第85部分(第2/7 頁)

aid　the　lady。

Liu　Biao　said　nothing　but　muttered　to　himself。　Soon　after　he　went　out　of　the　city　to　see　Liu　Bei　and　noticed　he　was　riding　a　very　handsome　horse。　They　told　him　it　was　a　prize　taken　from　the　recently　conquered　rebels；　and　as　he　praised　it　very　warmly；　Liu　Bei　presented　it　to　him。　Liu　Biao　was　delighted　and　rode　it　back　to　the　city。　Kuai　Yue　saw　it　and　asked　where　it　had　e　from。　The　Imperial　Protector　told　him　it　was　a　gift　from　Liu　Bei。

Kuai　Yue　said；　〃My　passed…away　brother；　Kuai　Liang；　knew　horses　very　well；　and　I　am　not　a　bad　judge。　This　horse　has　tear…tracks　running　down　from　its　eyes　and　a　white　blaze　on　its　forehead。　It　is　called　a　Dilu　horse；　and　it　is　a　danger　to　his　master。　That　is　why　Zhang　Wu　was　killed。　I　advise　you　not　to　ride　it。〃

Liu　Biao　began　to　think。

Soon　after　he　asked　Liu　Bei　to　a　banquet　and　in　the　course　of　it　said；　〃You　kindly　presented　me　with　a　horse　lately；　and　I　am　most　grateful。　But　you　may　need　it　on　some　of　your　expeditions　and；　if　you　do　not　mind；　I　would　like　to　return　it。〃

Liu　Bei　rose　and　thanked　him。

The　Imperial　Protector　continued；　〃You　have　been　here　a　long　time；　and　I　fear　I　am　spoiling　your　career　as　a　warrior。　Now　Xinye　in　Xiangyang　is　no　poverty…stricken　town。　How　would　you　like　to　garrison　it　with　your　own　troops？〃

Liu　Bei　naturally　took　the　offer　as　a　mand　and　set　out　as　soon　as　he　could；　taking　leave　of　the　Imperial　Protector　the　next　day。　And　so　he　took　up　his　quarters　in　Xinye。

When　he　left　Jingzhou　City；　he　noticed　in　the　gate　a　person　making　him　emphatic　salutations；　and　the　man　presently　said；　〃You　should　not　ride　that　horse。〃

Liu　Bei　looked　at　the　man　and　recognized　in　the　speaker　one　of　the　secretaries　of　Liu　Biao　named　Yi　Ji；　a　native　of　Shan