They were all deeply affected. Liu Bei could not bring himself to part from his friend. He escorted him a little further, and yet a little further, till Xu Shu said, “I will not trouble you, O Princely One, to come further. Let us say our farewell here.”
Liu Bei dismounted, took Xu Shu by the hands, and said, “Alas! We part. Each goes his way and who knows if we shall meet again?”
His tears fell like rain and Xu Shu wept also. But the last goodbyes were said; and when the traveler had gone, Liu Bei stood gazing after the little party and watched it slowly disappear. At the last glimpse he broke into lamentation.
“He is gone! What shall I do?”
One of the trees shut out the traveler from his sight, and Liu Bei pointed at it, saying, “Wish that I could cut down every tree in the countryside!”
“Why?” said his officers.
“Because they hinder my sight of Xu Shu.”
Suddenly they saw Xu Shu galloping back.
Said Liu Bei, “He is returning; can it he that he is going to stay?”
So he hastened forward to meet Xu Shu, and when they got near enough, he cried, “This return is surely for no slight reason.”
Checking his horse, Xu Shu said, “In the turmoil of my feelings I forgot to say one word. There is a person of wonderful skill living about seven miles from the city of Xiangyang; why not seek him?”
“Can I trouble you to ask him to visit me?”
“He will not condescend to visit you; you must go to him. But if he consents, you will be as fortunate as the Zhou when they got the aid of Lu Wang, or the Han when Zhang Liang came to help.”
“How does the unknown compare with yourself?”
“With me? Compared with him I am as a worn-out carthorse to a palomino, an old crow to a phoenix. This man often compares himself with the ancient sages Guan Zhong and Yue Yi but, in my opinion, he is far their superior. He has the talent to measure the heavens and mete the earth; he is a man who overshadows every other in the world.”
“I would know his name.”
“He belongs to Langye; and his name is Zhuge Liang. He is of the family of the former General Zhuge Feng. His father, Zhuge Gui, was the Governor Deputy of Taishan but died young, and the young fellow went with his uncle Zhuge Xuan to Jingzhou. Imperial Protector Liu Biao was an old friend of his uncle, and Zhuge Liang became settled in Xiangyang. Then his uncle died, and he and his younger brother, Zhuge Jun, returned to their farm in Nanyang and worked as farmers. They used to amuse themselves with the composition of songs in the Liangfu style.
“On their land was a ridge of hills called the Sleeping Dragon, and the elder of the brothers took it as a name and called himself Master Sleeping-Dragon. This is your man; he is a veritable genius. You ought really to visit him; and if he will help you, you need feel no more anxiety about peace in the empire.”
“Water-Mirror spoke that time of two persons, Sleeping-Dragon and Blooming-Phoenix, and said if only one of them could be got to help me all would be well. Surely he, whom you speak of, is one of them.”
“Blooming-Phoenix is Pang Tong of Xiangyang, and Sleeping-Dragon is Zhuge Liang.”
Liu Bei jumped with delight, “Now at last I know who the mysterious ones are. How I wish they were here! But for you I should have still been like a blind man,” said he.
Some one has celebrated in verse this interview where Xu Shu from horseback recommended Zhuge Liang:
Thus was Zhuge Liang recommended to Liu Bei, and Xu Shu rode away.
Now Liu Bei understood the speech of the hermit Water-Mirror, and he woke as one from a drunken sleep. At the head of his officers, he retook the road to the city and having prepared rich gifts set out, with his brothers, for Nanyang.
Under the influence of his emotions at parting, Xu Shu had mentioned the name and betrayed the retreat of his friend. Now he thought of the possibility that Zhuge Liang would be unwilling to play the part of helper in Liu Bei's scheme, so Xu Shu determined to go to visit him. He therefore took his way to Sleeping Dragon Ridge and dismounted at the cottage.
Asked why he had come, he replied, “I wished to serve Liu Bei of Yuzhou, but my mother has been imprisoned by Cao Cao, and has sent to call me. Therefore I have had to leave him. At the moment of parting I commended you to him. You may expect him speedily and I hope, Sir, you will not refuse your aid but will consent to use your great talents to help him.”
