三国演义英文版-第215部分

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The　messenger　replied；　〃Most　of　them　favor　first　the　destruction　of　Wei。　Wu　is　to　follow。〃
〃What　sort　of　talk　is　this？〃　cried　Zhang　Fei　angrily。　〃When　we　three　swore　brotherhood　in　the　Peach　Garden；　we　pledged　ourselves　to　die　together。　Now；　alas！　my　brother　has　perished　by　the　way；　and　can　we　enjoy　wealth　or　honors　without　him？　I　must　see　the　Son　of　Heaven　and　pray　to　be　allowed　to　lead　the　van。　I　will　wear　mourning；　and　in　that　garb　I　will　smite　Wu　and　capture　the　bandit　that　rules　there。　Sun　Quan　shall　be　sacrificed　to　my　brother's　manes　in　virtue　of　our　oath。〃
Zhang　Fei　acpanied　the　messenger　to　Capital　Chengdu。　In　the　meantime　the　First　Ruler　had　been　training　his　armies。　Day　after　day　he　went　to　the　drill　ground；　and　he　decided　upon　a　day　to　start；　and　he　would　acpany　the　expedition。　Thereupon　a　number　of　courtiers　went　to　the　palace　of　the　Prime　Minister　to　talk　with　Zhuge　Liang；　trying　to　get　this　intention　modified。
They　said；　〃It　is　not　in　accordance　with　the　importance　due　to　the　Emperor's　position　that　he　should　go　in　personal　mand　of　this　army；　particularly　as　he　has　but　lately　assumed　his　throne。　You；　Sir；　hold　the　weighty　post　of　adviser　in　such　a　matter；　and　why　do　you　not　dissuade　him？〃
〃I　have　done　so；　most　sincerely　and　repeatedly；　but　he　will　not　listen。　But　now　you　all　e　with　me　to　the　drill　ground；　and　we　will　try　once　more。〃
So　they　proceeded　thither；　with　Zhuge　Liang　at　their　head；　and　he　said；　〃Your　Majesty　has　but　lately　taken　the　imperial　seat。　If　the　expedition　was　one　to　march　northward　to　destroy　the　rebels　against　Han　and　in　the　interest　of　rectitude；　it　would　be　perfectly　correct　for　the　Emperor　to　lead　the　army。　But　an　officer　of　high　rank　should　more　properly　be　sent　against　Wu。　Why　should　Your　Majesty　expose　yourself　to　such　fatigues？〃
The　First　Ruler　was　touched　by　the　depth　of　his　minister's　concern　and　the　sincerity　of　his　counsel；　and　was　on　the　point　of　yielding　when　the　arrival　of　Zhang　Fei　was　announced。　Zhang　Fei　was　immediately　summoned　and　came　to　the　pavilion　on　the　drill　ground；　where　he　threw　himself　on　the　ground　and　clasped　the　First　Ruler's　feet；　weeping　bitterly。　The　First　Ruler　joined　in　the　lamentation。
〃Your　Majesty　is　now　ruler　and　too　quickly　forgets　the　oath　in　the　Peach　Garden。　Why　is　our　brother's　death　not　avenged？〃
The　First　Ruler　replied；　〃Many　officers　dissuade　me　from　such　a　course。　I　cannot　act　rashly。〃
〃What　do　others　know　of　our　oath？　If　Your　Majesty　will　not　go；　then　let　me　sacrifice　myself　to　avenge　our　brother。　If　I　cannot；　then　would　I　rather　die　and　see　your　face　no　more。〃
〃Then　will　I　go　with　you；〃　said　the　First　Ruler。　〃Bring　your　own　troops　from　Langzhong；　and　I　will　bring　my　veterans　to　meet　you　at　Jiangzhou。　We　will　both　attack　Wu　and　wipe　out　the　reproach。〃
As　Zhang　Fei　rose　to　take　leave；　the　First　Ruler　said　to　him；　〃I　know　that　your　weakness　for　wine　leads　you　astray；　and　you　bee　very　cruel　in　your　cups；　and　hog　your　people；　and　keep　the　beaten　ones　near　you。　They　may　be　dangerous；　and　it　is　certainly　the　road　to　misfortune。　Now　you　must　be　more　kindly　and　not　give　way　to　passion　as　before。〃
Thus　admonished；　Zhang　Fei　said　farewell　and　left。
Soon　after；　when　the　First　Ruler　was　preparing　to　march　out；　High　Minister　Qin　Mi　memorialized；　saying；　〃That　Your　Majesty；　the　Lord　of　a　Myriad　Chariots；　should　risk　his　person　in　what　is　not　the　way　of　perfect　rectitude　is　not　what　the　ancients　would　have　done。　I　pray　that　this　may　be　reflected　upon。〃
But　the　First　Ruler　replied；　〃Guan　Yu　and　I　were　as　one　body；　and　the　way　of　perfect　rectitude　is　here。　Have　you　forgotten？〃
But　the　officer　remained　at　his　feet　and　said；　〃I　fear　disaster　if　Your　Majesty　disregards　your　servant's　words。〃
The　First　Ruler　replied　angrily；　〃Why　do　you　use　such　bad　words　when　I　desire　to　march？〃
He　bade　the　executioners　thrust　forth　and　put　to　death　the　bold　speaker。　Still　Qin　Mi's　face　showed　no　sign　of　fear。
He　only　smiled；　saying；　〃I　die　without　regret。　It　is　a　pity　that　this　newly　established　state　should　be　overturned　ere　it　be　well　begun。〃
Other　officials　interceding；　the　death　punishment　was　remitted；　but　the　faithful　officer　was　mitted　to　prison。
〃Your　fate　will　be　decided　when　the　Army　of　Vengeance　return；〃　said　the　First　Ruler。
Zhuge　Liang　sent　up　a　memorial　in　favor　of　Qin　Mi；　saying：
〃I；　Zhuge　Liang；　address　Your　Majesty　in　my　own　name　and　those　of　my　colleagues。　We　regard　as　most　grievous　the　recent　events………Wu's　perfidy；　by　which　Jingzhou　was　lost；　the　star　of　a　great　general　was　brought　down；　and　the　pillar　holding　the　sky　was　broken………；　and　we　shall　never　forget。　But　it　is　to　be　remembered　that　the　crime　of　overturning　the　Throne　of　Han　rests　on　Cao　Cao；　and　the　fault　of　driving　away　the　Liu　Family　lies　not　on　Sun　Quan。　We　venture　to　think　that　the　destruction　of　Wei　would　cause　the　submission　of　Wu；　wherefore　we　beg　consideration　of　the　valuable　words　of　Qin　Mi。　Thus　the　army　will　be　spared　needless　exertion　and　occasion　given　to　make　other　plans　for　the　prosperity　of　the　Throne　and　the　happiness　of　the　people。〃
But　having　listened　to　the　memorial；　the　First　Ruler　threw　it　to　the　floor；　saying；　〃I　have　decided；　and　no　remonstrance　should　be　raised！〃
Then　he　appointed　the　Prime　Minister　to　take　care　of　his　son　and　the　two　River　Lands。　Then　the　Generals　of　the　Flying　Cavalry………Ma　Chao　and　Ma　Dai………；　together　with　the　General　Who　Defends　the　North；　Wei　Yan；　were　ordered　to　guard　Hanzhong　against　Wei。　The　Tiger　General　Zhao　Yun　was　to　be　in　reserve　and　to　control　the　supplies；　Huang　Quan　and　Cheng　Jin　were　made　Counselors；　Ma　Liang　and　Chen　Zhen；　Secretaries；　Huang　Zhong；　the　Van　Leader；　assisted　by　the　Marching　Generals　Feng　Xi　and　Zhang　Nan；　Fu　Tong　and　Zhang　Yi；　Marching　manders　of　the　Center　Army；　Zhao　Rong　and　Liao　Chun；　the　rear　guards。　The　whole　army；　including　the　borrowed　foreign　troops；　numbered　seven　hundred　fifty　thousand；　and　high…rank　officials　amounted　several　hundred。　And　the　〃tiger〃　day　of　the　seventh　month　of　the　first　year　of　Manifest　Might　was　selected　as　the　most　propitious　day　for　the　start。
As　soon　as　Zhang　Fei　had　got　back　to　his　post；　he　issued　orders　that　his　soldiers　should　be　ready　to　march　in　three　days　and　the　whole　body　was　to　be　in　mourning；　white　uniforms　and　whitened　arms。
Just　after　the　order　appeared；　two　generals　named　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da　came　to　their　chief；　saying；　〃The　time　allowed　is　insufficient　to　make　white　flags　and　armors。　Pray　give　us　more　time；　General。〃
〃I　am　hot　to　avenge　my　brother！〃　roared　Zhang　Fei。　〃My　only　regret　is　that　I　cannot　reach　the　miserable　wretch's　country　tomorrow。　Do　you　dare　to　disobey　my　order？〃
Zhang　Fei　called　in　the　lictors；　had　the　two　officers　bound　to　trees；　and　ordered　each　to　receive　fifty　lashes。
At　the　close　of　the　flogging；　he　said；　〃Now　you　will　be　ready　tomorrow。　If　you　are　not；　I　will　put　you　to　death　as　an　example！〃
The　two　generals　returned　to　their　place；　spitting　blood　and　hot　with　anger。
They　said　one　to　another；　〃We　have　been　beaten　today。　What　about　tomorrow？　This　man's　temper　is　unbearable；　and　if　things　are　not　ready；　we　shall　suffer　death。〃
〃Suppose　we　slay　him；〃　suddenly　said　Zhang　Da；　〃since　if　we　do　not；　he　will　kill　us。〃
〃But　how　can　we　get　near　him？〃
〃If　we　are　to　have　a　chance　to　live；　he　will　get　drunk　and　go　to　bed　tonight；　if　we　are　to　die；　he　will　remain　sober。〃
They　made　all　their　arrangements　for　the　crime。
That　day　Zhang　Fei　was　greatly　disturbed　in　his　mind　and　restless。
He　told　some　of　his　subordinates；　saying；　〃I　feel　nervous　and　creepy　and　shivery　and　cannot　not　rest。　What　does　it　mean？〃
〃This　is　due　to　too　much　brooding　over　the　loss　of　your　brother；〃　said　they。
Then　Zhang　Fei　bade　them　bring　in　wine；　and　he　drank　with　his　officers。　Presently　he　became　quite　intoxicated　and　lay　down　on　a　couch　in　his　tent。
Meanwhile　the　two　assassins　had　followed　all　his　doings；　and　when　they　knew　he　was　lying　on　his　couch　intoxicated　and　incapable；　they　went　into　the　tent；　each　armed　with　a　water…sharp　dagger。　They　got　rid　of　the　attendants　by　saying　they　had　confidential　matters　to　talk　about　and　so　got　into　the　inner　rooms。
But　even　then　they　dared　do　nothing；　for　Zhang　Fei　slept　always　with　open　eyelids；　and　he　lay　on　his　couch　as　if　still　awake。　However；　huge　snores　soon　convinced　them　that　their　victim　really　slept；　and　they　crept　to　the　side　of　the　couch。　Then　both　stabbed　simultaneously　deep　into　the　body。　Zhang　Fei　uttered　one　cry　and　lay　still。　So　he　died　at　the　hand　of　assassins　at　the　age　of　fifty…five　years。

He　who　whipped　the　inspector　in　Anxi；
Who　swept　vile　rebels　from　the　land　of　Han；
And　thereby　won　great　glory　for　the　Lius；
Whose　valor　shone　at　Tiger　Trap　Pass；
Who　turned　the　tide　of　victory　at　Long　Slope　Bridge；
Who　freed　Yan　Yan　and　thus　won　a　friend
That　helped　him　and　his　brothers　conquer　Shu；
Whose　wisdom　defeated　Zhang　He　to　get　Hanzhong；
Is　dead；　the　victim　of　assassins'　blows。
Not　his　avenge　his　brother's　death　on　Wu；
Langzhong　will　grieve　him　all　the　ages　through。

Having　done　their　victim　to　death；　Fan　Jiang　and　Zhang　Da　hacked　off　his　head；　and　made　off　for　Wu　without　loss　of　time。　Fleeing　with　them　were　a　few　dozen　close　subordinates。　When　the　deed　was　known；　they　had　got　too　far　for　capture。
The　assassination　was　reported　in　a　memorial　by　a　mander　of　Zhang　Fei　named　Hu　Ban；　who　had　left　Jingzhou　to　see　the　First　Ruler　and　then　had　been　sent　to　serve　under　Zhang　Fei。　He　wrote　a　memorial　to　the　First　Ruler　and　bade　the　eldest　son；　Zhang　Bao；　prepare　a　coffin　for　the　remains。　After　the　ceremony；　leaving　his　younger　brother；　Zhang　Shao；　to　hold　Langzhong；　Zhang　Bao　went　to　see　the　Emperor。
The　day　of　departure　had　already　e；　and　the　First　Ruler　had　left　the　capital。　Zhuge　Liang　and　many　officers　had　escorted　him　out　of　the　city　for　three　miles　and　taken　leave。
Returning　to　Chengdu；　Zhuge　Liang　felt　ill　at　ease；　and　he　remarked　to　his　colleagues；　〃If　Fa　Zheng　had　been　alive；　he　would　have　been　able　to　interdict　this　expedition。〃
One　night　the　First　Ruler　felt　nervous　and　shuddered　from　time　to　time。　He　could　not　sleep；　so　he　went　out　of　his　tent　and　looked　up　at　the　stars。　Suddenly　he　saw　a　bright　meteor　fall　in　the　northwest；　and　began　to　wonder　what　the　portent　meant。　He　sent　at　once　to　ask　Zhuge　Lia