felicitations。〃

〃There　is　no　such　thing；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃It　is　just　one　of　the　ruses　of　Zhou　Yu　to　get　hold　of　Jingzhou。　He　has　used　this　means　to　inveigle　Liu　Bei　here　and　hold　him　captive　till　Jingzhou　is　restored　to　us。　And　if　they　will　not　give　it　back；　then　Liu　Bei　will　be　put　to　death。　That　is　the　plot。　There　is　no　real　marriage。〃

But　the　Dowager　was　in　a　rage　and　vented　her　wrath　in　abusing　Zhou　Yu。

She　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　is　a　pretty　sort　of　governor　over　the　six　territories　and　eighty…one　counties；　if　he　cannot　find　any　means　of　recovering　one　region　except　making　use　of　my　child　as　a　decoy。　Truly　this　is　a　fine　deed；　to　spoil　the　whole　of　my　child's　life　and　condemn　her　to　perpetual　widowhood；　because　he　wants　to　use　the　fair　damsel　ruse　to　slay　a　man！　Who　will　ever　e　to　talk　of　marriage　with　her　after　this？〃

Said　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao；　〃By　this　means　you　may　indeed　recover　Jingzhou；　but　you　will　be　a　shameful　laughing　stock　to　all　the　world。　What　can　be　done？〃

Sun　Quan　had　nothing　to　say。　He　could　only　hang　his　head；　while　the　Dowager　abused　his　general。

The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　tried　to　soothe　her；　saying；　〃After　all　Liu　Bei；　the　Imperial　Uncle；　is　a　scion　of　the　reigning　family。　You　can　do　nothing　better　now　than　to　wele　him　as　a　son…in…law　and　not　let　this　ugly　story　get　abroad。〃

〃I　am　afraid　their　ages　do　not　match；〃　interposed　Sun　Quan。

〃Liu　Bei　is　a　very　famous　man；〃　said　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao。　〃There　can　be　no　shame　in　having　such　a　son…in…law。〃

〃I　have　never　seen　him；〃　said　the　Dowager。　〃Arrange　that　I　may　get　a　look　at　him　tomorrow　at　the　Sweet　Dew　Temple。　If　he　displeases　me；　you　may　work　your　will　on　him。　But　if　I　am　satisfied　with　him；　then　I　shall　simply　let　the　girl　marry　him。〃