小说园

第290部分（第1页）

Now　the　Jin　leader　Wang　Jun　had　gone　down　the　river　with　his　naval　force。　From　his　scouts　he　heard　of　the　iron　chains　and　the　hammers　that　had　been　laid　in　the　river　to　hinder　his　progress。　But　he　only　laughed。　He　constructed　great　rafts　of　timber　and　placed　on　them　straw　effigies　of　soldiers　in　armors　and　sent　them　down　river　with　the　current。　The　defenders　of　Wu　took　them　for　real　troops　and；　alarmed　by　their　numbers；　fled　in　panic。　Then　the　great　hammers　and　chains　were　dragged　away　as　the　rafts　drifted　on。　Moreover；　on　the　rafts　they　laid　great　torches　many　fathoms　long；　and　very　thick；　made　of　straw　soaked　in　linseed　oil。　When　the　raft　was　checked　by　a　chain；　the　torches　were　lighted　and　the　chains　exposed　to　the　heat　till　they　melted　and　broke　asunder。　Thus　the　rafts　went　down　stream　conquering　wherever　they　came。

Then　the　Prime　Minister　of　Wu；　Zhang　Ti；　sent　two　leaders；　General　of　the　Left　Army　Shen　Zong　and　General　of　the　Right　Army　Zhuge　Xing；　to　try　to　check　the　advance　of　the　armies。

Shen　Zong　said　to　his　colleague；　〃The　forces　above　have　failed　to　stop　the　enemy；　and　the　enemy　will　surely　e　here。　We　shall　have　to　put　forth　all　our　strength。　If　haply　we　can　succeed；　the　safety　of　our　South　Land　is　assured。　But　suppose　we　fight　and　lose　the　battle；　then　is　our　country　lost。〃

〃Sir；　you　only　say　what　is　too　true；〃　said　Zhuge　Xing。

Just　as　they　talked　of　these　matters　came　reports　of　the　approach　of　their　enemies　in　irresistible　force。　The　two　leaders　were　seized　with　panic　and　went　back　to　see　the　Prime　Minister。

〃Our　country　is　lost！〃　cried　Zhuge　Xing。　〃Why　not　run？〃

〃We　all　know　that　the　land　is　doomed；〃　replied　Zhang　Ti。　〃But　if　we　make　no　defense；　and　no　one　dies　for　his　country；　shall　we　not　be　shamed？〃

Zhuge　Xing　left；　weeping；　and　Zhang　Ti　went　with　Shen　Zong　to　the　army。　The　invaders　soon　arrived；　and　the　Jin　General　Zhou　Zhi　was　the　first　to　break　into　the　camp。　Zhang　Ti　resisted　stubbornly；　but　was　soon　slain　in　a　melee；　and　Shen　Zong　was　killed　by　Zhou　Zhi。　The　army　of　Wu　was　defeated　and　scattered。

Jins　army　banners　waved　on　Bashan　Mountains

And　trusty　Zhang　Ti　in　Jiangling　fighting　died；

He　accepted　not　that　the　kingly　grace　was　spent；

He　rather　chose　to　die　than　shame　his　side。

The　armies　of　Jin　conquered　at　Niuzhu　and　penetrated　deeply　into　the　country　of　Wu。　From　his　camp　Wang　Jun　sent　a　report　of　his　victory　to　Luoyang；　and　Sima　Yan　was　pleased。

But　Jia　Chong　again　opposed　further　fighting；　saying；　〃The　armies　have　been　long　absent；　and　the　soldiers　will　suffer　from　the　unhealthiness　of　the　southern　country。　It　would　be　well　to　call　them　home。〃

Zhang　Hua　spoke　against　this　course；　saying；　〃The　Jin　army　has　reached　the　very　home　and　center　of　the　enemy。　Soon　Wu　courage　will　fail；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wu　himself　will　be　our　prisoner。　To　recall　the　army　now　would　be　to　waste　the　efforts　already　made。〃

The　Ruler　of　Jin　inclined　to　neither　side。

Jia　Chong　turned　upon　Zhang　Hua　savagely；　saying；　〃You　are　wholly　ignorant　and　understand　nothing。　You　are　bent　upon　winning　some　sort　of　glory　at　the　expense　of　our　soldiers　lives。　Death　would　be　too　good　for　you！〃

〃Why　wrangle？〃　said　Sima　Yan。　〃Zhang　Hua　agrees　with　me；　and　he　knows　my　wishes。〃

Just　at　this　moment　came　a　memorial　from　the　leader　Du　Yu　also　remending　advance；　whereupon　the　Ruler　of　Jin　decided　that　the　army　should　go　on。

The　royal　mandate　duly　reached　the　camp　of　Wang　Jun；　and　the　Jin　navy　went　out　to　the　attack　in　great　pomp。　The　soldiers　of　Wu　made　no　defense；　but　surrendered　at　once。

When　Sun　Hao；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　heard　his　armies　had　surrendered　thus；　he　turned　pale；　and　his　courtiers　said；　〃What　is　to　be　done？　Here　the　northern　army　es　nearer　every　day　and　our　troops　just　give　in。〃

〃But　why　do　they　not　fight？〃　said　Sun　Hao。

The　courtiers　replied；　〃The　one　evil　of　today　is　Eunuch　Cen　Hun。　Slay　him；　and　we　ourselves　will　go　out　and　fight　to　the　death！〃

〃How　can　a　eunuch　harm　a　state？〃　cried　Sun　Hao。

〃Have　we　not　seen　what　Huang　Hao　did　in　Shu？〃　shouted　the　courtiers　in　chorus。

Moved　by　sudden　fury；　the　courtiers　rushed　into　the　Palace；　found　the　wretched　object　of　their　hate　and　slew　him；　and　even　feeding　on　his　palpitating　flesh。

Then　Tao　Jun　said；　〃All　my　ships　are　small；　but　give　me　large　vessels　and　I　will　place　thereon　twenty　thousand　marines　and　go　forth　to　fight。　I　can　defeat　the　enemy。〃

His　request　was　granted；　and　the　royal　guards　were　sent　up　the　river　to　join　battle；　while　another　naval　force　went　down　stream；　led　by　Leader　of　the　Van　Zhang　Xiang。　But　a　heavy　gale　came　on。　The　flags　were　blown　down　and　lay　over　in　the　ships；　and　the　marines　would　not　embark。　They　scattered　leaving　their　leader　with　only　a　few　score　men。

Wang　Jun；　the　leader　of　Jin；　set　sail　and　went　down　the　river。

After　passing　Three　Mountains；　the　sailing　master　of　his　ship　said；　〃The　gale　is　too　strong　for　the　fleet　to　go　on。　Let　us　anchor　till　the　storm　has　moderated。〃