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n　my　opinion。　The　plan　that　broke　Guan　Yu　was　his。　If　anyone　can　destroy　Shu；　it　is　he。　If　he　fails；　then　I　will　stand　the　same　punishment　as　may　be　his。〃

〃If　you　had　not　spoken　thus；　my　whole　scheme　might　have　gone　amiss；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Lu　Xun　is　a　student；〃　said　Zhang　Zhao。　〃He　is　no　match　for　Liu　Bei。　You　may　not　use　him。〃

Gu　Yong　also　said；　〃Lu　Xun　is　too　young　and　too　inexperienced。　I　fear　he　will　not　be　obeyed；　and　that　will　be　mischievous。〃

Bu　Zhi　added；　〃Lu　Xun　is　well　enough　to　control　a　region；　but　he　is　not　fit　for　a　big　matter。〃

Kan　Ze　got　desperate；　shouting；　〃It　is　the　only　hope。　I　will　guarantee　him　with　the　lives　of　all　my　house！〃

〃I　know　he　is　able；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃and　I　have　now　made　up　my　mind　he　is　the　man。　Gentlemen；　that　is　enough。〃

Lu　Xun　was　called　home。　Lu　Xun　was　originally　named　Lu　Yi。　He　was　a　native　of　Wujun　in　Wu；　grandson　of　Lu　Jun；　who　was　mander　of　the　City　Gates　of　the　Han；　and　son　of　Lu　Yu；　mander　of　Jiujiang。　He　was　eight　spans　in　height；　with　a　beautiful　face；　like　the　finest　jade。

When　Lu　Xun　arrived　at　court　and　made　his　bow；　Sun　Quan　said　to　him；　〃I　wish　to　send　you　in　supreme　mand　of　all　the　forces　against　Shu。〃

〃Sir；　you　have　numerous　old　and　tried　officers　under　your　mand。　I　am　very　young　and　not　at　all　clever；〃　replied　Lu　Xun。

〃Kan　Ze　goes　bail　for　you　and　pledges　his　whole　house。　Moreover；　I　know　your　abilities。　You　must　be　mander…in…Chief　and　may　not　refuse　the　appointment。〃

〃But　what　will　happen　if　the　officers　do　not　support　me？〃

〃Here　is　authority！〃　said　Sun　Quan；　taking　his　own　sword　from　his　side　and　giving　it　to　Lu　Xun。　〃Slay　the　disobedient　and　report　afterwards。〃

〃I　am　grateful　for　this　proof　of　confidence；　but　I　dare　not　accept　forthwith。　I　pray　you　assemble　all　the　officers　and　confer　the　office　upon　me　in　their　presence。〃

Said　Kan　Ze；　〃The　ancient　fashion　was　to　set　up　a　platform　and　thereon　present　to　the　leader…elect　a　white　yaks　tail　and　a　golden　ax　with　the　seal　of　office　and　mission。　Thereafter　his　dignity　and　the　reverence　due　from　others　were　beyond　all　question。　It　would　be　well；　O　Prince；　to　follow　the　old　rule。　Choose　a　good　day　and　appoint　Lu　Xun　before　all　the　world；　and　no　one　will　refuse　support。〃

An　altar　was　begun　at　once。　They　worked　at　it　day　and　night；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　finished　a　great　assembly　was　called。　Then　Lu　Xun　was　requested　to　ascend　and　make　his　bow　on　receiving　his　appointment　as　mander…in…Chief；　General　of　the　Right　Army；　General　Who　Guards　the　West；　and　Lord　of　Fenglou。　The　sword　of　authority　and　the　seal　of　office　were　presented。　His　powers　extended　over　the　six　territories　and　the　eighty…one　counties　of　the　South　Land；　over　the　forces　in　Jingzhou　and　Wu。

And　in　charging　him　Sun　Quan　said；　〃Domestic　affairs　belong　to　me；　outer　affairs　are　under　your　direction。〃

Lu　Xun　then　descended。　He　chose　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　as　manders　of　his　guards；　and　the　army　lost　no　time　in　taking　the　field。　The　various　dispositions　of　horse　and　foot　and　navy　were　made；　and　dispatches　were　sent　to　the　outlying　manders。

When　the　dispatch　reached　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai；　who　were　camping　near　Xiaoting；　they　were　alarmed；　saying；　〃Why　did　the　Prince　appoint　a　mere　bookish　student　to　the　mandership　of　all　armed　forces？〃

So　when　the　new　mander…in…Chief　came；　they　showed　their　discontent　by　a　lack　of　hearty　support。　Lu　Xun　went　to　his　tent　to　receive　the　reports；　and　there　the　majority　of　the　officers　manifested　only　sullen　respect　and　unwilling　deference。

Then　Lu　Xun　addressed　them；　saying；　〃By　order　of　my　superior　I　am　mander…in…Chief；　and　my　mission　is　to　destroy　Shu。　You；　gentlemen；　all　know　the　ordinary　military　rules；　and　you　would　do　well　to　obey　them。　The　law　is　no　respecter　of　persons；　as　those　who　disobey　will　find　out。　Do　not　have　to　regret　when　it　is　too　late。〃

They　nodded　in　sullen　acquiescence。

Then　Zhou　Tai　said；　〃There　is　Sun　Huan；　nephew　of　our　Prince。　He　is　surrounded　at　Yiling　and　is　short　of　food。　I　venture　to　request　you　to　send　relief　to　him　and　get　him　out；　so　that　the　Princes　heart　may　be　forted。〃

〃I　know　all　about　him。　His　soldiers　are　faithful；　and　he　can　easily　maintain　his　position。　There　is　no　need　to　go　to　his　aid。　When　Shu　is　broken；　he　will　be　free　to　e　out。〃

They　all　sniggered　as　they　left　the　tent；　and　Han　Dang　did　not　fail　to　express　his　contempt　for　the　newly　appointed　mander…in…Chief。

〃This　will　be　the　end　of　Wu；〃　said　he　to　his　colleague。　〃Did　you　note　what　he　said？〃

〃I　tried　him　just　to　see　what　he　would　do；〃　said　Zhou　Tai。　〃You　see　he　had　no　plan　ready。　He　destroys　Shu　indeed！〃

Next　day　general　orders　were　issued　for　defense　and　prohibitions　against　giving　battle；　which　provoked　more　laughter　at　the　incapable　pedant；　as　they　thought　him　in　mand；　and　secret　resolves　to　disobey。　Moreover；　the　officers　showed　their　contempt　by　a　general　disregard　of　orders。

So　once　more　Lu　Xun　assembled　them　and　said；　〃You　know　I　am　in　mand。　Yet　the　recent　orders　for　defense　have　been　disregarded。　Why？〃

Then　Han　Dang　spoke　up；　〃Some　of　us　followed　General　Sun　Ce　when　he　first　subdued　the　South　Land。　Others　won　fame　in　destroying　rebels；　or　in　following　the　present　Prince　in　his　campaigns。　All　of　us　have　donned　our　armors　and　gripped　our　weapons　in　many　bloody　fights。　Now；　Sir；　you　have　been　placed　in　supreme　mand　to　repulse　Shu；　and　there　should　be　some　plan　of　campaign　made　for　us　at　once；　some　dispositions　of　our　forces；　and　some　definite　advance　toward　that　end。　Instead　of　that　we　are　told　to　strengthen　our　defenses　and　are　forbidden　to　fight。　What　are　we　to　wait　for？　Will　Heaven　destroy　our　opponents　for　us？　We　are　not　afraid　to　die。　Why　is　our　keenness　left　to　be　eaten　away　and　our　energies　wasted　in　idleness？

All　the　others　applauded　this　speech　and　cried　that　the　speaker　had　expressed　their　own　ideas。