assins　drew　his　bow；　and　an　arrow　wounded　Sun　Ce　in　the　cheek。　Sun　Ce　plucked　out　the　arrow　and　shot　at　the　offender；　who　fell；　but　the　other　two　attacked　him　furiously　with　their　spears；　shouting；　〃We　are　Xu　Gong's　men　and　his　avengers！〃

Sun　Ce　then　understood。　But　he　had　no　weapons　save　his　bow　against　them。　He　tried　to　draw　off；　keeping　them　at　bay　striking　with　his　bow。　But　the　fight　was　getting　too　much　for　him；　and　both　he　and　his　steed　were　wounded　in　several　places。　However；　just　at　the　critical　moment；　Cheng　Pu　and　some　of　his　own　officers　came　up；　and　they　minced　the　assassins　into　pieces。

But　their　lord　was　in　a　sorry　plight。　His　face　was　streaming　with　blood；　and　some　of　the　wounds　were　very　severe。　They　tore　up　his　robe　and　therewith　bound　up　his　wounds；　and　they　carried　him　home。

A　poem　in　praise　of　the　three　avengers　says：

O　Sun　Ce　was　a　warrior　and　a　stranger　he　to　fear。

But　he　was　basely　murdered　while　hunting　of　the　deer。

Yet　were　they　leal　who　slew　him；　to　avenge　a　murdered　lord。

Self　immolated　like　Yu　Rang；　they　dreaded　not　the　sword。

Badly　wounded；　Sun　Ce　was　borne　to　his　home。　They　sent　to　call　the　famous　physician　Hua　Tuo；　but　he　was　far　away　and　could　not　be　found。　However；　a　disciple　of　his　came；　and　the　wounded　man　was　mitted　to　his　care。

〃The　arrowheads　were　poisoned；〃　said　the　physician；　〃and　the　poison　has　penetrated　deep。　It　will　take　a　hundred　days　of　perfect　repose　before　danger　will　be　past。　But　if　you　give　way　to　passion　or　anger；　the　wounds　will　not　heal。〃

Sun　Ce's　temperament　was　hasty　and　impatient；　and　the　prospect　of　such　a　slow　recovery　was　very　distasteful。　However；　he　remained　quiet　for　some　twenty　of　the　hundred　days。　Then　came　Zhang　Hong　from　the　capital；　an