his　head。
〃I　will　hit　the　third　of　the　flying　geese；〃　said　he。
He　shot；　and　the　third　fell。
〃Fine！〃　cried　all　the　assembly　as　one　voice。
But　Zhang　Bao　was　enraged。　Leaping　on　his　steed；　he　seized　the　long　serpent　halberd　left　him　by　his　father；　crying；　〃Dare　you　try　a　real　bat？〃
Guan　Xing　took　up　the　challenge　at　once。　He　sprang　into　the　saddle；　took　his　great　saber；　and　galloped　out。
〃You　can　use　the　spear；　think　you　that　I　cannot　wield　a　sword？〃　cried　he。
The　two　impetuous　youths　were　on　the　point　of　a　battle　when　the　First　Ruler　bade　them　hold。
〃Do　not　behave　so　badly！〃　cried　he。
Both　dropped　out　of　the　saddle；　threw　aside　their　weapons；　ran　to　his　feet；　and　begged　pardon。
〃Young　men；　from　the　time　I　left　my　native　place　Zhuo　and　swore　brotherhood　with　your　fathers；　they　were　as　my　own　flesh　and　blood。　You　two　are　also　brothers；　and　you　should　help　each　other　in　vengeance　rather　than　quarrel　and　dispute。　You　have　lost　the　sense　of　rectitude　while　your　fathers'　deaths　are　still　recent；　and　what　will　happen　in　future？〃
Both　fell　at　his　feet　and　implored　forgiveness。
〃Which　of　you　two　is　the　elder？〃　asked　the　First　Ruler。
〃I　am　the　elder　by　a　year；〃　said　Zhang　Bao。
The　First　Ruler　then　bade　Guan　Xing　bow　to　Zhang　Bao　as　to　an　elder　brother；　and　there；　in　front　of　all；　they　broke　an　arrow　as　a　pledge　that　each　would　always　succor　the　other。
Then　the　First　Ruler　issued　a　mandate　appointing　Hu　Ban　the　Van　Leader；　and　the　two　young　men　were　enrolled　as　his　own　escort。
The　advance　began　on　land　and　on　water；　and　they　made　a　brave　show　as　they　moved　against　the　land　of　Wu。
In　the　meantime　the　two　assassins；　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da；　with　the　grim　evidence　of　their　deed；　duly　reached　Wu　and　told　their　story　to　the　Marquis　who　received　them。
Then　Sun　Quan　said　to　his　assembled　officers；　〃Liu　Bei　has　declared　himself　Emperor　and　is　leading　against　us　in　person　a　great　host　of　more　than　seven　hundred　thousand。　What　shall　we　do；　for　the　danger　is　imminent？〃
They　all　turned　pale　and　looked　one　at　another。　Then　Zhuge　Jin　spoke　out。
〃I　have　been　in　your　service　these　many　years　and　have　never　justified　the　favor　you　have　shown　me。　I　will　risk　my　life　and　go　to　this　Liu　Bei　of　Shu　that　I　may　talk　to　him　plainly　and　prove　to　him　the　advantages　of　friendship　and　alliance　against　Cao　Pi。〃
This　offer　pleased　Sun　Quan；　who　then　appointed　Zhuge　Jin　as　his　messenger　to　try　to　induce　the　First　Ruler　to　keep　the　peace。

Messengers　pass　when　states　are　at　wrangle；
May　this　one　succeed　and　unravel　this　tangle！

What　fortune　attended　this　messenger　will　be　related　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　82　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　82
　Chapter　82
Sun　Quan　Submits　To　Wei；　Receiving　The　Nine　Dignities；
The　First　Ruler　Attacks　Wu；　Rewarding　Six　Armies。
In　the　eighth　month　of　the　first　year　of　Manifest　Might　（AD　221）　the　First　Ruler　marched　at　the　head　of　his　army　and　camped　at　Baidicheng　（City　of　the　White　Emperor）；　through　the　Kui　Pass。　His　advanced　guard　had　gone　beyond　the　River　Lands　when　his　attendants　told　him　that　Zhuge　Jin　had　e　as　a　messenger　from　Wu。　He　told　them　not　to　admit　Zhuge　Jin。
But　Huang　Quan　said；　〃His　brother　being　your　Prime　Minister；　Zhuge　Jin　is　certainly　e　on　some　important　mission。　Your　Majesty　ought　to　see　him　and　hear　what　he　says。　If　his　proposals　are　admissible；　then　agree；　if　not；　he　can　be　made　use　of　to　take　knowledge　of　your　intentions　to　Sun　Quan　and　let　Sun　Qua