Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/335

 holding three thousand measures, I went to ask for help. Lu Su pointed to one granary and said, ‘Take that as a gift.’ Such was his generosity!”

“He has always been fond of fencing and horse archery. He was living in Chuo. His grandmother died while he was there and he went to bury her in Tungch‘êng and then his friend, Liu Tzŭ-yang, wished to engage him to go to Ch‘aohu and join Chêng Pao. However, he hesitated about that and has not gone yet. You should invite him without loss of time.”

Sun Ch‘üan at once sent Chou Yü to engage the services of this man and he set out. When the obeisances were over he laid before his friend the inducements that his own master held out. He replied that as he had been engaged by Liu Tzŭ-yang to go to Ch‘aohu he was just starting thither.

Said Chou Yü, “Of old Ma Yüan said to Kuang-Wu, ‘This is an age when not only do princes select their ministers, but ministers choose their princes.’ Now our General Sun calls to him the wise and treats his officers well. Thus he engages the help of the wonderful and gets the services of the extraordinary in a way that few others do. But if you are not engaged elsewhere come with me to Wu as the best thing to do.”

Lu Su returned with him and saw Sun Ch‘üan, who treated him with the greatest deference and with him discussed affairs very fully. The conference proved so interesting that it went on all day and neither felt fatigue.

One day at the close of the usual reception, the chief kept Lu Su to dine with him. They sat up late and by and by slept on the same couch as would the closest of friends. In the dead of night Sun Ch‘üan said to his bedfellow, “The Dynasty is failing and everything is at sixes and sevens. I have received a great charge from my father and brother and I am thinking of imitating the actions of Huan and Wên and becoming the leader of the feudal lords and I pray you instruct me.”

Lu Su replied, “Of old Han Kao-Tsu wished to honour and serve the Emperor I, but could not on account of Hsiang Yü’s evil doings. Now Ts‘ao Ts‘ao can be compared with Hsiang Yü; how can you be Huan and Wên? My humble opinion is that the Hans have fallen beyond hope of recovery and Ts‘ao Ts‘ao cannot be destroyed and that the only key to your schemes is to secure your present position in order to keep the master hand and control the combinations among the others. Now take advantage of the turmoil in the north to smite Huang Tsu and attack Liu Piao. Thereby you will command the whole length of the Great River (Yangtse). Then you may style yourself Emperor or King and thereafter as may be. This was how Kao-Tsu acted.”