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手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第235部分（第2页）

Zhuge　Liang　cast　lots　to　know　what　portent　was　intended；　and　announced；　〃That　gale　signals　the　loss　of　a　great　leader。〃

They　hardly　believed　him。　But　before　the　banquet　ended；　two　sons　of　Zhao　Yun；　Zhao　Tong　and　Zhao　Guang；　came　and　wished　to　see　the　Prime　Minister。

Zhuge　Liang；　deeply　affected；　threw　aside　his　wine　cup　and　cried；　〃That　is　it。　Zhao　Yun　is　gone！〃

When　the　two　young　men　came　in；　they　prostrated　themselves　and　wept；　saying；　〃Our　father　died　the　night　before　at　the　third　watch。〃

Zhuge　Liang　staggered　and　burst　into　lamentation。

〃My　friend　is　gone。　The　country　has　lost　it　great　beam；　and　I　my　right　arm！〃

Those　about　him　joined　in；　wiping　away　their　tears。　Zhuge　Liang　bade　the　two　young　men　go　in　person　to　Chengdu　to　bear　the　sad　tidings　to　the　Emperor。

And　the　Latter　Ruler　wept　bitterly。

＇e＇　Evan；　a　reader：　〃Zhao　Yun　is　my　favorite。　I　dont　think　that　any　other　character　in　the　novel　can　quite　pare　to　his　nobility　and　virtue；　and　few　enough　could　pare　with　him　on　any　grounds。　From　Wei；　I　would　say　Zhang　Liao；　and　from　Wu；　Taishi　Ci　and　Lu　Meng。〃　。。。。。

〃Zhao　Yun　was　my　savior　and　friend。　He　saved　my　life　when　I　was　a　child　in　the　time　of　great　confusion！〃　cried　the　Latter　Ruler。

An　edict　was　issued　creating　Zhao　Yun　Regent　Marshal　and　Lord　of　Shunping　and　giving　burial　on　the　east　of　Silky　Hills　near　Capital　Chengdu。　A　temple　was　ordered　to　his　memory　and　sacrifices　were　offered　in　four　seasons。*

From　Changshan　came　a　general；　tiger　bold；

In　wit　and　valor　he　was　fitting　mate

For　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　his　exploits　rivaling

Even　theirs。　River　Han　and　Dangyang　recall

His　name。　Twice　in　his　stalwart　arms　he　bore

The　prince；　his　well…loved　leaders　son　and　heir。

In　storied　page　his　name　stands　out；　writ　large。

Fair　record　of　most　brave　and　loyal　deeds。

The　Latter　Ruler　showed　his　affectionate　gratitude　to　the　late　leader；　not　only　in　according　him　most　honorable　burial；　but　in　kindness　to　his　sons。　The　elder；　Zhao　Tong；　was　made　General　in　the　Tiger　Army　and　the　younger；　Zhao　Guang；　Station　General。　He　also　set　guards　over　the　tomb。

When　the　two　sons　had　left；　the　ministers　reported　to　the　Latter　Ruler：　〃The　dispositions　of　the　army　are　plete；　and　the　Prime　Minister　proposes　to　march　against　Wei　without　delay。〃

Talking　this　over　with　one　and　another；　the　Latter　Ruler　found　the　courtiers　much　inclined　to　a　cautious　policy　and　somewhat　fearful。　And　the　doubts　entered　into　the　Latter　Rulers　mind　so　that　he　could　not　decide。　Then　came　a　memorial　from　Zhuge　Liang；　and　the　messenger；　Yang　Yi；　was　called　into　the　presence　and　gave　it　to　the　Latter　Ruler。　The　Emperor　spread　it　on　the　table　and　read：

〃The　First　Ruler　always　said：　Han　and　rebels　cannot　coexist；　a　rulers　domain　cannot　be　confined。　Wherefore　he　laid　upon　me；　thy　minister；　to　destroy　the　rebels。　Measuring　my　powers　by　his　perspicacity；　he　knew　that　I　should　attack　and　oppose　my　talents；　inadequate　as　they　might　be；　to　their　strength；　for；　if　I　did　not；　the　royal　domain　would　be　destroyed。　It　was　a　question　whether　to　await　destruction　without　effort；　or　to　attack？　Wherefore　he　assigned　me　the　task　confidently。　Thenceforward　this　task　occupied　all　my　thoughts。

〃Considering　that　the　south　should　be　made　secure　before　the　north　could　be　attacked；　I　braved　the　heat　of　summer　and　plunged　deep　into　the　wilds　of　the　Mang　nations。　Not　that　I　was　careless　of　myself　or　the　soldiers；　but　urged　by　the　one　consideration；　that　the　royal　domain　should　not　be　restricted　to　the　capital　of　Shu；　I　faced　dangers　in　obedience　to　the　First　Rulers　behest。　But　there　were　critics　who　said　that　I　should　not　do　it。

〃Now　the　rebels　have　been　weakened　in　the　west　and　have　bee　defeated　in　the　east。　The　rule　of　war　is　to　take　advantage　of　the　enemys　weakness；　and　so　now　is　the　time　to　attack。　I　shall　discuss　the　various　circumstances　in　order。

〃The　enlightenment　of　the　Founder　of　the　Hans；　Liu　Bang；　rivaled　the　glory　of　the　sun　and　moon；　his　counselors　were　profound　as　the　ocean　abyss。　Nevertheless；　he　trod　a　hazardous　path　and　suffered　losses；　only　attaining　repose　after　passing　through　great　dangers。　Your　Majesty　does　not　reach　his　level；　nor　do　your　counselors　equal　Zhang　Liang　and　Chen　Ping。　Yet　while　we　desired　victory；　we　would　sit　idle；　waiting　till　the　empire　should　bee　settled。　This　attitude　is　beyond　my　prehension。

〃Imperial　Protector　Liu　Yao　and　Governor　Wang　Lang　each　occupied　a　territory。　They　passed　their　time　in　talking　of　tranquillity　and　discussing　plans；　quoting　the　sayings　of　the　sages　till　they　were　filled　with　doubts　and　obsessed　with　difficulties。　So　this　year　was　not　the　time　to　fight；　nor　next　year　the　season　to　punish；　and；　thus　talking；　it　came　about　that　Sun　Ce　grew　powerful　and　possessed　himself　of　all　the　South　Land。　This　sort　of　behavior　I　cannot　understand。

〃In　craft　Cao　Cao　surpassed　all　humans。　He　could　wield　armies　like　the　great　strategists　of　old；　Sun　Zi　and　Wu　Qi。　Yet　he　was　surrounded　in　Nanyang；　was　in　danger　at　Wuchao；　was　in　difficulties　at　Qilian；　was　hard　pressed　in　Liyang；　was　nearly　defeated　at　Beishan；　and　nearly　killed　at　Tong　Pass。　Yet；　after　all　these　experiences；　there　was　a　temporary　and　artificial　state　of　equilibrium。　How　much　less　can　I；　a　man　of　feeble　powers；　bring　about　a　decision　without　running　risks？　I　fail　to　understand。

〃Cao　Cao　failed　in　five　attacks　on　Changba；　and　four　times　crossed　Lake　Chaohu　without　success。　He　employed　Li　Zu；　who　betrayed　him；　and　put　his　trust　in　Xiahou　Yuan；　who　was　defeated　and　died。　The　First　Ruler　always　regarded　Cao　Cao　as　an　able　man；　and　yet　Cao　Cao　made　such　mistakes。　How　then　can　I；　in　my　worn…out　condition；　avoid　any　error？　I　do　not　understand　why。

〃Only　one　year　has　elapsed　since　I　went　into　Hanzhong；　yet　we　have　lost　Zhao　Yun；　Yang　Qun；　Ma　Yun；　Yan　Zhi；　Ding　Li；　Bo　Shou；　Liu　He；　Deng　Tong；　and　others；　and　leaders　of　rank　and　generals　of　stations；　to　the　number　of　near　eighty；　all　people　unsurpassed　in　dash　and　valor；　and　more　than　a　thousand　of　the　specialized　forces　of　horse　and　trained　cavalry　of　the　Sou　and　the　Tangut　tribespeople　in　the　Gobi　Desert；　whose　martial　spirit　we　have　fostered　these　ten　years　all　about　us；　and　not　only　in　one　region。　If　we　delay　much　longer；　two…thirds　of　this　will　have　dissipated；　and　how　then　shall　we　meet　the　situation？　I　do　not　understand　delay。

〃The　people　are　stretched　and　the　a