小说园

第262部分（第2页）

At　this　time　old　officials　like　Lu　Xun　and　Zhuge　Jin　were　dead；　and　the　business　of　the　government；　great　and　small；　was　in　the　hands　of　Zhuge　Ke；　son　of　Zhuge　Jin。

In　the　first　year　of　Grand　Beginning　Era　（AD　251）；　on　the　first　of　the　eighth　month；　a　great　storm　passed　over　Wu。　The　waves　rose　to　a　great　height；　and　the　water　stood　eight　feet　deep　over　the　low…lying　lands。　The　pines　and　cypresses；　which　grew　at　the　cemetery　of　the　Imperial　Ancestors　of　Wu；　were　uprooted　and　carried　to　the　South　Gate　of　Jianye；　where　they　stuck；　roots　upward；　in　the　road。

Sun　Quan　was　frightened　and　fell　ill。　In　the　early　days　of　the　next　year　his　illness　became　serious；　whereupon　he　called　in　Imperial　Guardian　Zhuge　Ke　and　Regent　Marshal　Lu　Dai　to　hear　the　declaration　of　his　last　wishes。　Soon　after　he　died；　at　the　age　of　seventy…one。　He　had　reigned　for　twenty…four　years。　In　Shu…Han　calendar　it　was　the　fifteenth　year　of　Long　Enjoyment　（AD　252）。

A　hero；　green…eyed　and　purple…bearded；

He　called　forth　devotion　from　all。

He　lorded　the　east　without　challenge

Till　deaths　one　imperative　call。

Zhuge　Ke　immediately　placed　his　late　lords　son　Sun　Liang　on　the　throne；　and　the　opening　of　the　new　reign　was　marked　by　the　adoption　of　the　style　Great　Prosperity　Era；　the　first　year　（AD　252）。　A　general　amnesty　was　proclaimed。　The　late　ruler　received　the　posthumous　style　of　Sun　Quan　the　Great　Emperor　and　was　buried　in　Jiangling。

When　these　things　were　reported　in　the　Wei　capital；　Sima　Shis　first　thought　was　to　attack　the　South　Land。

But　his　plans　were　opposed　by　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Fu　Gu；　saying；　〃Remember　what　a　strong　defense　to　Wu　is　the　Great　River。　The　country　has　been　many　times　attacked　by　our　ancestors；　but　never　conquered。　Rather　let　us　all　hold　what　we　have　till　the　time　be　expedient　to　possess　the　whole　empire。〃

Sima　Shi　replied；　〃The　way　of　Heaven　changes　thrice　in　a　century；　and　no　three…part　division　is　permanent。　I　wish　to　attack　Wu。〃

Sima　Zhao；　his　brother；　was　in　favor　of　attack；　saying　〃The　occasion　is　most　opportune。　Sun　Quan　is　newly　dead；　and　the　present　ruler　is　a　child。〃

An　expedition　was　decided　upon。　Wang　Chang；　General　Who　Conquers　the　South；　was　sent　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops　against　Nanjun。　Guanqiu　Jian；　General　Who　Guards　the　South；　was　given　one　hundred　thousand　troops　to　go　against　Wuchang。　Hu　Zun；　General　Who　Conquers　the　East；　led　one　hundred　thousand　troops　against　Dongxing。　They　marched　in　three　divisions。　Sima　Zhao　was　made　mander…in…Chief　of　the　campaign。

In　the　winter　of　that　year；　the　tenth　month；　Sima　Zhao　marched　the　armies　near　to　the　Wu　frontiers　and　camped。　Sima　Zhao　called　together　Wang　Chang；　Guanqiu　Jian；　Hu　Zun；　and　various　other　manders　to　decide　upon　plans。

He　said；　〃The　county　of　Dongxing　is　most　important　to　Wu。　They　have　built　a　great　rampart；　with　walls　right　and　left　to　defend　Lake　Chaohu　from　an　attack　in　the　rear。　You　gentlemen　will　have　to　exercise　extreme　care。〃

Then　he　bade　Wang　Chang　and　Guanqiu　Jian　each　to　take　ten　thousand　troops　and　place　themselves　right　and　left；　but　not　to　advance　till　Dongxing　had　been　captured。　When　that　city　had　fallen；　these　two　were　to　go　forward　at　the　same　time。　Hu　Zun　was　to　lead　the　van。　The　first　step　was　to　construct　a　floating　bridge　to　storm　the　rampart。　The　two　walls　should　then　be　captured。

News　of　the　danger　soon　came　to　Wu；　and　Zhuge　Ke　called　a　council　to　take　measures。

Then　said　Ding　Feng；　General　Who　Pacifies　the　North；　〃Dongxing　is　of　the　utmost　importance　as　its　loss　would　endanger　Wuchang。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Zhuge　Ke。　〃You　say　just　what　I　think。　You　should　lead　three　thousand　marines　up　the　river　in　thirty　ships；　while　on　land　Lu　Ju；　Tang　Zi；　and　Liu　Zang　will　follow　in　three　directions　with　ten　thousand　troops　each。　The　signal　for　the　general　attack　will　be　a　cluster　of　bombs。〃

Ding　Feng　received　the　mand；　and；　with　three　thousand　marines　and　thirty　battleships；　he　sailed　in　the　Great　River　to　Dongxing。

Hu　Zun；　the　Van　Leader　of　Wei；　crossed　on　the　floating　bridge；　took　and　camped　on　the　rampart。　He　then　sent　Huan　Jia　and　Han　Zong　to　assault　the　left　and　right　flanking　forts；　which　were　held　by　the　Wu　Generals　Quan　Yi　and　Liu　Lue。　These　forts　had　high　walls　and　strong；　and　made　a　good　resistance；　so　that　the　Wei　force　could　not　overe。　But　Quan　Yi　and　Liu　Lue　dared　not　venture　out　to　attack　so　strong　a　force　as　was　attacking　them。

Hu　Zun　made　a　camp　at　Xutang。　It　was　then　the　depth　of　winter　and　intensely　cold。　Heavy　snow　fell。　Thinking　that　no　warlike　operations　were　possible　in　such　weather；　Hu　Zun　and　his　officers　made　a　great　feast。

In　the　midst　of　the　feasting　came　one　to　report：　〃Thirty　ships　are　ing　in　the　river。〃

Hu　Zun　went　out　to　look　and　saw　them　e　into　the　bank。　He　made　out　a　hundred　troops　on　each。

As　they　were　so　few；　he　returned　to　the　feast　and　told　his　officers；　〃Only　three　thousand　sailors。　There　is　nothing　to　be　alarmed　at。〃

Giving　orders　to　keep　a　careful　watch；　they　all　returned　to　enjoy　themselves。

Ding　Fengs　ships　were　all　drawn　up　in　line。　Then　he　said　to　his　officers；　〃Today　there　is　indeed　a　grand　opportunity　for　a　brave　soldier　to　distinguish　himself。　W