saying；　〃Let　me　go。〃

Sun　Quan　consented。　He　promoted　Sun　Huan　to　General　of　the　Left　Army；　and　he　told　off　fifty　thousand　of　soldiers　and　marines；　over　whom　he　placed　Sun　Huan　and　Zhu　Ran　as　joint　manders。　They　were　to　start　as　soon　as　possible。

The　scouts　reported　that　the　army　of　Shu　was　camped　at　Yidu；　and　Sun　Huan　led　half　his　army　to　the　borders　of　that　county　and　camped　in　three　stockades。

Now　the　Shu　General　Hu　Ban　had　received　his　seal　as　Leader　of　the　Van。　From　the　day　he　left　the　borders　of　the　River　Lands；　he　had　had　uninterrupted　success。　Everyone　had　submitted　at　the　mere　rumor　of　his　ing。　He　had　conducted　his　campaign　with　unstained　swords　as　far　as　Yidu。　When　he　heard　that　Sun　Huan　was　camped　there　to　oppose　his　progress；　he　sent　back　rapid　messengers　to　the　First　Ruler；　who　was　then　at　Zigui。

The　First　Ruler　got　angry；　saying；　〃So　they　think　this　youth　is　able　to　withstand　me？〃

〃Since　this　nephew　of　Sun　Quan　has　been　made　a　leader；〃　said　Guan　Xing；　〃it　is　unnecessary　to　send　a　leader　of　high　rank。　Let　me　go。〃

〃I　was　just　wishing　to　see　what　you　could　do；〃　said　the　First　Ruler；　and　he　gave　him　orders　to　go。

Just　as　Guan　Xing　was　leaving；　Zhang　Bao　stepped　forth　and　asked　permission　to　go　too。

〃Then　both　go；　my　nephews；〃　said　the　Emperor。　〃But　you　must　be　prudent　and　not　hasty。〃

So　they　took　leave；　collected　their　troops　and　advanced。　Sun　Huan；　hearing　of　the　ing　of　a　large　army；　called　out　all　his　troops　and　drew　up　his　array。　His　two　famous　generals；　Li　Yi　and　Xie　Jing；　were　placed　by　the　great　standard。　They　watched　the　soldiers　of　Shu　filing　out　and　noted　two　leaders　in　silver　helmets　and　silver　armors；　riding　on　white　horses；　and　the　flags　were　white。　First　came　Zhang　Bao　with　a　long　spea