Return to Jingzhou | 回荆州

点击查看中英对照

This story is from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Tricked by Zhou Yu, Liu Bei married Sun Shangxiang, the younger sister of Sun Quan. After the wedding, Liu Bei remained in the state of Wu. Following Zhuge Liang's plan, Zhao Yun gave Liu Bei a false report before his departure, claiming that Cao Cao was attacking Jingzhou and urging Liu Bei to return immediately.

Believing the report, Liu Bei discussed the matter with his wife. They decided to pretend to offer sacrifices to their ancestors by the river and secretly leave the Southland under Zhao Yun's escort.

On the appointed day, as Liu Bei and his wife headed to the river, generals and soldiers sent by Zhou Yu suddenly arrived. Frightened, Liu Bei rushed to the front of Lady Sun's carriage and pleaded tearfully, "Your brother and Zhou Yu conspired to summon me here to marry you, not for your sake, but to confine me so they could retake Jingzhou and then kill me. I came because I admire you. Today, only you can save me. If you refuse, I would rather die here before your eyes."

Upon hearing this, Lady Sun rolled up her carriage curtain and shouted at the Wu generals, "Are you rebelling? Zhou Yu is a renegade, a traitor! What wrong has the Sun family done to you? Liu Bei is my husband. Both my mother and brother know I am returning to Jingzhou. Does this blockade mean you intend to plunder our goods?" She denounced Zhou Yu loudly and ordered her carriage forward.

The carriage had hardly advanced five or six li when a second pair of commanders sent by Sun Quan arrived. Lady Sun let Liu Bei proceed ahead while she and Zhao Yun guarded the rear. She sternly addressed the commanders, "You are coming between my brother and me. My mother has approved our return to Jingzhou. Even my brother must follow ritual propriety. Do these weapons mean you wish to murder me?" The commanders could only stare at each other helplessly.

Though Liu Bei was out of sight, Zhao Yun stood ready for bloody combat, his eyes wide and fierce. Finally, the generals had to withdraw. Later, when two more generals arrived with Sun Quan's sword, Liu Bei and Lady Sun were already aboard a boat led by Zhuge Liang, sailing toward Jingzhou. People later said, "Trapped by his own trick for a second time, Zhou Yu tasted humiliation added to rage."

阅读记录
请先 登录 后记录阅读完成
为这篇文章评分
点击星星进行评分(1-5分)
相关文章
Jiang Gan's Stolen Letter | 蒋干盗书

Jiang Gan, sent by Cao Cao to persuade his old classmate ...

chinese-literature educational
The Stolen Armor | 时迁盗甲

To counter an invincible armored cavalry, the Liangshan h...

adventure classical-chinese-literature
The Riverbank Feast | 江东赴会

A treacherous banquet invitation from the jealous Wu stra...

chinese-literature historical-fiction
Zhang Fei's Apology | 张飞赔罪

Zhang Fei promises to reform and guard Xuzhou but breaks ...

character-development chinese-literature
Winning Over Jiang Wei | 计收姜维

Zhuge Liang ingeniously exploits Jiang Wei's filial piety...

chinese-culture historical-fiction
Shooting at the Camp Gate | 辕门射戟

Lü Bu ingeniously uses an archery challenge at a banquet ...

chinese-literature fiction
Shi Qian Steals the Armor | 时迁盗甲

To defeat Huyan Zhuo's armored cavalry, the Liangshan her...

adventure chinese-literature
Zhuge Liang Mourns Zhou Yu | 诸葛亮吊孝

Zhuge Liang pays a risky condolence visit after his rival...

chinese-literature classic-tale
Cao Cao Spared at Huarong | 义放曹操

After his defeat at Red Cliffs, a retreating Cao Cao is a...

chinese-literature cultural
The Night Battle at Jiameng Pass | 夜战马超

A tale from Three Kingdoms where Zhuge Liang strategicall...

chinese-literature historical-fiction
A Father's Equanimity | 子死不忧

A Wei state man, Dong Menwu, remains calm after his son's...

chinese-literature intermediate
The True and False Han Tripod | 真假汉鼎

A man's genuine Han Dynasty tripod is imitated by his nei...

antique-forgery chinese-culture
Qingwen Mends the Peacock Feather Cloak | 晴雯补裘

Qingwen, though ill, expertly identifies and mends Baoyu'...

chinese-culture classic-literature
Counting on Luck | 心存侥幸

Despite a brutal law in the state of Chu that sentenced s...

chinese-culture historical-fiction
Zhang Fei's Apology | 张飞请罪

Zhang Fei promises to reform and guard Xuzhou for Liu Bei...

character-development chinese-history
Recommending Zhuge Liang on Horseback | 走马荐诸葛

Cao Cao lures Liu Bei's advisor Xu Shu away by exploiting...

chinese-history culture
The Drummer's Defiance | 击鼓骂曹

Mi Heng, feeling disrespected by Cao Cao, staged a dramat...

chinese-culture defiance
Kind Advice Is Wise Advice | 仁慈的建议即智慧的建议

A prince, whose father was killed and mother taken, raise...

intermediate moral-lesson
The Yue Man's Trap | 越人诱鼠

A Yue man cleverly lured troublesome mice to their doom b...

cautionary-tale chinese-literature
Three Borrowings of the Plantain Fan | 三借芭蕉扇

Monkey must borrow a magic fan from a hostile princess to...

adventure chinese-literature