子浪小说

第131部分（第1页）

boat　riding　over　the　waves　as　if　all　was　perfect　calm。

〃The　northern　people　are　riders　and　the　southern　people　sailors。　It　is　said　quite　true；〃　sighed　Liu　Bei。

Sun　Quan　hearing　this　remark　took　it　as　a　reproach　to　his　horsemanship。　Bidding　his　servants　lead　up　his　steed；　Sun　Quan　leaped　into　the　saddle　and　set　off；　full　gallop；　down　the　hill。　Then　wheeling　he　came　up　again　at　the　same　speed。

〃So　the　southerners　cannot　ride；　eh？〃　said　Sun　Quan　laughing。

Not　to　be　outdone；　Liu　Bei　lifted　the　skirts　of　his　robe；　jumped　upon　his　horse　and　repeated　the　feat。

The　two　steeds　stood　side　by　side　on　the　declivity；　the　riders　flourishing　their　whips　and　laughing。

Thence　forward　that　hillside　was　known　as　the　〃Slope　Where　the　Horses　Stood；〃　and　a　poem　was　written　about　it：

Their　galloping　steeds　were　of　noble　breed；

And　both　of　spirit　high；

And　the　riders　twain　from　the　hill…crest　gazed

At　the　river　rolling　by。

One　of　them　mastered　the　western　mountains。

One　ruled　by　the　eastern　sea；

And　the　hill　to　this　very　day

Still　is　the　Slope　Where　the　Horses　Stood。

When　they　rode　side　by　side　into　Nanxu；　the　people　met　them　with　acclamations。　Liu　Bei　made　his　way　to　the　guest…house　and　there　sought　advice　from　Sun　Qian　as　to　the　date　of　the　wedding。

Sun　Qian　advised；　〃It　should　be　fixed　as　early　as　possible　so　that　no　further　plications　could　arise。〃

So　next　day　Liu　Bei　went　to　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao　and　told　him　in　plain　words；　〃Many　the　people　of　the　place　mean　harm　to　me；　and　I　cannot　stay　here　long。　I　must　return　soon。〃

〃Do　not　be　anxious；〃　said　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao。　〃I　will　tell　the　Dowager　Marchioness；　and　she　will　protect　you。〃

Liu　Bei　bowed　to　express　his　thanks。

The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　saw　the　Dowager；　and　she　was　very　angry　when　she　heard　the　reason　for　Liu　Beis　desire　to　leave。

〃Who　would　dare　harm　my　son…in…law？〃　cried　she。

But　she　made　Liu　Bei　move　into　the　library　of　the　palace　as　a　precaution；　and　she　chose　a　day　for　the　celebration　of　the　wedding。　But　his　soldiers　could　not　keep　guard　at　the　library　and　were　removed　from　his　mands。　Liu　Bei　explained　to　his　hostess；　and　when　she　understood　this；　she　gave　her　son…in…law　and　his　people　rooms　in　her　own　palace　so　that　he　might　be　quite　safe。

Liu　Bei　was　very　happy；　and　there　were　fine　banquets；　and　the　bride　and　bridegroom　duly　plighted　their　troth。　And　when　it　grew　late　and　the　guests　had　gone；　the　newly　wedded　pair　walked　through　the　two　lines　of　red　torches　to　the　nuptial　apartment。

To　his　extreme　surprise；　Liu　Bei　found　the　chambers　furnished　with　spears　and　swords　and　banners　and　flags；　while　every　waiting…maid　had　girded　on　a　sword。

Walls　hung　with　spears　the　bridegroom　saw；

And　armed　waiting…maids；

His　heart　fell　back　on　all　its　fears

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