第一小说网

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第198部分（第1页）

But　when　the　messenger　had　gone　out　of　the　city；　Liu　Ye　went　to　remonstrate；　saying；　〃Sun　Quan　has　done　this　for　fear　of　the　armies　of　Shu。　In　my　opinion；　if　Shu　and　Wu　fight；　heaven　will　make　an　end　of　one　country。　If　you　will　send　an　army　across　the　Great　River　to　attack；　and　Shu　attack　at　the　same　time　from　the　west；　Wu　as　a　state　will　disappear。　If　Wu　goes；　then　Shu　will　be　left　alone　and　can　be　dealt　with　when　you　will。〃

〃But　I　cannot　attack　Sun　Quan　now　that　he　has　e　over　to　my　side。　It　would　prevent　anyone　else　from　doing　so。　No；　I　will　really　accept　his　submission。　It　is　the　best　course。〃

Liu　Ye　said；　〃After　all；　though　talented；　he　is　but　a　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　Lord　of　Nanzhang　of　the　decadent　days　of　Han。　His　rank　is　low　and　his　influence　small；　yet　he　still　wants　to　contest　the　Middle　Land。　If　you　promote　him　to　kingly　rank；　he　is　only　one　step　below　yourself。　While　doubting　the　reality　of　his　submission；　you　give　him　an　exalted　rank　and　increase　his　influence。　Surely　this　is　only　giving　wings　to　a　tiger。〃

〃Not　at　all；　I　am　helping　neither　Wu　nor　Shu。　I　am　waiting　till　they　are　at　grips；　and　if　one　goes　under；　there　will　be　only　one　left　to　destroy。　That　will　be　easy。　However；　say　no　more；　for　I　have　decided。〃

Whereupon　Xing　Zhen　was　bidden　to　take　the　mandate　and　the　Nine　Dignities　and　acpany　Zhao　Zi　to　Wu。

Sun　Quan　assembled　his　officers　to　discuss　how　the　armies　of　Shu　could　be　driven　off。　Then　came　the　news　of　princely　rank　conferred　by　Wei。　By　the　rules　of　courtesy；　the　messenger　bearing　the　edict　should　be　met　at　a　great　distance　from　the　capital；　but　Gu　Yong　was　opposed　to　accepting　the　rank。

〃My　lord；　you　should　style　yourself　Supreme　Ruler　and　Lord　of　the　nine　territories。　You　should　not　receive　any　rank　from　Wei。〃

〃But　on　one　occasion　Liu　Bang　received　the　princedom　of　Han　（Hanzhong）　from　Xiang　Yu。　I　have　to　depend　upon　circumstances。　Why　refuse？〃

Sun　Quan　discussed　the　matter　no　more；　but　went　out　at　the　head　of　a　great　gathering　of　officers　to　wele　the　messenger。

Xing　Zhen；　the　bearer　of　the　mandate　from　Wei；　on　first　arrival　ported　himself　haughtily　as　the　representative　of　a　superior　country　and　an　imperial　ambassador。　And　when　he　entered　the　city；　he　did　not　descend　from　his　carriage。　Wherefore　Zhang　Zhao　ventured　to　rebuke　him。

〃Everyone　must　obey　the　rules　of　courtesy　as　everyone　must　respect　the　laws。　You；　Sir；　are　behaving　proudly　as　if　there　was　no　such　thing　as　a　sword　in　this　country。〃

Immediately　the　messenger　descended　from　his　chariot　and　was　presented　to　Sun　Quan。　Afterwards　they　went　in　side　by　side。

As　the　cavalcade　proceeded；　a　loud　voice　was　heard　in　the　rear　of　the　two　carriages；　crying；　〃Here　we　are　prevented　from　risking　our　lives　in　smashing　Wei　and　swallowing　Shu；　and　our　lord　receives　a　title　from　another　man。　Are　not　such　things　shameful？〃

The　man　was　Xu　Sheng。

And　Xing　Zhen　sighed；　saying；　〃If　all　the　leaders　and　ministers　of　the　South　Land　are　like　this；　the　Prince　of　Wu　will　not　long　be　content　to　obey　another。〃

However；　the　title　was　accepted。　And　when　he　had　received　the　felicitations　of　his　officers；　Sun　Quan　gave　orders　to　collect　beautiful　works　in　jade　and　brilliant　pearls；　which　were　sent　to　Wei　as　return　gifts。

Not　long　after　came　tidings　of　the　forces　of　Shu：　〃The　First　Ruler；　together　with　King　Shamo　Ke　of　the　Mang　nations；　leads　his　own　army　and　a　large　number　of　tribesmen　from　the　east　and　south。　Furthermore；　he　is　aided　by　the　two　Shu　generals　of　Dongxi；　Liu　Ning　and　Du　Lu；　with　their　cohorts。　They　advance　both　by　land　and　by　water；　a　mighty　host；　of　which　the　shouting　shakes　the　heavens。　The　naval　force　has　already　e　out　at　Wukou；　and　the　land　force　has　reached　Zigui。〃

Although　Sun　Quan　had　been　created　a　prince；　yet　Emperor　Pi　would　not　send　a　relieve　army。

When　the　terrible　news　came；　the　Prince　of　Wu　asked　present　advice　from　his　officers；　saying；　〃How　are　we　going　to　meet　those　forces？〃

But　there　was　none　to　help　him。　They　only　muttered　and　were　silent。

〃Ah！〃　sighed　he。　〃After　Zhou　Yu　I　had　Lu　Su；　and　Lu　Meng　succeeded　Lu　Su。　But　now　they　have　all　three　gone；　and　there　is　no　one　to　share　my　troubles！〃

But　just　then　a　very　youthful　general　stepped　out　from　the　ranks　of　the　officials　and　said；　with　a　lowly　obeisance；　〃Though　I　am　young；　I　am　not　a　little　versed　in　the　books　of　war；　and　with　a　few　legions　I　could　destroy　the　power　of　Shu。〃

Sun　Quan　recognized　Sun　Huan；　the　son　of　Sun　Hu。　Sun　Hu　was　originally　from　the　Yu　family；　and　he　had　served　under　Sun　Jian；　Sun　Quans　father。　Sun　Jian　loved　the　youth　and　gave　him　his　own　family　name　of　Sun　and　so　made　him　a　member　of　his　own　clan。　Sun　Hu　had　four　sons；　of　whom　Sun　Huan　was　the　eldest。　Sun　Huan　was　an　expert　archer　and　horseman　and　had　acpanied　Sun　Quan　in　several　campaigns；　where　he　had　distinguished　himself　right　well　and　had　been　given　a　rank　of　mander。　At　this　time　he　was　twenty…five。

〃How　do　you　think　you　can　overe　them？〃

〃There　are　two　able　manders　under　my　mand　named　Xie　Jing　and　Li　Yi；　both　very　brave。　With　a　few　legions　I　will　capture　Liu　Bei。〃

〃Though　you　are　brave；　nephew；　yet　you　are　young　and　ought　to　have　an　assistant。〃

Thereupon　Tiger　General　Zhu　Ran　stepped　forward；　saying；　〃Let　me　go。〃

Sun　Quan　consented。　He　promoted　Sun　Huan　to　General　of　the　Left　Army；　and　he　told　off　fifty　thousand　of　soldiers　and　marines；　over　whom　he　placed　Sun　Huan　and　Zhu　Ran　as　joint　manders。　They　were　to　start　as　soon　as　possible。

The　scouts　reported　that　the　army　of　Shu　was　camped　at　Yidu；　and　Sun　Huan　led　half　his　army　to　the　borders　of　that　county　and　camped　in　three　stockades。