三国演义英文版-第46章

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ng　around　the　hill　instead　of　over　it。　His　antagonist　followed；　shouting；　〃He　who　retreats　is　no　worthy　soldier！〃
But　Taishi　Ci　thought　within　himself；　〃He　has　twelve　others　at　his　back　and　I　only　one。　If　I　capture　him；　the　others　will　retake　him。　I　will　inveigle　him　into　some　secret　spot　and　then　try。〃
So　flying　and　fighting　by　turns　he　led　Sun　Ce；　an　eager　pursuer；　down　to　the　plain。　Here　Taishi　Ci　suddenly　wheeled　about　and　attacked。　Again　they　exchanged　half　a　hundred　bouts；　without　result。　Then　Sun　Ce　made　a　fierce　thrust；　which　his　opponent　evaded　by　gripping　the　spear　under　his　arm；　while　he　himself　did　the　same　with　his　opponent's　spear。　Neither　was　wounded　but　each　exerting　his　utmost　strength　to　pull　the　other　out　of　the　saddle　they　both　came　to　the　ground。
Their　steeds　galloped　off　they　knew　not　whither；　while　the　two　men；　each　dropping　his　spear；　began　a　hand　to　hand　struggle。　Soon　their　fighting　robes　were　in　tatters。　Sun　Ce　gripped　the　short　lance　that　Taishi　Ci　carried　at　his　back；　while　Taishi　Ci　tore　off　Sun　Ce's　helmet。　Sun　Ce　tried　to　stab　with　the　short　lance　but　Taishi　Ci　fended　off　the　blow　with　the　helmet　as　a　shield。
Then　arose　a　great　shouting。　Liu　Yao　had　e　up　with　a　thousand　soldiers。　Sun　Ce　seemed　now　in　sore　straits。　His　twelve　followers　came　up；　and　each　batant　let　go　his　hold。　Taishi　Ci　quickly　found　another　steed；　seized　a　spear；　and　mounted。　Sun　Ce；　whose　horse　had　been　caught　by　Cheng　Pu；　also　mounted；　and　a　confused　battle　began　between　the　handful　of　men　on　one　side　and　a　whole　thousand　troops　on　the　other。　It　swayed　and　drifted　down　the　hill　side。　However；　soon　Zhou　Yu　leading　his　troops　came　to　the　rescue；　and　as　evening　drew　on　a　tempest　put　an　end　to　the　fight。　Both　sides　drew　off　and　returned　to　camp。
Next　day　Sun　Ce　led　his　army　to　the　front　of　Liu　Yao's　camp；　and　the　challenge　was　accepted。　The　armies　were　drawn　up。
Sun　Ce　hung　the　short　lance　he　had　seized　from　Taishi　Ci　at　the　end　of　his　spear；　waved　it　in　front　of　the　line　of　battle；　and　ordered　his　soldiers　to　shout；　〃If　the　owner　of　this　had　not　fled；　he　would　have　been　stabbed　to　death！〃
On　the　other　side　they　hung　out　Sun　Ce's　helmet；　and　the　soldiers　shouted　back；　〃Sun　Ce's　head　is　here　already！〃
Both　sides　thus　yelled　defiance　at　each　other；　one　side　boasting；　the　other　bragging。　Then　Taishi　Ci　rode　out　challenging　Sun　Ce　to　a　duel　to　the　death；　and　Sun　Ce　would　have　accepted。
But　Cheng　Pu　said；　〃My　lord　should　not　trouble　himself。　I　will　take　him。〃
And　Cheng　Pu　rode　forth。
〃You　are　no　antagonist　for　me；〃　said　Taishi　Ci。　〃Tell　your　master　to　e　out。〃
This　incensed　Cheng　Pu；　who　rode　at　his　opponent；　and　they　two　fought　thirty　bouts。　The　duel　was　stopped　by　the　gongs　of　Liu　Yao。
〃Why　did　you　sound　the　retreat？〃　said　Taishi　Ci。　〃I　was　just　going　to　capture　the　wretch。〃
〃Because　I　have　just　heard　that　Que　has　been　captured。　Zhou　Yu　led　a　surprise　force　thither；　and　Chen　Wu　was　in　league　with　him　to　betray　the　city。　We　have　no　home　now。　I　will　hasten　to　Moling　to　get　the　help　of　Xue　Li　and　Ze　Rong　to　retake　the　city。〃
The　army　retired；　Taishi　Ci　with　it；　without　being　pursued。
On　the　other　side　Zhang　Zhao　said　to　Sun　Ce；　〃Zhou　Yu's　attack　is　the　cause　of　this　move；　they　are　in　no　mood　to　fight。　A　night　raid　on　their　camp　would　finish　them。〃
The　army　was　divided　into　five　divisions　for　the　night　surprise　and　hastened　toward　the　camp　where　they　scored　a　victory。　Their　opponents　scattered　in　all　directions。　Taishi　Ci　alone　made　a　determined　stand；　and　as　he　could　not　withstand　a　whole　army；　he　fled　with　ten　horsemen　to　Jingxian。
Now　Sun　Ce　acquired　a　new　adherent　in　the　person　of　Chen　Wu。　He　was　a　soldier　of　middle　height；　sallow　of　plexion　and　red　eye；　an　odd　looking　man。　But　Sun　Ce　held　him　in　high　esteem；　appointed　him　mander；　and　put　him　in　the　van　of　the　attack　on　Xue　Li。　As　Van　Leader；　Chen　Wu　and　a　dozen　horsemen　made　a　dash　into　the　enemy's　formation；　where　they　slew　half　a　hundred　men。　So　Xue　Li　would　not　fight　but　remained　within　his　defenses。　As　Sun　Ce　was　attacking　the　city；　a　spy　came　in　with　the　news　that　Liu　Yao　and　Ze　Rong　had　gone　to　attack　Niuzhu；　which　made　Sun　Ce　move　thither　in　haste。　His　two　opponents　were　ready　for　battle。
〃I　am　here！〃　said　Sun　Ce；　〃You　had　better　give　in。〃
A　general　came　out　from　behind　Liu　Yao　to　accept　the　challenge。　It　was　Yu　Mi。　But　in　the　third　bout　Sun　Ce　made　him　prisoner　and　carried　him　off　to　the　other　side。　Seeing　his　colleague　thus　captured；　Fan　Neng　rode　out　to　the　rescue　and　got　quite　close。　But　just　as　he　was　going　to　thrust；　all　Sun　Ce's　soldiers　shouted；　〃There　is　a　man　behind　you　going　to　strike　secretly！〃
At　this　Sun　Ce　turned　and　shouted　so　thunderously　loud　that　Fan　Neng　fell　out　of　his　saddle　from　mere　fright。　He　split　his　skull　and　died。　When　Sun　Ce　reached　his　standard；　he　threw　his　prisoner　to　the　ground。　And　Yu　Mi　was　also　dead；　crushed　to　death　between　the　arm　and　the　body　of　his　captor。　So　in　a　few　moments　Sun　Ce　had　disposed　of　two　enemies；　one　crushed　to　death　and　one　frightened　to　death。　Thereafter　Sun　Ce　was　called　the　Little　Prince。
Liu　Yao　had　a　defeat。　The　greater　portion　of　his　force　surrendered；　and　the　number　of　those　slain　exceeded　ten　thousand。　Liu　Yao　himself　fled　to　Yuzhang　and　sought　safety　with　Liu　Biao；　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou。
An　attack　on　Moling　was　the　next　move。　As　soon　as　Sun　Ce　arrived　at　the　moat；　he　summoned　mander　Xue　Li　to　surrender。　Someone　let　fly　a　furtive　arrow　from　the　wall　which　wounded　Sun　Ce　in　the　left　thigh　so　severely　that　he　fell　from　his　steed。　Hastily　his　officers　picked　up　their　wounded　chief　and　returned　to　the　camp　where　the　arrow　was　pulled　out　and　the　wound　dressed　with　the　medicines　suitable　for　injuries　by　metals。
By　Sun　Ce's　mand　the　story　was　spread　abroad　that　the　hurt　had　been　fatal；　and　all　the　soldiers　set　up　cries　of　lamentation。　The　camp　was　broken　up。　Xue　Li；　Zhang　Ying；　and　Chen　Heng　made　a　night　sortie　but　fell　into　a　carefully　prepared　ambush。
Presently　Sun　Ce　himself　appeared　on　horseback；　shouting：　〃Sun　Ce　is　here　still！〃
His　sudden　appearance　created　such　a　panic　that　the　soldiers　dropped　their　weapons　and　fell　on　their　faces。　Sun　Ce　gave　orders　not　to　kill　them。　But　their　leaders　fell：　Zhang　Ying　from　Chen　Wu's　spear　thrust　as　he　turned　to　run　away；　Chen　Heng　was　killed　by　Jiang　Qin's　arrow；　and　the　mander；　Xue　Li；　was　slain　in　the　turbulence。　Thus　Sun　Ce　got　possession　of　Moling。　Having　calmed　the　people；　he　sent　his　soldiers　away　to　Jingxian；　where　Taishi　Ci　was　in　mand。
Taishi　Ci　had　assembled　two　thousand　veterans　in　addition　to　his　own　troops　for　the　purpose　of　avenging　his　master。　Sun　Ce　and　Zhou　Yu　on　the　other　hand　consulted　how　to　capture　him　alive。
Zhou　Yu　planned；　〃Attack　the　city　on　three　sides；　leaving　the　east　gate　free　for　flight。　Some　distance　off　an　ambush　shall　be　prepared；　when　Taishi　Ci；　his　men　fatigued　and　horses　spent；　shall　fall　an　easy　victim。〃
The　latest　recruits　under　Taishi　Ci's　banner　were　mostly　hillmen　and　unaccustomed　to　discipline。　Beside；　the　walls　of　the　city　were　pitiably　low。　One　night　Sun　Ce　ordered　Chen　Wu　to　strip　off　his　long　dress；　leave　his　arms　save　a　dagger；　clamber　up　the　ramparts；　and　set　fire　to　the　city。　Seeing　the　flames　spreading；　Taishi　Ci　made　for　the　east　gate　and；　as　soon　as　he　got　outside；　Sun　Ce　followed　in　pursuit。　The　pursuit　was　maintained　for　some　fifteen　miles　when　the　pursuers　stopped。
Taishi　Ci　went　on　as　long　as　possible；　finally　halting　to　rest　in　a　spot　surrounded　by　reeds。　Suddenly　a　tremendous　shouting　arose。　Taishi　Ci　was　just　starting　when　tripping　ropes　arose　all　round；　his　horse　was　thrown　and　he　found　himself　a　prisoner。
Taishi　Ci　was　taken　back　to　camp。　As　soon　as　Sun　Ce　heard　the　news；　he　himself　rode　out　to　order　the　guards　to　leave　the　prisoner；　whose　bonds　he　loosened　with　his　own　hands。　Then　he　took　off　his　own　embroidered　robe　and　put　it　on　the　captive。　They　entered　the　camp　together。
〃I　knew　you　were　a　real　hero；〃　said　Sun　Ce。　〃That　worm　Liu　Yao　had　no　use　for　such　as　you；　and　so　he　got　beaten。〃
Taishi　Ci；　overe　by　this　kindness　and　good　treatment；　then　formally　surrendered。
Sun　Ce　seized　his　hand　and　said；　laughing；　〃If　you　had　taken　me　at　that　fight　we　had　near　the　shrine；　would　you　have　killed　me？〃
〃Who　can　say？〃　said　Taishi　Ci　smiling。
Sun　Ce　laughed　also　and　they　entered　his　tent；　where　Taishi　Ci　was　placed　in　the　seat　of　honor　at　a　banquet。
Taishi　Ci　said；　〃Can　you　trust　me　so　far　as　to　let　me　go　to　muster　as　many　as　I　can　of　the　soldiers　of　my　late　master？　Under　the　smart　of　this　defeat　they　will　turn　against　him；　and　they　would　be　a　great　help　to　you。〃
〃Exactly　what　I　most　desire。　I　will　make　an　agreement　with　you　that　at　midday　tomorrow　you　will　return。〃
Taishi　Ci　agreed　and　went　off。　All　the　generals　said　he　would　never　return。
〃He　is　trustworthy　and　will　not　break　his　word；〃　said　the　chief。
None　of　the　officers　believed　he　would　e　back。　But　the　next　day　they　set　up　a　bamboo　rod　in　the　gate　of　the　camp；　and　just　as　the　shadow　marked　noon　Taishi　Ci　returned；　bringing　with　him　about　a　thousand　troops。　Sun　Ce　was　pleased；　and　his　officers　had　to　confess　that　he　had　rightly　judged　his　man。
Sun　Ce　thus　marched　his　army　to　the　South　Land；　and　his　enemies　fled　or　surrendered　before　hi