第一小说网

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第37部分（第2页）

After　his　defeat　Zhang　Ying　returned　to　his　master　and　told　his　misfortune。　Liu　Yao　was　going　to　punish　his　failure　by　death；　but　listened　to　his　advisers；　who　asked　for　mercy　for　the　unfortunate　man；　and　sent　him　to　mand　the　garrison　in　Lingling。　Liu　Yao　himself　set　out　to　meet　the　invaders。　He　camped　south　of　the　Sacred　Hills。　Sun　Ce　camped　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　hills。

Sun　Ce　inquired　the　natives；　〃Is　there　a　temple　of　Liu　Xiu　the　Founder　of　Latter　Hans　in　the　vicinity？〃

They　said；　〃There　is　a　temple　to　the　south　on　the　summit　of　the　hills。〃

〃I　dreamed　last　night　that　Liu　Xiu　called　me；　so　I　will　go　and　pray　there；〃　said　Sun　Ce。

But　Counselor　Zhang　Zhao　advised；　〃My　lord；　you　should　not　go　as　the　enemy　is　on　the　other　side；　and　you　may　fall　into　an　ambush。〃

〃The　spirit　will　help　me：　What　need　I　fear？〃

So　Sun　Ce　put　on　his　armor；　took　his　spear　and　mounted；　taking　with　him　twelve　of　his　manders　as　an　escort。　They　rode　up　the　hills；　dismounted；　burned　incense；　and　they　all　bowed　in　the　shrine。

Then　Sun　Ce　knelt　and　made　a　vow；　saying；　〃If　I；　Sun　Ce；　succeed　in　my　task　and　restore　the　authority　of　my　late　father；　then　will　I　restore　this　temple　and　order　sacrifices　at　the　four　seasons。〃

When　they　had　remounted；　Sun　Ce　said；　〃I　am　going　to　ride　along　the　ridge　and　reconnoiter　the　enemys　position。〃

His　manders　begged　him　to　refrain；　but　he　was　obstinate；　and　they　rode　there　together；　noting　the　villages　below。

A　soldier　of　the　other　side　going　along　a　bye　road　quickly　reported　the　presence　of　horsemen　on　the　ridge；　and　Liu　Yao　said；　〃It　is　certainly　Sun　Ce　trying　to　inveigle　us　to　battle。　But　do　not　go　out。〃

Taishi　Ci　jumped　up；　saying；　〃What　better　chance　to　capture　him？〃

So；　without　orders　he　armed　himself　and　rode　through　the　camp；　crying；　〃If　there　be　any　valiant　men　among　you；　follow　me！〃

No　one　moved　save　a　subaltern　who　said；　〃He　is　a　brave　man；　and　I　will　go　with　him。〃

So　he　also　went。　The　others　only　laughed　at　the　pair。

Now　having　seen　all　he　wished；　Sun　Ce　thought　it　time　to　return　and　wheeled　round　his　horse。　But　when　he　was　going　over　the　summit；　someone　shouted；　〃Stay；　Sun　Ce！〃

Sun　Ce　turned。　Two　horsemen　were　ing　at　full　speed　down　the　next　hill。　Sun　Ce　halted　and　drew　up　his　little　escort　right　and　left；　he　himself　with　his　spear　ready。

〃Which　is　Sun　Ce？〃　shouted　Taishi　Ci。

〃Who　are　you？〃　was　the　reply。

〃I；　Taishi　Ci　of　Laihuang；　e　to　take　him　prisoner。〃

〃Then　I　am　he；〃　said　Sun　Ce；　laughing。　〃e　both　of　you　together。　I　am　not　afraid　of　you。　If　I　were；　I　should　not　be　Sun　Ce！〃

〃You　and　all　your　crowd　e　on；　and　I　will　not　blench！〃　cried　Taishi　Ci　putting　his　horse　at　a　gallop　and　setting　his　spear。

Sun　Ce　braced　himself　for　the　shock；　and　the　battle　began。　Fifty　bouts　were　fought　and　still　neither　batant　had　the　advantage。　Sun　Ces　manders　whispered　to　each　other　their　admiration　and　amazement。　Taishi　Ci　saw　that　the　spearmanship　of　his　opponent　showed　no　weak　point　whereby　he　could　gain　the　advantage；　so　he　decided　to　resort　to　guile。　Feigning　defeat　he　would　lead　Sun　Ce　to　pursue。　Taishi　Ci　however　did　not　retire　along　the　road　by　which　he　had　e；　but　took　a　path　leading　around　the　hill　instead　of　over　it。　His　antagonist　followed；　shouting；　〃He　who　retreats　is　no　worthy　soldier！〃

But　Taishi　Ci　thought　within　himself；　〃He　has　twelve　others　at　his　back　and　I　only　one。　If　I　capture　him；　the　others　will　retake　him。　I　will　inveigle　him　into　some　secret　spot　and　then　try。〃

So　flying　and　fighting　by　turns　he　led　Sun　Ce；　an　eager　pursuer；　down　to　the　plain。　Here　Taishi　Ci　suddenly　wheeled　about　and　attacked。　Again　they　exchanged　half　a　hundred　bouts；　without　result。　Then　Sun　Ce　made　a　fierce　thrust；　which　his　opponent　evaded　by　gripping　the　spear　under　his　arm；　while　he　himself　did　the　same　with　his　opponents　spear。　Neither　was　wounded　but　each　exerting　his　utmost　strength　to　pull　the　other　out　of　the　saddle　they　both　came　to　the　ground。

Their　steeds　galloped　off　they　knew　not　whither；　while　the　two　men；　each　dropping　his　spear；　began　a　hand　to　hand　struggle。　Soon　their　fighting　robes　were　in　tatters。　Sun　Ce　gripped　the　short　lance　that　Taishi　Ci　carried　at　his　back；　while　Taishi　Ci　tore　off　Sun　Ces　helmet。　Sun　Ce　tried　to　stab　with　the　short　lance　but　Taishi　Ci　fended　off　the　blow　with　the　helmet　as　a　shield。

Then　arose　a　great　shouting。　Liu　Yao　had　e　up　with　a　thousand　soldiers。　Sun　Ce　seemed　now　in　sore　straits。　His　twelve　followers　came　up；　and　each　batant　let　go　his　hold。　Taishi　Ci　quickly　found　another　steed；　seized　a　spear；　and　mounted。　Sun　Ce；　whose　horse　had　been　caught　by　Cheng　Pu；　also　mounted；　and　a　confused　battle　began　between　the　handful　of　men　on　one　side　and　a　whole　thousand　troops　on　the　other。　It　swayed　and　drifted　down　the　hill　side。　However；　soon　Zhou　Yu　leading　his　troops　came　to　the　rescue；　and　as　evening　drew　on　a　tempest　put　an　end　to　the　fight。　Both　sides　drew　off　and　returned　to　camp。

Next　day　Sun　Ce　led　his　army　to　the　front　of　Liu　Yaos　camp；　and　the　challenge　was　accepted。　The　armies　were　drawn　up。

Sun　Ce　hung　the　short　lance　he　had　seized　from　Taishi　Ci　at　the　end　of　his　spear；　waved　it　in　front　of　the　line　of　battle；　and　ordered　his　soldiers　to　shout；　〃If　the　owner　of　this　had　not　fled；　he　would　have　been　stabbed　to　death！〃

On　the　other　side