the　mellowing　influence；　Zhou　Yu's　reserve　seemed　to　thaw　and　he　said；　〃Jiang　Gan　is　an　old　fellow　student　of　mine；　and　we　are　pledged　friends。　Though　he　has　arrived　here　from　the　north；　he　is　no　artful　pleader　so　you　need　not　be　afraid　of　him。〃

Then　Zhou　Yu　took　off　the　manding　sword　which　he　wore　as　mander…in…Chief　and　handed　it　to　Taishi　Ci；　saying；　〃You　take　this　and　wear　it　for　the　day　as　master　of　the　feast。　This　day　we　meet　only　as　friends　and　speak　only　of　friendship；　and　if　anyone　shall　begin　a　discussion　of　the　questions　at　issue　between　Cao　Cao　and　the　South　Land；　just　slay　him。〃

Taishi　Ci　took　the　sword　and　seated　himself　in　his　place。　Jiang　Gan　was　not　a　little　overe；　but　he　said　no　word。

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Since　I　assumed　mand；　I　have　tasted　no　drop　of　wine；　but　today　as　an　old　friend　is　present　and　there　is　no　reason　to　fear　him；　I　am　going　to　drink　freely。〃

So　saying　he　quaffed　a　huge　goblet　and　laughed　loudly。

The　rhinoceros　cups　went　swiftly　round　from　guest　to　guest　till　all　were　half　drunk。　Then　Zhou　Yu；　laying　hold　of　the　guest's　hand；　led　him　outside　the　tent。　The　guards　who　stood　around　all　braced　themselves　up　and　seized　their　shinning　weapons。

〃Do　you　not　think　my　soldiers　a　fine　lot　of　fellows？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃Strong　as　bears　and　bold　as　tigers；〃　replied　Jiang　Gan。

Then　Zhou　Yu　led　him　to　the　rear　of　the　tent　whence　he　saw　the　grain　and　forage　piled　up　in　mountainous　heaps。

〃Do　you　not　think　I　have　a　fairly　good　store　of　grain　and　forage？〃

〃Your　troops　are　brave　and　your　supplies　ample：　The　empire's　gossip　is　not　baseless；　indeed。〃

Zhou　Yu　pretended　to　be　quite　intoxicated　and　went　on；　〃When　you　and　I　were　students　together；　we　never　looked　forward　to　a　day　like　this；　did