第38部分 (第1/7页)

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