en　Sun　Quan　had　finished　the　usual　gracious　remarks；　Zhou　Yu　said；　〃I　hear　that　Cao　Cao　is　encamped　on　the　river　and　has　sent　a　dispatch　to　you；　my　lord。　I　would　ask　what　your　opinion　is。〃

Thereupon　the　dispatch　was　produced　and　handed　to　Zhou　Yu。

After　reading　it　through　he　said；　smiling；　〃The　old　thief　thinks　there　are　no　people　in　this　land　that　he　writes　in　this　contemptuous　strain。〃

〃What　do　you　think；　Sir？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。

〃Have　you　discussed　this　with　the　officials？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃We　have　been　discussing　this　for　days。　Some　counsel　surrender　and　some　advise　fight。　I　am　undecided；　and　therefore　I　have　asked　you　to　e　and　decide　the　point。〃

〃Who　advise　surrender？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃Zhang　Zhao　and　his　party　are　firmly　set　in　this　opinion。〃

Zhou　Yu　then　turned　to　Zhang　Zhao　and　said；　〃I　should　be　pleased　to　hear　why　you　are　for　surrender；　Master。〃

Then　Zhang　Zhao　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　has　been　attacking　all　opponents　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor；　who　is　entirely　in　his　hands。　He　does　everything　in　the　name　of　the　government。　Lately　he　has　taken　Jingzhou　and　thereby　increased　his　prestige。　Our　defense　against　him　was　the　Great　River；　but　now　he　also　has　a　large　fleet　and　can　attack　by　water。　How　can　we　withstand　him？　Wherefore　I　counsel　submission　till　some　chance　shall　offer。〃

〃This　is　but　the　opinion　of　an　ill…advised　student；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃How　can　you　think　of　abandoning　this　country　that　we　have　held　for　three　generations？〃

〃That　being　so；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃where　is　a　plan　to　e　from？〃

〃Though　Cao　Cao　assumes　the　name　of　the　Prime　Minister　of　the　empire；　he　is　at　heart　a　rebel。　You；　O　General；　are　able　in　war　and　brave。　You　are　the　heir　to　your　father　and　brother。　You　mand　brave　and　tried