第一小说网

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第166部分（第1页）

Ling　Tong　turned　to　his　rival　and　bowed　low。

〃I　could　not　have　supposed　you　would　have　rendered　me　such　a　service；　Sir；〃　said　he　to　Gan　Ning。

This　episode　ended　the　strife　and　enmity　between　the　two　leaders；　who　thereafter　swore　perpetual　friendship。

On　the　other　side　Cao　Cao　saw　to　it　that　Yue　Jings　wound　was　dressed。　Next　day　he　launched　an　attack　against　Ruxu　along　five　different　lines。　He　himself　led　one　army　in　the　center；　on　the　left　Zhang　Liao　and　Li　Dian　led　two　armies；　on　the　right　Xu　Huang　and　Pang　De　manded　the　other　two。　Each　army　was　ten　thousand　strong；　and　they　marched　to　give　battle　on　the　river　bank。　The　crews　and　fighting　troops　of　the　South　Lands　naval　squadron　were　greatly　frightened　by　the　approach　of　these　armies。

〃You　have　eaten　the　bread　of　your　prince；　and　you　must　give　loyal　service。　Why　fear？〃　said　Xu　Sheng。

Thereupon　he　put　some　hundreds　of　his　best　men　into　small　boats；　went　along　the　bank；　and　broke　into　the　legion　under　Li　Dian。　Meanwhile　Dong　Xi　on　the　ships　beat　drums　and　cheered　them　on。　But　a　great　storm　came　on；　lashing　the　river　to　fury；　and　the　waves　rolled　mountains　high。　The　larger　ships　rolled　as　if　they　would　overturn；　and　the　soldiers　of　Wu　were　frightened。　They　started　to　get　down　into　the　bulkier　cargo…boats　to　save　their　lives。　But　Dong　Xi　threatened　them　with　his　sword；　cutting　down　some　half　score　of　the　mutineers。

〃My　orders　are　to　hold　this　point　against　the　enemy；〃　shouted　he。　〃We　dare　not　abandon　the　ships！〃

However；　the　wind　increased；　and　presently　the　bold　Dong　Xi　was　thrown　into　the　river　by　the　rolling　of　his　ship　and　was　drowned；　together　with　his　men。

Xu　Sheng　dashed　hither　and　thither　among　Li　Dians　army；　slaying　right　and　left。　Chen　Wu；　hearing　the　noise　of　battle；　set　out　for　the　river　bank。　On　his　way　Chen　Wu　met　Pang　De　and　the　legion　under　him。　A　melee　ensued。　Then　Sun　Quan　with　Zhou　Tai　and　his　troops　joined　in。

The　small　force　from　the　ships　that　had　attacked　Li　Dian　was　now　surrounded。　So　Sun　Quan　gave　the　signal　for　an　onslaught　that　should　rescue　them。　This　failed；　and　Sun　Quan　was　himself　surrounded　in　turn　and　soon　in　desperate　straits。　From　a　height；　Cao　Cao　saw　his　difficulties　and　sent　in　Xu　Chu　to　cut　Sun　Quans　column　in　halves　so　that　neither　half　could　aid　the　other。

When　Zhou　Tai　had　cut　an　alley　out　of　the　press　and　reached　the　riverside；　he　looked　for　his　master。　But　Sun　Quan　was　nowhere　visible；　so　Zhou　Tai　dashed　once　again　into　the　battle。

ing　to　his　own　troops；　he　cried；　〃Where　is　our　lord？〃

They　pointed　to　where　the　press　was　most　dense。　Zhou　Tai　stiffened　and　dashed　in。

Presently　he　reached　his　lords　side　and　cried　out；　〃My　lord；　follow　me；　and　I　will　hack　a　way　out！〃

Zhou　Tai　fought　his　way　out　to　the　river　bank。　Then　he　turned　to　look；　and　Sun　Quan　was　not　behind　him。　So　he　turned　back；　forced　his　way　in；　and　once　again　found　his　way　to　his　masters　side。

〃I　cannot　get　out。　The　arrows　are　too　thick！〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Then　go　first；　my　lord；　and　I　will　follow！〃

Sun　Quan　then　urged　his　steed　as　fast　as　he　could　go；　and　Zhou　Tai　kept　off　all　pursuit。　Zhou　Tai　sustained　many　wounds　and　the　arrows　rattled　on　his　helmet；　but　he　got　clear　at　last　and　Sun　Quan　was　safe。　As　they　neared　the　river　bank；　Lu　Meng　came　up　with　some　of　the　naval　force　and　escorted　Sun　Quan　down　to　the　ships。

〃I　owe　my　safety　to　Zhou　Tai；　who　thrice　came　to　my　aid；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃But　Xu　Sheng　is　still　in　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and　how　can　we　save　him？〃

〃I　will　go　to　his　rescue；〃　cried　Zhou　Tai。

Whirling　his　spear；　Zhou　Tai　again　plunged　into　the　battle　and　presently　brought　his　colleague　safely　out　of　the　press。　Both　were　severely　wounded。

Lu　Meng　ordered　his　troops　to　keep　up　a　rapid　flight　of　arrows　so　as　to　mand　the　bank；　and　in　this　way　the　two　leaders　were　enabled　to　get　on　board　the　ships。

Now　Chen　Wu　had　engaged　the　legion　under　Pang　De。　Being　inferior　in　force　and　no　aid　being　forthing；　Chen　Wu　was　forced　into　a　valley　where　the　trees　and　undergrowth　were　very　dense。　He　tried　to　turn；　but　was　caught　by　the　branches；　and　while　so　entangled　he　was　killed　by　Pang　De。

When　Cao　Cao　saw　that　Sun　Quan　had　escaped　from　the　battle　to　the　river　bank；　he　urged　his　steed　forward　in　pursuit。　He　sent　flights　of　arrows　toward　the　fugitives。　By　this　time　Lu　Mengs　troops　had　emptied　their　quivers；　and　he　began　to　be　very　anxious。　But　just　then　a　fleet　of　ships　sailed　up　led　by　Lu　Xun；　the　son…in…law　of　Sun　Ce；　who　came　with　one　hundred　thousand　marines　and　drove　back　Cao　Caos　army。　Then　he　landed　to　pursue。　He　captured　many　thousands　of　horses　and　slew　many　men；　so　that　Cao　Cao　was　quite　defeated　and　retired。　Then　they　sought　and　found　the　body　of　Chen　Wu　among　the　slain。

Sun　Quan　was　much　grieved　when　he　came　to　know　that　Chen　Wu　had　been　slain　and　Dong　Xi　drowned；　and　wept　sore。　Men　were　sent　to　seek　for　Dong　Xis　body；　which　at　last　was　found。　Both　generals　were　buried　with　great　honors。

As　a　repense　for　Zhou　Tais　services　in　Sun　Quans　rescue；　Sun　Quan　prepared　in　his　honor　a　great　banquet；　where　Sun　Quan　himself　offered　Zhou　Tai　a　goblet　of　wine　and　plimented　and　embraced　him　while　the　tears　coursed　down　his　cheeks。

〃Twice　you　saved　my　life；　careless　of　your　own；〃　cried　Sun　Quan；　〃and　you　have　received　many　wounds。　It　is　as　if　your　skin　had　been　engraved　and　painted。　What　sort　of　a　man　should　I　be　if　I　did　not　treat　you　as　one　of　my　own　flesh　and　blood？　Can　I　regard　you；　Noble　Sir；　merely　as　a　unit　in　my　army？　You　are　my　meritorious　minister。　I　share　the　glory　you　have　won　and　mine　are　your　joys　and　sorrows。〃