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huge　fleet　of　war　ships；　sailing　under　the　flag　of　Zhou　Yu。　He　also　was　there　in　mand　of　the　fleet；　and　he　was　supported　by　Huang　Gai　and　Han　Dang。　They　seemed　like　a　drove　of　horses　and　came　along　swift　as　a　falling　star。　They　gained　on　the　fugitives　rapidly。

Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　boats　to　row　over　to　the　north　bank；　and　the　party　landed。　They　had　started　off　away　from　the　shore　before　Zhou　Yu　could　land。　Zhou　Yus　marines；　except　the　leaders；　were　all　afoot；　but　they　kept　up　the　pursuit；　following　as　quickly　as　they　could。　Zhou　Yu　led　the　pursuit；　closely　followed　by　Huang　Gai；　Han　Dang；　Xu　Sheng；　and　Ding　Feng。

When　Zhou　Yus　force　reached　the　borders　of　Huangzhou；　Liu　Bei　and　his　party　were　not　far　away；　and　so　they　pressed　the　pursuit。　But　there　were　only　horses　for　a　few　leaders　in　front；　and　suddenly　the　rolling　of　drums　struck　Zhou　Yus　ears；　and　from　out　a　gully　dashed　a　troop　of　swordsmen　led　by　Guan　Yu。　Zhou　Yu　was　too　surprised　and　unprepared　to　do　anything　but　flee。

Zhou　Yu　fled　for　his　life　and　Guan　Yu　pursued。　At　different　points　Liu　Beis　generals；　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan；　came　out　and　attacked；　so　that　the　troops　of　the　South　Land　suffered　a　great　defeat；　and　Zhou　Yu　barely　escaped。　As　he　came　to　the　river　and　was　going　down　into　his　ship；　the　soldiers　of　Liu　Bei　on　the　bank　jeered　at　him　on　account　of　the　miscarriage　of　his　scheme；　shouting；　〃General　Zhou　Yu　has　given　Uncle　Liu　Bei　a　wife　and　has　lost　his　soldiers！〃

Zhou　Yu　was　so　annoyed　that　he　would　have　gone　up　the　bank　to　fight　again；　but　his　generals　restrained　him。

He　uttered；　〃My　schemes　are　a　failure　and　a　defeat；　and　how　can　I　face　my　master　again？〃

All　at　once　he　cried　aloud　and　fell　back　in　a　swoon。　His　wound　had　reopened。　The　generals　came　to　his　help；　but　it　was　long　before　he　recovered　consciousness。

Twice　had　he　played　his　trick

And　twice　had　he　lost　the　game；

His　heart　was　full　of　resentment；

He　was　overwhelmed　with　shame。

The　fate　of　Zhou　Yu　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　56　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　56

Chapter　56

Cao　Cao　Feasts　In　The　Bronze　Bird　Tower；

Zhuge　Liang　Provokes　Zhou　Yu　A　Third　Time。

The　ambuscade　into　which　Zhou　Yu　had　fallen　had　been　prepared　by　the　orders　of　Zhuge　Liang　and　was　triple。　However；　Huang　Gai　and　Han　Dang　contrived　to　get　clear　and　found　refuge　in　the　ships；　though　with　the　loss　of　many　troops。　When　Zhou　Yu　was　in　safety　and　looked　about　him；　he　saw　Liu　Bei　and　Lady　Sun　safely　resting　on　a　hilltop。　How　could　such　a　sight　fail　to　put　him　in　a　rage？　And　with　the　access　of　rage；　his　wound；　not　yet　healed；　burst　open　once　again。　He　swooned　and　fell。　They　raised　him　and　his　ship　set　sail。　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　no　pursuit；　the　southern　fleet　departed　undisturbed；　and　Liu　Bei　proceeded　to　Jingzhou　City；　where　were　great　rejoicings　in　honor　of　his　recent　marriage。

Meanwhile　Zhou　Yu　had　gone　to　Chaisang　while　Jiang　Qin　and　those　with　him　bore　to　Nanxu　the　sad　tidings　to　Sun　Quan。　He　was　angry　beyond　words；　and　his　first　thought　was　to　send　an　army　under　Cheng　Pu　to　take　Jingzhou。　Zhou　Yu　also　wrote　from　his　sick　bed　urging　his　lord　to　take　vengeance。　But　Zhang　Zhao　knew　better　and　said　it　could　not　be　done。

Said　he；　〃Cao　Cao　has　never　forgotten　his　defeat　at　the　Red　Cliffs；　but　he　dares　not　attempt　to　avenge　himself　while　the　Sun　family　are　friendly　with　Liu　Bei。　If　in　any　moment　of　anger　you　two　fall　upon　each　other；　Cao　Cao　will　certainly　seize　the　opportunity　and　your　position　will　be　dangerous。〃

Gu　Yong　supported　Zhang　Zhao；　saying；　〃Beyond　all　doubt　Cao　Cao　has　his　spies　here。　As　soon　as　he　hears　of　any　rift　in　the　friendship　between　the　Sun　and　Liu　families；　he　will　desire　to　e　to　an　understanding　with　the　latter；　and　Liu　Bei；　who　fears　your　power；　will　accept　his　offer　and　take　his　side。　Such　an　alliance　will　be　a　continual　menace　to　the　land　south　of　the　river。　No；　the　plan　for　the　occasion　is　to　secure　the　friendship　of　Liu　Bei　by　memorializing　that　he　be　made　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou。　This　will　make　Cao　Cao　afraid　to　send　any　army　against　the　South　Land。　At　the　same　time　it　will　raise　kindly　feelings　in　the　heart　of　Liu　Bei　and　win　his　support。　You　will　be　able　to　find　someone　who　will　provoke　a　quarrel　between　Cao　Cao　and　Liu　Bei　and　set　them　at　each　other；　and　that　will　be　your　opportunity。　In　this　way　you　will　succeed。〃

〃These　are　good　words；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃but　have　I　a　messenger　who　can　acplish　such　a　mission？〃

〃There　is　such　a　man；　one　whom　Cao　Cao　respects　and　loves。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

〃What　prevents　you　from　employing　Hua　Xin？　He　is　ready　to　hand。〃

Wherefore　Hua　Xin　was　given　letters　and　bidden　go　to　the　capital；　Xuchang；　whither　he　proceeded　at　once　and　sought　to　see　Cao　Cao。　They　told　him　that　Cao　Cao　and　all　his　friends　were　at　Yejun；　celebrating　the　pletion　of　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower。　So　thither　he　went。

＇e＇　There　is　a　story　about　how　Shan　Zidao　played　chess　with　Cao　Cao　and　helped　him　get　out　of　the　Red　Cliffs　depression。　Read　Cao　Cao　and　Weiqi　。

Cao　Cao　had　indeed　never　forgotten　his　great　defeat　at　the　Red　Cliffs　and　nourished　schemes　to　avenge　it；　but　he　feared　the　bination　of　his　two　chief　enemies；　and　that　fear　restrained　him。*

In　the　spring　of　the　fifteenth　year　（AD　210）　the　great　Tower　was　pleted；　and　Cao　Cao　invited　a　vast　assembly　to　celebrate　its　inauguration　with　banquets　and　rejoicings。　The　feast　was　on　the　bank　of　River　Zhang。　The　Bronze　Bird　Terrace　stood　in　the　center；　flanked　by　two　others　named　the　Terrace　of　the　Jade　Dragon　and　the　Terrace　of　the　Golden　Phoenix。　Each　tower　was　a　hundred　spans　high；　and　two　bridges　connected　them。　Gold　and　jade　vied　with　each　other　in　the　many　apartments。