三国演义英文版-第254章

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t　we　can　deal　with　Wei。　If　Wei　is　reduced；　Wu　will　not　last　long；　and　the　whole　empire　will　again　be　under　one　ruler。〃
Presently　the　report　reached　the　capital　that　Deng　Zhi　and　Zhang　Wen；　as　envoy　of　Wu；　would　soon　arrive。　The　Latter　Ruler　assembled　the　courtiers　to　receive　them　honorably。　The　envoy　of　Wu　carried　himself　as　one　who　had　attained　his　desires；　and　advanced　boldly。　Having　made　his　salute；　the　Latter　Ruler　gave　him　to　sit　on　a　brocaded　stool　on　his　left　hand。　A　banquet　followed　at　which　Zhang　Wen　was　treated　with　much　honor。　At　the　end　of　the　banquet；　the　whole　court　escorted　the　envoy　to　the　guest…house　where　he　was　to　lodge。
On　the　second　day　there　was　a　banquet　at　the　Prime　Minister's　palace；　and　Zhuge　Liang　broached　the　real　business。
He　said；　〃Our　First　Ruler　was　not　on　friendly　terms　with　Wu。　But　that　is　all　changed；　as　is　demonstrated　by　these　banquets；　and　our　present　Emperor　is　disposed　to　be　very　friendly。　It　is　hoped　that　the　former　enmity　may　be　entirely　forgotten　and　the　two　countries　swear　eternal　friendship　and　alliance　in　their　mon　end………the　destruction　of　Wei。　I　look　to　you；　Sir；　to　speak　in　favor　of　this　league。〃
Zhang　Wen　said　that　he　would　support　the　plan。　The　wine　went　merrily　round；　and　as　the　envoy　became　mellow；　he　laughed　freely　and　swaggered　and　put　on　a　proud　demeanor。
Next　day　the　Latter　Ruler　gave　Zhang　Wen　rich　presents　of　gold　and　studs　and　prepared　a　parting　banquet　for　him　in　the　south　guest…chamber；　and　all　the　court　assembled　to　take　leave　of　him。　The　Prime　Minister　paid　him　assiduous　attention　and　pressed　him　to　drink。　While　this　banquet　was　in　progress；　a　man　suddenly　came　in　as　if　he　were　already　drunk；　made　a　proud　sort　of　salutation　to　the　pany　and　at　once　took　a　seat。
His　conduct　seemed　strange　to　Zhang　Wen；　who　asked；　〃Who　is　the　new　er；　Sir　Prime　Minister？〃
〃He　is　a　man　named　Qin　Mi；　a　Doctorate　Academician　of　Yizhou；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。
〃He　may　be　that；〃　said　Zhang　Wen　with　a　laugh；　〃but　I　wonder　if　he　has　any　learning　at　all　inside　him。〃
Qin　Mi　listened　without　changing　countenance；　and　said；　〃Since　our　children　are　all　learned；　of　course　I　am　more　so。〃
〃What　may　have　been　your　special　studies；　Sir？〃　said　Zhang　Wen。
〃Many　things：　Astronomy　on　one　hand；　geography　on　the　other；　the　three　teachings　and　the　nine　systems；　many　philosophers；　history　all　through；　and　many　sacred　books　and　traditions。〃
〃Since　you　talk　so　big；〃　said　Zhang　Wen；　〃I　should　like　to　ask　you　a　few　questions　on　celestial　matters。　Now　has　the　sky　a　head？〃
〃Yes；　it　has　a　head。〃
〃Where　is　it？〃
〃In　the　western　quarter。　The　Odes　say；　'God　turns　his　head　kindly　toward　the　west；'　and　further　it　follows　from　this　that　the　head　is　in　the　west。〃
〃Well；　has　the　sky　ears？〃
〃Oh；　yes。　The　sky　is　above　and　listens　to　all　things　below。　The　Odes　say；　'The　crane　calls　from　the　midst　of　the　marsh；　its　cry　is　heard　by　the　sky。'　How　could　the　sky　hear　without　ears？〃
〃Has　the　sky　feet？〃
〃It　has。　The　Odes　say；　'Heaven　treads　down　difficulties。'　If　there　were　no　feet；　how　could　it　tread？〃
〃Has　heaven　a　name？〃
〃Why　not？〃
〃Then　what　is　it？〃
〃Liu。〃
〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
〃Because　the　Emperor's　family　name　is　Liu；　and　he　is　the　Son　of　Heaven。　That　is　how　I　know。〃
〃Does　the　sun　spring　from　the　east？〃
〃Though　it　does；　yet　it　sets　in　the　west。〃
All　this　time　Qin　Mi's　repartees　had　flashed　back　clear　and　perfect。　They　came　so　naturally　as　to　astonish　all　the　guests。　Zhang　Wen　had　no　word　to　reply　to　them。
Then　it　became　Qin　Mi's　turn；　〃You　are　a　famous　scholar　in　your　own　land；　Sir；　and　since　you　have　asked　so　many　questions　about　Heaven；　I　take　it　you　are　I　well　up　in　all　celestial　matters。　When　original　chaos　resolved　into　its　two　elements　yin　and　yang；　the　lighter　portion　rose　and　became　sky；　and　the　grosser　sank　and　solidified　into　earth。　When　Gong　Gong's　rebellion　was　crushed；　his　head　struck　the　Imperfect　Mountain；　the　pillar；　which　upholds　heaven；　was　broken　and　the　bonds　of　earth　were　destroyed。　Heaven　fell　over　to　the　northwest；　and　earth　sank　into　the　southeast。　Since　heaven　was　ethereal　and　had　floated　to　the　top；　how　could　it　fall　over？　Another　thing　I　do　not　know　is　what　is　beyond　the　ether。　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　explain；　Master。〃
Zhang　Wen　had　no　reply　ready；　but　he　rose　from　his　place　and　bowed　his　acknowledgment；　saying；　〃I　knew　not　that　there　was　so　much　ability　in　this　land。　I　am　happy　to　have　heard　such　a　discourse。　Now　all　obstructions　have　disappeared；　and　I　see　quite　clearly。〃
But　Zhuge　Liang；　fearing　lest　the　guest　should　feel　mortified；　soothed　him　with　fair　words；　saying；　〃This　is　all　play　upon　words；　the　sort　of　puzzles　one　propounds　at　a　merry　feast。　You；　honored　Sir；　know　that　the　tranquillity　and　safety　of　states　are　no　matters　to　joke　with。〃
The　envoy　bowed。　Then　Deng　Zhi　was　ordered　to　return　to　Wu　and　thank　its　ruler　for　his　courtesy；　and　he　was　to　acpany　Zhang　Wen。　So　both；　having　taken　leave　of　the　Prime　Minister；　set　out　on　their　journey　to　the　east。
In　the　meantime　Sun　Quan　was　beginning　to　feel　perplexed　at　the　long　delay　of　his　envoy。　He　had　summoned　a　council　to　discuss　this　question；　when　the　report　came　that　his　own　envoy　had　returned；　and　Deng　Zhi　was　with　him。　They　were　brought　in　forthwith。　Zhang　Wen；　having　made　his　obeisance；　began　to　discourse　upon　the　virtue　of　the　Ruler　of　Shu　and　Zhuge　Liang　and　to　lay　before　his　lord　the　proposal　for　a　league　of　peace。　Deng　Zhi；　the　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　was　empowered　to　discuss　this　matter。
Turning　to　Deng　Zhi；　Sun　Quan　said；　〃Would　it　not　be　a　happy　result　if　tranquillity　should　be　restored　to　the　empire　by　the　destruction　of　Wei；　and　Wu　and　Shu　should　share　its　administration？〃
〃The　sky　knows　not　two　suns；〃　replied　Deng　Zhi；　〃nor　can　the　people　recognize　two　kings。　If　Wei　be　destroyed；　no　one　can　say　upon　whom　the　divine　mand　will　devolve。　But　one　who　bees　an　overlord　must　perfect　his　virtue；　and　those　who　bee　ministers　must　be　wholly　loyal。　In　this　way　strife　will　cease。〃
Sun　Quan　smiled；　saying；　〃And　your　sincerity　is　beyond　question。〃
Deng　Zhi　was　dismissed　with　rich　gifts；　and　after　this　Wu　and　Shu　were　good　friends。
The　negotiations　between　his　two　rivals　were　reported　in　Capital　Luoyang　without　loss　of　time；　and　Cao　Pi　was　very　angry。
〃If　they　have　made　an　alliance；　it　can　only　mean　that　they　cherish　the　intention　of　swallowing　the　Middle　Land。　My　best　move　is　to　strike　first。〃
He　called　a　great　council。　This　council　lacked　the　presence　of　Regent　Marshal　Cao　Ren　and　Grand　mander　Jia　Xu；　who　had　both　died。
In　the　council　Counselor　Xin　Pi　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃The　Middle　Land　is　extensive；　but　the　population　so　sparse　that　no　successful　army　could　be　raised　just　now。　My　advice　is　to　wait　ten　years；　spending　that　period　in　forming　an　army　and　in　cultivating　the　land　till　stores　and　weapons　shall　have　been　accumulated。　Then　both　our　rivals　may　be　destroyed。〃
〃This　is　only　the　distorted　opinion　of　a　perverted　pedant。　Having　made　this　league；　Shu　and　Wu　may　fall　upon　us　at　any　moment。　This　matter　cannot　be　postponed　for　ten　years；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。
An　edict　appeared　manding　the　enlistment　of　soldiers　and　the　formation　of　an　army　to　subdue　Wu。
Sima　Yi　then　said；　〃Battleships　are　necessary；　as　Wu　is　protected　by　the　Great　River。　Your　Majesty　must　lead　small　and　big　vessels。　The　navy　can　advance　by　way　of　River　Huai；　taking　Shouchun。　When　you　reach　Guangling；　the　river　is　to　be　crossed　and　Nanxu　is　to　be　captured。　Then　Wu　will　be　subdued。〃
This　plan　was　accepted；　and　the　construction　of　dragon　ships　was　put　in　hand　and　went　on　day　and　night。　Ten　were　built　two　hundred　spans　long　to　carry　two　thousand　marines　each。　They　also　collected　three　thousand　fighting　ships。
In　the　autumn　of　the　fifth　year　of　Yellow　Dawn　（AD　224）　the　various　generals　assembled；　and　Cao　Zhen　was　appointed　leader　of　the　first　corps。　Zhang　Liao；　Zhang　He；　Wen　Ping；　and　Xu　Huang　were　Chief　manders；　Xu　Chu　and　Lu　Qian　were　guards　of　the　Center　Army；　and　Cao　Xiu　manded　the　rear　guard；　the　strategists　were　Liu　Ye　and　Jiang　Ji。　In　all；　land　and　marine　forces　numbered　over　three　hundred　thousand　troops。　When　the　starting　day　was　decided　upon；　Sima　Yi　was　made　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　and　left　in　the　capital　with　the　powers　of　Regent　Marshal。
The　spies　told　the　Prince　of　Wu's　attendants　of　the　dangers；　and　the　latter　hastened　to　inform　the　Prince。
They　said；　〃Cao　Pi　is　leading　the　dragon　fleet　and　manding　three　hundred　thousand　marines　and　ground　forces　against　the　South　Land；　and　the　danger　is　very　great。〃
When　Sun　Quan　met　his　council；　Gu　Yong　said；　〃My　lord；　you　can　call　upon　Shu　for　help　according　to　the　treaty。　Write　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　get　him　to　send　out　an　army　through　Hanzhong　so　as　to　divert　part　of　Wei's　army。　Also　you　send　an　army　to　Nanxu　to　oppose　them　there。〃
〃I　shall　have　to　recall　Lu　Xun；〃　said　the　Prince。　〃He　is　the　only　man　to　undertake　this　great　task。〃
〃Do　not　move　him　if　you　can　help　it。　He　is　necessary　for　the　protection　of　Jingzhou。〃
〃Yes；　I　know。　But　there　is　no　other　strong　enough　to　help　me。〃
At　these　words　Xu　Sheng　advanced；　saying；　〃I　know　I　am　not　very　able；　but　I　desire　to　be　given　an　army　to　meet　this　danger。　If　Cao　Pi　crosses　the　river　in　person；　I　will　make　him　prisoner　and　present　him　at