第184部分(第2/7 页)

te；　recognizing　their　voices；　opened　for　them。　Once　within；　they　shouted　and　lit　the　flares。　Immediately　the　soldiers　of　Wu　came　in　with　a　rush　and　were　soon　in　possession。

The　first　order　issued　by　Lu　Meng　was　to　spare　the　people。　Instant　death　should　be　the　punishment　for　any　murder　or　robbery。　The　various　officials　in　the　city　were　retained　in　their　offices　and　continued　their　functions。　Special　guards　were　set　over　Guan　Yu's　family　dwelling；　and　none　dared　break　open　any　other　house。　A　messenger　was　sent　with　tidings　to　Sun　Quan。

One　very　wet　day　Lu　Meng；　with　a　few　horsemen　as　escort；　was　going　round　the　walls　and　visiting　the　gates。　One　of　the　soldiers　took　from　a　passer…by　a　broad…brimmed　hat　and　put　it　on　over　his　helmet　to　keep　his　armor　dry。　Lu　Meng　saw　it；　and　the　offender　was　seized。　He　was　a　fellow…villager　of　Lu　Meng；　but　that　did　not　save　him。

〃You　are　an　old　acquaintance；　but　you　knew　my　order。　Why　did　you　disobey　it？〃

〃I　thought　the　rain　would　spoil　my　uniform；　and　I　took　the　hat　to　protect　it。　I　did　not　take　it　for　my　own　advantage；　but　to　protect　state　property。　Spare　me；　O　General；　for　the　sake　of　our　mon　dwelling…place。〃

〃I　know　you　were　protecting　your　armor；　but　still　it　was　disobedience　to　the　order　against　taking　anything　from　the　people。〃

The　soldier　was　beheaded；　and　his　head　exposed　as　a　warning。　But　when　all　was　over；　Lu　Meng　had　the　body　buried　decently　and　wept　at　the　grave　for　the　loss　of　his　friend。　Never　after　this　was　there　the　least　laxity　of　discipline。

When　Sun　Quan　visited　the　city；　Lu　Meng　met　him　at　the　boundary　and　led　him　to　the　official　residence；　where　Sun　Quan　issued　rewards　and　mendations。　This　done；　Sun　Quan　ordered　Pan　Jun　to　take　charge　of　the　new　possession。　Yu　Jin；　who　w