小说园

第94部分（第3页）

Sun　Yis　wife；　Lady　Xu；　was　skilled　in　divination；　and　on　the　day　of　the　great　banquet　she　cast　a　most　inauspicious　lot。　Wherefore　she　besought　her　husband　to　stay　away　from　the　assembly。　But　he　was　obstinate　and　went。　The　faithless　guardsman　followed　his　master　in　the　dusk　when　the　gathering　dispersed；　and　stabbed　him　with　a　dagger。

The　two　prime　movers　at　once　seized　Bian　Hong　and　beheaded　him　in　the　market　place。　Then　they　went　to　Sun　Yis　residence；　which　they　plundered。

Gui　Lan　was　taken　with　the　beauty　of　the　dead　Governors　wife　and　told　her；　〃I　had　avenged　the　death　of　your　husband；　and　you　must　go　with　me。〃

Lady　Xu　pleaded；　saying；　〃It　is　too　soon　after　my　husbands　death　to　think　of　remarriage。　But　as　soon　as　the　thirty…day　mourning　sacrifices　are　over；　I　will　be　yours。〃

She　thus　obtained　a　respite；　which　she　utilized　to　send　for　two　old　generals　of　her　husband；　Sun　Gao　and　Fu　Ying。　They　came　and　she　tearfully　told　her　tale。

〃My　husband　had　great　faith　in　you。　Now　Gui　Lan　and　Dai　Yuan　have　passed　his　death　and　have　laid　the　crime　on　Bian　Hong。　They　have　plundered　my　house　and　carried　off　my　servants。　Worse　than　this；　Gui　Lan　insists　that　I　shall　be　his　wife。　To　gain　time　I　have　pretended　to　favor　this　proposal；　and　I　pray　you　now　send　the　news　to　my　husbands　brother　and　beg　him　to　slay　these　two　miscreants　and　avenge　this　wrong。　I　will　never　forget　your　kindness　in　this　life　or　the　next。〃

And　she　bowed　before　them。

They　wept　also　and　said；　〃We　were　much　attached　to　our　master；　and　now　that　he　has　e　to　an　untimely　end；　we　must　avenge　him。　Dare　we　not　carry　out　your　behests？〃

So　they　sent　a　trusty　messenger　to　Sun　Quan。

On　the　day　of　the　sacrifices　Lady　Xu　called　in　her　two　friends　and　hid　them　in　a　secret　chamber。　Then　the　ceremonies　were　performed　in　the　great　hall。　These　over；　she　put　off　her　mourning　garb；　bathed　and　perfumed　herself；　and　assumed　an　expression　of　joy。　She　laughed　and　talked　as　usual；　so　that　Gui　Lan　rejoiced　in　his　heart；　thinking　of　the　pleasure　that　was　to　be　his。

When　night　came　she　sent　a　servant　girl　to　call　her　suitor　to　the　palace；　where　she　entertained　him　at　supper。　When　he　had　well　drunk；　she　suggested　that　they　should　retire　and　led　him　to　the　chamber　where　her　friends　were　waiting。　He　followed　without　the　least　hesitation。

As　soon　as　she　entered　the　room；　she　called　out；　〃Where　are　you；　Generals？〃

Out　rushed　Sun　Gao　and　Fu　Ying；　and　the　drunken　Gui　Lan；　incapable　of　any　resistance；　was　dispatched　with　daggers。

Next　Lady　Xu　invited　Dai　Yuan　to　a　supper；　and　he　was　slain　in　similar　fashion。　After　that；　she　sent　to　the　houses　of　her　enemies　and　slew　all　therein。　This　done；　she　resumed　her　mourning　garb；　and　the　heads　of　the　two　men　were　hung　as　a　sacrifice　before　the　coffin　of　her　husband。

Very　soon　her　brother…in…law　came　with　an　army；　and　hearing　the　story　of　the　deeds　of　the　two　generals　from　the　widow；　gave　them　the　manderships　and　put　them　over　Dangyang。　When　Sun　Quan　left；　he　took　the　widow　to　his　own　home　so　that　she　would　be　cared　for。　All　those　who　heard　of　her　brave　conduct　were　loud　in　praise　of　her　virtue：

Full　of　resource　and　virtuous；　few　in　the　world　are　like　her；

Guilefully　wrought　she　and　passed　the　death　of　the　lusty　assassins；

Faithful　servants　are　always　ready　to　deal　with　rebellion；

None　can　ever　excel　that　heroine　famous　in　Wu。

The　brigandage　that　had　troubled　the　South　Land　had　all　been　suppressed；　and　a　large　fleet　of　seven　thousand　battleships　was　in　the　Great　River　ready　for　service。　Sun　Quan　appointed　Zhou　Yu　to　be　the　Supreme　Admiral　and　mander…in…Chief　over　all　military　forces。

In　the　twelfth　year　（AD　207）；　the　Dowager　Wu；　feeling　her　end　approaching；　called　to　her　the　two　advisers　Zhou　Yu　and　Zhang　Zhao　and　spoke　thus：　〃I　came　of　a　family　of　the　old　Wu；　but　losing　my　parents　in　early　life。　My　brother　Wu　Jing　and　I　went　into　the　old　Yue；　and　then　I　married　into　this　family。　I　bore　my　husband　four　sons；　not　without　premonitions　of　the　greatness　to　be　theirs。　With　my　first；　Sun　Ce；　I　dreamed　of　the　moon　and　with　my　second；　Sun　Quan；　of　the　sun；　which　omens　were　interpreted　by　the　soothsayer　as　signs　of　their　great　honor。　Unhappy　Sun　Ce　died　young；　but　Sun　Quan　inherited；　and　it　is　he　whom　I　pray　you　both　assist　with　one　accord。　Then　may　I　die　in　peace。〃

And　to　her　son　she　said；　〃These　two　you　are　to　serve　as　they　were　your　teachers　and　treat　them　with　all　respect。　My　younger　sister　and　I　both　were　wives　to　your　father；　and　so　she　is　also　a　mother　to　you；　and　you　are　to　serve　her　after　I　am　gone　as　you　now　serve　me。　And　you　must　treat　your　sister　with　affection　and　find　a　handsome　husband　for　her。〃

Then　she　died　and　her　son　mourned　for　her　that　year。

The　following　year；　they　began　to　discuss　an　attack　upon　Huang　Zu。

Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃The　armies　should　not　move　during　the　period　of　mourning。〃

However；　Zhou　Yu；　more　to　the　point；　said；　〃Vengeance　should　not　be　postponed　on　that　account。　It　could　not　wait　upon　times　and　seasons。〃

Still　Sun　Quan　halted　between　two　opinions　and　would　not　decide。

Then　came　mander　Lu　Meng　who　said　to　his　master；　〃While　I　was　at　Dragon