小说园

第95部分（第2页）

Now　Sun　Quan　fought　against　Xiakou。　When　Huang　Zu　recognized　that　he　was　beaten　and　could　not　maintain　his　position；　he　abandoned　Jiangxia　and　took　the　road　to　Jingzhou。　Gan　Ning；　foreseeing　this；　had　laid　an　ambush　outside　the　east　gate　of　Jiangxia。　Soon　after　the　fugitive；　with　a　small　following；　had　burst　out　of　the　gate；　he　found　his　road　blocked。

From　horseback；　Huang　Zu　said；　〃I　treated　you　well　in　the　past。　Why　do　you　now　press　me　so　hard？〃

Gan　Ning　angrily　shouted；　〃I　did　good　service　for　you；　and　yet　you　treated　me　as　a　pirate。　Now　what　have　you　to　say？〃

There　was　nothing　to　be　said；　and　Huang　Zu　turned　his　horse　to　escape。　But　Gan　Ning　thrust　aside　his　troops　and　himself　rode　in　pursuit。　Then　he　heard　a　shouting　in　his　rear　and　saw　General　Cheng　Pu　ing　up。　Fearing　lest　this　other　pursuer　should　overpass　him　and　score　the　success　he　desired　for　himself；　Gan　Ning　fitted　an　arrow　to　his　bow　and　shot　at　the　fugitive。　Huang　Zu　was　hit　and　fell　from　his　steed。　Then　Gan　Ning　cut　off　his　head。　After　this；　joining　himself　to　Cheng　Pu；　the　two　returned　bearing　the　ghastly　trophy　to　their　lord。　Sun　Quan　ordered　them　to　place　it　in　a　box　to　be　taken　back　home　and　offered　as　a　sacrifice　to　the　manes　of　his　father。

Having　rewarded　the　soldiers　for　the　victory　and　promoted　Gan　Ning；　Sun　Quan　next　discussed　the　advisability　of　sending　a　force　to　hold　Jiangxia。

But　his　adviser；　Zhang　Zhao；　said；　〃It　is　impossible　to　try　to　hold　one　distant　city　alone。　It　is　better　to　return　home　and　prepare　for　the　expedition　that　Liu　Biao　will　surely　send　in　revenge。　We　will　meet　and　defeat　his　worn　army；　push　home　the　attack；　and　capture　his　whole　region。〃

Sun　Quan　saw　the　advice　was　wise；　so　he　left　Jiangxia　and　led　his　army　home　to　the　South　Land。

Now　Su　Fei　was　still　confined；　but　he　got　someone　to　go　to　Gan　Ning　to　beg　him　to　plead　for　mercy。　Gan　Ning　had　expected　this　although　the　prisoner　had　said　no　word；　and　he　was　averse　from　leaving　his　friend　and　one…time　protector　to　perish。

〃I　should　not　have　forgotten　him　even　if　he　had　said　nothing；〃　said　Gan　Ning。

When　the　army　had　returned；　Sun　Quan　gave　orders　for　Su　Feis　execution　that　his　head　might　be　offered　with　that　of　Huang　Zu。

Then　Gan　Ning　went　in　to　his　lord　and　said；　weeping；　〃Long　ago；　if　it　had　not　been　for　Su　Fei；　my　bones　would　have　been　rotting　in　some　ditch　and　how　then　could　I　have　rendered　service　under　your　banner？　Now　he　deserves　death；　but　I　cannot　forget　his　kindness　to　me；　and　I　pray　you　take　away　the　honors　you　have　bestowed　on　me　as　a　set…off　to　his　crime。〃

Sun　Quan　replied；　〃Since　he　once　showed　kindness　to　you；　I　will　pardon　him　for　your　sake。　But　what　can　be　done　if　he　run　away？〃

〃If　he　be　pardoned　and　escape　death；　he　will　be　immeasurably　grateful　and　will　not　go　away。　If　he　should；　then　will　I　offer　my　life　in　exchange。〃

So　the　condemned　man　escaped　death；　and　only　one　head　was　offered　in　sacrifice。　After　the　sacrificial　ceremonies；　a　great　banquet　was　spread　in　honor　of　the　victories。　As　it　was　proceeding；　suddenly　one　of　the　guests　burst　into　loud　lamentations；　drew　his　sword；　and　rushed　upon　Gan　Ning。　Gan　Ning　hastily　rose　and　defended　himself　with　the　chair　on　which　he　had　been　sitting。　The　host　looked　at　the　assailant　and　saw　it　was　Ling　Tong；　whose　father　Ling　Cao　had　fallen　under　an　arrow　shot　by　Gan　Ning。　The　son　was　now　burning　to　avenge　his　fathers　death。

Hastily　leaving　his　place；　Sun　Quan　checked　the　angry　officer；　saying；　〃If　he　slew　your　noble　father；　then　remember　each　was　fighting　for　his　lord　for　whom　he　was　bound　to　exert　himself　to　the　utmost。　But　now　that　you　both　are　under　one　flag　and　are　of　one　house；　you　may　not　recall　an　ancient　injury。　You　must　regard　my　interests　continually。〃

Ling　Tong　beat　his　head　upon　the　floor　and　cried；　saying；　〃But　how　can　I　not　avenge　this？　It　is　a　blood　feud；　and　we　may　not　both　live　under　the　same　sky。〃

The　guests　interfered；　beseeching　the　man　to　forgo　his　revenge；　and　at　last　he　ceased　from　his　murderous　intention。　But　he　sat　glaring　wrathfully　at　his　enemy。

So　soon　after　Gan　Ning　was　dispatched　with　five　thousand　troops　and　one　hundred　warships　to　guard　Xiakou；　where　he　was　beyond　the　reach　of　Ling　Tongs　wrath。　Then　Sun　Quan　promoted　Ling　Tong；　and　so　he　was　somewhat　appeased。

From　about　this　time　the　South　Land　enlarged　her　fleets；　and　soldiers　were　sent　to　various　points　to　guard　the　river　banks。　The　brother　of　the　chieftain；　Sun　Kuang；　was　placed　in　mand　at　Wujun；　and　Sun　Quan　himself；　with　a　large　army；　camped　at　Chaisang。

Zhou　Yu；　mander…in…Chief　of　the　army　and　Supreme　Admiral　of　the　navy；　was　on　the　Poyang　Lake　training　the　naval　forces；　and　general　preparations　were　made　for　defense　and　attack。

By　his　spies；　Liu　Bei　had　tidings　of　the　doings　in　the　lower　portion　of　the　Great　River；　and　knew　of　the　death　of　Huang　Zu。　So　he　consulted　Zhuge　Liang　as　to　his　action。　While　they　were　discussing　matters；　there　arrived　a　messenger　from　Liu　Biao；　begging　Liu　Bei　to　go　to　see　him。

Zhuge　Liang　advised　him　to　go　and　said；　〃This　call　is　to　consult　you　about　avenging　Huang　Zu。　You　must　take　me　with　you　and　let　me　act　as　the　circumstances　direct。　There　are　advantages　to　be　got。〃

Leaving　Guan　Yu　in　mand　at　Xinye；　Liu　Bei　set　forth；　taking　Zhang　Fei　with　five　hundred　soldiers　as　his　escort。

On　the　way　he　discussed　the　course　of　action　with　his　adviser；　who　said；　〃First　you　must　thank　Liu　Biao　for　having　saved　you　from　the　evil　that　Cai　Mao　planned　against　you　at　Xiangyang。　However；　you　must　not　undertake　any　expedition　against　the　South　Land　but　say　you　must　return　to　Xinye　to　put　your　army　in　good　order。〃

With　this　admonition　Liu　Bei　came　to　Jingzhou　and　was　l