小说园

第94部分（第2页）

Of　great　things　to　be　acplished　by　force　of　arms。

Then；　because　of　the　parting　words　of　Xu　Shu；

And　by　the　thrice　repeated　visits　to　his　retreat；

The　great　hero　found　and　knew　his　mentor。

When　the　age　of　Zhuge　Liang　was　but　thrice　nine　years；

He　turned　from　his　books；　put　aside　his　lute；

And　left　the　peaceful　fields　he　had　loved；

Under　his　guidance　Jingzhou　was　taken

And　the　two　Lands　of　the　Rivers　conquered。

He　unrolled　great　schemes；　as　one　all　knowing；

In　speech；　he　went　to　and　fro　in　the　world；

The　sound　of　war　drums　rolled　from　his　tongue；

The　words　from　his　heart　stirred　one　to　the　utmost　depths。

The　dragon　pranced；　the　tiger　glared；

And　peace　was　brought　to　the　world。

Through　all　the　ages　his　fame　shall　never　decay。

After　taking　leave　of　Zhuge　Jun；　Liu　Bei　and　his　followers　left　for　Xinye；　with　Zhuge　Liang　as　panion。　When　they　took　up　their　abode　there；　Zhuge　Liang　was　treated　as　a　mentor；　eating　at　the　same　table；　sleeping　on　the　same　couch　as　Liu　Bei。　They　spent　whole　days　conversing　over　the　affairs　of　the　empire。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Cao　Cao　is　training　his　troops　for　naval　service　in　Aquamarine　Lake；　and　hence　certainly　intends　to　invade　the　country　south　of　the　Great　River。　We　ought　to　send　our　spies　to　ascertain　what　Cao　Cao　and　Sun　Quan　are　really　doing。〃

So　spies　were　dispatched。

Now　after　Sun　Quan　succeeded　to　the　heritage　of　his　father　and　brother；　he　sent　far　and　wide　to　invite　people　of　ability　to　aid　him。　He　established　lodging　places　for　them　in　Kuaiji　in　Wu；　and　directed　Gu　Yong　and　Zhang　Hong　to　wele　and　entertain　all　those　who　came。　And　year　by　year　they　flocked　in；　one　remending　another。　Among　them　were　Kan　Ze　of　Kuaiji；　Yan　Jun　of　Pengcheng；　Xue　Yong　of　Beishan；　Cheng　Bing　of　Runan；　Zhu　Huan　of　Wujun；　Lu　Ji　of　the　same　place；　Zhang　Wen　of　Wucheng；　Luo　Tong　of　Kuaiji；　and　Wu　Can　of　Wushang。　All　these　scholars　were　treated　with　great　deference。

Many　able　leaders　came　also。　Among　them　were　Lu　Meng　of　Runan；　Lu　Xun　of　Wujun；　Xu　Sheng　of　Langye；　Pan　Zhang　of　Dongjun；　and　Ding　Feng　of　Lujiang。　Thus　Sun　Quan　obtained　the　assistance　of　many　people　of　ability　both　in　peace　and　war　and　all　went　well　with　him。

In　the　seventh　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　202）；　Cao　Cao　had　broken　the　power　of　Yuan　Shao。　Then　he　sent　a　messenger　to　the　South　Land　ordering　Sun　Quan　to　send　his　son　to　court　to　serve　in　the　retinue　of　the　Emperor。　Sun　Quan；　however；　hesitated　to　ply　with　this　request；　and　the　matter　was　the　subject　of　much　discussion。　His　mother；　Lady　Wu；　sent　for　Zhou　Yu　and　Zhang　Zhao　and　asked　their　advice。

Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃Cao　Cao　wishes　a　son　to　be　present　at　court　as　a　hostage　whereby　he　has　a　hold　upon　us；　as　formerly　was　the　case　with　all　the　feudal　chiefs。　If　we　do　not　ply　with　this　request；　he　will　doubtless　attack　the　region。　There　is　some　peril。〃

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Our　lord　has　succeeded　to　the　heritage　and　has　a　large　army　of　veterans　and　ample　supplies。　He　has　able　officers　ready　to　do　his　bidding。　So　why　should　he　be　pelled　to　send　a　hostage　to　any　person？　To　send　a　hostage　is　to　be　forced　into　joining　Cao　Cao；　and　to　carry　out　his　behests；　whatever　they　be。　Then　we　shall　be　in　his　power。　It　would　be　better　not　to　send；　but　rather　to　wait　patiently　the　course　of　events　and　prepare　plans　to　attack。〃

〃That　is　also　my　opinion；〃　said　the　Dowager。

So　Sun　Quan　dismissed　the　messenger　but　did　not　send　his　son。　Cao　Cao　resented　this　and　had　since　nourished　schemes　against　the　South　Land。　But　their　realization　had　been　delayed　by　the　dangers　on　the　north　and；　so　far；　no　attack　had　been　made。

Late　in　the　eighth　year　（AD　203）；　Sun　Quan　led　his　armies　against　Huang　Zu　and　fought　on　the　Great　River；　where　he　was　successful　in　several　battles。　One　of　Sun　Quans　leaders；　Ling　Cao；　led　a　fleet　of　light　vessels　up　the　river　and　broke　into　Xiakou　but　was　killed　by　an　arrow　of　Gan　Ning；　a　general　of　Huang　Zu。　Ling　Cao　left　a　son；　Ling　Tong；　fifteen　years　of　age；　who　led　another　expedition　to　recover　his　fathers　corpse　and　was　so　far　successful。　After　that；　as　the　war　was　inclined　to　go　against　him；　Sun　Quan　returned　again　to　his　own　country。

Now　Sun　Quans　younger　brother；　Sun　Yi；　was　Governor　of　Dangyang。　He　was　a　hard　man　and　given　to　drink　and；　in　his　cups；　very　harsh　to　his　people；　ordering　the　infliction　of　severe　floggings。　Two　of　his　officers；　Military　Inspector　Gui　Lan　and　Secretary　Dai　Yuan；　bore　their　chief　a　grudge　and　sought　to　assassinate　him。　They　took　into　their　confidence　one　Bian　Hong；　of　the　escort；　and　the　three　plotted　to　kill　their　master　at　a　great　assembly　of　officials　at　Dangyang　amid　the　banquets。