小说园

第72部分（第2页）

〃You　want　to　follow　Yu　Ji　in　rebellion；　I　suppose；〃　cried　Sun　Ce。

The　officers；　now　thoroughly　cowed　by　the　rage　of　their　lord；　were　silent　and　showed　no　opposition　when　the　executioners　seized　the　Taoist　Saint　and　beheaded　him。

As　the　head　fell；　they　saw　just　a　wreath　of　black　smoke　drift　away　to　the　northeast　where　lay　the　Langye　Mountains。

The　corpse　was　exposed　in　the　market　place　as　a　warning　to　enchanters　and　wizards　and　such　people。　That　night　there　came　a　very　violent　storm；　and　when　it　calmed　down　at　daylight；　there　was　no　trace　of　the　body　of　Yu　Ji。　The　guards　reported　this；　and　Sun　Ce　in　his　wrath　sentenced　them　to　death。　But　as　he　did　so；　he　saw　Yu　Ji　calmly　walking　toward　him　as　if　the　Taoist　Saint　were　still　alive。　Sun　Ce　drew　his　sword　and　darted　forward　to　strike　at　the　wraith；　but　he　fainted　and　fell　to　the　ground。

They　carried　him　to　his　chamber；　and　in　a　short　time　he　recovered　consciousness。

His　mother；　Lady　Wu；　came　to　visit　him　and　said；　〃My　son；　you　have　done　wrong　to　slay　the　holy　one；　and　this　is　your　retribution。〃

〃Mother；　when　I　was　a　boy；　I　went　with　Father　to　wars；　where　people　are　cut　down　as　one　cuts　reed　stalks。　There　is　not　much　retribution　about　such　doings。　I　have　put　this　fellow　to　death　and　so　checked　a　great　evil。　Where　does　retribution　e　in？〃

〃This　es　of　want　of　faith；〃　she　replied。　〃Now　you　must　avert　the　evil　by　meritorious　deeds。〃

〃My　fate　depends　on　Heaven。　Wizards　can　do　me　no　harm；　so　why　avert　anything？〃

His　mother　saw　that　it　was　useless　to　try　persuasion；　but　she　told　his　attendants　to　do　some　good　deeds　secretly　whereby　the　evil　should　be　turned　aside。

That　night　about　the　third　watch；　as　Sun　Ce　lay　in　his　chamber；　he　suddenly　felt　a　chill　breeze；　which　seemed　to　extinguish　the　lamps　for　a　moment；　although　they　soon　brightened　again；　and　he　saw　in　the　lamp　light　the　form　of　Yu　Ji　standing　near　his　bed。

Sun　Ce　said；　〃I　am　the　sworn　foe　of　witchcraft；　and　I　will　purge　the　world　of　all　such　as　deal　in　magic。　You　are　a　spirit；　and　how　dare　you　approach　me？〃

Reaching　down　a　sword　that　hung　at　the　head　of　his　bed；　he　hurled　it　at　the　phantom；　which　then　disappeared。　When　his　mother　heard　this　story；　her　grief　redoubled。　Sun　Ce；　ill　as　he　was；　went　to　see　his　mother　and　did　his　utmost　to　reassure　her。

She　said；　〃Confucius　the　Teacher　says：　How　abundantly　do　spiritual　beings　display　the　powers　that　belong　to　them！　and　Prayer　has　been　made　to　the　spirits　of　the　upper　and　lower　worlds。　You　must　have　faith。　You　sinned　in　putting　Saint　Yu　Ji　to　death；　and　retribution　is　sure。　I　have　already　sent　to　have　sacrifices　performed　at　the　Jade　Pure　Monastery；　and　you　should　go　in　person　to　pray。　May　all　e　right！〃

Sun　Ce　could　not　withstand　such　a　mandate　from　his　mother　so；　mustering　all　his　strength；　he　managed　to　get　into　a　sedan　chair　and　went　to　the　monastery；　where　the　Taoists　received　him　respectfully　and　begged　him　to　light　the　incense。　He　did　so；　but　he　returned　no　thanks。　To　the　surprise　of　all；　the　smoke　from　the　brazier；　instead　of　floating　upwards　and　dissipating；　collected　in　a　mass　that　gradually　shaped　itself　into　an　umbrella；　and　there　on　the　top　sat　Yu　Ji。

Sun　Ce　simply　spat　abuse　and　went　out　of　the　temple。　As　he　passed　the　gates；　lo！　Yu　Ji　stood　there　gazing　at　him　with　angry　eyes。

〃Do　you　see　that　wizard　fellow？〃　said　he　to　those　about　him。

They　said　they　saw　nothing。　More　angry　than　ever；　he　flung　his　sword　at　the　figure　by　the　gate。　The　sword　struck　one　of　his　escorts　who　fell。　Sun　Ce　told　them　to　bury　the　man。　But　as　he　went　out　of　the　courtyard；　he　saw　Yu　Ji　walking　in。

〃This　temple　is　nothing　more　than　a　lurking　place　for　sorcerers　and　wizards　and　such　people；〃　said　Sun　Ce。

Whereupon　he　took　a　seat　in　front　of　the　building　and　sent　for　five　hundred　soldiers　to　pull　the　place　down。　When　they　went　up　on　the　roof　to　strip　off　the　tiles；　Sun　Ce　saw　Yu　Ji　standing　on　the　main　beam　flicking　tiles　to　the　ground。　More　angry　than　ever；　Sun　Ce　told　them　to　drive　out　the　priests　belonging　to　the　place　and　burn　it。　They　did　so；　and　when　the　flames　rose　their　highest；　Sun　Ce　saw　the　dead　Taoist　Yu　Ji　standing　in　the　midst　of　the　fire。

Sun　Ce　returned　home　still　in　a　bad　humor；　which　increased　when　he　saw　the　form　of　Yu　Ji　standing　at　his　gate。　He　would　not　enter　but　mustered　his　army　and　went　into　camp　outside　the　city　walls。　And　there　he　summoned　his　officers　to　meet　him　and　talk　over　joining　Yuan　Shao　in　an　attack　on　Cao　Cao。

They　assembled；　but　they　remonstrated　with　him　and　begged　him　to　consider　his　precious　health。　That　night　he　slept　in　the　camp　and　again　saw　Yu　Ji；　this　time　with　his　hair　hanging　loose。　Sun　Ce　raged　at　the　vision　without　cessation。

Next　day　his　mother　called　him　into　the　city　and　he　went。　She　was　shocked　at　the　change　in　his　appearance：　He　looked　so　utterly　miserable。　Her　tears　fell。

〃My　son；〃　said　Lady　Wu；　〃how　wasted　you　are！〃

He　had　a　mirror　brought　and　looked　at　himself。　He　was　indeed　so　gaunt　and　thin　that　he　was　almost　frightened　and　exclaimed；　〃How　do　I　e　to　look　so　haggard？〃

While　he　spoke；　Yu　Ji　appeared　in　the　mirror。　He　struck　it　and　shrieked。　Then　the　half　healed　wounds　reopened　and　he　fainted。

He　was　raised　and　borne　within。　When　he　recovered　consciousness；　he　said；　〃This　is　the　end。　I　shall　die。〃

He　sent　for　Zhang　Zhao　and　his　other　chief　officers　and　his　brother；　Sun　Quan；　and　they　gathered　in　his　chamber。

＇e＇　Wu　and　Yue　were　two　powerful　states　in　the　south　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　The　South　Land　was　frequently　called　Wu　or　East　Wu；　which　implied　to　include　the　territories　of　Yue。　。。。。。

He　gave　them　his　dying　charge；　saying；　〃In　the　disordered　state　of　the　empire；　the　domains　of　Wu　and　Yue*；　with　its　strong　defense　of　the　three　rivers　and　resourceful　lands；　has　a　brilliant　future。　You；　Zhang　Zhao；　must　assist　my　brother。〃

So　saying　Sun　Ce　handed　his　seal　to　Sun　Quan；　saying；　〃For　manipulating　the　might　of　Wu　so　as　to　make　it　the　deciding　force　among　the　factions　and　then　obtaining　the　whole　empire；　you　are　not　so　suited　as　I