三国演义英文版-第203章

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Sun　Quan　then　urged　his　steed　as　fast　as　he　could　go；　and　Zhou　Tai　kept　off　all　pursuit。　Zhou　Tai　sustained　many　wounds　and　the　arrows　rattled　on　his　helmet；　but　he　got　clear　at　last　and　Sun　Quan　was　safe。　As　they　neared　the　river　bank；　Lu　Meng　came　up　with　some　of　the　naval　force　and　escorted　Sun　Quan　down　to　the　ships。
〃I　owe　my　safety　to　Zhou　Tai；　who　thrice　came　to　my　aid；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃But　Xu　Sheng　is　still　in　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and　how　can　we　save　him？〃
〃I　will　go　to　his　rescue；〃　cried　Zhou　Tai。
Whirling　his　spear；　Zhou　Tai　again　plunged　into　the　battle　and　presently　brought　his　colleague　safely　out　of　the　press。　Both　were　severely　wounded。
Lu　Meng　ordered　his　troops　to　keep　up　a　rapid　flight　of　arrows　so　as　to　mand　the　bank；　and　in　this　way　the　two　leaders　were　enabled　to　get　on　board　the　ships。
Now　Chen　Wu　had　engaged　the　legion　under　Pang　De。　Being　inferior　in　force　and　no　aid　being　forthing；　Chen　Wu　was　forced　into　a　valley　where　the　trees　and　undergrowth　were　very　dense。　He　tried　to　turn；　but　was　caught　by　the　branches；　and　while　so　entangled　he　was　killed　by　Pang　De。
When　Cao　Cao　saw　that　Sun　Quan　had　escaped　from　the　battle　to　the　river　bank；　he　urged　his　steed　forward　in　pursuit。　He　sent　flights　of　arrows　toward　the　fugitives。　By　this　time　Lu　Meng's　troops　had　emptied　their　quivers；　and　he　began　to　be　very　anxious。　But　just　then　a　fleet　of　ships　sailed　up　led　by　Lu　Xun；　the　son…in…law　of　Sun　Ce；　who　came　with　one　hundred　thousand　marines　and　drove　back　Cao　Cao's　army。　Then　he　landed　to　pursue。　He　captured　many　thousands　of　horses　and　slew　many　men；　so　that　Cao　Cao　was　quite　defeated　and　retired。　Then　they　sought　and　found　the　body　of　Chen　Wu　among　the　slain。
Sun　Quan　was　much　grieved　when　he　came　to　know　that　Chen　Wu　had　been　slain　and　Dong　Xi　drowned；　and　wept　sore。　Men　were　sent　to　seek　for　Dong　Xi's　body；　which　at　last　was　found。　Both　generals　were　buried　with　great　honors。
As　a　repense　for　Zhou　Tai's　services　in　Sun　Quan's　rescue；　Sun　Quan　prepared　in　his　honor　a　great　banquet；　where　Sun　Quan　himself　offered　Zhou　Tai　a　goblet　of　wine　and　plimented　and　embraced　him　while　the　tears　coursed　down　his　cheeks。
〃Twice　you　saved　my　life；　careless　of　your　own；〃　cried　Sun　Quan；　〃and　you　have　received　many　wounds。　It　is　as　if　your　skin　had　been　engraved　and　painted。　What　sort　of　a　man　should　I　be　if　I　did　not　treat　you　as　one　of　my　own　flesh　and　blood？　Can　I　regard　you；　Noble　Sir；　merely　as　a　unit　in　my　army？　You　are　my　meritorious　minister。　I　share　the　glory　you　have　won　and　mine　are　your　joys　and　sorrows。〃
Then　Sun　Quan　bade　Zhou　Tai　open　his　dress　and　exhibit　his　wounds　for　all　the　assembly　to　see。　The　skin　was　gashed　all　over　as　if　his　body　had　been　scored　with　a　knife。　Sun　Quan　pointed　to　the　wounds；　one　after　another；　and　asked　how　each　one　had　been　received。　And；　as　Zhou　Tai　told　him；　for　every　wound　Sun　Quan　made　him　drink　off　a　goblet　of　wine　till　he　became　thoroughly　intoxicated。　Sun　Quan　then　presented　him　with　a　green　silk　parasol　and　bade　him　use　it　on　all　occasions　as　a　sign　of　the　glory　that　was　his。
But　Sun　Quan　found　his　opponents　too　stable。　At　the　end　of　a　month　the　two　armies　were　both　at　Ruxu　and　neither　had　won　a　victory。
Then　said　Zhang　Zhao　and　Gu　Yong；　〃Cao　Cao　is　too　strong；　and　we　cannot　overe　him　by　mere　force。　If　the　struggle　continues　longer；　you　will　only　lose　more　soldiers。　You　had　better　seek　to　make　peace。〃
Sun　Quan　followed　this　advice　and　dispatched　Bu　Zhi　on　a　peace　mission　to　Cao　Cao's　camp。　Sun　Quan　offered　a　yearly　tribute。　Cao　Cao　also　saw　that　the　South　Land　was　too　strong　to　be　overe；　and　consented。
Cao　Cao　insisted；　〃The　Marquis　should　first　send　away　his　army；　and　then　I　would　retire。〃
Bu　Zhi　returned　with　this　message；　and　Sun　Quan　sent　away　the　greater　part；　leaving　only　Zhou　Tai　and　Jiang　Qin　to　hold　Ruxu。　The　army　returned　to　Capital　Jianye。
Cao　Cao　left　Cao　Ren　and　Zhang　Liao　in　charge　of　Hefei；　and　he　marched　the　army　back　to　Capital　Xuchang。
On　arrival；　all　Cao　Cao's　officers；　military　and　civil；　persuaded　him　to　bee　Prince　of　Wei。　Only　the　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Cui　Yan；　spoke　strongly　against　the　scheme。
〃You　are；　then；　the　only　man　who　knows　not　the　fate　of　Xun　Yu；〃　said　his　colleagues。
〃Such　times！　Such　deeds！〃　cried　Cui　Yan。　〃You　are　guilty　of　rebellion；　but　you　may　mit　it　yourselves。　I　will　bear　no　part　in　it。〃
Certain　enemies　told　Cao　Cao；　and　Cui　Yan　was　thrown　into　prison。　At　his　trial　he　glared　like　a　tiger；　and　his　very　beard　curled　with　contempt。　He　raged　and　cursed　at　Cao　Cao　for　a　betrayer　of　his　prince；　and　a　rebel。　The　interrogating　magistrate　reported　his　conduct　to　Cao　Cao；　who　ordered　Cui　Yan　to　be　beaten　to　death　in　prison。

Cui　Yan　of　Qinghe；
Firm　and　unyielding　was　he；
With　beard　crisp　curling　and　gleaming　eyes；
Which　showed　the　man　of　stone　and　iron　within。
He　drove　the　evil　from　his　presence；
And　his　glory　is　fair　and　high。
For　loyalty　to　his　lord　of　Han；
His　fame　shall　increase　as　the　ages　roll。

In　the　twenty…first　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（216）；　in　the　fifth　month　of　that　year；　a　great　memorial　signed　by　many　officers　went　up　to　Emperor　Xian；　praying：

＇e＇　Yi　Yin　was　was　helper　and　prime　minister　of　King　Tang；　the　founder　of　Shang　Dynasty。　After　King　Tang's　death；　Yi　Yin　served　his　sons　and　grandson。　Soon　after　Tai　Jia；　King　Tang's　grandson；　ascended　the　throne；　he　mitted　many　faults；　and　Yi　Yin；　acting　as　regent；　exiled　Tai　Jia　to　Tong　Palace………the　burial　place　of　King　Tang。　After　three　years　Yi　Yin　returned　him　the　throne。　Tai　Jia　eventually　became　an　enlightened　emperor。　Shang　Dynasty　lasted　for　650　years　（BC　1700…1050）。　It　was　this　act　of　Yi　Yin　rather　than　his　services　in　building　up　an　empire　that　has　made　him　immortal。　Whether　he　did　right　in　temporarily　dethroning　the　king　was　open　to　question；　until　a　final　verdict　was　rendered　by　Mencius　who　thought　that　his　ends　amply　justified　his　means。　This　historical　event　attests　the　extent　of　the　power　exercised　by　a　prime　minister　in　those　days。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Duke　of　Zhou　was　brother　of　King　Wu；　who　was　the　founder　of　Zhou　Dynasty。　After　King　Wu's　death；　the　Duke　of　Zhou　served　his　young　son　as　regent。　The　Duke　of　Zhou　pletely　ended　the　Shang　domination；　and　he　helped　establish　the　Zhou　administrative　framework；　which　served　as　a　model　for　future　Chinese　dynasties。　Zhou　Dynasty　lasted　for　800　years　（BC　1050…221）。　。。。。。
〃The　Duke　of　Wei　has　rendered　so　great　services　that　no　minister　before　him；　in　Heaven　as　well　as　on　Earth；　not　even　Yi　Yin*　and　the　Duke　of　Zhou*；　could　match　his　manifest　merits　to　the　state。　Thus；　the　title　of　kingship　should　be　granted　to　him。〃
The　memorial　was　approved；　and　a　draft　edict　was　prepared　by　the　famous　Zhong　Yao　to　make　Cao　Cao　Prince　of　Wei。　Thrice　Cao　Cao　with　seeming　modesty　pretended　to　decline　the　honor；　but　thrice　was　his　refusal　rejected。　Finally　he　made　his　obeisance　and　was　enrolled　as　Prince　of　Wei　with　the　usual　insignia　and　privileges；　a　coronet　with　twelve　strings　of　beads　and　a　chariot　with　gilt　shafts；　drawn　by　six　steeds。　Using　the　formalities　of　the　Son　of　God；　he　decorated　his　imperial　chariot　with　bells　and　had　the　roads　cleared　when　he　passed　along。　He　built　himself　a　Palace　at　Yejun。
Then　he　began　to　discuss　the　appointment　of　an　heir…apparent。　His　principal　wife；　Lady　Ding；　was　without　issue；　but　a　concubine；　Lady　Liu；　had　borne　him　a　son；　Cao　Ang；　who　had　been　killed　in　battle　at　the　siege　of　Wancheng　when　Cao　Cao　fought　against　Zhang　Xiu。　A　second　concubine；　Lady　Bian；　had　borne　him　four　sons：　Cao　Pi；　Cao　Zhang；　Cao　Zhi；　and　Cao　Xiong。　Wherefore　he　elevated　Lady　Bian　to　the　rank　of　Queen　of　Wei　in　place　of　Lady　Ding。
The　third　son；　Cao　Zhi；　was　very　clever　and　a　ready　master　of　position。　Cao　Cao　wished　him　to　be　named　the　heir。
Then　the　eldest　son；　Cao　Pi　sought　from　the　High　Adviser　Jia　Xu　a　plan　to　secure　his　rights　of　primogeniture；　and　Jia　Xu　told　him　to　do　so　and　so。　Thereafter；　whenever　the　father　went　out　on　any　military　expedition；　Cao　Zhi　wrote　fulsome　panegyrics；　but　Cao　Pi　wept　so　copiously　at　bidding　his　father　farewell　that　the　courtiers　were　deeply　affected　and　remarked　that　though　Cao　Zhi　was　crafty　and　clever；　he　was　not　so　sincerely　filial　as　Cao　Pi。　Cao　Pi　also　bought　over　his　father's　immediate　attendants；　who　then　rang　the　praises　of　his　virtues　so　loud　that　Cao　Cao　was　strongly　disposed　to　name　him　as　the　heir　after　all。
After　hesitating　a　long　time；　the　matter　was　referred　to　Jia　Xu。
〃I　wish　to　name　my　heir。　Who　shall　it　be？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Jia　Xu　would　not　say；　and　Cao　Cao　asked　why。
〃I　was　just　recalling　the　past　in　my　mind　and　could　not　reply　at　once；〃　said　Jia　Xu。
〃What　were　you　recalling？〃
〃I　was　thinking　of　two　fathers；　Yuan　Shao　and　Liu　Biao；　and　their　sons。〃
Cao　Cao　laughed。　Soon　after　this　he　declared　his　eldest　son　his　heir。
In　the　winter　of　that　year；　in　the　tenth　month；　the　building　of　the　Palace　of　the　new　Prince　of　Wei　was　pleted；　and　the　furnishing　begun。　From　all　parts　were　collected　rare　flowers　and　unmon　trees　to　beautify　the　gardens。　One　agent　went　into　the　South　Land　and　saw　Sun　Quan；　to　whom　he　presented　a　letter　from　Cao　Cao　asking　that　he　might　be　allowed　to　proceed　to　Wenzhou　to　get　some　oranges。　At　that　period　Sun　Quan　was　in　a　most　plaisant　mood