rder　sailed　up　the　river　and　took　their　places　along　the　bank。　As　they　went　on；　the　most　perfect　tranquillity　seemed　to　reign　on　all　sides。　Not　a　ship　was　visible　anywhere；　and　no　one　hindered。　Zhou　Yu　pressed　forward　till　he　came　quite　near　Jingzhou；　and　still　the　wide　river　lay　calm。　But　the　spies　who　came　back　reported　two　white　flags　flying　on　the　city　walls。

Still　not　a　person　was　seen；　and　Zhou　Yu　began　to　feel　suspicious。　He　had　his　ship　navigated　in　shore；　and　he　himself　landed　on　the　bank；　where　he　mounted　a　horse　and；　with　a　small　army　of　three　thousand　veterans　under　Gan　Ning；　Xu　Sheng；　and　Ding　Feng；　traveled　along　the　land　road。

By　and　bye　he　came　to　the　city　wall。　There　was　no　sign　of　life。　Reining　in　his　steed；　he　bade　them　challenge　the　gate。

Then　someone　from　the　wall　asked；　〃Who　is　there？〃

The　soldiers　of　the　South　Land　replied；　〃The　mander…in…Chief　of　the　South　Land；　Zhou　Yu；　in　person。〃

Immediately　was　heard　the　thud　of　a　club；　and　the　wall　became　alive　with　troops　all　armed。　And　from　the　tower　came　out　Zhao　Yun　who　said；　〃Why　are　you　here；　General？〃

〃I　am　going　to　take　the　west　for　you；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu。　〃Do　you　not　know？〃

〃The　Directing　Instructor　knows　that　you　want　to　try　the　ruse　of　'Borrow　a　Road　to　Destroy　the　Host'。　And　so　he　stationed　me　here。　And　my　master　bade　me　say　that　he　and　the　ruler　of　the　West　River　Land　are　both　members　of　the　reigning　family　so　that　he　could　not　think　of　such　baseness　as　attacking　Yizhou。　If　you　people　of　the　South　Land　do　so；　he　will　be　forced　to　go　away　into　the　mountains　and　bee　a　recluse。　He　could　not　bear　to　lose　the　confidence　of　humankind。〃

At　this　Zhou　Yu　turned　his　horse　as　if　to　return。　Just　then　his　scouts　came　up　to　report：　〃Armed　bands　are　moving