北斗星小说网

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第192部分（第1页）

brothers　Shen　Dan　and　Shen　Yi；　who　lived　in　Shangyong。

〃My　friend　Peng　Yang　and　I　did　much　for　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong。　But　now　Peng　Yang　is　dead；　and　I　am　forgotten。　More　than　that；　the　Prince　wishes　to　put　me　to　death。　What　can　I　do？〃　said　Meng　Da。

Shen　Dan　replied；　〃I　think　I　can　find　a　plan　that　will　secure　your　safety。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Meng　Da；　feeling　happier。

〃Desertion。　My　brother　Shen　Yi　and　I　have　long　desired　to　go　over　to　Wei。　You　just　write　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　a　memorial　resigning　your　service　and　betake　yourself　to　the　Prince　of　Wei；　who　will　certainly　employ　you　in　some　honorable　way。　Then　we　two　will　follow。〃

Meng　Da　saw　that　this　was　his　best　course；　so　he　wrote　a　memorandum；　which　he　gave　to　the　messenger　who　had　brought　the　recent　dispatches　to　take　back　with　him。　That　night　Meng　Da　left　his　post　and　went　to　Wei。

The　messenger　returned　to　Chengdu；　handed　in　Meng　Das　memorial；　and　told　the　story　of　his　desertion。　The　Prince　was　angry。　He　tore　open　the　letter　and　read：

＇e＇　Yi　Yin　was　was　helper　and　prime　minister　of　King　Tang；　the　founder　of　Shang　Dynasty。　After　King　Tangs　death；　Yi　Yin　served　his　sons　and　grandson。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Duke　Wen　of　Jin　（reigned　636…628　BC）　was　ruler　of　the　western　state　of　Jin　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　He　and　his　successors　made　Jin　a　dominant　state　for　nearly　200　years。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Duke　Huan　of　Qi　（reigned　BC　685…643）；　in　the　name　of　serving　the　Zhou　emperor；　became　the　leader　of　a　league　of　small　states　in　northeast　China　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　His　prime　minister　was　the　famed　Guan　Zhong。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Wu　was　the　South　Land；　while　Chu　was　the　area　of　Jingzhou。

＇e＇　Fan　Li　was　adviser　of　Gou　Jian；　the　king　of　Yue。　Fan　Li　helped　Gou　Jian　plot　the　〃Beauty　Ruse〃　in　order　to　destroy　Fu　Zha；　the　king　of　Wu。　After　Yue　triumphed　over　Wu；　Fan　Li　resigned　from　politics。　His　collegue　Wen　Zhong　stayed　to　serve　Gou　Jian；　but　Wen　Zhong　got　executed　due　to　slanders。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Zi　Fan　was　uncle　to　Duke　Wen　of　Jin。　In　his　early　days；　Duke　Wen　spent　nineteen　years　in　exile；　and　Zi　Fan　acpanied　him。　When　Duke　Wen　set　to　return　to　Jin；　Zi　Fan　took　leave；　believing　that　Duke　Wen　would　remember　only　Zi　Fans　faults。

＇e＇　Shen　Sheng　was　the　eldest　son　of　Duke　Xiao　of　Jin　in　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　But　Duke　Xiao　wanted　the　son　of　his　favorite　concubine；　Li　Ji；　to　succeed　him　as　the　ruler　of　Jin。　So　Duke　Xiao　falsely　accused　Shen　Sheng　of　trying　to　murder　him。　Shen　Sheng　mitted　suidcide　rather　than　flee。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Wu　Zixu　was　a　native　of　Chu　but　sought　refuge　in　Wu；　and　achieved　great　acplishments　for　Wu。　However；　the　younger　king　of　Wu　later　believed　rumors　spread　by　some　people；　and　ordered　Wu　Zixu　to　be　put　to　death。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Meng　Tian　a　mander　of　the　First　Emperor；　engineer　of　the　Great　Wall；　inventor　of　the　brush。　He　was　executed；　together　with　the　First　Emperors　eldest　son；　by　Zhao　Gao；　who　supported　the　second　son　for　succession。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Yue　Yi　was　a　great　general　of　Yan。　Yue　Yi　helped　Yan　overe　Qi；　which　was　a　dominant　state　during　the　Warring　States　period。　。。。。。

〃In　the　humble　opinion　of　thy　servant；　O　Prince；　you　have　set　out　to　acplish　a　task　parable　with　that　of　Yi　Yin*；　and　to　walk　in　the　meritorious　footsteps　of　Lu　Wang*　in　building　the　fame　of　Dukes　Wen*　and　Huan*。　When　the　great　design　was　rough…hewn；　you　had　the　support　of　the　lands　of　the　states　of　Wu*　and　Chu*；　wherefore　many　people　of　ability　incontinently　joined　you。　Since　I　entered　your　service；　I　have　mitted　many　faults；　and　if　I　recognize　them；　how　much　more　do　you　see　them！　Now；　O　Prince；　you　are　surrounded　by　famous　people；　while　I；　useless　as　a　helper　at　home　and　inept　as　a　leader　abroad；　should　be　shamed　were　I　to　take　a　place　among　them。

〃It　is　well　known　that　when　Fan　Li*　saw　certain　eventualities；　he　went　sailing　on　the　lakes；　and　Zi　Fan*　acknowledged　his　faults　and　stayed　by　the　rivers。　Inasmuch　as　one　cannot　take　means　of　safeguarding　ones　self　at　the　critical　and　dangerous　moment；　I　desire………as　is　my　duty………to　go　away　as　I　came；　untainted。　Moreover；　I　am　stupid　and　without　use　or　merit；　merely　born　in　these　days　as　the　sport　of　circumstances。

〃In　the　days　of　old；　Shen　Sheng*；　though　perfectly　filial；　incurred　the　suspicions　of　his　father　and　died；　Wu　Zixu*；　though　perfectly　loyal；　was　put　to　death。　Meng　Tian*；　though　he　extended　the　borders　of　Qin；　suffered　the　extreme　penalty；　and　Yue　Yi*；　though　he　destroyed　the　might　of　Qi；　was　the　victim　of　calumny。　Whenever　I　have　read　of　these　men；　I　have　been　moved　to　tears；　and　now　I　am　in　like　case　and　the　more　mortified。

〃Lately　Jingzhou　was　overwhelmed；　and　I；　an　officer　of　rank；　failed　in　my　duty；　not　one　in　a　hundred　behaving　as　I　should。　Only　I　return　Fangling　and　Shangyong　and　seek　service　abroad。　Now　I　desire　you；　O　Prince；　graciously　to　understand；　to　sympathize　with　thy　servant　and　to　condone　the　step　he　is　about　to　take。　Really　I　am　but　a　mean　man；　incapable　of　great　deeds。　I　know　what　I　am　doing；　and　I　dare　to　say　it　is　no　small　fault。

〃They　say　that　dissolution　of　bonds　should　not　occasion　recrimination；　and　the　dismissed　servant　should　take　leave　without　heart…burning。　I　have　taken　your　orders　many　times；　and　now；　O　Prince；　you　must　act　yourself。　I　write　this　with　extreme　trepidation。〃

But　the　reading　gave　rise　to　great　anger　in　the　breast　of　the　Prince。

〃The　unmerited　fellow！〃　said　he。　〃He　turns　traitor　and　dares　to　insult　me　by　sending　a　letter　of　farewell。〃

Liu　Bei　was　just　giving　orders　to　send　a　force　to　seize　the　deserter；　when　Zhuge　Liang　interposed；　saying；　〃You　had　better　send　Liu　Feng　to　capture　him　and　let　the　two　tigers　worry　each　other　to　weakness。　Whether　Liu　Feng　succeeds　or　fails；　he　will　have　to　e　to　the　capital；　and　you　can　kill　him。　Thus　will　you　cut　off　two　evils。〃

Liu　Bei　took　his　advice。　Orders　were　sent　to　Mianzhu；　and　Liu　Feng　obediently　led　out　his　troops。

Now　Meng　Da　arrived　when　Cao　Pi　was　holding　a　great　council。　When　the　attendants　told　him　that　General　Meng　Da　of　Shu　had　e；　Cao　Pi　summoned　him　to　enter。

Said　Cao　Pi　to　him；　〃Is　this　a　sincere　surrender？〃

Meng　Da　replied；　〃I　was　in　fear　of　death　for　not　having　relieved　Guan　Yu。　That　is　my　only　reason　for　ing。〃