第一小说网

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第71部分（第2页）

〃Sun　Ce　is　a　turbulent　fellow　of　the　Xiang　Yu　type*；　and　the　government　ought；　under　the　appearance　of　showing　favor　to　him；　to　recall　him　to　the　capital；　for　he　is　a　danger　in　the　southern　regions。〃

But　the　bearer　of　this　letter　was　captured　on　the　Great　River　and　sent　to　Sun　Ce；　who　immediately　put　him　to　death。　Then　Sun　Ce　treacherously　sent　to　ask　the　author　of　the　letter　to　e　and　consult　over　some　affair。　The　unsuspecting　Xu　Gong　came。

Sun　Ce　produced　the　letter；　saying；　〃So　you　wish　to　send　me　to　the　land　of　the　dead；　eh？〃

And　thereupon　the　executioners　came　in　and　strangled　Xu　Gong。　The　family　of　the　victim　scattered；　but　three　of　his　clients　determined　to　avenge　him　if　only　they　could　find　some　means　of　attacking　Sun　Ce。

One　day　Sun　Ce　went　hunting　in　the　hills　to　the　west　of　Dantu。　A　stag　was　started；　and　Sun　Ce　pressed　after　it　at　topmost　speed　and　followed　it　deep　into　the　forest。　Presently　he　came　upon　three　armed　men　standing　among　the　trees。　Rather　surprised　to　see　them　there；　he　reined　in　and　asked　who　they　were。

〃We　belong　to　Han　Dangs　army　and　are　shooting　deer；〃　was　the　reply。

So　Sun　Ce　shook　his　bridle　to　proceed。　But　just　as　he　did　so；　one　of　the　men　thrust　at　him　with　a　spear　and　wounded　his　thigh。　Sun　Ce　drew　the　sword　at　his　side；　dashed　forward；　and　tried　to　cut　down　the　aggressor。　The　blade　of　his　sword　suddenly　fell　to　the　ground；　only　the　hilt　remaining　in　his　hand。　Then　one　of　the　assassins　drew　his　bow；　and　an　arrow　wounded　Sun　Ce　in　the　cheek。　Sun　Ce　plucked　out　the　arrow　and　shot　at　the　offender；　who　fell；　but　the　other　two　attacked　him　furiously　with　their　spears；　shouting；　〃We　are　Xu　Gongs　men　and　his　avengers！〃

Sun　Ce　then　understood。　But　he　had　no　weapons　save　his　bow　against　them。　He　tried　to　draw　off；　keeping　them　at　bay　striking　with　his　bow。　But　the　fight　was　getting　too　much　for　him；　and　both　he　and　his　steed　were　wounded　in　several　places。　However；　just　at　the　critical　moment；　Cheng　Pu　and　some　of　his　own　officers　came　up；　and　they　minced　the　assassins　into　pieces。

But　their　lord　was　in　a　sorry　plight。　His　face　was　streaming　with　blood；　and　some　of　the　wounds　were　very　severe。　They　tore　up　his　robe　and　therewith　bound　up　his　wounds；　and　they　carried　him　home。

A　poem　in　praise　of　the　three　avengers　says：

O　Sun　Ce　was　a　warrior　and　a　stranger　he　to　fear。

But　he　was　basely　murdered　while　hunting　of　the　deer。

Yet　were　they　leal　who　slew　him；　to　avenge　a　murdered　lord。

Self　immolated　like　Yu　Rang；　they　dreaded　not　the　sword。

Badly　wounded；　Sun　Ce　was　borne　to　his　home。　They　sent　to　call　the　famous　physician　Hua　Tuo；　but　he　was　far　away　and　could　not　be　found。　However；　a　disciple　of　his　came；　and　the　wounded　man　was　mitted　to　his　care。

〃The　arrowheads　were　poisoned；〃　said　the　physician；　〃and　the　poison　has　penetrated　deep。　It　will　take　a　hundred　days　of　perfect　repose　before　danger　will　be　past。　But　if　you　give　way　to　passion　or　anger；　the　wounds　will　not　heal。〃

Sun　Ces　temperament　was　hasty　and　impatient；　and　the　prospect　of　such　a　slow　recovery　was　very　distasteful。　However；　he　remained　quiet　for　some　twenty　of　the　hundred　days。　Then　came　Zhang　Hong　from　the　capital；　and　Sun　Ce　insisted　on　seeing　and　questioning　him。

〃Cao　Cao　fears　you；　my　lord；　very　greatly；〃　said　Zhang　Hong；　〃and　his　advisers　have　exceeding　respect　for　you………all　except　Guo　Jia。〃

〃What　did　Guo　Jia　say？〃　asked　the　sick　chieftain。

Zhang　Hong　remained　silent；　which　only　irritated　his　master　and　caused　him　to　demand　to　be　told。　So　Zhang　Hong　had　to　speak　the　truth。

He　said；　〃The　fact　is　Guo　Jia　told　Cao　Cao　that　he　needed　not　fear　you；　that　you　were　frivolous　and　unready；　impulsive　and　shallow；　just　a　stupid　swaggerer　who　would　one　day　e　to　his　death　at　the　hands　of　some　mean　person。〃

This　provoked　the　sick　man　beyond　endurance。

〃The　fool；　how　dare　he　say　this　of　me？〃　cried　Sun　Ce。　〃I　will　take　Xuchang　from　Cao　Cao；　I　swear。〃

It　was　no　more　a　question　of　repose。　Ill　as　he　was；　he　wanted　to　begin　preparations　for　an　expedition　at　once。　They　remonstrated　with　him；　reminded　him　of　the　physicians　orders　and　urged　him　to　rest。

〃You　are　risking　your　priceless　self　in　a　moments　anger；〃　said　Zhang　Zhao。

Then　arrived　Chen　Zhen；　the　messenger　from　Yuan　Shao；　and　Sun　Ce　would　have　him　brought　in。

He　said；　〃My　master　wishes　to　ally　himself　with　the　South　Land　in　an　attack　on　Cao　Cao。〃

Such　a　proposal　was　just　after　Sun　Ces　heart。　At　once　he　called　a　great　meeting　of　his　officers　in　the　wall　tower　and　prepared　a　banquet　in　honor　of　the　messenger。　While　this　was　in　progress；　Sun　Ce　noticed　many　of　his　officers　whispering　to　each　other；　and　they　all　began　to　go　down　from　the　banquet　chamber。　He　could　not　understand　this　and　inquired　of　the　attendants　near　him　what　it　meant。

They　told　him；　〃Saint　Yu　Ji　has　just　gone　by；　and　the　officers　have　gone　down　to　pay　their　respects　to　him。〃

Sun　Ce　rose　from　his　place　and　went　and　leaned　over　the　railing　to　look　at　the　man。　He　saw　a　Taoist　priest　in　snowy　garb　leaning　on　his　staff　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　while　the　crowd　about　him　burnt　incense　and　made　obeisance。

〃What　wizard　fellow　is　this？　Bring　him　here！〃　said　Sun　Ce。

〃This　is　Yu　Ji；〃　said　the　attendants。　〃He　lives　in　the　east　and　goes　to　and　fro　distributing　charms　and　draughts。　He　has　cured　many　people　as　everybody　will　tell　you；　and　they　say　he　is　a　saint。　He　must　not　be　profaned。〃

This　only　angered　Sun　Ce　the　more；　and　he　told　them　to　arrest　the　man　at　once　or　disobey　at　their　peril。　So　there　being　no　help　for　it；　they　went　down　into　the　road　and　hustled　the　saint　up　the　steps。

〃You　madman！　How　dare　you　incite　people　to　evil？〃　said　Sun　Ce。

〃I　am　but　a　poor　priest　of　the　Langye　Mountains。　More　than　half　a　century　ago；　when　gathering　simples　in　the　woods；　I　found　near　the　Yangqu　Spring　a　book　called