第37部分(第3/7 页)

to　help　you；　brother？〃

Sun　Ce　lost　no　time　in　sending　letters　and　gifts；　but　they　both　declined。　Then　he　visited　them　in　person；　was　greatly　pleased　with　their　speech　and　by　dint　of　large　gifts　and　much　persuasion；　got　them　to　promise　to　join　him。　Sun　Ce　appointed　them　both　Counselors　and　Generals。

The　plan　of　the　attack　upon　Yangzhou　Region　was　the　next　matter　for　discussion。　The　Imperial　Protector；　Liu　Yao；　was　of　Donglai；　a　scion　of　the　imperial　family　and　brother　of　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou；　Liu　Dai。　Liu　Yao　had　long　ruled　in　Yangzhou　and　headquartered　in　Shouchun。　But　Yuan　Shu　had　forced　him　to　flee　to　the　southeast　of　the　Great　River。　He　retired　to　Que　and　now　was　battling　with　Wu　Jing　in　Linyang。

Hearing　of　the　meditated　attack　on　him；　Liu　Yao　summoned　his　generals　to　take　counsel。

Said　General　Zhang　Ying；　〃I　will　take　an　army　and　entrench　at　Niuzhu。　No　army　can　get　past　that；　whatever　its　strength。〃

Zhang　Ying　was　interrupted　by　another　who　shouted；　〃And　let　me　lead　the　van！〃

All　eyes　turned　to　this　man。　It　was　Taishi　Ci　who；　after　helping　Kong　Rong　raise　the　siege　of　Beihai；　had　e　to　serve　Liu　Yao。

Hearing　him　offer　to　undertake　the　hazardous　post　of　van　leader；　Liu　Yao　said；　〃But　you　are　still　young　and　not　yet　equal　to　such　a　charge。　Rather　stay　by　my　side　and　await　my　orders。〃

Taishi　Ci　withdrew　in　disappointment。

Soon　Zhang　Ying　led　his　army　to　Niuzhu；　where　the　stores　of　grain　located。　When　Sun　Ce　approached；　Zhang　Ying　went　to　meet　him；　and　the　two　armies　faced　each　other　above　the　Bullock　Rapid。　Zhang　Ying　roundly　abused　his　opponent；　and　Huang　Gai　rode　out　to　attack　him。　But　before　the　bat　had　proceeded　far；　there　arose　an　alarm　of　fire　in　Zhang　Ying's　camp。　Zhang　Ying　turned　back；