按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
risoner before his lord。
〃I have long had a friendly feeling for you；〃 said Sun Quan to Guan Yu； 〃on account of your great virtues。 Now I would have made a covenant and alliance with you； if you would。 You and your son have long held yourselves to be invincible； but you see you are my prisoners today。 Yet I hope to win you over to my side。〃
But Guan Yu only answered roughly； 〃You green…eyed boy！ You purple…bearded rat！ I made a covenant in the Peach Garden with my brothers to uphold the Hans。 Think you that I will stand side by side with a rebel such as you are？ I am a victim of your vile schemes； but I can only die once。 And there is no need of many words。〃
〃He is a real hero； and I love him；〃 said Sun Quan to those standing near。 〃I will treat him well and endeavor to win him over。 Do you think it well？〃
Said the First Secretary Zuo Xian； 〃When Cao Cao had hold of this man； Cao Cao treated him lavishly well。 Cao Cao created him a marquis； in three…day interval Cao Cao held a small banquet； in five days a great one； Cao Cao gave him gold and presented him with silver； all this； hoping to retain him at his side。 But Cao Cao failed。 The man broke through his gates； slew his six generals in five passes and went away。 Today Cao Cao fears him； and almost moved the capital for dread of him。 Now he is in your power； destroy him； or you will rue the day。 Evil will e if you spare him。〃
Sun Quan reflected for some time。
〃You are right；〃 said he presently； and gave the order for execution。
So father and son met their fate together in the winter of the twenty…fourth year （AD 219） in the tenth month。 Guan Yu was fifty…eight。
A poem says：
Peerless indeed was our Lord Guan Yu； of the latter days；
Head and shoulders stood he out among the best；
Godlike and terrible in war； elegant and refined in peace；
Resplendent as the noonday sun in the heavens；
Haloed as are the noblest of those early days；
He stands； the brightest model for all ages；
And not only for the strenuous days he lived in。
And another：
Seek ye a noble one？ Then take ye the way of Jieliang；
Watch ye how all people revere Guan Yu；
Each excelling others to honor him；
Him； one of the three brothers of the Peach Garden Oath；
Who have won sacrifices； as emperor and king。
Inparable their aura spreads through the world；
They are resplendent as the great lights of the firmament；
Temples to our Lord Guan Yu abound； no village lacks one；
Their venerable trees at sundown are the resting places for birds。
So Guan Yu ended his life。 His famous steed； Red Hare； also captured with its master； was sent to Sun Quan； who gave it as a reward to his captor； Ma Zhong。 But Red Hare survived its master only a short time。 It refused to feed； and soon died。
Foreboding of misfortune came to Wang Fu within the city of Maicheng。 His bones felt cold； and his flesh crept。
He said to his colleague Zhou Cang； 〃I have had a terrible dream in which I saw our lord all dripping with gore。 I would question him； but I was overe with dread。 May it augur no evil tidings！〃
Just then the troops of Wu came up to the city wall and displayed the gory heads of the two； father and son。 Wang Fu and Zhou Cang went up on the wall to see if the dread tokens were real。 There was no doubt。 Wang Fu with a despairing cry threw himself over the wall and perished； Zhou Cang died by his own hand。 Thus Maicheng fell to Wu。
The execution of Guan Yu gave Sun Quan undisputed possession of the whole of the Jingzhou Region。 He rewarded his soldiers and spread a great feast at which Lu Meng was in the seat of honor。
Sun Quan made a speech； saying； 〃After long waiting； the desire of my heart has e to me very easily through the magnificent efforts of my friend Lu Meng。〃
Lu Meng bowed and bowed deprecatingly； but Sun Quan continued； 〃My good Zhou Yu was superior to most humans； and he defeated Cao Cao at the Red Cliffs。 Alas！ He died too soon。 My good Lu Su succeeded him。 In his first interview； he inaugurated the general policy of creating a state。 That was the first instance of his keen insight。 When Cao Cao descended upon my country； and everyone counseled me to yield； he advised me to summon my good Zhou Yu to oppose and smite Cao Cao。 That was the second instance of his keen insight。 He made only one fault： He advised me to let Liu Bei occupy Jingzhou。 Now today my good Lu Meng has succeeded； and in that he far surpasses both his predecessors。〃
Then Sun Quan filled a goblet and in person presented it to the guest of the evening。 Lu Meng took the cup； but as he raised it； a sudden change came over him。
Dashing the cup to the ground； Lu Meng seized Sun Quan； crying； 〃O green…eyed boy！ O purple…bearded rat！ Do you know me？〃
Consternation seized the whole assembly； but many rushed to the rescue of their lord； who had been thrown to the floor by the guest he had so lately plimented。 Rushing forward over Sun Quan's body； Lu Meng sat himself in the host's seat； his eyebrows staring stiff and his eyes glaring。
〃After I quelled the Yellow Scarves； I went hither and thither for thirty years。 Now I have fallen victim to your base plots； and you have overe me。 Living； I have been unable to gorge upon the flesh of my enemy； dead； I will pursue the spirit of this bandit Lu Meng。 I am the Lord of Hanshou； Guan Yu！〃
Terror…stricken； Sun Quan was the first to fall prostrate； and all his officers followed him。
Thereupon Lu Meng fell over dead； with blood gushing from the seven orifices of his body。
In due time the body was coffined and interred。 Lu Meng was created posthumously Governor of Nanjun and Lord of Chanling。 His son； Lu Ba； was given hereditary nobility。
After this visitation Sun Quan lived in constant terror。 Soon Zhang Zhao came in from Jianye to see him and blame him for the murder。
〃My lord； by the slaughter of Guan Yu you have brought misfortune very near to this state。 You know the oath sworn in the Peach Garden。 Now Liu Bei has the force of the two River Lands at his back； Zhuge Liang as adviser； and those heroes Zhang Fei； Zhao Yun； Huang Zhong； and Ma Chao to carry out his behests。 When Liu Bei hears of the death of both father and son； he will set in motion the whole force he has to avenge them； and I fear you cannot stand such an onslaught。〃
Sun Quan started up in a fright。
〃Yes； I have made a little mistake；〃 said he。 〃But seeing it is so； what shall I do？〃
〃You need have no fear；〃 replied Zhang Zhao。 〃I have a plan to fend off the armies of the west from our borders and keep Jingzhou quite safe。〃
〃What is your plan？〃 asked Sun Quan。
〃Cao Cao with his many legions is greedily aiming at the whole empire。 If Liu Bei wants revenge； he will ally himself with Cao Cao； and； should they bine against the South Land； we should be in great danger。 Therefore I advise you to send Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao to make it appear that Cao Cao was the prime cause of his destruction。 This should divert Liu Bei's extreme hatred toward Cao Cao and send the armies of Shu against Wei instead of toward Wu。 After carefully considering the whole matter； I counsel this as the best course of action。〃
Sun Quan thought the move worth making； and so the head of the great warrior was placed in a box and sent off as quickly as possible to Cao Cao。
At this time Cao Cao's army had marched back from Mopo to Luoyang。 When he heard of the ing of the gruesome gift； he was glad at heart。
Said he； 〃So Guan Yu is dead。 Now I can stick to my mat and sleep soundly at night。〃
But Sima Yi saw through the ruse and said from his place by the steps； 〃This is a trick to divert evil from Wu。〃
〃What do you mean？ How？〃 said Cao Cao。
〃The Peach Garden Oath bound the three brothers to live and die together。 Now Wu is fearful of revenge for the execution of one of the three and sends the head to you to cause Liu Bei's wrath to fasten on you； O Prince。 Sun Quan wishes Liu Bei to attack you instead of himself； the real perpetrator of the crime。 Then he will find a way of acplishing his ends while you two are quarreling。〃
〃You are right； friend；〃 said Cao Cao。 〃And now how can we escape？〃
〃I think escape is easy。 You have the head of Guan Yu。 Make a wooden image of the remainder of the body； and bury the whole with the rites suitable to a mini