t　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　yak's　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　a