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“I have three thousand troops of my own, and I know the country about Guangling thoroughly. Let me go across the river and fight a battle. I will willingly undergo the penalty if I fail,” said Sun Shao.

However, Xu Sheng refused, and all the pleadings of his impetuous general were vain. And when he still persisted, the Commander grew angry and said, “What control shall I have if you are allowed to disobey orders?”

Xu Sheng ordered the lictors to take Sun Shao out and put him to death.

They led him away, and forthwith the black flag was hoisted. But one of Sun Shao's generals went off in hot haste to tell Sun Quan, who came immediately to try to save his favorite.

Happily the execution had not been accomplished when the Prince appeared on the scene, and he bade the executioners disperse. The youth was saved.

Sun Shao began to press his claim to the Prince, saying, “I have been at Guangling, and if we do not attack the enemy there, but let him get down to the river, there will be an end of Wu.” Sun Quan went into the camp, and Xu Sheng came to receive him. When the Prince was seated in his tent, Xu Sheng said, “O Prince, you placed me in command of the force to repulse Wei. Now this general of mine, Sun Shao, is disobedient and should suffer death. I would ask why he should be pardoned.”

“He is naturally hot and impetuous. He has been guilty of disobedience, but I hope you will overlook his fault.”

“The law is none of my making, nor is it yours, O Prince; it is a state penalty, and if relationship is enough to evade it, where is discipline?”

“He has offended, and you have the right to judge and punish. But although his real name is Yu Shao, yet my brother Sun Ce loved him and gave him our family name. He has rendered me good service, and if he should be put to death, I should fail in my fraternal duty.”

“Since you have intervened, O Prince, I remit the death penalty.”

Sun Quan bade his nephew thank his chief, but the youth would not make an obeisance. On the contrary, he loudly maintained the correctness of his view.

“I can only lead my troops against Cao Pi and so die,” cried Sun Shao. “I cannot consent to the other plan.”

Xu Sheng's countenance changed. The recalcitrant young man was ordered to leave the tent by Sun Quan.

“He will not be any loss,” said Sun Quan, “and I will not employ him again.”

Then the Prince left and returned to his own place. That night they reported to Xu Sheng that Sun Shao had gone secretly over the river with his own three thousand troops, and the Commander, who did not wish him to come to harm, as evidently that would displease the Prince, sent a force to support him. Ding Feng was chosen to command this reinforcement, and he was told what to do.

The Ruler of Wei, in his dragon ships, reached Guangling, and the van got to the river bank. He came to survey the position.

“How many soldiers are on the other bank?” asked Cao Pi.

Cao Zhen replied, “I have not seen a single one; nor are there any flags or encampments.”

“That is a ruse; I will go and find out.”

So Cao Pi set out to cross the river in one of the dragon ships. He anchored under the bank. On his boat were displayed the imperial emblems of dragon, phoenix, sun, moon, and they shone out bravely. Seated in the ship, the Emperor looked up and down the south bank, but not a man was visible.

“Do you think we should cross?” asked the Emperor of his strategists.

“If the rules of war mean anything, they ought to be prepared. We think Your Majesty should exercise caution. Wait a few days and watch. Then perhaps the van might be sent to make a reconnaissance.”

“So I think,” said the Ruler of Wei. “But as it is now late, we will pass the night on the river.”

It was a dark night, and the ships was brilliantly lighted up; it seemed like day on board. But all along the south bank there appeared no glimmer of light.

“What do you think it means?” said Cao Pi.

The courtiers replied, “They heard that Your Majesty's heavenly army was coming, and ran away like so many rats.”

The Ruler of Wei laughed to himself. When daylight came there came with it a thick fog, so that nothing on the bank could be seen. After a time, a breeze blew off the fog, and then, to their immense surprise, they found that the whole length of the South of the Great River as far as they could see was one battlement, with towers at intervals, while spears and swords glittered in the sun and flags and pennons fluttered in the breeze.

In just a short time several reports came: “A long wall by the Great River has grown up in a night and stood there with carts and masts of ships lying along it, stretching some one hundred miles from Shidou to Nanxu.”

The fact was that the wall was an imitation, and the warriors that manned it were bundles of reeds dressed in soldiers' uniforms. But the sight chilled the ardor of the invaders.

“My hosts of troops are no use against such warriors; we can do nothing against those talents of the South Land,” said Cao Pi.