第一小说网

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第39部分（第1页）

essed　the　attack。　Huang　Gai　captured　Jiaxing；　and　Taishi　Ci　took　Wucheng。　Several　other　southern　cities　were　fallen。　The　territory　was　quickly　subdued。　Yan　Baihu　rushed　off　toward　Yuhang　in　the　east；　plundering　on　all　sides；　till　a　band　of　villagers　under　the　leadership　of　one　Ling　Cao　checked　his　career　of　robbery　there。　Yan　Baihu　then　fled　toward　Kuaiji。

Ling　Cao　and　his　son　then　went　to　meet　Sun　Ce；　who　took　them　into　his　service；　and　appointed　them　manders　as　a　reward　for　their　service；　and　the　joint　forces　crossed　the　Great　River。

The　White　Tiger；　Yan　Baihu；　gathered　his　scattered　forces　and　took　up　a　position　at　Western　Ford；　but　Cheng　Pu　attacked　him　there　and　scattered　the　defenders；　chasing　them　as　far　as　Kuaiji。　The　Governor　of　the　place；　Wang　Lang；　was　on　Yan　Baihus　side　and　inclined　to　support　him　actively。

But；　when　Wang　Lang　proposed　this；　one　of　his　officers　stood　forth；　saying；　〃No！　No！　Sun　Ce　as　a　leader　is　humane　and　upright；　while　the　White　Tiger　is　a　savage　ruffian。　Rather　capture　him　and　offer　his　person　as　a　peace　offering　to　Sun　Ce。〃

The　Governor　turned　angrily　toward　the　speaker；　who　was　an　official　named　Yu　Fan　from　Kuaiji；　and　bade　him　be　silent。　Yu　Fan　withdrew　sighing　deeply。　And　the　Governor　went　to　the　help　of　the　White　Tiger　with　whom　he　joined　forces　at　Shanyin。

Sun　Ce　came　up。　When　both　sides　were　arrayed；　Sun　Ce　rode　out　and　addressed　Wang　Lang；　saying；　〃Mine　is　an　army　of　good　soldiers；　and　my　aim　is　to　restore　peace　to　this　region；　but　you　give　your　support　to　a　rebel！〃

Wang　Lang　replied；　〃Your　greed　is　insatiable。　Having　got　possession　of　Wujun；　you　want　also　my　territory。　I　shall　revenge　for　the　Yans！〃

This　response　greatly　angered　Sun　Ce。　Just　as　battle　was　to　be　joined；　Taishi　Ci　advanced　and　Wang　Lang　came　toward　him　waving　a　sword。　Before　they　had　exchanged　many　passes；　Zhou　Xin　dashed　out　to　help　Wang　Lang。　Thereupon　Huang　Gai　rode　out　to　make　the　sides　more　equal。　These　latter　two　were　just　engaging　when　the　drums　rolled　on　both　sides；　and　a　general　battle　began。

Suddenly　confusion　was　caused　in　the　rear　of　Wang　Langs　army　by　the　sudden　onslaught　of　a　small　army。　Wang　Lang　galloped　off　to　see　the　attackers　were　Zhou　Yu　and　Cheng　Pu。　Then　an　attack　was　made　on　his　flank；　so　that　he　was　in　a　hopeless　position；　and　he　and　Yan　Baihu　and　Zhou　Xin；　fighting　desperately　to　cut　an　alley　out；　only　just　managed　to　reach　the　shelter　of　the　city。　The　drawbridges　were　raised；　the　gates　closed；　and　preparations　made　to　sustain　a　siege。

Sun　Ce　followed　right　up　to　the　walls　and　then　divided　his　troops　so　as　to　attack　all　four　gates。　Seeing　that　the　city　was　being　fiercely　attacked；　Wang　Lang　was　for　making　a　sortie；　but　Yan　Baihu　opposed　this　as　hopeless　against　so　strong　a　force　outside。

〃We　can　only　strengthen　our　position　and　remain　behind　the　shelter　of　the　ramparts　until　hunger　forces　the　besiegers　to　retire；〃　said　Yan　Baihu。

Wang　Lang　agreed；　and　the　siege　went　on。　For　several　days　a　vigorous　attack　was　maintained；　but　with　little　success。

In　a　council；　Sun　Jing；　who　was　the　uncle　of　Sun　Ce；　said；　〃Since　they　are　holding　the　city　with　such　resolution；　it　will　be　difficult　to　dislodge　them。　But　the　bulk　of　their　supplies　is　stored　at　Chadu；　distant　only　some　ten　miles。　Our　best　plan　is　to　seize　this　place；　thus　attacking　where　the　enemy　is　unprepared；　and　doing　what　they　do　not　expect。〃

Sun　Ce　approved；　saying；　〃My　uncles　plan　is　admirable　and　will　crush　the　rebels。〃

So　he　issued　orders　to　kindle　watch　fires　at　all　the　gates；　and　leave　the　flags　standing　to　maintain　the　appearance　of　soldiers　in　position　while　the　expedition　went　south。

Zhou　Yu　came　to　utter　a　warning；　〃When　you；　my　lord；　go　away；　the　besieged　will　surely　e　out　and　follow　you。　We　might　prepare　a　surprise　for　them。〃

Sun　Ce　replied；　〃My　preparations　are　plete；　and　the　city　will　be　captured　tonight。〃

So　the　army　set　out。　Wang　Lang　heard　that　the　besiegers　had　gone；　and　he　went　up　to　the　tower　to　reconnoiter。　He　saw　the　fires　blazing；　the　smoke　rising；　and　the　pennons　fluttering　in　the　breeze　as　usual　and　hesitated。

Zhou　Xin　said；　〃He　has　gone　and　this　is　only　a　strategy。　Let　us　go　out　and　smite　them。〃

Yan　Baihu　said；　〃If　he　has　gone；　it　is　to　attack　Chadu。　Let　us　pursue。〃

〃The　place　is　our　base　of　supply；〃　said　Wang　Lang；　〃and　must　be　defended。　You　two　lead　the　way；　and　I　will　follow　with　reserves。〃

So　Yan　Baihu　and　Zhou　Xin　went　forth　with　five　thousand　soldiers　and　drew　near　their　enemy　about　the　first　watch；　at　seven　miles　from　the　city。　The　road　led　through　dense　forest。　Then　suddenly　the　drums　beat　and　lighted　torches　sprang　up　on　all　sides。　Yan　Baihu　was　frightened；　turned　his　horse　and　started　to　retreat。　At　once　a　leader　appeared　in　front　in　whom；　by　the　glare　of　the　torches；　he　recognized　Sun　Ce。　Zhou　Xin　made　a　rush　at　him　but　fell　under　Sun　Ces　spear。　The　men　surrendered。　However；　Yan　Baihu　managed　to　cut　his　way　out　and　fled　to　Yuhang。

Wang　Lang　soon　heard　of　the　loss　and；　not　daring　to　return　to　the　city；　fled　in　all　haste　to　the　coastal　regions。　And　so　Sun　Ce　got　possession　of　the　city　of　Kuaiji。

Having　restored　order；　a　few　days　later　a　man　came　bringing　the　head　of　the　White　Tiger　as　an　offering　to　Sun　Ce。　This　man　was　a　native　of　the　county。　He　was　of　eight…span　height；　with　a　square　face　and　wide　mouth。　He　was　named　Dong　Xi。　Sun　Ce　appointed　him　mander。　After　this；　peace　reigned　in　all　the　southeast。　Sun　Ce　placed　his　uncle　Sun　Jing　in　mand　of　the　city　and　made　Zhu　Zhi　Governor　of　Wujun。　Then　Sun　Ce　returned　to　his　own　place；　south　of　the　Great　River。

While　Sun　Ce　was　absent；　a　band　of　brigands　suddenly　attacked　Xuancheng；　left　in　the　care　of　his　brother　Sun　Quan　and　the　leader　Zhou　Tai。　As　the　onslaught　was　made　on　all　sides　at　once；　and　in　the　night；　the　brigands　got　the　upper　hand。　Zhou　Tai　took　the　youth　in　his　arms　and　mounted　a　horse；　but　as　the　robbers　came　on　with　swords　to　attack　him；　he　dismounted；　and　though　without　mail；　met　the　robbers　on　foot　and　slew　them　as　they　came　up。　Then　came　a　horseman　armed　with　a　spear；　but　Zhou　Tai　laid　hold　of　his　spear　and　pulled　him　to　the　earth。　Then　Zhou　Tai　mounted　the　robbers　horse；　and　thrusting　this　way　and　that　with　the　spear　fought　his　way　out。　So　Sun　Quan　was　preserved；　but　his　savior　had　received　more　than　a　dozen　wounds。　However；　the　bandits　went　away。

These　wounds　being　due　to　metal　would　not　heal　but　swelled　enormously；　and　the　brave　soldiers　life　hung　in　the　balance。　Sun　Ce　returned　and　was　deeply　grieved。

Then　Dong　Xi　said；　〃Once　in　an　engagement　with　some　coastal　pirates；　I　received　many　spear　wounds；　but　a　certain　wise　man　named　Yu　Fan　remended　a　surgeon　who　cured　me　in　half　a　month。〃

〃Surely　this　must　be　Yu　Fan　of　Kuaiji；〃　replied　Sun　Ce。　〃That　is　he；　he　is　so　called。〃