第一小说网

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第209部分（第1页）

Xu　Sheng　ordered　the　lictors　to　take　Sun　Shao　out　and　put　him　to　death。

They　led　him　away；　and　forthwith　the　black　flag　was　hoisted。　But　one　of　Sun　Shaos　generals　went　off　in　hot　haste　to　tell　Sun　Quan；　who　came　immediately　to　try　to　save　his　favorite。　Happily　the　execution　had　not　been　acplished　when　the　Prince　appeared　on　the　scene；　and　he　bade　the　executioners　disperse。　The　youth　was　saved。

Sun　Shao　began　to　press　his　claim　to　the　Prince；　saying；　〃I　have　been　at　Guangling；　and　if　we　do　not　attack　the　enemy　there；　but　let　him　get　down　to　the　river；　there　will　be　an　end　of　Wu。〃

Sun　Quan　went　into　the　camp；　and　Xu　Sheng　came　to　receive　him。

When　the　Prince　was　seated　in　his　tent；　Xu　Sheng　said；　〃O　Prince；　you　placed　me　in　mand　of　the　force　to　repulse　Wei。　Now　this　general　of　mine；　Sun　Shao；　is　disobedient　and　should　suffer　death。　I　would　ask　why　he　should　be　pardoned。〃

〃He　is　naturally　hot　and　impetuous。　He　has　been　guilty　of　disobedience；　but　I　hope　you　will　overlook　his　fault。〃

〃The　law　is　none　of　my　making；　nor　is　it　yours；　O　Prince。　It　is　a　state　penalty；　and　if　relationship　is　enough　to　evade　it；　where　is　discipline？〃

〃He　has　offended；　and　you　have　the　right　to　judge　and　punish。　But　although　his　real　name　is　Yu　Shao；　yet　my　brother　Sun　Ce　loved　him　and　gave　him　our　family　name。　Further；　Sun　Shao　has　rendered　me　good　service。　If　he　should　be　put　to　death；　I　should　fail　in　my　fraternal　duty。〃

〃Since　you　have　intervened；　O　Prince；　I　remit　the　death　penalty。〃

Sun　Quan　bade　his　nephew　thank　his　chief；　but　the　youth　would　not　make　an　obeisance。　On　the　contrary；　he　loudly　maintained　the　correctness　of　his　view。

〃Leading　troops　against　Cao　Pi　is　the　only　way；〃　cried　Sun　Shao。　〃I　cannot　consent　to　your　other　plan　even　under　the　penalty　of　death！〃

Xu　Shengs　countenance　changed。　The　recalcitrant　young　man　was　ordered　to　leave　the　tent　by　Sun　Quan。

〃He　will　not　be　any　loss　to　us；〃　said　Sun　Quan　to　Xu　Sheng；　〃and　I　will　not　employ　him　again。〃

Then　the　Prince　left　and　returned　to　his　own　place。

That　night　they　reported　to　Xu　Sheng　that　Sun　Shao　had　gone　secretly　over　the　river　with　his　own　three　thousand　troops。　Xu　Sheng　did　not　wish　him　to　e　to　harm；　as　evidently　that　would　displease　the　Prince。　So　Xu　Sheng　sent　a　force　to　support　him。　Ding　Feng　was　chosen　to　mand　this　reinforcement；　and　he　was　told　what　to　do。

The　Ruler　of　Wei；　in　his　dragon　ships；　reached　Guangling；　and　the　van　got　to　the　river　bank。　He　came　to　survey　the　position。

〃How　many　soldiers　are　on　the　other　bank？〃　asked　Cao　Pi。

Cao　Zhen　replied；　〃I　have　not　seen　a　single　one。　Nor　are　there　any　flags　or　encampments。〃

〃That　is　a　ruse。　I　will　go　and　find　out。〃

So　Cao　Pi　set　out　to　cross　the　river　in　one　of　the　dragon　ships。　He　anchored　under　the　bank。　On　his　boat　were　displayed　the　imperial　emblems　of　dragon；　phoenix；　sun；　moon；　and　they　shone　out　bravely。　Seated　in　the　ship；　the　Emperor　looked　up　and　down　the　south　bank；　but　not　a　man　was　visible。

〃Do　you　think　we　should　cross？〃　asked　the　Emperor　of　his　strategists。

Liu　Ye　replied；　〃If　the　rules　of　war　mean　anything；　they　ought　to　be　prepared。　We　think　Your　Majesty　should　exercise　caution。　Wait　a　few　days　and　watch。　Then　perhaps　the　van　might　be　sent　to　make　a　reconnaissance。〃

〃So　I　think；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。　〃But　as　it　is　now　late；　we　will　pass　the　night　on　the　river。〃

It　was　a　dark　night；　and　the　ships　was　brilliantly　lighted　up；　it　seemed　like　day　on　board。　But　all　along　the　south　bank　there　appeared　no　glimmer　of　light。

〃What　do　you　think　it　means？〃　said　Cao　Pi。

The　courtiers　replied；　〃They　heard　that　Your　Majestys　heavenly　army　was　ing；　and　ran　away　like　so　many　rats。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　laughed　to　himself。　When　daylight　came　there　came　with　it　a　thick　fog；　so　that　nothing　on　the　bank　could　be　seen。　After　a　time；　a　breeze　blew　off　the　fog；　and　then；　to　their　immense　surprise；　they　found　that　the　whole　length　of　the　South　of　the　Great　River　as　far　as　they　could　see　was　one　battlement；　with　towers　at　intervals；　while　spears　and　swords　glittered　in　the　sun　and　flags　and　pennons　fluttered　in　the　breeze。