第37部分(第4/7 页)

and　then　Sun　Ce　advanced　in　full　force；　pelling　the　enemy　to　abandon　their　possession。　The　defeated　general　fled　to　the　hills。

Now　the　incendiaries　who　had　brought　about　this　result　were　two；　named　Jiang　Qin　from　Shouchun　and　Zhou　Tai　from　Jiujiang；　who　in　these　turbulent　times　had　got　together　a　band　of　kindred　spirits　and　lived　by　plundering　the　country　along　the　Great　River。　They　knew　Sun　Ce　by　reputation　as　a　man　who　treated　able　people　very　liberally　and　wished　to　join　him。　So　they　came　with　their　band；　three　hundred　strong；　and　helped　him　in　this　way　as　an　introduction。　Sun　Ce　weled　them　and　gave　the　leaders　rank。　After　taking　possession　of　the　stores　of　all　kinds　abandoned　by　the　runaways；　and　enlisting　four　thousand　of　those　who　surrendered　into　his　own　ranks；　Sun　Ce　moved　forward　to　attack　Shenting。

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　esc