第103部分(第5/7 頁)

e　with　you　against　Cao　Cao。　If　Liu　Bei　does　as　I　wish；　then　success　is　yours。〃

Sun　Quan　thought　this　a　good　plan；　so　he　had　the　necessary　letters　prepared；　and　the　gifts；　and　sent　Lu　Su　with　them。

All　this　time　Liu　Bei　was　at　Jiangxia　where；　with　Zhuge　Liang　and　Liu　Qi；　he　was　endeavoring　to　evolve　a　good　plan　of　campaign。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Cao　Cao's　power　is　too　great　for　us　to　cope　with。　Let　us　go　over　to　the　South　Land　and　ask　help　from　Sun　Quan。　If　we　can　set　north　and　south　at　grips；　we　ought　to　be　able　to　get　some　advantage　from　our　intermediate　position　between　them。〃

〃But　will　they　be　willing　to　have　anything　to　do　with　us？〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃The　South　Land　is　a　large　and　populous　country；　and　Sun　Quan　has　ambitions　of　his　own。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　with　his　army　of　a　million　holds　the　Han　River　and　a　half　of　the　Great　River。　The　South　Land　will　certainly　send　to　find　out　all　possible　about　the　position。　Should　any　messenger　e；　I　shall　borrow　a　little　boat　and　make　a　little　trip　over　the　river　and　trust　to　my　little　lithe　tongue　to　set　north　and　south　at　each　other's　throats。　If　the　south　wins；　we　will　assist　in　destroying　Cao　Cao　in　order　to　get　Jingzhou。　If　the　north　wins；　we　shall　profit　by　the　victory　to　get　the　South　Land。　So　we　shall　get　some　advantage　either　way。〃

〃That　is　a　very　fine　view　to　take；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃But　how　are　you　going　to　get　hold　of　anyone　from　the　South　Land　to　talk　to？〃

Liu　Bei's　question　was　answered　by　the　arrival　of　Lu　Su；　and　as　the　ship　touched　the　bank　and　the　envoy　came　ashore；　Zhuge　Liang　laughed；　saying；　〃It　is　done！〃

Turning　to　Liu　Qi　he　asked；　〃When　Sun　Ce　died；　did　your　country　send　any　condolences？〃

〃It　is　impossible　there　would　be　any　mourning　courtesie