第一小说网

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第204部分（第3页）

＇e＇　Chen　Ping　and　Han　Xin　had　served　under　Xiang　Yu　first；　before　they　defected　to　Liu　Bangs　camp。

Cao　Pi　said；　〃You　have　surrendered　to　me　because　you　desired　to　imitate　the　admirable　conduct　of　Chen　Ping　and　Han　Xin　of　old*。〃

But　Huang　Quan　replied；　weeping；　〃The　Ruler　of　Shu　has　been　very　kind　to　me；　and　he　gave　me　the　leadership　of　the　army　on　the　North　of　the　Great　River。　Lu　Xun　cut　me　off　so　that　I　could　not　return　to　Shu；　and　I　would　not　surrender　to　Wu；　wherefore　I　have　yielded　to　Your　Majesty。　Defeated　as　I　am；　I　should　be　only　too　happy　if　my　life　were　spared；　but　I　have　no　claim　to　the　credit　of　the　virtuous　ones　of　old。〃

The　reply　satisfied　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　and　he　conferred　on　him　the　title　General　Who　Guards　the　South。　But　Huang　Quan；　however；　declined　the　offer。

Then　one　of　the　courtiers　said；　〃A　spy　has　reported　that　all　of　your　family　have　been　put　to　death　by　the　Ruler　of　Shu。〃

But　the　leader　replied　that　he　could　not　believe　it。

〃The　Ruler　of　Shu　and　his　officials　trust　each　other。　He　knows　my　heart；　and　he　would　not　injure　my　family。〃

And　the　Ruler　of　Wei　agreed　with　his　opinion。

A　poem　has　been　written　upbraiding　Huang　Quan：

That　was　a　pity　that　Huang　Quan　grudged　to　die；

Though　he　yielded　to　Wei；　not　Wu；

Yet　he　crooked　the　knee　in　an　alien　court。

Which　the　loyal　cannot　do。

Cao　Pi　sought　advice　from　Jia　Xu　concerning　his　design　of　bringing　the　whole　country　under　his　own　rule。

〃I　wish　to　bring　the　whole　empire　under　my　rule。　Which　shall　I　first　reduce；　Shu　or　Wu？〃

〃Liu　Bei　is　an　able　warrior；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　a　most　capable　administrator。　Sun　Quan　possesses　discrimination；　and　his　general；　Lu　Xun；　occupies　all　the　strategic　positions　of　importance；　the　natural　obstacles；　the　intervening　rivers　and　spreading　lakes；　would　be　hard　to　overe。　I　do　not　think　you　have　any　leader　to　match　either　of　these　two　men。　Even　with　the　prestige　of　Your　Majestys　own　presence；　no　one　could　guarantee　the　result。　The　better　course　is　to　hold　on　and　await　the　oute　of　the　struggle　between　those　two。〃

〃I　have　already　dispatched　three　armies　against　Wu。　Can　it　be　that　they　will　fail？〃

The　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Liu　Ye；　held　the　same　opinion　as　his　colleague。

Said　he；　〃Lu　Xun　has　just　won　a　great　victory　over　the　Shu　force　of　seven　hundred　thousand；　and　all　his　army　is　full　of　confidence。　Further；　there　are　the　lakes　and　the　rivers；　which　are　natural　difficulties　hard　to　cope　with。　And　again；　Lu　Xun　is　resourceful　and　well　prepared。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　said；　〃Formerly；　Sir；　you　urged　me　to　attack　Wu。　Why　do　you　now　give　contrary　advice？〃

〃Because　times　have　changed。　When　Wu　was　suffering　defeat　after　defeat；　the　country　was　depressed　and　might　be　smitten。　Now　this　great　victory　has　changed　all　that；　and　their　morale　has　increased　a　hundred　times。　I　say　now　they　may　not　be　attacked。〃

〃Well；　but　I　have　decided　to　attack。　So　say　no　more；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

He　then　led　the　Imperial　Guards　out　to　support　his　three　armies。

But　the　scouts　soon　brought　news　justifying　the　opinion　of　his　advisers：　〃A　force　of　Wu　has　been　sent　to　oppose　each　of　our　three　armies。　Lu　Fan　leads　an　army　against　Cao　Xiu　at　Dongkou；　Zhuge　Jin　against　Cao　Zhen　at　Nanjun；　and　Zhu　Huan　against　Cao　Ren　at　Ruxu。〃

Liu　Ye　pointed　this　out　and　again　said；　〃Wu　has　prepared；　and　no　success　can　be　expected。〃

Still　Cao　Pi　was　obstinate；　and　marched。

The　Wu　leader；　Zhu　Huan；　who　had　been　sent　against　Cao　Ren　at　Ruxu；　was　a　young　man　of　twenty…seven。　He　was　bold　and　resourceful；　and　Sun　Quan　held　him　in　great　regard。　Hearing　that　Cao　Ren　was　going　to　attack　Xianxi；　Zhu　Huan　led　the　bulk　of　his　troops　to　defend　it；　leaving　only　five　thousand　troops　in　Ruxu。　Then　he　heard　that　the　van　of　the　enemy；　fifty　thousand　under　General　Chang　Diao；　with　the　aid　of　Zhuge　Qian　and　Wang　Shuang；　ha