Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/166

 Liu Pei shouted again and again to him to go away, and he led Lü Pu into the private apartments out of the way.

Then he told him the whole story and showed him the secret letter. He wept as he finished reading.

“This is that miscreant’s scheme for sowing discord between us.”

“Be not anxious, elder brother,” said Liu Pei. “I pledge myself not to be guilty of such an infamous crime.”

Lü Pu again and again expressed his gratitude and Liu Pei kept him for a time. They remained talking and drinking wine till late.

Said the other two brothers, “Why not kill him?”

Liu Pei said, “Because Ts‘ao Mêng-tê fears that Lü and I may attack him, he is trying to separate us and get us to ‘swallow’ each other, while he steps in and takes the advantage. Is there any other reason?”

Kuan nodded assent, but Chang Fei said, “I want to get him out of the way lest he trouble us later.”

“That is not what a noble man should do,” said his elder brother.

Soon the messenger was dismissed and returned to the capital with the reply from Liu Pei. The letter only said the plan would be made later. But the messenger, when he saw Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, told him the story of Liu Pei’s pledge to Lü Pu. Then said Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, “The plan has failed; what next?”

Hsün Yü replied, “I have another trick called ‘The Tiger and the Wolf’ in which the tiger is made to gobble up the wolf ”

“Let us hear it,” said Ts‘ao.

“Send to Yüan Shu to say that Liu Pei has sent up a secret memorial that he wishes to subdue the southern districts. Shu will be angry and attack him. Then you will order Pei to dispose of Shu and so set them destroying each other. Lü Pu will certainly think that is his chance and turn traitor. This is The Tiger–Wolf trick.”

Ts‘ao thought this good and sent the messenger and also sent a false edict to Liu Pei. When this came the messenger was received with all the ceremonies and the edict ordered the capture of Yüan Shu. After the departure of the bearer Liu called Mi Chu who pronounced it a ruse.

“It may be,” said his master, “but the royal command is not to be disobeyed.”

So the army was prepared and the day fixed. Sun Ch‘ien said that a trusty man must be left on guard and Pei asked which of his brothers would undertake this task.

“I will guard the city,” said Kuan Yü.

“I am constantly in need of your advice so how can we part?”

“I will guard the city,” said Chang Fei.