第166部分(第1/7 页)

Ling　Tong　turned　to　his　rival　and　bowed　low。

〃I　could　not　have　supposed　you　would　have　rendered　me　such　a　service；　Sir；〃　said　he　to　Gan　Ning。

This　episode　ended　the　strife　and　enmity　between　the　two　leaders；　who　thereafter　swore　perpetual　friendship。

On　the　other　side　Cao　Cao　saw　to　it　that　Yue　Jing's　wound　was　dressed。　Next　day　he　launched　an　attack　against　Ruxu　along　five　different　lines。　He　himself　led　one　army　in　the　center；　on　the　left　Zhang　Liao　and　Li　Dian　led　two　armies；　on　the　right　Xu　Huang　and　Pang　De　manded　the　other　two。　Each　army　was　ten　thousand　strong；　and　they　marched　to　give　battle　on　the　river　bank。　The　crews　and　fighting　troops　of　the　South　Land's　naval　squadron　were　greatly　frightened　by　the　approach　of　these　armies。

〃You　have　eaten　the　bread　of　your　prince；　and　you　must　give　loyal　service。　Why　fear？〃　said　Xu　Sheng。

Thereupon　he　put　some　hundreds　of　his　best　men　into　small　boats；　went　along　the　bank；　and　broke　into　the　legion　under　Li　Dian。　Meanwhile　Dong　Xi　on　the　ships　beat　drums　and　cheered　them　on。　But　a　great　storm　came　on；　lashing　the　river　to　fury；　and　the　waves　rolled　mountains　high。　The　larger　ships　rolled　as　if　they　would　overturn；　and　the　soldiers　of　Wu　were　frightened。　They　started　to　get　down　into　the　bulkier　cargo…boats　to　save　their　lives。　But　Dong　Xi　threatened　them　with　his　sword；　cutting　down　some　half　score　of　the　mutineers。

〃My　orders　are　to　hold　this　point　against　the　enemy；〃　shouted　he。　〃We　dare　not　abandon　the　ships！〃

However；　the　wind　increased；　and　presently　the　bold　Dong　Xi　was　thrown　into　the　river　by　the　rolling　of　his　ship　and　was　drowned；　together　with　his　men。

Xu　Sheng　dashed　hither　and　thither　among　Li　Dian's　army；　slaying　right　and　left。　Chen　Wu；　hearing　the