三国演义英文版-第115章

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g　to　wele　and　entertain　all　those　who　came。　And　year　by　year　they　flocked　in；　one　remending　another。　Among　them　were　Kan　Ze　of　Kuaiji；　Yan　Jun　of　Pengcheng；　Xue　Yong　of　Beishan；　Cheng　Bing　of　Runan；　Zhu　Huan　of　Wujun；　Lu　Ji　of　the　same　place；　Zhang　Wen　of　Wucheng；　Luo　Tong　of　Kuaiji；　and　Wu　Can　of　Wushang。　All　these　scholars　were　treated　with　great　deference。
Many　able　leaders　came　also。　Among　them　were　Lu　Meng　of　Runan；　Lu　Xun　of　Wujun；　Xu　Sheng　of　Langye；　Pan　Zhang　of　Dongjun；　and　Ding　Feng　of　Lujiang。　Thus　Sun　Quan　obtained　the　assistance　of　many　people　of　ability　both　in　peace　and　war　and　all　went　well　with　him。
In　the　seventh　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　202）；　Cao　Cao　had　broken　the　power　of　Yuan　Shao。　Then　he　sent　a　messenger　to　the　South　Land　ordering　Sun　Quan　to　send　his　son　to　court　to　serve　in　the　retinue　of　the　Emperor。　Sun　Quan；　however；　hesitated　to　ply　with　this　request；　and　the　matter　was　the　subject　of　much　discussion。　His　mother；　Lady　Wu；　sent　for　Zhou　Yu　and　Zhang　Zhao　and　asked　their　advice。
Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃Cao　Cao　wishes　a　son　to　be　present　at　court　as　a　hostage　whereby　he　has　a　hold　upon　us；　as　formerly　was　the　case　with　all　the　feudal　chiefs。　If　we　do　not　ply　with　this　request；　he　will　doubtless　attack　the　region。　There　is　some　peril。〃
Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Our　lord　has　succeeded　to　the　heritage　and　has　a　large　army　of　veterans　and　ample　supplies。　He　has　able　officers　ready　to　do　his　bidding。　So　why　should　he　be　pelled　to　send　a　hostage　to　any　person？　To　send　a　hostage　is　to　be　forced　into　joining　Cao　Cao；　and　to　carry　out　his　behests；　whatever　they　be。　Then　we　shall　be　in　his　power。　It　would　be　better　not　to　send；　but　rather　to　wait　patiently　the　course　of　events　and　prepare　plans　to　attack。〃
〃That　is　also　my　opinion；〃　said　the　Dowager。
So　Sun　Quan　dismissed　the　messenger　but　did　not　send　his　son。　Cao　Cao　resented　this　and　had　since　nourished　schemes　against　the　South　Land。　But　their　realization　had　been　delayed　by　the　dangers　on　the　north　and；　so　far；　no　attack　had　been　made。
Late　in　the　eighth　year　（AD　203）；　Sun　Quan　led　his　armies　against　Huang　Zu　and　fought　on　the　Great　River；　where　he　was　successful　in　several　battles。　One　of　Sun　Quan's　leaders；　Ling　Cao；　led　a　fleet　of　light　vessels　up　the　river　and　broke　into　Xiakou　but　was　killed　by　an　arrow　of　Gan　Ning；　a　general　of　Huang　Zu。　Ling　Cao　left　a　son；　Ling　Tong；　fifteen　years　of　age；　who　led　another　expedition　to　recover　his　father's　corpse　and　was　so　far　successful。　After　that；　as　the　war　was　inclined　to　go　against　him；　Sun　Quan　returned　again　to　his　own　country。
Now　Sun　Quan's　younger　brother；　Sun　Yi；　was　Governor　of　Dangyang。　He　was　a　hard　man　and　given　to　drink　and；　in　his　cups；　very　harsh　to　his　people；　ordering　the　infliction　of　severe　floggings。　Two　of　his　officers；　Military　Inspector　Gui　Lan　and　Secretary　Dai　Yuan；　bore　their　chief　a　grudge　and　sought　to　assassinate　him。　They　took　into　their　confidence　one　Bian　Hong；　of　the　escort；　and　the　three　plotted　to　kill　their　master　at　a　great　assembly　of　officials　at　Dangyang　amid　the　banquets。
Sun　Yi's　wife；　Lady　Xu；　was　skilled　in　divination；　and　on　the　day　of　the　great　banquet　she　cast　a　most　inauspicious　lot。　Wherefore　she　besought　her　husband　to　stay　away　from　the　assembly。　But　he　was　obstinate　and　went。　The　faithless　guardsman　followed　his　master　in　the　dusk　when　the　gathering　dispersed；　and　stabbed　him　with　a　dagger。
The　two　prime　movers　at　once　seized　Bian　Hong　and　beheaded　him　in　the　market　place。　Then　they　went　to　Sun　Yi's　residence；　which　they　plundered。
Gui　Lan　was　taken　with　the　beauty　of　the　dead　Governor's　wife　and　told　her；　〃I　had　avenged　the　death　of　your　husband；　and　you　must　go　with　me。〃
Lady　Xu　pleaded；　saying；　〃It　is　too　soon　after　my　husband's　death　to　think　of　remarriage。　But　as　soon　as　the　thirty…day　mourning　sacrifices　are　over；　I　will　be　yours。〃
She　thus　obtained　a　respite；　which　she　utilized　to　send　for　two　old　generals　of　her　husband；　Sun　Gao　and　Fu　Ying。　They　came　and　she　tearfully　told　her　tale。
〃My　husband　had　great　faith　in　you。　Now　Gui　Lan　and　Dai　Yuan　have　passed　his　death　and　have　laid　the　crime　on　Bian　Hong。　They　have　plundered　my　house　and　carried　off　my　servants。　Worse　than　this；　Gui　Lan　insists　that　I　shall　be　his　wife。　To　gain　time　I　have　pretended　to　favor　this　proposal；　and　I　pray　you　now　send　the　news　to　my　husband's　brother　and　beg　him　to　slay　these　two　miscreants　and　avenge　this　wrong。　I　will　never　forget　your　kindness　in　this　life　or　the　next。〃
And　she　bowed　before　them。
They　wept　also　and　said；　〃We　were　much　attached　to　our　master；　and　now　that　he　has　e　to　an　untimely　end；　we　must　avenge　him。　Dare　we　not　carry　out　your　behests？〃
So　they　sent　a　trusty　messenger　to　Sun　Quan。
On　the　day　of　the　sacrifices　Lady　Xu　called　in　her　two　friends　and　hid　them　in　a　secret　chamber。　Then　the　ceremonies　were　performed　in　the　great　hall。　These　over；　she　put　off　her　mourning　garb；　bathed　and　perfumed　herself；　and　assumed　an　expression　of　joy。　She　laughed　and　talked　as　usual；　so　that　Gui　Lan　rejoiced　in　his　heart；　thinking　of　the　pleasure　that　was　to　be　his。
When　night　came　she　sent　a　servant　girl　to　call　her　suitor　to　the　palace；　where　she　entertained　him　at　supper。　When　he　had　well　drunk；　she　suggested　that　they　should　retire　and　led　him　to　the　chamber　where　her　friends　were　waiting。　He　followed　without　the　least　hesitation。
As　soon　as　she　entered　the　room；　she　called　out；　〃Where　are　you；　Generals？〃
Out　rushed　Sun　Gao　and　Fu　Ying；　and　the　drunken　Gui　Lan；　incapable　of　any　resistance；　was　dispatched　with　daggers。
Next　Lady　Xu　invited　Dai　Yuan　to　a　supper；　and　he　was　slain　in　similar　fashion。　After　that；　she　sent　to　the　houses　of　her　enemies　and　slew　all　therein。　This　done；　she　resumed　her　mourning　garb；　and　the　heads　of　the　two　men　were　hung　as　a　sacrifice　before　the　coffin　of　her　husband。
Very　soon　her　brother…in…law　came　with　an　army；　and　hearing　the　story　of　the　deeds　of　the　two　generals　from　the　widow；　gave　them　the　manderships　and　put　them　over　Dangyang。　When　Sun　Quan　left；　he　took　the　widow　to　his　own　home　so　that　she　would　be　cared　for。　All　those　who　heard　of　her　brave　conduct　were　loud　in　praise　of　her　virtue：

Full　of　resource　and　virtuous；　few　in　the　world　are　like　her；
Guilefully　wrought　she　and　passed　the　death　of　the　lusty　assassins；
Faithful　servants　are　always　ready　to　deal　with　rebellion；
None　can　ever　excel　that　heroine　famous　in　Wu。

The　brigandage　that　had　troubled　the　South　Land　had　all　been　suppressed；　and　a　large　fleet　of　seven　thousand　battleships　was　in　the　Great　River　ready　for　service。　Sun　Quan　appointed　Zhou　Yu　to　be　the　Supreme　Admiral　and　mander…in…Chief　over　all　military　forces。
In　the　twelfth　year　（AD　207）；　the　Dowager　Wu；　feeling　her　end　approaching；　called　to　her　the　two　advisers　Zhou　Yu　and　Zhang　Zhao　and　spoke　thus：　〃I　came　of　a　family　of　the　old　Wu；　but　losing　my　parents　in　early　life。　My　brother　Wu　Jing　and　I　went　into　the　old　Yue；　and　then　I　married　into　this　family。　I　bore　my　husband　four　sons；　not　without　premonitions　of　the　greatness　to　be　theirs。　With　my　first；　Sun　Ce；　I　dreamed　of　the　moon　and　with　my　second；　Sun　Quan；　of　the　sun；　which　omens　were　interpreted　by　the　soothsayer　as　signs　of　their　great　honor。　Unhappy　Sun　Ce　died　young；　but　Sun　Quan　inherited；　and　it　is　he　whom　I　pray　you　both　assist　with　one　accord。　Then　may　I　die　in　peace。〃
And　to　her　son　she　said；　〃These　two　you　are　to　serve　as　they　were　your　teachers　and　treat　them　with　all　respect。　My　younger　sister　and　I　both　were　wives　to　your　father；　and　so　she　is　also　a　mother　to　you；　and　you　are　to　serve　her　after　I　am　gone　as　you　now　serve　me。　And　you　must　treat　your　sister　with　affection　and　find　a　handsome　husband　for　her。〃
Then　she　died　and　her　son　mourned　for　her　that　year。
The　following　year；　they　began　to　discuss　an　attack　upon　Huang　Zu。
Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃The　armies　should　not　move　during　the　period　of　mourning。〃
However；　Zhou　Yu；　more　to　the　point；　said；　〃Vengeance　should　not　be　postponed　on　that　account。　It　could　not　wait　upon　times　and　seasons。〃
Still　Sun　Quan　halted　between　two　opinions　and　would　not　decide。
Then　came　mander　Lu　Meng　who　said　to　his　master；　〃While　I　was　at　Dragon　Gorge；　one　leader　of　Huang　Zu；　Gan　Ning　from　Lingjiang；　offered　to　surrender。　I　found　out　all　about　him。　He　is　something　of　a　scholar；　is　forceful；　fond　of　wandering　about　as　a　fighter…errant。　He　assembled　a　band　of　outlaws　with　whom　he　roamed　over　the　rivers　and　lakes；　where　he　would　terrorize　everybody。　He　wore　a　bell　at　his　waist；　and　at　the　sound　of　this　bell　everyone　fled　and　hid。　He　fitted　his　boats　with　sails　of　Xichuan　brocade；　and　people　called　him　the　'Pirate　with　Silken　Sails。'
〃Then　he　reformed。　He　and　his　band　went　to　Liu　Biao；　but　they　left　him　when　they　saw　he　would　never　acplish　anything；　and　now　they　would　serve　under　your　banner；　only　that　Huang　Zu　detains　them　at　Xiakou。　Formerly　when　you　were　attacking　Huang　Zu；　he　owed　the　recovery　of　Xiakou　to　this　same　Gan　Ning；　whom　he　treated　without　liberality。　When　mander　Su　Fei　remended　Gan　Ning　for　promotion；　Huang　Zu　said；　'He　is　unsuited　for　any　high　position　as；　after　all；　he　is　no　more　than　a　pirate。'
〃So　Gan　Ning　became　a　disappointed　and　resentful　man。　Su　Fei　tried　to　win　him　over　to　good　humo