Zhuge Liang Defeats the Scholars in Argument; Lu Su Rejects the Majority Opinion卻說魯肅、孔明辭了玄德、劉琦，登舟望柴?？?。 二人在舟中共議。魯肅謂孔明曰：“先生見孫將軍，切不可實言曹操兵多將廣。”孔明曰：“不須子敬叮嚀，亮自有對答之語。”及船到岸，肅請孔明于驛館中暫歇，先自往見孫權(quán)。
Having taken leave of Liu Bei and Liu Qi，Lu Su and Zhuge Liang embarked on a boat for Chai-sang. The two men were discussing affairs together in the boat. Lu Su said to Zhuge Liang, “When you see General Sun，don’t tell him frankly that Cao Cao has a great many soldiers and generals.”
“You need not bid me do so,” replied Zhuge Liang. “I know what to say and reply.”
When the boat arrived, Lu Su asked Zhuge Liang to take a rest in the guests’ quarters while he Went alone to see Sun Quan. Went alone to see Sun Quam權(quán)正聚文武于堂上議事，聞魯肅回，急召人問曰/子敬往江夏，體探虛實若何?”肅曰：“已知其略，尚容徐稟。” 權(quán)將曹操檄文示肅曰：“操昨遣使赍文至此，孤先發(fā)遣來 使，現(xiàn)今會眾商議未定。”肅接檄文觀看。其略曰：
Sun Quan, assembling his civil and military officers in his audience chamber, was discussing affairs with them. Hearing that Lu Su was back，he quickly called him in and asked, “What did you discover on your trip to Jiangxia?”
“I have known the general situation. Allow me to report it to you later”，replied Lu Su.
Then Sun Quan showed a despatch from Cao Cao to Lu Su and said, “Yesterday Cao Cao sent a messenger to bring the despatch here, I have sent the messenger back and this gathering is considering the reply.”
Lu Su read the despatch, the gist of which said,孤近承帝命，奉詔伐罪。旄麾南指，劉琮束手，荊、襄之民，望風歸順。今統(tǒng)雄兵百萬，上將千員， 欲與將軍會獵于江夏，共伐劉備，同分土地，永結(jié)盟 好。幸勿觀望，速賜回音。
“At the imperial command to punish the guilty, my banners went south. Then Liu Cong has been captured，his people flocked to my side at the first rumour of my coming. I now command a force of a million picked men and a thousand able generals. I hope you will join me, General, in a hunting expedition at Jiangxia and we together attack Liu Bei, so that we can divide his territory between us and pledge everlasting friendship. Do not hesitate, but give me an early reply?
魯肅看畢曰：“主公尊意若何？”權(quán)曰：“未有定論。”張昭曰：“曹操擁百萬之眾，借天子之名，以征四方，拒之不 順。且主公大勢可以拒操者，長江也。今操既得荊州。長江之險，已與我共之矣，勢不可敵。以愚之計，不如納降 為萬安之策。”眾謀士皆曰：“子布之言，正合天意。”
“What have you decided, my lord?” asked Lu Su as he finished the dispatch.
“I have not had any decision yet’’，answered Sun Quan.
Then Zhang Zhao said, “Cao Cao has a great Army of a million picked soldiers, and in the emperor’s name he is conquering territory on every side. To resist him would be opposing the emperor. Moreover my lord’s most important defence against Cao Cao is the Yangtse River and since Cao Cao has gained possession of Jinzhou, he has taken part of the advantage of the river from our hands. We cannot withstand him. In my humble opinion, the safest plan is submission.”
All the other advisers said，“Zhang Zhao’s proposal accords with the will of Heaven.”
孫權(quán)沉吟不語。張昭又曰：“主公不必多疑。如降操則東吳民安，江南六郡可保矣。”孫權(quán)低頭不語。須臾，權(quán)起更衣，魯肅隨于權(quán)后。權(quán)知肅意，乃執(zhí)肅手而言曰：“卿欲如何? ”肅曰“恰才眾人所言，深誤將軍。眾人皆可降曹操，惟將軍不可降曹操。”權(quán)曰：“何以言之?”
Sun Quan pondered and hesitated but said nothing. Then Zhang Zhao said again, “Do not hesitate，my lord. Submission to Cao means peace for the people of Wu and safety for the six provinces south of the Yangtse River”.
Sun Quan bowed his head and said nothing, Presently he arose and went out and Lu Su followed him. Knowing Lu Su’s idea，Sun Quan took his hand and asked，“What do you desire?”
“What they have just said is very harmful to you. They may surrender to Cao Cao, but not you.” “Why do you say that?”
肅曰：“如肅等降操，當以肅還鄉(xiāng)黨，累官故不失州郡也；將軍降操，欲安所歸乎？位不過封侯，車不過一乘，騎不過一匹，從不過數(shù)人，豈得南面稱孤哉？眾人之 意，各自為己，不可聽也。將軍宜早定大計。”權(quán)嘆曰： “諸人議論，大失孤望。子敬開說大計，正與吾見相同。此天以子敬賜我也！但操新得袁紹之眾，近又得荊州之 兵，恐勢大難以抵敵。”
“If people like us surrendered to Cao Cao, we should be sent home and keep our official posts in the provinces or districts. But if you surrender to Cao Cao, where will you go? At the most you would be made a marquis with one carriage and no more, one horse and just a few retainers. That would be the end of your kingship. The others are thinking for themselves- Don’t listen to them, but quickly fix upon your important plan.”
“Their arguments make me disappointed greatly,” Sun Quan sighed. “You have just talked about the important plan and your view of this is exactly the same as mine. Heaven must have sent you to me. But Cao Cao has just taken over Yuan Shao’s army and the troops of Jingzhou too. I fear he may prove too powerful to resist.”
肅曰：“肅至江夏，引諸葛瑾之弟諸葛亮在此，主公可問之，便知虛實。”權(quán)曰：“臥龍先生在此乎。”肅曰，“現(xiàn)在驛館中安歇。”權(quán)曰：“今日天晚，且未相見。來日聚文武于帳下，先教見我江東英俊，然后升堂議事。”
Lu Su said, “From Jiangxia I have brought Zhuge Jin’s brother，Zhuge Liang, back with me. My lord may ask him. Then you may know the real situation.”
“Is ‘Master Sleeping Dragon’ here?” said Sun Quan.
“Yes，he is resting now in the guest-house.”
“It is too late to see him to-day. But to-morrow I will assemble my civil and military officers. First let him see my bravest and best men. After that we will discuss the matter.”
肅領(lǐng)命而去。次日至驛館中見孔明，又囑“今見我主，切不可言曹操兵多。”孔明笑曰：“亮自見機而變，決不有誤。”肅乃引孔明至幕下。早見張昭、顧雍等一班文武二十余人，峨冠博帶，整衣端坐，孔明逐一相見，各問姓名。施禮已畢，坐于客位。張昭等見孔明豐神飄灑，器宇軒昂，料道此人必來游說。張昭先以言挑之曰：“昭乃江東微末之士，久聞先生高臥隆中，自比管、樂。此語果有之乎?”
With these instructions Lu Su withdrew. Next day he went to the guest-house to call on Zhuge Liang and earnestly said to him again, "When you see my master to-day, don’t tell him that Cao Cao has a great many soldiers.”
Zhuge Liang said with a smile, “I shall do as circumstances dictate. I must not make any mistakes. Then Lu Su led Zhuge Liang to Sun Quan’s headquarters where they found more than twenty civil and military officers, including Zhang Zhao andGu Yong，all seated in state with tall headdresses and broad belts. Zhuge Liang was introduced to them one by one，and after an exchange of greetings，he took the guest’s seat. Then Zhang Zhao and the others， noting Zhuge Liang’s refined and elegant manner and commanding appearance, judged that he must have come to offer advice. Zhang Zhao led the way in trying to use some sentences to bait the visitor.“I am the most insignificant scholar in this district，” he said, “But，as I have long heard，while living as a recluse in Long zhong, you compared yourself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi. Is it true that you really said so?”
孔明曰：“此亮平生小可之比也。”昭曰：“近聞劉豫州 三顧先生于草廬之中，幸得先生，以為如魚得水，思欲席卷荊、襄。今一旦以屬曹操，未審是何主見？”孔明自思張 昭乃孫權(quán)手下第一個謀士，若不先難倒他，如何說得孫權(quán)？遂答曰：“吾觀取漢上之地，易如反掌。我主劉豫州躬行仁義，不忍奪同宗之基業(yè)，故力辭之。劉琮孺子，聽信佞言，暗自投降，致使曹操得以猖獗。今我主屯兵江夏，別有良圖，非等閑可知也。”
“In some trifling respects I did，” replied Zhuge Liang.
“Recently I heard that Liu Bei called at your thatched hut three times. Liu Bei thought that it was fortunate for him to discover you and that he was as lucky as a fish getting back to the water. Then he desired to take possession of Jingzhou and Xiangyang. But to-day those two districts belong to Cao Cao, what is your account of that?” said Zhang Zhao，Zhuge Liang thought to himself，“Zhang Zhao is Sun Quan’s first adviser. If I do not defeat him in argument first，how can I persuade Sun Quan?” So he answered. “In my opinion, to take the land round the Han River is as simple as turning over one’s hand. But as my master Liu Bei has humanity and sense of justice, he cannot bear to take the possession of a kinsman’s basic property by force. So he strongly refused to take it, Liu Cong is a stupid lad who listened to bad advice and surrendered to Cao Cao secretly, enabling Cao Cao to run wild. Now my master has stationed his troops at Jiangxia and has another good plan which cannot be easily known.”
昭曰：“若此，是先生言行相違也，先生自比管、樂：管仲相桓公，霸諸侯，一匡天下；樂毅扶持微弱之燕，下齊七十余城；此二人者，真濟世之才也3先生在草廬之 中，但笑傲風月，抱膝危坐；今既從事劉豫州，當為生靈 興利除害，剿滅亂賊。且劉豫州未得先生之前，尚且縱橫 寰宇，割據(jù)城池；今得先生，人皆仰望；雖三尺童蒙，亦謂彪虎生翼，將見漢室復興，曹氏即滅矣；朝廷舊臣，山林隱士，無不拭目而待：以為拂高天之云翳，仰日月之光 輝，拯民于水火之中，措天下于衽席之上，在此時也。何 先生自歸豫州，曹兵一出，棄甲拋戈，望風而竄；上不能 報劉表以安庶民，下不能輔孤子而據(jù)疆土；乃棄新野，走樊城，敗當陽，奔夏口，無容身之地；是豫州既得先生之 后，反不如其初也。管仲、樂毅，果如是乎？愚直之言， 幸勿見怪。”
Zhang Zhou said, “In that case, your deeds hardly match your words. You compare yourself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi. But Guan Zhong was a minister serving Duke Huan, put Duke Huan at the head of all the feudal princes and united the country. Yue Yi helped Yan，a weak state, to conquer more than seventy cities of Qi. These two men were truly great geniuses with the abilities of saving the world, whereas you in your thatched hut smiled scornfully at ordinary people, sitting idle all day long clasping your knees. Now that you have taken service under Liu Bei，you should do something good for the people, rid the people of evils and destroy rebels and traitors. Moreover, before Liu Bei obtained your help, he could still manage freely to conquer some territory here and take some cities there, so that once he got you，people all expected，great things of him-even the three feet tall children said that the tiger had grown wings，that the Han dynasty would rise once more and that Cao Cao would soon be destroyed. All the old courtiers of Han and the hermits in mountain glades wiped their eyes and waited, thinking that the time had come when Liu Bei would wipe away the clouds of darkness from the high sky，gaze up at the glorious brilliancy of the sun and moon，save the people out of fire and water and put the country to rest on a couch of comfort. Why is it that as you joined Liu Bei, his men abandon their armour, threw away their spears and fled like rats as soon as Cao Cao’s army came out? On the.one hand, failing to serve Liu Biao (Liu Bei’s kinsman, who ruled over Jingzhou. After his death，his son Liu Cong succeeded him，but soon surrendered to Cao Cao.) well and relieve the people, and on the other hand, failing to support his son and preserve his land, Liu Bei had lost Xinye, escaped to Fancheng, been defeated at Dangyang and fled to Xiakou, unable to find a refuge anywhere.
Thus, after you had joined Liu Bei, he was worse off than before. Would this have been so with Guan Zhong and Yue Yi? I trust you do not mind my blunt speech.”
