所以到了第三次，刘备再去的时候，首先是择吉斋戒，沐浴更衣，态度就变了，很端正。然后走到卧龙岗的时候，下马步行，再走到草堂跟前，拱立阶下。说先生在午睡，不要打扰，不要打扰，刘备就在这儿等，一等再等。这个时候的刘备他已经不像一个上门招聘的大老板，像一个上门求婚的痴情人，他这个痴情和《西厢记》里面的张生有得一比。大家都听李昌集老师讲过《西厢记》，这张生和崔莺莺一见钟情，他想通过红娘去传递一些信息，他见到红娘是怎么说的呢？小生姓张名珙，字君瑞，本贯西洛人也，年方二十三岁，并不曾婚娶，红娘说什么，谁问你那么多了。那么刘备见到了诸葛亮看门的小孩子怎么说的呢，汉左将军宜城亭侯领豫州牧皇叔刘备特来拜见先生，把他所有头衔都说出来，那小孩怎么说呢，我记不住那么多。
So on the third visit, when Liu Bei went again, he first chose auspicious fasting, bathed and changed his clothes. His attitude changed, and he was very upright. Then, when we reach Wolonggang, dismount and walk, then walk to the front of the Thatched Cottage and arch down the steps. “Mr. Liu is taking a nap, don’t disturb me, don’t disturb me. Liu Bei will wait here, wait a moment, wait a moment.”. At this time, Liu Bei is no longer like a big boss who comes to recruit, or an infatuated person who comes to propose. His infatuation is comparable to that of Zhang Sheng in The Western Chamber. Everyone has heard from Teacher Li Changji about “The Story of the Western Chamber”. This Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying fell in love at first sight. He wanted to pass on some information through the matchmaker. What did he say when he saw the matchmaker? Xiao Sheng’s surname is Zhang Minggong, and his name is Junrui. He was originally from Xiluo, and he was 23 years old. He never married before. What did Hong Niang say? Who asked you so much. So what did Liu Bei say when he saw the child guarding Zhuge Liang’s door? General Han Zuo, Duke Yicheng Ting, led Yu Zhou Mu Huang Uncle Liu Bei to pay a visit to the gentleman and tell him all his titles. What did the child say? I can’t remember so much.
这两个情节真是好有一比，实际上确实是这样，如果说戏剧中的崔莺莺是待字闺中，那么小说中的诸葛亮就是待价隆中，他们都在等，等自己最中意的人。我们知道在那样一个时代，君臣关系是有点像夫妻关系的，讲究什么呢？从一而终，在当时一个道德品德高尚的人，一旦选中了一个君主、一个老板，他会是很自律地要求自己从一而终的，是不能变节的。当然在那个时代变节的人也很多，改换门庭的人也很多，也不能认为就不道德，但是特别严格自律的人他是不变的，诸葛亮在道德上对自己要求是很高的，所也他是不能变的，所以他必须选准。那么这里面就有一个问题，对方一定要有诚意，因为小说中的诸葛亮也好，戏剧中的崔莺莺也好，都是心气很高的人，绝不肯随便地以身相许，他一定要考验对方，他一定要摆足了架子，吊足了胃口，确确实实证明对方是诚心诚意，他才肯答应。
“There is a good comparison between the two plots, but actually it is. If Cui Yingying in the drama is a waitress, then Zhuge Liang in the novel is a waitress. They are all waiting for their favorite person.”. We know that in such an era, the relationship between monarchs and ministers is somewhat like that between husband and wife. What should we pay attention to? “At that time, a person of high moral character, once he selected a monarch or a boss, would be very self-disciplined in demanding that he follow suit and never renege.”. Of course, in that era, there were also many people who changed their ways, and many people who changed their ways could not be considered immoral. However, the person who was particularly strict in self-discipline remained unchanged. Zhuge Liang had high moral requirements for himself, so he could not change, so he must choose the right person. There is a question here: The other party must have sincerity, because either Zhuge Liang in the novel or Cui Yingying in the drama are highly motivated people who will never casually commit themselves to each other. He must test the other party, and he must put on airs and satisfy his appetite to prove that the other party is sincere before he agrees.
所以说《三国演义》这段描写是精彩的，很精彩，非常精彩，可惜是假的。但是虽然三顾茅庐是虚构的，仍然有意义，意义在哪儿呢？我们现在可以把它看做古代版的营销学教材，我们现在用现代视角看看这个事件就很有意思了，在这个事件中，刘备好比一家投资公司的大老板，他决定进行投资，要买断某一个人才，诸葛亮呢，就像一个准备应聘行政执行官的这个一个职业经理人，他们双方都有一个互相试探、了解的需要和过程，所以他这一套东西用现代的眼光一看就觉得整个的这些什么唱歌的农民，不懂事的童子啊，稀奇古怪的朋友全是托儿。这当然是我们今天站在现代视角回过头看这个问题得出的结论，甚至我也可以坦率地承认我这个推测是以小人之心度君子之腹，纯粹是我的个人意见，不是历史意见，也不是时代意见，也不是罗贯中的意见。
So the description of “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is wonderful, very exciting, very exciting, but unfortunately it is fake. But although Sangu Maolu is fictional, it still has meaning. Where is the meaning? “We can now view it as an ancient version of marketing textbooks, and it’s interesting to look at this event from a modern perspective. In this event, Liu Bei is like a big boss of an investment company who decides to invest and buy out a certain talent. What about Zhuge Liang, like a professional manager who is preparing to apply for an executive position, and both of them have a need and process to explore and understand each other,”, So with a modern perspective, he can see all these singing farmers, ignorant children, and strange friends as childcare. This is of course the conclusion we have reached when we look back at this issue from a modern perspective today. Even I can frankly admit that my speculation is based on the heart of a villain and the belly of a gentleman. It is purely my personal opinion, not a historical opinion, nor an opinion of the times, nor an opinion of Luo Guanzhong.
那么罗贯中的意见是什么呢？也就是说罗贯中为什么要这样写呢？我猜，两个原因，第一原因是好看，小说一定要好看。我对小说有个定义，有人问我说小说是什么？我的定义是，就是可以躺在床上看的东西，小说不好看就失去了“小说”的本来意义，而罗贯中《三国演义》写的这个三顾茅庐，你不管是真是假，好看，这是没有问题的，确实好看，这是他小说家、文学家他的需要。
So what is Luo Guanzhong’s opinion? That is to say, why did Luo Guanzhong write this way? I guess there are two reasons. The first reason is that novels must be good looking. I have a definition of fiction, and someone asked me what is fiction? My definition is that something that can be read in bed, and if a novel is not beautiful, it loses the original meaning of “fiction”. However, whether Luo Guanzhong’s “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is true or false, it is beautiful, it is no problem, it is indeed beautiful, which is his needs as a novelist and writer.
