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第53部分（第1页）

the　Prime　Minister　is　that　you　e　at　once。〃

〃What　important　affair　is　afoot？〃　asked　Liu　Bei　nervously。

〃We　know　nothing。　We　were　ordered　to　e　and　request　your　presence。〃

All　he　could　do　was　to　follow。

When　Liu　Bei　arrived；　Cao　Cao　met　him　and　laughingly　said；　〃That　is　a　big　business　you　have　in　hand　at　home。〃

This　remark　made　Liu　Bei　turn　the　color　of　clay。　Cao　Cao　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　straight　to　the　private　garden；　saying；　〃The　growth　of　vegetables　that　you　are　trying　to　learn　is　very　difficult。〃

Liu　Bei　breathed　again。　He　said；　〃That　is　hardly　a　business。　It　is　only　a　solace。〃

Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　happened　to　notice　the　green　plums　on　the　trees　today；　and　suddenly　my　thoughts　went　back　to　a　year　ago　when　we　were　thrashing　Zhang　Xiu。　We　were　marching　through　a　parched　county；　and　everyone　was　suffering　from　thirst。　Suddenly　I　lifted　my　whip；　and　pointing　at　something　in　the　distance　I　said；　Look　at　those　fruitful　plum　trees　in　the　forest　ahead。　The　soldiers　heard　it；　and　it　made　their　mouths　water。　Seeing　the　plums　kindles　my　appreciation。　I　owe　something　to　the　plums；　and　we　will　repay　it　today。　I　ordered　the　servants　to　heat　some　wine　very　hot　and　sent　to　invite　you　to　share　it。〃

Liu　Bei　was　quite　posed　by　this　time　and　no　longer　suspected　any　sinister　design。　He　went　with　his　host　to　a　small　spring　pavilion　in　a　plum　garden；　where　the　wine　cups　were　already　laid　out　and　green　plums　filled　the　dishes。　They　sat　down　to　a　confidential　talk　and　free　enjoyment　of　their　wine。

As　they　drank；　the　weather　gradually　changed；　clouds　gathering　and　threatening　rain。　The　servants　pointed　out　a　mass　of　cloud　that　looked　like　a　dragon　hung　in　the　sky。　Both　host　and　guest　leaned　over　the　balcony　looking　at　it。

〃Do　you　understand　the　evolution　of　dragons？〃　asked　Cao　Cao　of　the　guest。

〃Not　in　detail。〃

〃A　dragon　can　assume　any　size；　can　rise　in　glory　or　hide　from　sight。　Bulky；　it　generates　clouds　and　evolves　mist；　attenuated；　it　can　scarcely　hide　a　mustard　stalk　or　conceal　a　shadow。　Mounting；　it　can　soar　to　the　empyrean；　subsiding；　it　lurks　in　the　uttermost　depths　of　the　ocean。　This　is　the　midspring　season；　and　the　dragon　chooses　this　moment　for　its　transformations　like　a　person　realizing　his　own　desires　and　overrunning　the　world。　The　dragon　among　animals　pares　with　the　hero　among　people。　You；　General；　have　traveled　all　lakes　and　rivers。　You　must　know　who　are　the　heroes　of　the　present　day；　and　I　wish　you　would　say　who　they　are。〃

〃I　am　just　a　mon　dullard。　How　can　I　know　such　things？〃

〃Do　not　be　so　modest；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Thanks　to　your　kindly　protection　I　have　a　post　at　court。　But　as　to　heroes　I　really　do　not　know　who　they　are。〃

〃You　may　not　have　looked　upon　their　faces；　but　you　must　have　heard　their　names。〃

〃Yuan　Shu　of　the　South　of　River　Huai；　with　his　strong　army　and　abundant　resources：　Is　he　one？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

His　host　laughed；　〃A　rotting　skeleton　in　a　graveyard。　I　shall　put　him　out　of　the　way　shortly。〃

〃Well；　Yuan　Shao　then。　The　highest　offices　of　state　have　been　held　in　his　family　for　four　generations；　and　his　clients　are　many　in　the　empire。　He　is　firmly　posted　in　Jizhou；　and　he　mands　the　services　of　many　able　people。　Surely　he　is　one。〃

〃A　bully；　but　a　coward。　He　is　fond　of　grandiose　schemes；　but　is　devoid　of　decision。　He　makes　for　great　things　but　grudges　the　necessary　sacrifice。　He　loses　sight　of　everything　else　in　view　of　a　little　present　advantage。　He　is　not　one。〃

〃There　is　Liu　Biao　of　Jingzhou。　He　is　renowned　as　a　man　of　perfection；　whose　fame　has　spread　on　all　sides。　Surely　he　is　a　hero。〃

〃He　is　a　mere　semblance；　a　man　of　vain　reputation。　No；　not　he。〃

〃Sun　Ce　is　a　sturdy　sort；　the　chief　of　all　in　the　South　Land。　Is　he　a　hero？〃

〃He　has　profited　by　the　reputation　of　his　father　Sun　Jian。　Sun　Ce　is　not　a　real　hero。〃

〃What　of　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou？〃

〃Though　he　is　of　the　reigning　family；　he　is　nothing　more　than　a　watch　dog。　How　could　you　make　a　hero　of　him？〃

〃What　about　Zhang　Xiu；　Zhang　Lu；　Han　Sui；　and　all　those　leaders？〃

Cao　Cao　clapped　his　hands　and　laughed　very　loudly；　saying；　〃Paltry　people　like　them　are　not　worth　mentioning。〃

〃With　these　exceptions　I　really　know　none。〃

〃Now　heroes　are　the　ones　who　cherish　lofty　designs　in　their　bosoms　and　have　plans　to　achieve　them。　They　have　all…embracing　schemes；　and　the　whole　world　is　at　their　mercy。〃

〃Who　is　such　a　person？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

＇e＇　Sai；　a　reader：　〃Cao　Cao　is　the　better　winner。　Liu　Bei　is　the　better　man。。。　as　far　as　the　heart　is　concerned。　Liu　Bei　is　modeled　as　what　Confucious　would　have　considered　a　perfect　ruler。　But　in　the　contest　of　war　and　politics。。。　Cao　Cao　has　him　beat。　So　I　say　that　Cao　Cao　should　have　used　his　talents　to　unite　China　and　then　handed　it　over　to　Liu　Bei。。。　never　will　happen。〃　。。。。。

Cao　Cao　pointed　his　finger　first　at　his　guest　and　then　at　himself；　saying；　〃The　only　heroes　in　the　world　are　you　and　I。〃*

Liu　Bei　gasped；　and　the　spoon　and　chopsticks　rattled　to　the　floor。　Now　just　at　that　moment　the　storm　burst　with　a　tremendous　peal　of　thunder　and　rush　of　rain。

Liu　Bei　stooped　down　to　recover　the　fallen　articles；　saying；　〃What　a　shock！　And　it　was　quite　close。〃

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