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They were gathering the white millet ,
In those new fields ,
And in these acres brought only one year under cultivation ,
When Fang Shu came to take the command .
His chariots were three thousand ,
With a host of well-disciplined warriors .
Fang Shu led them on ,
In his carriage drawn by four piebalds ,
Four piebalds orderly moving .
Red shone his grand carriage ,
With its chequered bamboo screen , and seal-skin quivers ,
With the hooks for the trappings of the breast-bands , and the rein-ends .
They were gathering the white millet ,
In those new fields ,
And all about these villages ,
When Fang Shu came to take the command .
His chariots were three thousand ;
His banners , with their blazonry of dragons , and of serpents and tortoises , fluttered gaily .
Fang Shu led them on ,
The naves of his wheels bound with leather , and his yoke ornamented .
Tinkle-tinkle went the eight bells at the horses' bits .
He wore the robes conferred [by the king] ;
His red knee-covers were resplendent ,
And the gems of his girdle-pendant sounding .
Rapid is the flight of the hawk ,
Soaring to the heavens ,
And again descending and settling in its place .
Fang Shu came to take the command .
His chariots were three thousand ,
With a host of well disciplined warriors .
Fang Shu led them on .
With his jinglers and drummers ,
He marshalled his hosts and addressed them .
Intelligent and true is Fang Shu ,
Deep rolled the sound of his drums ;
With a lighter sound he led the troops back .
Foolish were the savage tribes of King ,
Presuming to oppose our great region .
Fang Shu is of great age ,
But full of vigour were his plans .
He led his army on ,
Seized [the chiefs] for the question , and made captives of a crowd [besides] .
Numerous were his war chariots ,
Numerous and in grand array ,
Like the clap or the roll of thunder their onset .
Intelligent and true is Fang Shu .
He had gone and smitten the Xian-yun ,
And the tribes of King came , awed by his majesty .