北斗星小说网

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第40部分（第3页）

When　Ji　Ling　had　got　back　to　the　South　of　River　Huai　and　told　the　story　of　the　feat　of　archery　and　the　peace　making　that　followed；　and　had　presented　the　letter；　his　lord　was　very　wroth。

〃Lu　Bu　repays　me　for　all　my　grain　with　this　bit　of　play　acting！〃　cried　Yuan　Shu。　〃He　has　saved　Liu　Bei；　but　I　will　lead　a　large　army　myself　and　settle　both　Liu　Bei　and　him。〃

〃Be　careful；　my　lord；〃　said　Ji　Ling。　〃Lu　Bu　is　braver　and　stronger　than　most　leaders　and　has　a　wide　territory。　He　and　Liu　Bei　together　make　a　powerful　bination；　not　easy　to　break。　But　there　is　another　course。　I　have　found　out　that　his　wife；　Lady　Yan；　has　a　daughter　just　of　marriageable　age；　and　as　you　have　a　son；　you　could　arrange　a　marriage　alliance　with　Lu　Bu。　If　his　daughter　wedded　your　son；　Lu　Bu　would　certainly　slay　your　enemy　for　you。　This　is　called　Relative…above…Stranger　plan。〃

This　scheme　appealed　to　Yuan　Shu；　who　soon　set　about　its　acplishment。　He　sent　presents　by　the　hand　of　Han　Yin；　who　was　to　discuss　the　question。

＇e＇　Jin　was　a　state　that　occupied　the　western　part　of　the　empire；　in　the　mountainous　area　north　of　the　Yellow　River。　During　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　under　the　leadership　of　Duke　Wen　and　his　successors；　Jin　grew　into　a　very　large　state；　which　broke　into　three　states　in　the　Warring　States　period。　Qin　was　a　western…most　state　existed　in　both　Spring　and　Autumn　and　Warring　States　periods。　Because　Jin　blocked　its　way　to　the　east；　Qin　was　shielded　from　the　wars　in　the　central　plain。　Wars　between　Qin　and　Jin　were　not　few；　but　intermarriages　between　the　two　houses　were　frequent；　and　this　alliance　strengthened　both　states。　。。。。。

When　Han　Yin　saw　Lu　Bu；　he　said；　〃My　master　has　an　immense　respect　for　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　and　he　desires　to　ensure　perpetual　alliance　between　the　two　families　by　a　marriage；　an　alliance　such　as　existed　between　the　ancient　states　of　Qin　and　Jin*。〃

Lu　Bu　was　well　disposed　toward　the　scheme；　but　went　in　to　consult　his　wife。　Now　Lu　Bu　had　two　wives　and　one　concubine。　He　first　married　a　lady　of　the　Yan　family；　and　she　was　the　legal　wife。　Then　he　took　Diao　Chan　as　a　concubine。　And　while　he　was　living　at　Xiaopei；　he　had　married　a　secondary　wife；　a　daughter　of　Cao　Bao。　Lady　Cao　had　died　quite　young　leaving　no　issue。　Neither　had　Diao　Chan　borne　any　children。　So　that　Lu　Bu　had　but　one　child；　this　daughter；　of　whom　he　was　dotingly　fond。

When　he　broached　the　subject；　his　wife　said；　〃The　Yuans　have　dominated　the　regions　around　the　River　Huai　these　many　years。　They　have　a　large　army　and　are　very　prosperous。　One　day　a　Yuan　will　bee　emperor；　and　our　daughter　may　hope　to　be　an　empress。　But　how　many　sons　has　Yuan　Shu？〃

〃Only　this　one。〃

〃Then　we　should　accept　the　offer。　Even　if　our　daughter　does　not　bee　Empress；　Xuzhou　has　a　new　ally。〃

Lu　Bu　decided　to　accept　and　so　treated　the　messenger　with　extreme　generosity。　Han　Yin　went　back　with　a　favorable　answer。　The　wedding　gifts　were　then　prepared　ready　for　Han　Yin　to　take　to　the　brides　family。　They　were　received　and　banquets　and　merry…making　filled　all　the　time。

Next　day　Chen　Gong　went　to　see　the　messenger　in　his　lodging；　and　when　the　usual　ceremonies　and　greetings　had　been　exchanged；　the　two　men　sat　down　to　talk。

When　the　servants　had　been　sent　out　of　earshot；　Chen　Gong　said；　〃Who　originated　this　scheme　by　which　Yuan　Shu　and　Lu　Bu　are　to　bee　connections　by　this　marriage　so　that　Liu　Beis　head　may　fall？〃

Han　Yin　was　terrified。　〃I　pray　you　not　to　let　it　get　abroad；〃　said　he。

〃I　certainly　shall　keep　it　secret。　But　if　there　be　any　delay；　some　other　person　will　find　it　out　and　that　spells　failure；〃　said　Chen　Gong。

〃What　would　best　be　done？〃

〃I　will　see　Lu　Bu　and　get　him　to　send　the　girl　immediately　so　that　the　marriage　may　be　concluded　quickly。〃

〃If　it　happened　thus；　my　master　would　indeed　hold　you　in　high　respect。〃

With　this　Chen　Gong　took　his　leave　and　sought　an　interview　with　Lu　Bu。

〃I　hear　your　daughter　is　to　be　married　to　Yuan　Shus　son。　That　is　capital；　but　no　one　knows　when。〃

〃That　has　yet　to　be　considered；〃　said　Lu　Bu。

〃There　were　certain　fixed　rules　as　to　the　period　between　sending　presents　and　consummation　of　the　marriage：　Emperors；　a　year；　nobles；　half　a　year；　high　officers；　three　months；　and　mon　people；　one　month。〃

Lu　Bu　replied；　〃As　to　Yuan　Shu；　Heaven　has　already　put　into　his　hands　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal；　and　he　will　surely　arrive　at　the　dignity　one　day。　So；　I　should　think　the　imperial　rule　would　apply。〃

〃No；　it　will　not。〃

〃The　nobles　rule；　then？〃

〃No；　nor　that。〃

〃The　high　officers？〃

〃Not　even　that。〃

Lu　Bu　laughed；　saying；　〃Then　you　mean　me　to　go　by