〃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　West　River　Land。　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　e　here。　You　have　prolonged　your　visit　to　three　days；　but　now　the　moment　of　parting　has　e。　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　overe；　Zhang　Song　decided　to　speak　about　the　west。

So　he　said；　〃I　have　thought　that　I；　too；　would　e　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。〃

〃Yizhou　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　bee　a　real　power　there　and　restore　t