第一小说网

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第108部分（第2页）

Then　he　handed　the　sword　to　Zhou　Yu；　at　the　same　time　giving　him　a　mission　as　mander…in…Chief　and　Supreme　Admiral；　Cheng　Pu　being　Vice…Admiral。　Lu　Su　was　also　nominated　as　Assistant　mander。

In　conclusion　Sun　Quan　said；　〃With　this　sword　you　will　slay　any　officer　who　may　disobey　your　mands。〃

Zhou　Yu　took　the　sword　and　turning　to　the　assembly　said；　〃You　have　heard　our　lords　charge　to　me　to　lead　you　to　destroy　Cao　Cao。　You　will　all　assemble　tomorrow　at　the　riverside　camp　to　receive　my　orders。　Should　any　be　late　or　fail；　then　the　full　rigor　of　military　law………the　seven　prohibitions　and　the　fifty…four　capital　penalties………there　provided；　will　be　enforced。〃

Zhou　Yu　took　leave　of　Sun　Quan　and　left　the　chamber。　The　various　officers　also　went　their　several　ways。

When　Zhou　Yu　reached　his　own　place；　he　sent　for　Zhuge　Liang　to　consult　over　the　business　in　hand。　He　told　Zhuge　Liang　of　the　decision　that　had　been　taken　and　asked　for　a　plan　of　campaign。

〃But　your　master　has　not　yet　made　up　his　mind；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Till　he　has；　no　plan　can　be　decided　upon。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃In　his　heart；　Sun　Quan　is　still　fearful　of　Cao　Caos　numbers　and　frets　over　the　inequality　of　the　two　armies。　You　will　have　to　explain　away　those　numbers　and　bring　him　to　a　final　decision　before　anything　can　be　effected。〃

〃What　you　say　is　excellent；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　and　he　went　to　the　palace　that　night　to　see　his　master。

Sun　Quan　said；　〃You　must　have　something　of　real　importance　to　say　if　you　e　like　this　at　night。〃

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃I　am　making　my　dispositions　tomorrow。　You　have　quite　made　up　your　mind？〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃I　still　feel　nervous　about　the　disparity　of　numbers。　Surely　we　are　too　few。　That　is　really　all　I　feel　doubtful　about。〃

〃It　is　precisely　because　you　have　this　one　remaining　doubt　that　I　am　e。　And　I　will　explain。　Cao　Caos　letter　speaks　of　a　million　of　marines；　and　so　you　feel　doubts　and　fears　and　do　not　wait　to　consider　the　real　truth。　Let　us　examine　the　case　thoroughly。　We　find　that　he　has　of　central　regions　soldiers；　say；　some　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　troops；　and　many　of　them　are　sick。　He　only　got　seventy　or　eighty　thousand　northern　soldiers　from　Yuan　Shao；　and　many　of　those　are　of　doubtful　loyalty。　Now　these　sick　men　and　these　men　of　doubtful　loyalty　seem　a　great　many；　but　they　are　not　at　all　fearsome。　I　could　smash　them　with　fifty　thousand　soldiers。　You；　my　lord；　have　no　further　anxiety。〃

Sun　Quan　patted　his　general　on　the　back；　saying；　〃You　have　explained　my　difficulty　and　relieved　my　doubts。　Zhang　Zhao　is　a　fool　who　constantly　bars　my　expeditions。　Only　you　and　Lu　Su　have　any　real　understanding　of　my　heart。　Tomorrow　you　and　Lu　Su　and　Cheng　Pu　will　start；　and　I　shall　have　a　strong　reserve　ready　with　plentiful　supplies　to　support　you。　If　difficulties　arise；　you　can　at　once　send　for　me；　and　I　will　engage　with　my　own　army。〃

Zhou　Yu　left。　But　in　his　innermost　heart；　he　said　to　himself；　〃If　that　Zhuge　Liang　can　gauge　my　masters　thoughts　so　very　accurately；　he　is　too　clever　for　me　and　will　be　a　danger。　He　will　have　to　be　put　out　of　the　way。〃

Zhou　Yu　sent　a　messenger　over　to　Lu　Su　to　talk　over　this　last　scheme。　When　he　had　laid　it　bare；　Lu　Su　did　not　favor　it。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Lu　Su；　〃it　is　self…destruction　to　make　away　with　your　ablest　officer　before　Cao　Cao　shall　have　been　destroyed。〃

〃But　Zhuge　Liang　will　certainly　help　Liu　Bei　to　our　disadvantage。〃

〃Try　what　his　brother　Zhuge　Jin　can　do　to　persuade　him。　It　would　be　an　excellent　thing　to　have　these　two　in　our　service。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu。

Next　morning　at　dawn；　Zhou　Yu　went　to　his　camp　and　took　his　seat　in　the　council　tent。　The　armed　guards　took　up　their　stations　right　and　left；　and　the　officers　ranged　themselves　in　lines　to　listen　to　the　orders。

Now　Cheng　Pu；　who　was　older　than　Zhou　Yu　but　was　made　second　in　mand；　was　very　angry　at　being　passed　over；　so　he　made　a　pretense　of　indisposition　and　stayed　away　from　this　assembly。　But　he　sent　his　eldest　son；　Cheng　Zi；　to　represent　him。

Zhou　Yu　addressed　the　gathering；　saying；　〃The　law　knows　no　partiality；　and　you　will　all　have　to　attend　to　your　several　duties。　Cao　Cao　is　now　more　absolute　than　ever　was　Dong　Zhuo；　and　the　Emperor　is　really　a　prisoner　in　Xuchang；　guarded　by　the　most　cruel　soldiers。　We　have　a　mand　to　destroy　Cao　Cao；　and　with　your　willing　help　we　shall　advance。　The　army　must　cause　no　hardship　to　the　people　anywhere。　Rewards　for　good　service　and　punishments　for　faults　shall　be　given　impartially。〃

Having　delivered　this　charge；　Zhou　Yu　told　off　Han　Dang　and　Huang　Gai　as　Leaders　of　the　Van；　and　ordered　the　ships　under　their　own　mand　to　get　under　way　and　go　to　the　Three　Gorges。　They　would　get　orders　by　and　bye。　Then　he　appointed　four　armies　with　two　leaders　over　each：　The　first　body　was　under　Jiang　Qin　and　Zhou　Tai；　the　second；　Pan　Zhang　and　Ling　Tong；　the　third；　Taishi　Ci　and　Lu　Meng；　the　fourth；　Lu　Xun　and　Dong　Xi。　Lu　Fan　and　Zhu　Zhi　were　appointed　inspectors；　to　move　from　place　to　place　and　keep　the　various　units　up　to　their　work　and　acting　with　due　regard　to　the　general　plan。　Land　and　marine　forces　were　to　move　simultaneously。　The　expedition　would　soon　start。

Having　received　their　orders；　each　returned　to　his　mand　and　busied　himself　in　preparation。　Cheng　Zi；　the　son　of　Cheng　Pu；　returned　and　told　his　father　what　arrangements　had　been　made；　and　Cheng　Pu　was　amazed　at　Zhou　Yus　skill。

Said　he；　〃I　have　always　despised　Zhou　Yu　as　a　mere　student　who　would　never　be　a　general；　but　this　shows　that　he　has　a　leaders　talent。　I　must　support　him。〃

So　Cheng　Pu　went　over　to　the　quarters　of　the　mander…in…Chief　and　confessed　his　fault。　He　was　received　kindly　and　all　was　over。

Next　Zhou　Yu　sent　for　Zhuge　Jin　and　said　to　him；　〃Evidently　your　brother　is　a　genius；　a　man　born　to　be　a　kings　counselor。　Why　then　does　he　serve　Liu　Bei？　Now　that　he　is　here；　I　wish　you　to　use　every　effort　to　persuade　him　to　stay　with　us。　Thus　our　lord　would　gain　able　support　and　you　two　brothers　would　be　together；　which　would　be　pleasant　for　you　both。　I　wish　yo