北斗星小说网

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第216部分（第1页）

t　Emperor；　sent　him　here　to　subdue　the　Mangs　that　the　land　might　be　free　from　peril　when　he　decided　to　attack　Wei　and　take　possession　of　Wu　and　thereby　restore　the　glory　of　Han。　But　the　soldiers　are　ignorant　of　the　country；　and　some　of　them　have　drunk　of　a　poisonous　spring　so　that　they　have　bee　dumb。　Your　servant　earnestly　prays　your　honored　spirit；　out　of　regard　for　the　kindness　and　justice　of　the　present　Emperor；　to　reveal　your　spiritual　character　and　manifest　your　holiness　by　safeguarding　and　assisting　the　army。〃

Having　prayed　thus；　Zhuge　Liang　left　the　temple。　While　seeking　some　native　whom　he　might　question；　he　saw　in　the　distance；　on　a　hill　opposite；　an　aged　man　leaning　on　a　staff。　He　approached；　and　as　he　drew　nearer；　Zhuge　Liang　noted　his　extraordinary　appearance。　When　he　had　reached　the　temple；　Zhuge　Liang　asked　the　venerable　visitor　to　walk　in。　After　the　salutations；　the　old　man　sat　on　the　stones；　and　Zhuge　Liang　opened　the　conversation　with　the　usual　questions。

The　old　gentleman　replied；　〃Sir　Minister；　I　know　you　well　by　repute；　and　am　happy　to　meet　you。　Many　of　the　Mangs　owe　their　lives　to　you；　and　all　have　been　deeply　impressed　by　your　kindness。〃

Then　Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　the　matter　nearest　his　heart；　the　mystery　of　the　spring。

The　old　man　told　him；　〃That　is　the　Dumb　Spring　that　your　soldiers　have　drunk；　and　they　will　die　in　a　few　days。　Besides　that；　there　are　other　three　poisonous　streams　called　Destruction　Spring；　Black　Spring；　and　Weak　Spring。　All　miasma　gathers　there　in　the　four　streams；　and　it　only　vaporizes　during　the　two　watch　before　sunset。〃

〃In　short；　the　Mangs　cannot　be　conquered；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　when　the　old　man　had　finished。　〃And　Wu　cannot　be　repressed；　nor　Wei　overe。　And　the　Hans　cannot　be　restored。　So；　I　fail　in　the　task　set　me　by　my　Prince：　I　wish　that　I　might　die。〃

〃Be　not　so　cast　down；　O　Minister；〃　said　the　aged　one。　〃I　can　lead　you　to　a　place　where　you　may　counteract　all　this。〃

〃I　would　ask　for　your　instruction；　Venerable　One；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃What　exalted　advice　have　you　to　confer　upon　me？　I　hope　you　will　instruct　me。〃

〃West　of　this；　not　far　off；　is　a　valley；　and　seven　miles　from　its　entrance　is　a　stream　called　the　Spring　of　Eternal　Peace；　near　which　there　lives　a　recluse　known　as　the　Hermit　of　the　Stream。　He　has　not　left　the　valley　these　twenty　years。　Behind　his　hut　there　gushes　out　a　spring　of　water；　called　the　Spring　of　Peace　and　Joy。　This　is　the　antidote　to　your　poison。　Bathing　in　its　waters　is　a　cure　for　skin　diseases　and　for　malaria。　Moreover；　near　the　hut　grows　an　herb　called　the　garlic…leaved　fragrance。　Chewing　a　leaf　of　this　safeguards　one　from　malaria。　You　can　do　no　better　than　go　to　the　hut　of　the　recluse　forthwith　and　get　these　remedies。〃

Zhuge　Liang　humbly　thanked　his　aged　counselor；　and　said；　〃Venerable　Sir；　I　am　profoundly　affected　by　your　merciful　kindness　and　passion。　May　I　ask　again　by　what　name　may　call　you？〃

The　old　man　rose　and　entered　the　temple；　saying；　〃I　am　the　Spirit　of　this　mountain；　sent　by　Ma　Yuan　to　guide　you。〃

As　he　said　this；　he　shouted　at　the　solid　rock　behind　the　temple；　and　it　opened　of　itself　and　let　him　in。

Zhuge　Liangs　astonishment　was　beyond　words。　He　made　another　obeisance　to　the　Spirit　of　the　temple　and　went　down　by　the　way　he　had　e。　Then　he　returned　to　his　camp。

Next　day；　bearing　incense　and　gifts；　Wang　Ping　and　his　stricken　men　went　west　to　the　spot　which　the　old　man　had　indicated。　They　luckily　found　the　valley　and　followed　its　narrow　road　till　they　came　to　a　small；　farm…like　enclosure；　where　tall　pines　and　lofty　cypresses；　luxuriant　bamboos；　and　gorgeous　flowers　sheltered　a　few　simple　huts。　An　exquisite　perfume　pervaded　the　whole　place。

Zhuge　Liang　rejoiced　to　recognize　the　spot　and　at　once　knocked　at　the　door。

A　lad　answered　his　knock；　and　Zhuge　Liang　was　telling　his　name　when　the　host　came　out　quickly；　saying；　〃Surely　my　visitor　is　the　Prime　Minister　of　the　Han　Dynasty？〃

Zhuge　Liang　saw　at　the　door　a　man　with　a　bamboo　b　holding　back　his　hair；　grass　shoes　on　his　feet；　and　a　robe　of　white　girded　in　by　a　black　girdle。　He　had　green　eyes　and　yellowed　hair。

〃Great　Scholar；　how　did　you　know　who　I　was？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃How　could　I　not　have　heard　of　your　expedition　to　the　south？〃

He　invited　Zhuge　Liang　to　enter。

When　they　had　seated　themselves　in　their　relative　positions　as　host　and　guest；　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃My　former　Prince；　the　First　Ruler；　confided　to　me　the　care　of　his　son　and　successor。　That　son；　now　Emperor；　gave　me　a　mand　to　lead　an　army　to　this　country；　get　the　Mangs　on　our　side；　and　spread　our　culture　among　them。　But　now　to　my　disappointment　Meng　Huo；　the　King；　has　hidden　himself　in　the　Bald　Dragon　Ravine；　and　some　of　my　soldiers　on　the　way　to　seek　him　drank　of　a　certain　fountain　and　are　dumb。　But　last　evening　the　former　leader　of　an　expedition；　Ma　Yuan；　manifested　his　sacred　presence　and　told　me　that　you；　Exalted　Sir；　had　a　remedy　for　this　evil；　and　I　pray　you　of　your　pity　to　give　me　of　the　potent　fluid　whereby　my　soldiers　lives　may　be　saved。〃

The　recluse　replied；　〃I　am　only　a　worthless　old　man　of　the　wild　woods　and　unworthy　of　the　visit　of　such　as　you；　O　Minister。　The　water　you　desire　flows　out　at　the　back　of　my　cottage；　and　you　may　take　what　you　will　of　it。〃

The　serving　lad　then　showed　Wang　Ping　and　his　dumb　panions　to　the　Spring　of　Peace　and　Joy；　and　he　dipped　up　the　waters　for　them　to　drink。　As　soon　as　they　had　drunk；　they　coughed　up　some　poisoned　mucus　and　could　speak。　The　lad　also　led　the　soldiers　to　the　Spring　of　Eternal　Peace　where　they　could　bathe。

In　the　cottage　the　recluse　regaled　Zhuge　Liang　with　tea　made　of　cypress　seeds　and　a　conserve　of　pine　flowers。

He　also　told　his　guest；　saying；　〃In　this　region；　the　lands　are　full　of　serpents　and　scorpions；　and　the　lily　flowers　blown　into　the　springs　by　the　wind　make　them　unfit　to　drink。　However；　if　you　dig　wells；　you　will　find　good　water。〃

Then　Zhuge　Liang　begged　some　of　the　garlic…leaved　herb　as　an　antidote　against　malaria。　The　recluse　said　the　soldiers　could　pluck　as　much　as　they　wanted。　And　so　everyone　put　a　leaf　in　his　mouth　and　thus　became　malaria…proof。

Zhuge　Liang；　with　a　low　bow　then　begged　to　be　told　the　name　of　his　benefactor。

〃I　am　Meng　Huos　eldest　brother；〃　said　the　recluse；　smiling。　〃My　name　is　Meng　Jie。〃

Zhuge　Liang　started。

〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　said　the　recluse。　〃Let　me　explain。　We　were　three　brothers　of　the　same　parents；　the　eldest　being　myself。　Our　parents　are　both　dead。　My　brother　Meng　Huo；　being　headstrong　and　vicious；　has　never　been　amenable　to　culture。　I　have　talked　to　him　many　times；　but　he　kept　his　own　course。　Finally；　under　an　assumed　name；　I　retired　to　this　spot。　I　am　ashamed　for　my　brothers　rebellion；　which　has　put　you；　O　Minister；　to　the　trouble　of　making　this　expedition　into　a　barren　country；　but　it　has　given　me　the　privilege　of　seeing　you。　For　my　responsibility　in　this　I　deserve　to　die　a　thousand　times；　as　I　own　to　your　face；　and　I　beg　your　pardon。〃