第一小说网

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第127部分（第2页）

Who；　even　in　his　old　age；　suffered　sorrows　in　the　south；

Cheerfully　had　he　approached　death；　with　no　thought　of　resentment；

But；　bowing　before　the　conqueror；　he　hung　his　head　and　was　ashamed。

Praise　the　sword；　gleaming　snow…white；　and　the　glory　of　super…human　bravery；

Consider　the　mail…clad　steed　snuffing　the　wind　and　rejoicing　in　the　battle；

That　warriors　name　shall　stand　high　and　its　brightness　be　undiminished；

While　the　cold　moon　sheds　her　light　on　the　waters　of　River　Xiang。

Liu　Bei　was　generous　toward　the　veteran　leader　who　had　e　under　his　banner。　But　when　Wei　Yan　was　introduced；　Zhuge　Liang　suddenly　ordered　him　to　be　thrust　forth　and　put　to　death。

〃He　has　merit；　he　has　mitted　no　fault；〃　exclaimed　Liu　Bei。　〃Why　slay　him？〃

But　Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Ingratitude。　To　eat　a　mans　bread　and　slay　him　is　most　disloyal；　to　live　on　his　land　and　offer　his　territory　to　another　is　most　wrong。　He　will　certainly　turn　against　his　new　master。　Wherefore　it　is　well　to　put　him　to　death　and　prevent　him　from　doing　harm。〃

〃If　we　slay　this　man；　others　who　may　wish　to　surrender　will　be　deterred　by　the　danger。　I　pray　you　forgive　him。〃

Zhuge　Liang　pointed　his　finger　at　Wei　Yan　and　said；　〃You　are　pardoned。　You　would　do　well　to　be　perfectly　faithful　to　your　lord　as　well　as　grateful。　Do　not　let　a　single　thought　stray　elsewhere；　or　I　will　have　your　head　by　fair　means　or　foul。〃

Wei　Yan　made　a　low　obeisance。

Having　given　in　with　good　grace；　Huang　Zhong　introduced　a　nephew　of　Liu　Biao；　named　Liu　Pan；　then　living　in　Yuxian　near　by。　Liu　Bei　gave　Liu　Pan　the　governorship　of　Changsha。

All　being　tranquil　at　the　four　territories；　Liu　Bei　and　his　army　returned　to　Jingzhou　City。　The　name　of　Youkou　was　changed　to　Gongan；　and　soon　all　was　prosperous。　Able　people　from　all　sides　came　to　assist　in　the　administration。　Guards　were　placed　at　strategic　points。

When　Zhou　Yu　went　to　Chaisang　to　recover　from　his　wound；　he　left　Gan　Ning　in　mand　at　Baling　and　Ling　Tong　at　Hanyang。　The　fleet　was　shared　between　these　two　places　to　be　ready　to　move　when　required。　The　remainder　of　the　force　was　under　Cheng　Pu；　and　he　went　to　Hefei；　where　Sun　Quan　had　been　since　the　fight　at　the　Red　Cliffs。　Sun　Quan　was　still　fighting　the　northern　army；　and　in　half　a　score　encounters；　small　and　great；　neither　had　gained　a　decided　advantage。　Sun　Quan　could　not　approach　the　city　but　entrenched　himself　about　fifteen　miles　away。

When　Sun　Quan　heard　of　the　ing　of　reinforcements　of　Cheng　Pu；　he　was　very　pleased　and　went　in　person　to　meet　and　wele　the　leaders。　Lu　Su　was　in　advance　of　the　main　body；　and　Sun　Quan　dismounted　and　stood　by　the　roadside　to　greet　him。　As　soon　as　he　saw　this；　Lu　Su　slid　out　of　the　saddle　and　made　his　obeisance。

But　the　officers　were　amazed　at　the　attitude　of　Sun　Quan；　and　still　more　so　when　Sun　Quan　asked　Lu　Su　to　remount　and　ride　by　his　side。

Presently　Sun　Quan　said　secretly　to　Lu　Su；　〃I；　the　Lone　One；　dismounted　to　greet　you　as　you　saw。　Was　that　manifestation　enough　for　you？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Lu　Su。

〃Then　what　further　can　I　do？〃

＇e＇　In　ancient　time；　the　empire　was　divided　into　nine　regions。　The　emperor　was　called　the　Lord　of　Nine　Regions。　More　regions　had　been　created　over　the　time。　In　Three　Kingdoms　period；　there　had　been　more　than　nine　regions。

〃I　want　to　see　your　authority　and　virtue　spread　over　the　four　seas　and　enfold　the　nine　regions*；　and　you　yourself　playing　your　part　as　emperor。　Then　will　my　name　be　inscribed　in　the　annals；　and　I　shall　indeed　be　known。〃

Sun　Quan　clapped　his　hands　and　laughed　gleefully。

When　they　reached　the　camp；　a　banquet　was　prepared　and　the　services　of　the　new　arrivals　were　praised　and　glorified。

The　destruction　of　Hefei　was　one　day　under　discussion；　when　one　came　in　to　say　that　Zhang　Liao　had　sent　a　written　challenge　to　battle。　Sun　Quan　tore　open　the　cover；　and　what　he　read　therein　made　him　very　wrath。

〃This　Zhang　Liao　has　insulted　me　grossly；〃　said　he。　〃He　hears　that　Cheng　Pu　has　arrived　and　sends　a　challenge。　Tomorrow；　O　newly…e　warriors；　you　shall　see　me　fight　with　him。　You　shall　have　no　share　in　the　battle。〃

Orders　were　given　that　next　morning　the　army　would　move　out　of　camp　and　advance　on　Hefei。　Early　in　the　morning；　when　they　had　advanced　about　halfway；　they　met　the　army　of　Cao　Cao　and　prepared　for　battle。　Sun　Quan；　with　helmet　of　gold　and　breastplate　of　silver；　rode　to　the　front　with　Song　Qian　and　Jia　Hua；　each　armed　with　a　halberd　to　support　him　and　guard　him　one　on　each　side。

When　the　third　roll　of　the　drum　ceased；　the　center　of　Cao　Caos　army　opened　to　allow　the　exit　of　three　warriors；　all　fully　armed。　They　were　Zhang　Liao；　supported　by　Li　Dian　and　Yue　Jing。　Zhang　Liao；　the　central　figure；　especially　designated　Sun　Quan　as　the　object　of　his　challenge。　Sun　Quan　took　his　spear　and　was　about　to　accept　the　challenge；　from　when　the　ranks　behind　him　came　out　Taishi　Ci；　who　galloped　forth　with　his　spear　ready　to　thrust。　Zhang　Liao　whirled　up　his　sword　to　strike　the　newer；　and　the　two　fought　near　a　hundred　bouts　without　a　decisive　blow。

Then　said　Li　Dian　to　Y