三国演义英文版-第229章

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en　Cao　Cao　descended　upon　my　country；　and　everyone　counseled　me　to　yield；　he　advised　me　to　summon　my　good　Zhou　Yu　to　oppose　and　smite　Cao　Cao。　That　was　the　second　instance　of　his　keen　insight。　He　made　only　one　fault：　He　advised　me　to　let　Liu　Bei　occupy　Jingzhou。　Now　today　my　good　Lu　Meng　has　succeeded；　and　in　that　he　far　surpasses　both　his　predecessors。〃
Then　Sun　Quan　filled　a　goblet　and　in　person　presented　it　to　the　guest　of　the　evening。　Lu　Meng　took　the　cup；　but　as　he　raised　it；　a　sudden　change　came　over　him。
Dashing　the　cup　to　the　ground；　Lu　Meng　seized　Sun　Quan；　crying；　〃O　green…eyed　boy！　O　purple…bearded　rat！　Do　you　know　me？〃
Consternation　seized　the　whole　assembly；　but　many　rushed　to　the　rescue　of　their　lord；　who　had　been　thrown　to　the　floor　by　the　guest　he　had　so　lately　plimented。　Rushing　forward　over　Sun　Quan's　body；　Lu　Meng　sat　himself　in　the　host's　seat；　his　eyebrows　staring　stiff　and　his　eyes　glaring。
〃After　I　quelled　the　Yellow　Scarves；　I　went　hither　and　thither　for　thirty　years。　Now　I　have　fallen　victim　to　your　base　plots；　and　you　have　overe　me。　Living；　I　have　been　unable　to　gorge　upon　the　flesh　of　my　enemy；　dead；　I　will　pursue　the　spirit　of　this　bandit　Lu　Meng。　I　am　the　Lord　of　Hanshou；　Guan　Yu！〃
Terror…stricken；　Sun　Quan　was　the　first　to　fall　prostrate；　and　all　his　officers　followed　him。
Thereupon　Lu　Meng　fell　over　dead；　with　blood　gushing　from　the　seven　orifices　of　his　body。
In　due　time　the　body　was　coffined　and　interred。　Lu　Meng　was　created　posthumously　Governor　of　Nanjun　and　Lord　of　Chanling。　His　son；　Lu　Ba；　was　given　hereditary　nobility。
After　this　visitation　Sun　Quan　lived　in　constant　terror。　Soon　Zhang　Zhao　came　in　from　Jianye　to　see　him　and　blame　him　for　the　murder。
〃My　lord；　by　the　slaughter　of　Guan　Yu　you　have　brought　misfortune　very　near　to　this　state。　You　know　the　oath　sworn　in　the　Peach　Garden。　Now　Liu　Bei　has　the　force　of　the　two　River　Lands　at　his　back；　Zhuge　Liang　as　adviser；　and　those　heroes　Zhang　Fei；　Zhao　Yun；　Huang　Zhong；　and　Ma　Chao　to　carry　out　his　behests。　When　Liu　Bei　hears　of　the　death　of　both　father　and　son；　he　will　set　in　motion　the　whole　force　he　has　to　avenge　them；　and　I　fear　you　cannot　stand　such　an　onslaught。〃
Sun　Quan　started　up　in　a　fright。
〃Yes；　I　have　made　a　little　mistake；〃　said　he。　〃But　seeing　it　is　so；　what　shall　I　do？〃
〃You　need　have　no　fear；〃　replied　Zhang　Zhao。　〃I　have　a　plan　to　fend　off　the　armies　of　the　west　from　our　borders　and　keep　Jingzhou　quite　safe。〃
〃What　is　your　plan？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。
〃Cao　Cao　with　his　many　legions　is　greedily　aiming　at　the　whole　empire。　If　Liu　Bei　wants　revenge；　he　will　ally　himself　with　Cao　Cao；　and；　should　they　bine　against　the　South　Land；　we　should　be　in　great　danger。　Therefore　I　advise　you　to　send　Guan　Yu's　head　to　Cao　Cao　to　make　it　appear　that　Cao　Cao　was　the　prime　cause　of　his　destruction。　This　should　divert　Liu　Bei's　extreme　hatred　toward　Cao　Cao　and　send　the　armies　of　Shu　against　Wei　instead　of　toward　Wu。　After　carefully　considering　the　whole　matter；　I　counsel　this　as　the　best　course　of　action。〃
Sun　Quan　thought　the　move　worth　making；　and　so　the　head　of　the　great　warrior　was　placed　in　a　box　and　sent　off　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Cao　Cao。
At　this　time　Cao　Cao's　army　had　marched　back　from　Mopo　to　Luoyang。　When　he　heard　of　the　ing　of　the　gruesome　gift；　he　was　glad　at　heart。
Said　he；　〃So　Guan　Yu　is　dead。　Now　I　can　stick　to　my　mat　and　sleep　soundly　at　night。〃
But　Sima　Yi　saw　through　the　ruse　and　said　from　his　place　by　the　steps；　〃This　is　a　trick　to　divert　evil　from　Wu。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？　How？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃The　Peach　Garden　Oath　bound　the　three　brothers　to　live　and　die　together。　Now　Wu　is　fearful　of　revenge　for　the　execution　of　one　of　the　three　and　sends　the　head　to　you　to　cause　Liu　Bei's　wrath　to　fasten　on　you；　O　Prince。　Sun　Quan　wishes　Liu　Bei　to　attack　you　instead　of　himself；　the　real　perpetrator　of　the　crime。　Then　he　will　find　a　way　of　acplishing　his　ends　while　you　two　are　quarreling。〃
〃You　are　right；　friend；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃And　now　how　can　we　escape？〃
〃I　think　escape　is　easy。　You　have　the　head　of　Guan　Yu。　Make　a　wooden　image　of　the　remainder　of　the　body；　and　bury　the　whole　with　the　rites　suitable　to　a　minister　of　state。　When　Liu　Bei　hears　of　this；　he　will　turn　his　hate　toward　Sun　Quan　and　raise　all　his　forces　to　attack　him。　If　you　will　think　it　out；　you　will　see　that　whichever　is　victor　the　other　will　be　smitten；　and　if　we　get　one　of　the　two；　the　other　will　follow　before　very　long。〃
Cao　Cao　was　pleased　with　the　solution。　Then　he　ordered　the　messenger　to　e　in　with　the　box；　which　was　opened；　and　he　looked　upon　the　face　of　the　dead。　The　features　had　not　changed；　the　face　bore　the　same　appearance　as　of　old。　Cao　Cao　smiled。
〃I　hope　you　have　been　well　since　our　last　meeting；　Guan　Yu；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
To　his　horror；　the　mouth　opened；　the　eyes　rolled；　and　the　long　beard　and　hair　stiffened。　Cao　Cao　fell　to　the　ground　in　a　swoon。
They　rushed　to　him；　but　it　was　a　long　time　before　he　recovered　consciousness。
〃General　Guan　Yu　is　indeed　a　spirit；〃　he　said。
The　messenger　who　had　brought　the　dead　warrior's　head　told　the　story　of　Guan　Yu　cursing　and　reviling　Sun　Quan；　and　of　what　had　befallen　Lu　Meng。
Cao　Cao；　filled　with　dread；　prepared　sacrifices　and　performed　the　rites　for　the　honored　dead。　An　effigy　was　carved　out　of　heavy　fragrant　wood　and　buried　outside　the　south　gate　with　all　the　rites　of　a　princely　noble；　a　huge　concourse　of　officials　of　all　grades　following　in　the　procession。　At　the　funeral　Cao　Cao　himself　bowed　before　the　coffin　and　poured　a　libation。　He　also　conferred　on　the　dead　the　posthumous　title　of　Prince　of　Jingzhou；　and　appointed　guardians　of　the　tomb。　The　messenger　was　sent　back　to　Wu。
Now　the　spirit　of　Guan　Yu　did　not　dissipate　into　space；　but　wandered　through　the　void　till　it　came　to　a　certain　spot　in　Dangyang　on　a　famous　hill　known　as　the　Mount　of　the　Jade　Spring。　There　lived　a　venerable　Buddhist　priest　whose　name　in　the　faith　was　Transverse　Peace。　He　was　originally　of　the　State　Guardian　Temple　in　the　River　Si　Pass　and　abbot　of　that　temple。　In　the　course　of　roaming　about　the　world；　he　had　reached　this　place。　Entranced　with　its　natural　beauty；　he　had　built　himself　a　shelter　of　boughs　and　grass；　where　he　sat　in　meditation　on　the　〃Way〃。　He　had　a　novice　with　him　to　beg　food　and　to　attend　to　his　simple　wants。
This　night；　about　the　third　watch；　the　moon　was　bright　and　the　air　serene。　Transverse　Peace　sat　in　his　usual　attitude　in　the　silence　of　the　mountains。
Suddenly　he　heard　a　great　voice　calling　in　the　upper　air；　〃Give　back　my　head！　Give　back　my　head！〃
Gazing　upward　Transverse　Peace　saw　the　shape　of　a　man　mounted　on　a　red　horse。　In　the　hand　was　a　shining　blade　like　unto　the　green…dragon　saber。　Two　military　figures　were　with　him；　one　on　either　side。　He　on　the　left　had　a　white　face；　he　on　the　right　was　swarthy　of　countenance　with　a　curly　beard。　And　they　followed　the　figure　with　the　shining　blade。　They　floated　along　on　a　cloud　which　came　to　rest　on　the　summit　of　the　mountain。
The　recluse　recognized　the　figure　as　that　of　Guan　Yu；　so　with　his　yak's　tail　flagellum　he　smote　the　lintel　of　his　hut　and　cried；　〃Where　is　Guan　Yu？〃
The　spirit　understood；　and　the　figure　dismounted；　glided　down；　and　came　to　rest　at　the　door　of　the　hut。
Interlacing　its　fingers；　it　stood　in　a　reverential　attitude　and　said；　〃Who　is　my　teacher；　and　what　is　his　name　in　the　faith？〃
〃In　the　State　Guardian　Temple　in　River　Si　Pass；　I　once　saw　you；　O　Noble　Sir；　and　I　was　not　likely　to　forget　your　face；〃　replied　the　priest。
〃I　am　deeply　grateful　for　the　help　you　gave　me。　Misfortune　has　befallen　me；　and　I　have　ceased　to　live。　I　would　seek　the　pure　instruction　and　beg　you　to　indicate　the　obscure　way。〃
〃Let　us　not　discuss　former　wrongdoings　nor　present　correct　actions。　Later　events　are　the　inevitable　result　of　former　causes。　I　know　that　Lu　Meng　has　injured　you。　You　call　aloud　for　the　return　of　your　head。　But　who　will　also　return　the　heads　of　your　several　victims………Yan　Liang；　Wen　Chou；　and　the　manders　of　the　five　passes？〃
Thereupon　Guan　Yu　seemed　suddenly　to　prehend；　bowed　in　token　of　assent；　and　disappeared。　After　this　appearance　to　the　recluse；　his　spirit　wandered　hither　and　thither　about　the　mountain；　manifesting　its　sacred　character　and　guarding　the　people。
Impressed　by　his　virtue；　the　inhabitants　built　a　temple　on　the　Mount　of　the　Jade　Spring；　wherein　they　sacrificed　at　the　four　seasons。　In　later　days；　one　wrote　a　couplet　for　the　temple；　the　first　member　reading：
〃Ruddy　faced；　reflecting　the　honest　heart　within；　out…riding　the　wind　on　the　Red　Hare　steed；　mindful　of　the　Red　Emperor；〃
〃In　the　light　of　clear　lamp；　reading　the　histories；　resting　on　the　Green…Dragon　saber　curved　as　the　young　moon；　heart　pure　as　the　azure　heaven。〃
Meanwhile　in　Shu；　having　conquered　East　River　Land；　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　returned　to　his　capital　Chengdu。
Fa　Zheng　memorialized；　saying；　〃O　Prince；　thy　consorts　has　passed　away；　and　the　Lady　Sun　has　returned　to　her　maiden　home；　perhaps　never　to　e　again。　Human　relations　should　not　be　set　at　nought；　wherefore　another　consort　should　be　sought；　so　that　all　things　may　be　correctly　ordered　within　the　Palace。〃
The　Prince　having　signified　his　acceptance　of　the　principle；　Fa　Zheng　continued；　〃There　is　the　sister　of　Wu　Yi；　ely　and