“Your exalted name has been long known to me;” said Liu Bei, “it has reverberated through my ears. My one regret is that cloudy hills and long distances have hitherto prevented me from enjoying the advantage of your instruction. Hearing that you were passing through, I have come to meet you; and if you would be willing to notice me and condescend to rest for a time in my city, thus allowing me to satisfy my long disappointed desire to see you, I should indeed hold myself fortunate.”
Naturally the traveler's vanity was tickled, and he joyfully remounted. They rode bridle to bridle into the city. When they reached the residence, again they exchanged profound salutations and compliments before they took their various places as host and guest. And then a banquet was served. But all throughout Liu Bei refrained from saying a word about the west; he only chatted on general and common things.
The visitor noted this steady avoidance and resolved to probe his host's thoughts.
“How many counties are there in Jingzhou, where you are now, O Imperial Uncle?”
Zhuge Liang replied, “Jingzhou is only ours temporarily; we have borrowed it from the South Land. They are always sending messengers to demand its return. However, now that our lord has married their daughter, his position is more secure. But it is still temporary.”
“The South Land is large,” said Zhang Song, “yet their six territories and their eighty-one counties do not satisfy them. The people are strong and the land is fruitful.”
Said Pang Tong, “Our lord, being of the dynastic family, has never occupied a territory of the empire. Those others, thievish as they are, may indeed seize upon as much territory as they are strong enough to hold, but such deeds are not according to the wise person's heart.”
“Noble Sirs, pray say no more; what virtue have I that I should expect anything from the future?” said Liu Bei.
“Not so, indeed,” said Zhang Song. “Illustrious Sir, you are of the lineage of Han; your noble character is widely known. No one could say that your fate excludes all thoughts of occupying territory, where you might begin to set up authority and take an emperor's position.”
Liu Bei deprecated such a suggestion, “Sir, you go too far; this really is too much.”
The next three days were spent in banquets and wine parties, but all the time no mention was made of the Western Land of Rivers. And when, at the end of that time, Zhang Song took leave, his host was at the three-mile “parting road” to bid him farewell and offer refreshment.
When the moment came for the parting, Liu Bei raised his wine-cup and said, “I am sincerely grateful that you deigned to come here. You have prolonged your visit to three days, but now the moment of parting has come. Who knows when I may have the privilege of receiving your instructions again?”
As Liu Bei said this, the tears flowed, but he hid them while Zhang Song, willing to believe that this emotion was on his account, thought how wonderfully kind and noble his host must be to be thus affected. Quite overcome, Zhang Song decided to speak about the west.
So he said, “I have thought that I, too, would come to you one day, but so far I have found no way. In Jingzhou I see Sun Quan on the east, always ready to pounce; I see Cao Cao on the north, greedy to swallow. So this is not a wholly desirable place for you to remain in.”
“I know this but too well,” said Liu Bei, “but I have no secure place to go to.”
“Yiazhou is well protected, has much fertile soil, is populous and well governed. Its scholars are attracted by your virtue. If you marched your armies westward, you could easily become a real power there and restore the glory of the Hans.”
“But how dare I attempt this? The ruler is also of the Imperial House. The whole region is devoted to him for his good deeds, and no other person could attain such a hold.”
“I am no traitor,” said Zhang Song, “but in your presence I feel constrained to be perfectly open and plain. Liu Zhang, the Imperial Protector of Yiazhou, is naturally weak and can neither use the wise nor employ the capable. Then again Zhang Lu threatens the north. People are distracted and would gladly welcome an appreciative ruler. The journey I have just made was to propose to support Cao Cao and place the region under him, but I found him rebellious and set on evil, proud and arrogant. So I have turned aside to you. If you will take Yiazhou, you will have a base from which to deal with Hanzhong when you will, and the whole country beside. You will continue the rightful line, and your name will live in history. Would not that be real fame? If then you think of taking our country, I am willing to do what little I can as an ally within. But do you contemplate such a step?”
“I am deeply grateful that you think so well of me. But the Imperial Protector being a member of the family, I should lay myself open to general execration, were I to attack him.”
