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第188部分（第2页）

As　Zhuge　Liang　left　the　building；　he　met　Xu　Jing；　who　said；　〃Instructor；　I　went　to　your　residence　to　deliver　a　very　secret　piece　of　news；　and　they　told　me　to　find　you　here。〃

〃What　is　your　secret？〃

〃There　is　a　report　about　that　Wu　has　got　possession　of　Jingzhou；　Lu　Meng　has　taken　it。　And　more　than　that；　Guan　Yu　is　dead。　I　had　to　e　to　tell　you。〃

〃I　saw　it　in　the　sky　some　nights　ago。　A　large　star　of　a　general　fell　over　against　Jingzhou；　and　I　knew　some　evil　had　befallen　Guan　Yu。　But　I　feared　the　effect　upon　our　master；　and　I　forbore　to　say　anything。〃

They　did　not　know　that　Liu　Bei　was　standing　just　within　the　door。

Suddenly　Liu　Bei　rushed　out；　seized　Zhuge　Liang　by　the　sleeve　and　said；　〃Why　did　you　hide　from　me？　Why；　when　you　had　such　terrible　news？〃

〃Because　it　is　only　a　rumor；〃　replied　they。　〃It　is　too　improbable　for　belief。　We　pray　you　not　to　be　distressed。〃

〃By　our　oath　we　live　or　die　together：　How　can　I　go　on　living　if　he　is　lost？〃

The　two　men　soothed　their　lord　as　best　they　could。　But　even　as　they　spoke　to　him；　one　of　the　private　attendants　said　that　Ma　Liang　and　Yi　Ji　had　arrived。　Liu　Bei　called　them　in　and　questioned　them　eagerly。

They　said；　〃Jingzhou　has　indeed　been　lost；　and　Guan　Yu　begs　for　instant　help。〃

The　letters　they　brought　had　not　been　read　before　Liao　Hua　was　ushered　in。　He　prostrated　himself　and；　weeping；　told　the　story　of　the　refusal　of　help　on　the　part　of　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da。

〃Then　is　my　brother　lost！〃　cried　Liu　Bei。

〃If　those　two　have　really　behaved　so　badly；　the　offense　is　even　too　great　for　death；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃But　calm　yourself；　O　Prince。　I　will　see　about　an　army　and　lead　it　to　the　rescue。〃

〃If　Guan　Yu　is　gone；　I　cannot　live；〃　moaned　Liu　Bei。　〃Tomorrow　I　myself　will　set　out　with　an　army　to　rescue　him。〃

Liu　Bei　sent　off　a　messenger　to　Zhang　Fei　in　Langzhong　and　gave　orders　to　muster　horse　and　foot　for　instant　departure。

Before　day　dawned　other　messengers　arrived；　giving　step　by　step　the　sequence　of　the　tragedy：　〃Guan　Yu　had　cut　his　way　to　Linju　at　night　and　been　captured　by　a　general　of　Wu。　He　had　refused　to　bend；　and　both　father　and　son　had　gone　to　the　Nine　Springs。〃

When　he　heard　of　the　final　catastrophe；　Liu　Bei　uttered　a　great　cry　and　fell　swooning。

His　mind　went　back　to　the　pledge　of　days　gone　by；

Could　he　live　still　and　let　his　brother　die？

What　happened　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　78　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　78

Chapter　78

Treating　A　Headache；　A　Famous　Physician　Dies；

Giving　The　Last　Words；　The　Crafty　Hero　Departs。

As　has　been　said；　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　swooned　on　hearing　the　terrible　news　of　the　death　of　the　two　Guans；　father　and　son。　His　officers　went　to　his　help；　and　when　he　had　recovered　sufficiently；　they　led　him　to　his　private　apartments。

〃My　lord；　control　your　grief；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Life　and　death　are　fixed　by　fate。　Guan　Yu　brought　the　evil　upon　himself　by　his　harshness　and　haughtiness。　You　must　now　take　care　of　your　health　and　mature　your　vengeance。〃

〃When　we　swore　brotherhood　in　the　Peach　Garden；　we　pledged　ourselves　to　live　or　die　together。　What　enjoyment　of　riches　and　honors　is　there　for　me　now　that　my　brother　is　gone？〃

Just　then　he　saw　Guan　Yus　son；　Guan　Xing；　ing　in　weeping　in　deep　distress。　At　sight　of　the　youth；　Liu　Bei　uttered　a　great　cry　and　again　sank　to　the　earth。　By　and　by　he　came　to；　and　spent　the　whole　day　weeping　and　swooning　at　intervals。　For　three　days　he　refused　all　nourishment；　and　he　wept　so　bitterly　that　his　garments　were　wetted；　and　there　were　spots　of　blood。　Zhuge　Liang　and　the　others　tried　every　means　to　soothe　him；　but　he　was　inconsolable。

〃I　swear　I　will　not　live　under　the　same　heaven　as　Sun　Quan；〃　cried　he。

〃It　is　said　that　the　head　of　your　brother　has　been　sent　to　Cao　Cao；　but　Cao　Cao　has　buried　the　remains　with　the　rites　of　a　princely　noble；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Why　did　he　do　that？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃Because　Sun　Quan　thought　thereby　to　bring　evil　upon　Cao　Cao。　But　Cao　Cao　saw　through　the　subterfuge　and　has　buried　your　brother　with　great　honor　so　that　your　anger　may　burn　against　Wu。〃

〃I　want　to　send　my　armies　to　punish　Wu　an