“I lament your ripe strength when you guarded distant Baqiu, putting fear into the heart of Liu Biao, destroying rebels and ensuring safety.
“I lament the grace of your manhood. Married to a fair maid of the Qiao family, son-in-law of a great minister, you were such as would add luster to the Han Court.
“I lament your resolute purpose when you opposed the pledge-giving to Cao Cao. As in the beginning your wings drooped not, so in the end your pinions spread wide.
“I lament your abandon, when your false friend, Jiang Gan, came to you at Poyang Lake. There you manifested your lofty ideals.
“I lament your magnificent talents, proved in civil administration as in military science. With fire attacking the fierce enemy at the Red Cliffs, you brought his strength to weakness.
“I recall you as you were but yesterday, bold and successful, and I weep your untimely death. Prostrate I weep tears of sorrow. Loyal and upright in heart, noble and spiritual by nature, your life has been but three decades, but your fame will endure for ages.
“I mourn for your affection. My bowels writhe with sorrow, and my deep-seated sadness will never cease. The very heavens are darkened. The army is sad; your lord sheds tears; your friends weep floods.
“Scanty of ability am I, yet even of me you begged plans and sought schemes to aid the South Land to repulse Cao Cao, to restore the Hans and comfort the Lius. But with you as the firm corner stone and your perfect dispositions, could the final result cause any anxiety?
“Alas, my friend! The quick and the dead are ever separate; they mingle never. If in the deep shades spirits have understanding, you now read my inmost heart, yet hereafter there will be none on earth to comprehend.
“Alas, the pain!
“Deign to accept this my sacrifice.”
The sacrifice finished, Zhuge Liang bowed to the ground and keened while his tears gushed forth in floods. He was deeply moved.
Those who stood on guard by the bier said one to another, “People lied when they said these two were enemies; look at the sincerity shown in sacrifice.”
Lu Su gave a banquet for Zhuge Liang after which the guest left. Just as Zhuge Liang was embarking, his arm was clutched by a person in Taoist dress who said with a smile, “You exasperated literally to death the man whose body lies up there; to come here as a mourner is an open insult to the South Land. It is as good as to say they have no other left.”
At first Zhuge Liang did not recognize the speaker, but very soon he saw it was no other than Pang Tong, or the Blooming-Phoenix. Then Zhuge Liang laughed in his turn, and they two hand in hand went down into the ship, where they talked heart to heart for a long time.
Before leaving, Zhuge Liang gave his friend a letter and said, “I do not think that Sun Quan will use you as you merit. If you find life here distasteful, then you may come to Jingzhou and help to support my master. He is liberal and virtuous and will not disdain what you have spent your life in learning.”
Then they parted, and Zhuge Liang went alone to Jingzhou.
Lu Su had the coffin of Zhou Yu taken to Wuhu, where Sun Quan received it with sacrifices and lamentations. The dead leader was buried in his native place.
Zhou Yu's family consisted of two sons and a daughter, the children being named Zhou Xun, Zhou Yin, and Zhou Ying. Sun Quan treated them with generosity and tenderness.
Lu Su was not satisfied that he was the fittest successor to his late chief and said, “Zhou Yu was not right in recommending me, for I have not the requisite ability and am unfitted for this post. But I can commend to you a certain able man, conversant with all knowledge, and a most capable strategist, not inferior to the old Guan Zhong or Yue Yi, one whose plans are as good as those of Sun Zi and Wu Qi, the most famous masters of the Art of War. Zhou Yu often took his advice, and Zhuge Liang believes in him. And he is at hand.”
This was good news for Sun Quan, who asked the man's name, and when he heard it was Pang Tong or Blooming-Phoenix, he replied, “Yes; I know him by reputation; let him come.”
