ds；　O　Instructor；　are　wrong。　Although　I　am　of　the　imperial　house；　yet　I　am　but　a　minister。　And　to　do　this　thing　would　be　rebellion　against　Han。〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Not　so。　Today　the　empire　is　riven；　and　many　of　the　bolder　spirits　have　seized　upon　and　claim　the　rule　of　various　portions。　The　talented　of　the　empire　and　the　virtuous　among　officers；　who　have　risked　death　and　lost　their　lives　in　serving　those　above　them；　all　desire　to　have　the　opportunity　of　serving　a　true　emperor　and　doing　service　for　a　true　throne。　Now；　if　you　insist　on　modestly　maintaining　your　righteous　way；　I　fear　that　you　will　lose　popular　support。　My　lord；　I　wish　that　you　should　reflect　upon　this。〃

〃But　you　desire　me　to　usurp　a　place　of　great　honor　in　the　state；　and　I　dare　not。　Let　there　be　more　delay　and　discussion。〃

But　with　one　voice　they　said；　〃Our　lord；　if　you　reject　this；　the　hearts　of　the　people　will　turn　from　you！〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃you　have　made　rectitude　your　motto　all　your　life。　If　you　really　object　to　the　most　honored　title；　then；　since　you　have　Jingzhou；　Yizhou；　and　Hanzhong；　take　temporarily　the　title　of　'Prince　of　Hanzhong'。〃

〃Gentlemen；　though　you　may　desire　to　honor　me　by　the　title　of　Prince；　yet；　without　an　edict　from　the　Emperor；　such　action　would　be　usurpation。〃

Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃The　time　demands　recognition　of　the　actual　state　of　authority；　and　not　a　rigid　adherence　to　all　the　rules　of　propriety。〃

And　Zhang　Fei　roared　out；　〃All　sorts　of　people　with　all　sorts　of　names　are　making　themselves　rulers：　How　much　more　ought　you；　brother；　who　are　of　the　dynastic　stock？　It　ought　not　to　be　Prince　of　Hanzhong　but　Emperor。　What　prevents　it？〃

〃Brother；　say　no　more；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　roughly。

〃My　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；