第288部分(第3/7 页)

eration。〃

But　Sun　Hao　grew　angry　and　said；　〃I　desire　to　take　this　opportunity　to　return　to　my　real　heritage。　Why　do　you　employ　this　ill…omened　language？　Were　it　not　for　your　long　service；　now　would　I　slay　you　and　expose　your　head　as　a　warning。〃

He　bade　the　lictors　hustle　Minister　Hua　Jiao　from　his　presence；　and　Hua　Jiao　left　the　court。

〃It　is　pitiful；〃　said　Hua　Jiao。　〃Ere　long　our　silky；　beautiful　country　will　pass　to　another！〃

So　Hua　Jiao　retired。

And　the　Ruler　of　Wu　ordered　Lu　Kang；　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　to　camp　his　army　at　Jiangkou　in　order　to　attack　Xiangyang。

Spies　reported　this　in　Luoyang；　and　it　was　told　the　Ruler　of　Jin。　When　Sima　Yan　heard　that　the　army　of　Wu　threatened　to　invade　Xiangyang；　he　called　a　council。

Jia　Chong　stood　forth；　saying；　〃I　hear　the　government　of　Wu；　under　its　present　ruler；　Sun　Hao；　is　devoid　of　virtue；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wu　has　turned　aside　out　of　the　road。　Your　Majesty　should　send　mander　Yang　Hu　to　oppose　this　army。　When　internal　trouble　shall　arise；　let　him　attack；　and　victory　will　then　be　easy。〃

The　Ruler　of　Jin　issued　an　edict　ordering　Yang　Hu　to　prepare；　and　so　he　mustered　his　troops　and　set　himself　to　guard　the　county。

Yang　Hu　became　very　popular　in　Xiangyang。　Any　of　the　soldiers　of　Wu　who　desired　to　desert　to　the　other　side　were　allowed　to　e　over。　He　employed　only　the　fewest　possible　troops　on　patrol　duty。　Instead　he　set　his　soldiers　to　till　the　soil；　and　they　cultivated　an　extensive　area；　whereby　the　hundred　days　supplies　with　which　they　set　out　were　soon　increased　to　enough　for　ten　years。

Yang　Hu　maintained　great　simplicity；　wearing　the　lightest　of　garments　and　no　armor。　His　personal　escort　and　servants　numbered　only　about　ten。

One　day　his　officers