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第183部分（第2页）

〃The　Marquis　of　Wu　has　sent　me　to　inquire　after　your　honorable　plaint；〃　said　Lu　Xun。

〃How　distressed　I　am　that　the　state　of　my　wretched　carcass　has　caused　the　Marquis　the　inconvenience　of　inquiring〃　replied　Lu　Meng。

〃The　Marquis　placed　a　very　heavy　responsibility　on　your　shoulders；　but　you　are　not　making　the　best　use　of　the　opportunity。　However；　what　is　the　real　origin　of　your　distress？〃

Lu　Meng　sat　gazing　at　his　visitor　a　long　time　without　replying。

〃I　have　a　little　remedy；〃　said　Lu　Xun。　〃Do　you　think　you　might　use　it？〃

Lu　Meng　dismissed　the　servants；　and　when　the　two　were　alone；　he　said；　〃This　remedy；　my　friend；　please　tell　me　what　it　is。〃

〃Your　ailment　is　due　simply　to　the　efficiency　of　the　Jingzhou　soldiers。　I　know　how　to　keep　the　beacons　from　flaring；　and　I　can　make　the　defenders　of　Jingzhou　e　to　you　with　their　hands　tied。　Would　that　cure　you？〃

〃My　friend；　you　speak　as　if　you　saw　into　my　inmost　heart。　Pray　unfold　your　good　scheme。〃

〃Guan　Yu　thinks　himself　too　much　of　a　hero　for　anyone　to　dare　to　face　him；　and　his　only　anxiety　is　yourself。　Now　you　must　take　advantage　of　this　excuse　you　have　made　of　illness　actually　to　resign　this　post；　so　that　the　pretense　may　be　kept　up　and　another　person　be　appointed　to　your　place。　Let　this　person；　your　successor；　humbly　praise　Guan　Yu　till　that　general　bees　so　conceited　that　he　will　withdraw　all　the　troops　from　Jingzhou　to　send　them　against　Fancheng。　When　Jingzhou　is　left　undefended　then　is　our　chance；　and　the　city　will　fall　into　our　hands。〃

〃The　plan　seems　most　excellent；〃　said　Lu　Meng。

Wherefore　Lu　Mengs　malady　waxed　worse；　so　that　he　was　confined　to　bed。　He　gave　Lu　Xun　his　letter　of　resignation　to　carry　back　to　Sun　Quan。　The　messenger　hastened　back　and　explained　the　ruse　to　his　master；　who　soon　after　issued　a　mand　for　Lu　Meng　to　retire　and　attend　to　the　recovery　of　his　health。

But　Lu　Meng　came　to　Sun　Quan　to　discuss　the　matter　of　a　successor。

Sun　Quan　said　to　him；　〃As　to　the　appointment　at　Lukou；　you　know　Zhou　Yu　remended　Lu　Su；　who　at　his　last　moment　proposed　you。　Now　you　ought　to　be　able　to　mention　some　other　talented　and　well…known　officer　to　succeed　you。〃

〃If　you　choose　a　well…known　man；　Guan　Yu　will　certainly　be　on　his　guard　against　him。　Now　Lu　Xun　is　deep　and　farseeing；　but　he　has　no　widespread　fame。　Hence　no　particular　notice　would　be　taken　of　his　appointment　and　no　countermeasures　taken。　So　he　is　the　most　suitable　person　to　send。〃

Sun　Quan　agreed　and　thereupon　promoted　Lu　Xun　to　the　rank　of　General　of　the　Right　Army　and　Admiral　of　the　Right　Fleet；　and　sent　him　to　defend　the　port。

〃I　am　very　young；〃　said　Lu　Xun；　〃and　feel　unequal　to　such　a　post。〃

〃Lu　Meng　has　proposed　you；　and　you　will　not　make　any　mistakes。　Pray　do　not　decline；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

So　the　appointment　was　made；　and　Lu　Xun　set　out　at　once。　When　he　had　assumed　charge　of　the　cavalry；　the　infantry；　and　the　marines；　he　set　about　drawing　up　a　letter　to　Guan　Yu；　and　he　selected　fine　horses　and　beautiful　silks　and　good　wines　and　delicacies　suitable　for　gifts　to　go　with　the　letter。　He　sent　all　by　the　hand　of　a　trusty　messenger　to　Fancheng。

The　news　of　the　change　of　mand　reached　Guan　Yu　when　he　lay　ill　from　the　effects　of　his　wound　and　unable　to　conduct　any　military　operations。　Close　upon　the　news　came　the　letter　and　the　gifts　from　Lu　Xun；　and　the　bearer　was　called　in　to　see　the　warrior。

〃Friend　Sun　Quan　was　not　very　prudent　when　he　made　a　manding　General　out　of　a　mere　youth；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　pointing　to　the　messenger。

The　messenger　said；　〃General　Lu　Xun　sends　this　letter　and　some　presents；　which　he　hopes　you　will　accept。　He　also　sends　his　felicitations；　and　would　rejoice　if　the　two　houses　could　bee　friends。〃

Guan　Yu　read　the　letter；　which　was　couched　in　most　modest　language；　and　then　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed　aloud。　He　bade　the　attendants　receive　the　various　gifts；　and　sent　the　bearer　away。

The　messenger　forthwith　returned　to　Lukou　and　reported　to　Lu　Xun；　〃Guan　Yu　seemed　very　gratified；　and　he　felt　no　anxiety　and　danger　toward　the　South　Land。〃

Spies　were　sent　out　to　report　on　proceedings；　and　they　returned　to　say　that　half　the　troops　of　Jingzhou　had　been　sent　to　assist　in　the　siege　of　Fancheng。　That　city　was　to　be　seriously　assaulted　as　soon　as　Guan　Yu　had　recovered。

This　news　was　promptly　sent　on　to　Sun　Quan；　who　at　once　called　in　Lu　Meng　to　decide　upon　the　next　move。

〃Now　is　the　favorable　moment　to　get　possession　of　Jingzhou；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃I　propose　to　send　you　and　my　brother；　Sun　Jiao；　to　lead　the　army。〃

This　Sun　Jiao　was　really　only　a　cousin；　as　he　was　the　second　son　of　Sun　Quans　uncle；　Sun　Jing。

But　Lu　Meng　objected。　〃My　lord；　if　you　think　to　employ　me；　then　employ　me　only；　if　Sun　Jiao；　then　Sun　Jiao　only。　You　cannot　have　forgotten　that　Zhou　Yu　and　Cheng　Pu　were　associate　manders；　and　although　the　final　decision　lay　with　Zhou　Yu；　yet　the　other　presumed　upon　his　seniority　and　there　was　some　unfriendliness　between　the　two。　All　ended　well　because　Cheng　Pu　recognized　the　ability　of　his　colleague　and　so　supported　him。　I　know　I　am　not　so　clever　as　Zhou　Yu；　but　Sun　Jiaos　consanguinity　will　be　a　greater　obstacle　than　mere　length　of　service；　and　I　fear　he　may　not　be　wholly　with　me。〃

Sun　Quan　saw　the　force　of　the　contention；　and　appointed　Lu　Meng　to　sole　mand　with　Sun　Jiao　to　help　him　in　the　missariat。　Lu　Meng　thanked　his　lord　for　his　mission；　soon　got　his　thirty　thousand　marines　together；　and　assembled　eighty　ships　for　the　expedition。

Lu　Meng　dressed　a　number　of　sailors　in　the　plain　white　costumes　of　ordinary　merchants　and　put　them　on　board　to　work　his　vessels。　He　concealed　his　veterans　in　the　partments。　He　selected　seven　generals………Han　Dang；　Jiang　Qin；　Zhu　Ran；　Pan