小说园

第37部分（第1页）

weeping；　and　they　two　sat　down。

〃I　was　weeping　from　regret　at　being　unable　to　continue　my　fathers　work；〃　said　Sun　Ce。

〃Why　stay　here　bound　to　the　service　of　a　master？　The　Governor　of　Dangyang　is　in　distress。　Why　not　get　mand　of　an　army　under　the　pretense　of　an　expedition　to　relieve　Wu　Jing？　Escape　the　shadow　of　Yuan　Shu　and　take　control　of　Dangyang；　then　you　can　acplish　great　things。〃

While　these　two　were　talking；　another　man　suddenly　entered；　saying；　〃I　know　what　you　two　are　planning；　Noble　Sirs。　Under　my　hand　is　a　band　of　one　hundred　bold　fellows　ready　to　help　Sun　Ce　in　whatever　he　wishes　to　do。〃

The　speaker　was　one　of　Yuan　Shus　advisers　named　Lu　Fan；　from　Runan。　They　three　then　sat　and　discussed　schemes。

〃The　one　fear　is　that　Yuan　Shu　will　refuse　to　give　you　the　troops；〃　said　Lu　Fan。

〃I　still　have　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal　that　my　father　left　me：　That　should　be　good　security。〃

〃Yuan　Shu　earnestly　desires　that　jewel；〃　said　Zhu　Zhi。　〃He　will　certainly　lend　you　troops　on　that　pledge。〃

The　three　talked　over　their　plans；　gradually　settling　the　details；　and　not　many　days　after　Sun　Ce　obtained　an　interview　with　his　patron。

Assuming　the　appearance　of　deep　grief　Sun　Ce　said；　〃I　have　been　unable　to　avenge　my　father。　Now　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　Liu　Yao；　is　opposing　my　mothers　brother；　and　my　mother　and　her　family　are　in　danger　in　Que。　Wherefore　I　would　borrow　a　few　thousands　of　fighting　men　to　rescue　them。　As　perhaps；　Illustrious　Sir；　you　may　lack　confidence　in　me；　I　am　willing　to　deposit　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal；　left　me　by　my　late　father；　as　a　pledge。〃

〃Let　me　see　it　if　you　have　it；〃　said　Yuan　Shu。　〃I　do　not　want　the　jewel　really；　but　you　may　as　well　leave　it　with　me。　I　will　lend　you　three　thousand　troops　and　five　hundred　horses。　Return　as　soon　as　peace　can　be　made。　As　your　rank　is　hardly　sufficient　for　such　powers；　I　will　memorialize　to　obtain　for　you　higher　rank　with　the　title　of　General　Who　Exterminates　Brigands；　and　you　can　soon　start。〃

Sun　Ce　thanked　his　patron　most　humbly　and　soon　put　the　army　in　motion；　taking　with　him　his　two　new　advisers　and　his　fathers　generals………Zhu　Zhi；　Lu　Fan；　Cheng　Pu；　Huang　Gai；　Han　Dang；　and　others。

When　Sun　Ce　reached　Linyang；　he　saw　a　body　of　troops　in　front　of　him；　at　their　head　a　dashing　leader　of　handsome　and　refined　mien。　As　soon　as　this　mander　saw　Sun　Ce；　he　dismounted　and　made　obeisance。　It　was　Zhou　Yu　from　Shucheng。

When　Sun　Jian　was　opposing　the　tyrant　Dong　Zhuo；　he　moved　his　family　to　Shucheng　where　the　Zhou　family　had　lived。　And　as　Zhou　Yu　and　Sun　Ce　were　of　the　same　age　all　but　two　months；　they　became　exceedingly　good　friends　and　sworn　brothers；　Sun　Ce　being　the　elder　in　virtue　of　his　two　months　seniority。　Zhou　Yu　was　on　his　way　to　visit　Sun　Ces　uncle；　Governor　Wu　Jing　of　Dangyang；　when　the　happy　meeting　took　place。

Naturally　Sun　Ce　confided　his　projects　and　inmost　ideas　to　his　friend；　who　at　once　said；　〃I　shall　put　my　whole　life　and　energy　to　serve　you　to　reach　that　grand　goal。〃

〃Now　that　you　have　e；　the　design　is　as　good　as　acplished；〃　said　Sun　Ce。

Zhou　Yu　was　introduced　to　Zhu　Zhi　and　Lu　Fan。

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Do　you　know　of　the　two　Zhangs　of　Guangling？　They　would　be　most　useful　people　in　working　out　your　schemes。〃

〃Who　are　they；　the　two　Zhangs？〃　said　Sun　Ce。

〃They　are　men　of　transcendent　genius　who　are　living　near　here　for　the　sake　of　tranquillity　in　these　turbulent　times。　Their　names　are　Zhang　Zhao　and　Zhang　Hong。　Why　not　invite　them　to　help　you；　brother？〃

Sun　Ce　lost　no　time　in　sending　letters　and　gifts；　but　they　both　declined。　Then　he　visited　them　in　person；　was　greatly　pleased　with　their　speech　and　by　dint　of　large　gifts　and　much　persuasion；　got　them　to　promise　to　join　him。　Sun　Ce　appointed　them　both　Counselors　and　Generals。

The　plan　of　the　attack　upon　Yangzhou　Region　was　the　next　matter　for　discussion。　The　Imperial　Protector；　Liu　Yao；　was　of　Donglai；　a　scion　of　the　imperial　family　and　brother　of　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou；　Liu　Dai。　Liu　Yao　had　long　ruled　in　Yangzhou　and　headquartered　in　Shouchun。　But　Yuan　Shu　had　forced　him　to　flee　to　the　southeast　of　the　Great　River。　He　retired　to　Que　and　now　was　battling　with　Wu　Jing　in　Linyang。

Hearing　of　the　meditated　attack　on　him；　Liu　Yao　summoned　his　generals　to　take　counsel。

Said　General　Zhang　Ying；　〃I　will　take　an　army　and　entrench　at　Niuzhu。　No　army　can　get　past　that；　whatever　its　strength。〃

Zhang　Ying　was　interrupted　by　another　who　shouted；　〃And　let　me　lead　the　van！〃

All　eyes　turned　to　this　man。　It　was　Taishi　Ci　who；　after　helping　Kong　Rong　raise　the　siege　of　Beihai；　had　e　to　serve　Liu　Yao。

Hearing　him　offer　to　undertake　the　hazardous　post　of　van　leader；　Liu　Yao　said；　〃But　you　are　still　young　and　not　yet　equal　to　such　a　charge。　Rather　stay　by　my　side　and　await　my　orders。〃

Taishi　Ci　withdrew　in　disappointment。

Soon　Zhang　Ying　led　his　army　to　Niuzhu；　where　the　stores　of　grain　located。　When　Sun　Ce　approached；　Zhang　Ying　went　to　meet　him；　and　the　two　armies　faced　each　other　above　the　Bullock　Rapid。　Zhang　Ying　roundly　abused　his　opponent；　and　Huang　Gai　rode　out　to　attack　him。　But　before　the　bat　had　proceeded　far；　there　arose　an　alarm　of　fire　in　Zhang　Yings　camp。　Zhang　Ying　turned　back；　and　then　Sun　Ce　advanced　in　full　force；　pelling　the　enemy　to　abandon　their　possession。　The　defeated　general　fled　to　the　hills。

Now　the　incendiaries　who　had　brought　about　this　result　were　two；　named　Jiang　Qin　from　Shouchun　and　Zhou　Tai　from　Jiujiang；　who　in　these　turbulent　times　had　got　together　a　band　of　kindred　spirits　and　lived　by　plundering　the　country　along　the　Great　River。　They　knew　Sun　Ce　by　reputation　as　a　man　who　treated　able　people　very　liberally　and　wished　to　join　him。　So　they　came　with　their　band；　three　hundred　strong；　and　helped　him　in　this　way　as　an　introduction。　Sun　Ce　weled　them　and　gave　the　leaders　rank。　After　taking　possession　of　the　stores　of　all　kinds　abandoned　by　the　runaways；　and　enlisting　four　thousand　of　those　who　surrendered　into　his　own　ranks；　Sun　Ce　moved　forward　to　attack　Shenting。