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Gan Ning angrily shouted, “I did good service for you, and yet you treated me as a pirate. Now what have you to say?”

There was nothing to be said, and Huang Zu turned his horse to escape. But Gan Ning thrust aside his troops and himself rode in pursuit. Then he heard a shouting in his rear and saw General Cheng Pu coming up. Fearing lest this other pursuer should overpass him and score the success he desired for himself, Gan Ning fitted an arrow to his bow and shot at the fugitive. Huang Zu was hit and fell from his steed. Then Gan Ning cut off his head. After this, joining himself to Cheng Pu, the two returned bearing the ghastly trophy to their lord. Sun Quan ordered them to place it in a box to be taken back home and offered as a sacrifice to the manes of his father.

Having rewarded the soldiers for the victory and promoted Gan Ning, Sun Quan next discussed the advisability of sending a force to hold Jiangxia.

But his adviser, Zhang Zhao, said, “It is impossible to try to hold one distant city alone. It is better to return home and prepare for the expedition that Liu Biao will surely send in revenge. We will meet and defeat his worn army, push home the attack, and capture his whole region.”

Sun Quan saw the advice was wise, so he left Jiangxia and led his army home to the South Land.

Now Su Fei was still confined, but he got some one to go to Gan Ning to beg him to plead for mercy. Gan Ning had expected this although the prisoner had said no word, and he was averse from leaving his friend and one-time protector to perish.

“I should not have forgotten him even if he had said nothing,” said Gan Ning.

When the army had returned, Sun Quan gave orders for Su Fei's execution that his head might be offered with that of Huang Zu.

Then Gan Ning went in to his lord and said, weeping, “Long ago, if it had not been for Su Fei, my bones would have been rotting in some ditch and how then could I have rendered service under your banner? Now he deserves death, but I cannot forget his kindness to me, and I pray you take away the honors you have bestowed on me as a set-off to his crime.”

Sun Quan replied, “Since he once showed kindness to you, I will pardon him for your sake. But what can be done if he run away?”

“If he be pardoned and escape death, he will be immeasurably grateful and will not go away. If he should, then will I offer my life in exchange.”

So the condemned man escaped death, and only one head was offered in sacrifice. After the sacrificial ceremonies, a great banquet was spread in honor of the victories. As it was proceeding, suddenly one of the guests burst into loud lamentations, drew his sword, and rushed upon Gan Ning. Gan Ning hastily rose and defended himself with the chair on which he had been sitting. The host looked at the assailant and saw it was Ling Tong, whose father Ling Cao had fallen under an arrow shot by Gan Ning. The son was now burning to avenge his father's death.

Hastily leaving his place, Sun Quan checked the angry officer, saying, “If he slew your noble father, then remember each was fighting for his lord for whom he was bound to exert himself to the utmost. But now that you both are under one flag and are of one house, you may not recall an ancient injury. You must regard my interests continually.”

Ling Tong beat his head upon the floor and cried, saying, “But how can I not avenge this? It is a blood feud and we may not both live under the same sky.”

The guests interfered, beseeching the man to forgo his revenge, and at last he ceased from his murderous intention. But he sat glaring wrathfully at his enemy.

So soon after Gan Ning was dispatched with five thousand troops and one hundred warships to guard Xiakou, where he was beyond the reach of Ling Tong's wrath. Then Sun Quan promoted Ling Tong, and so he was somewhat appeased.

From about this time the South Land enlarged her fleets, and soldiers were sent to various points to guard the river banks. The brother of the chieftain, Sun Kuang, was placed in command at Wujun, and Sun Quan himself, with a large army, camped at Chaisang.

Zhou Yu, Commander-in-Chief of the army and Supreme Admiral of the navy, was on the Poyang Lake training the naval forces, and general preparations were made for defense and attack.

By his spies, Liu Bei had tidings of the doings in the lower portion of the Great River, and knew of the death of Huang Zu. So he consulted Zhuge Liang as to his action. While they were discussing matters, there arrived a messenger from Liu Biao, begging Liu Bei to go to see him.

Zhuge Liang advised him to go and said, “This call is to consult you about avenging Huang Zu. You must take me with you and let me act as the circumstances direct. There are advantages to be got.”

Leaving Guan Yu in command at Xinye, Liu Bei set forth, taking Zhang Fei with five hundred soldiers as his escort.