三国演义英文版-第24部分

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Next　morning　at　the　first　streak　of　dawn；　Dong　Zhuo　prepared　for　his　appearance　at　court。　On　the　way　he　saw　a　Taoist；　dressed　in　a　black　robe　and　wearing　a　white　turban；　who　carried　in　his　hand　a　tall　staff　with　a　long　strip　of　white　cloth　attached。　At　each　end　of　the　cloth　was　drawn　a　mouth*。
〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。
〃He　is　a　madman；〃　said　Li　Su；　and　he　told　the　guards　to　drive　the　fellow　away。
Dong　Zhuo　went　in　and　found　all　the　officials　in　court　dress　lining　the　road。　Li　Su　walked　beside　his　carriage；　a　sword　in　his　hand。　When　Li　Su　reached　the　north　gate　of　the　Forbidden　City；　he　found　the　soldiers　of　Dong　Zhuo　drawn　up　outside　and　only　the　pushers　of　the　Palace　carriage；　a　twenty　or　so；　were　allowed　to　proceed　further。
When　Dong　Zhuo　arrived　near　the　Reception　Hall；　he　saw　that　Wang　Yun　and　all　the　other　officials　standing　at　the　door　were　armed。
〃Why　are　they　all　armed？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo　to　Li　Su。
Li　Su　was　silent　as　he　helped　push　the　carriage　forward　swiftly　to　the　entrance。
Suddenly　Wang　Yun　shouted；　〃The　rebel　is　here！　Where　are　the　executioners？〃
At　this　call　sprang　from　both　sides　soldiers　armed　with　halberds　and　spears　who　attacked　Dong　Zhuo。　He　had　not　put　on　the　breastplate　he　usually　wore；　and　a　spear　pierced　his　breast。
He　sank　down　in　the　carriage　calling　loudly　for　his　son；　〃Where　is　Lu　Bu？〃
〃Here；　and　with　a　decree　to　deal　with　a　rebel！〃　said　Lu　Bu；　as　he　appeared　in　front　of　his　〃father。〃
Thereupon　he　thrust　his　trident　halberd　through　the　victim's　throat。　Then　Li　Su　hacked　off　the　head　and　held　it　up。
Lu　Bu；　his　left　hand　holding　his　halberd；　thrust　his　right　hand　into　his　bosom　whence　he　drew　the　decree；　crying；　〃The　decree　was　to　slay　the　rebel　Dong　Zhuo………no　other！〃
The　whole　assembly　shouted；　〃Wan　shui！　Live　forever！　O　Emperor！〃
A　sympathetic　poet　has　written　a　few　lines　in　pity：

Await　the　time；　O　noble；　and　be　king；
Or　failing；　reap　the　solace　riches　bring；
Heaven　never　is　partial；　but　severely　just；
Meiwo　stood　strong；　yet　now　it　lies　in　dust。

The　lust　of　blood　awakened；　Lu　Bu　urged　the　slaughter　of　Li　Ru；　who　had　been　the　confidant　of　the　murdered　Prime　Minister；　and　Li　Su　volunteered　to　go　in　search　of　him。　But　just　then　a　shouting　was　heard　at　the　gates；　and　it　was　told　them　that　a　household　servant　had　brought　Li　Ru　in　bonds。　Wang　Yun　ordered　his　immediate　execution　in　the　market　place。
Dong　Zhuo's　head　was　exposed　in　a　crowded　thoroughfare。　He　was　very　fat；　and　the　guards　made　torches　by　sticking　splints　into　the　body；　spilling　the　corpse's　grease　over　the　ground。　The　passers…by　pelted　the　head　and　spurned　the　body　with　their　feet。
Wang　Yun　ordered　a　force　of　fifty　thousand　under　Lu　Bu；　Huangfu　Song；　and　Li　Su　to　destroy　Meiwo。　Learning　the　news　of　their　master；　Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji　fled　west　swiftly　through　the　night　with　their　Flying　Bear　Army　to　Liangzhou　Region。
When　arriving　Meiwo；　Lu　Bu's　first　deed　was　to　take　Diao　Chan　into　his　charge。　Then　they　slew　every　member　of　the　Dong　family；　sparing　none；　not　even　Dong　Zhuo's　aged　mother。　The　heads　of　Dong　Zhuo's　brother　Dong　Min　and　his　nephew　Dong　Huang　were　publicly　displayed　in　the　market　place。　In　Meiwo　were　hidden　many　young　ladies　of　good　families。　These　were　set　free。　All　properties　were　confiscated。　The　wealth　was　enormous………several　hundred　thousand　ounces　of　gold；　millions　of　silver　coins；　pearls；　gems；　silks；　velvets；　furs；　grain　stores。
When　they　returned　to　report　success；　Wang　Yun　rewarded　and　feasted　the　soldiers。　Banquets　were　held　in　the　Ministry　Hall　to　which　all　the　officials　were　invited。　They　drank　and　congratulated　each　other。　While　the　feasting　was　in　progress　it　was　announced　that　someone　had　e　and　was　wailing　over　Dong　Zhuo's　corpse　exposed　in　the　market　place。
〃Dong　Zhuo　has　been　put　to　death；〃　said　Wang　Yun；　angrily。　〃Every　body　is　glad　to　be　rid　of　him；　and　yet　one　is　found　to　lament　over　him。　Who　is　this？〃

＇e＇　Cai　Yong　had　had　an　illustrious　career　as　a　court　official。　When　Dong　Zhuo　took　over　the　court；　Cai　Yong　resigned　his　post　as　a　minister。　Later　on；　Dong　Zhuo　wanted　to　increase　the　influence　of　the　government　over　the　local　lords；　and　so　he　invited　Cai　Yong　back；　threatening　if　Cai　Yong　had　refused　he　would　have　put　to　death　Cai　Yong's　whole　family。　（chatper　4）　Cai　Yong's　daughter　Cai　Yan　was　a　well…known　poetess。　。。。。。
So　Wang　Yun　gave　orders　to　arrest　the　mourner　and　bring　him　in。　Soon　he　was　brought　in；　and　when　they　saw　him　all　were　startled。　For　he　was　no　other　than　Imperial　Historian　Cai　Yong*。
Wang　Yun　spoke　to　Cai　Yong　angrily；　〃Dong　Zhuo　has　been　put　to　death　as　a　rebel；　and　all　the　land　rejoices。　You；　a　Han　minister；　instead　of　rejoicing；　weep　for　him。　Why？〃
Cai　Yong　confessed　his　fault；　saying；　〃I　am　without　talent；　yet　know　what　is　right。　I　am　not　the　man　who　turns　my　back　on　the　dynasty　and　toward　Dong　Zhuo。　Yet　once　I　experienced　his　kindness；　and　I　could　not　help　mourning　for　him。　I　know　my　fault　is　grave；　but　I　pray　you　regard　the　reasons。　If　you　will　leave　my　head　and　only　cut　off　my　feet；　you　may　use　me　to　continue　the　History　of　Han；　whereby　I　may　have　the　good　fortune　to　be　allowed　to　expiate　my　fault。〃
All　were　sorry　for　Cai　Yong；　for　he　was　a　man　of　great　talents；　and　they　begged　that　he　might　be　spared。
The　Imperial　Guardian；　Ma　Midi；　secretly　interceded　for　him；　saying；　〃Cai　Yong　is　famous　as　a　scholar；　and　he　can　write　glorious　history；　and　it　is　inadvisable　to　put　to　death　a　man　renowned　for　rectitude　without　consideration。〃
But　in　vain；　for　the　High　Minister　was　now　strong　and　obdurate。

＇e＇　Emperor　Wu；　aka　Liu　Che；　（reigned　BC　141…87）　whose　reign　was　longest　among　the　Han　emperors。　Emperor　Wu　was　perhaps　the　most　influential　Han　emperor　who　concerned　not　only　about　expanding　territory　but　also　about　developing　trade　with　other　countries　（the　Silk　Road；　for　example）。　Emperor　paid　special　attention　to　longevity；　and　his　court　often　had　elaborate　rituals。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Sima　Qian　（BC　145…85）　astronomer；　calendar　expert；　and　the　first　great　Chinese　historian；　noted　for　his　authorship　of　the　〃Historical　Records〃　or　Shi　Ji；　which　is　considered　to　be　the　most　important　history　of　China　down　to　the　end　of　the　2nd　century。　。。。。。
Wang　Yun　said；　〃Centuries　ago；　Emperor　Wu*　spared　Sima　Qian*　and　employed　him　on　the　annals；　with　the　result　that　many　slanderous　stories　have　been　handed　down　to　us。　This　is　a　trying　period　of　great　perplexity；　and　we　dare　not　let　a　specious　fellow　like　this　wield　his　pen　in　criticism　of　those　about　the　court　of　a　youthful　prince　and　abuse　us　as　he　will。〃
Remonstrance　and　appeal　being　vain；　Ma　Midi　retired。　But　he　said　to　his　colleagues；　〃Is　Wang　Yun　then　careless　of　the　future？　Worthy　people　are　the　mainstay　of　the　state；　laws　are　the　canons　of　action。　To　destroy　the　mainstay　and　nullify　the　laws　is　to　hasten　destruction。〃
As　was　just　said　Wang　Yun　was　obdurate。　Cai　Yong　whose　offense　was　an　expression　of　gratitude　was　thrown　into　prison　and　there　strangled。　The　people　of　that　day　wept　for　Cai　Yong；　for　they　refused　to　see　any　offense　in　what　he　had　done；　and　death　was　a　harsh　punishment。

Dong　Zhuo；　the　dictator；
Tyrannized　the　state；
Fell　and　his　sole　mourner
Shared　his　direful　fate。
Zhuge　Liang　in　seclusion
Was　content　to　dream；
Felt　his　worth　and　never
Helped　a　traitor's　scheme。

Those　generals………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………whom　Dong　Zhuo　had　left　to　guard　Meiwo　fled　when　their　master　was　slain　and　went　into　the　county　of　Shanxi　in　Liangzhou　Region。　Thence　they　sent　in　a　memorial　entreating　amnesty。　But　Wang　Yun　would　not　hear　of　it。
〃Four　of　them　were　the　chief　instruments　of　Dong　Zhuo's　aggressions。　Now　though　a　general　amnesty　were　proclaimed；　these　men　should　be　excluded　from　its　benefit；〃　said　Wang　Yun。
The　messenger　returned　and　told　the　four　there　was　no　hope　of　pardon　and　they　could　only　flee。
Then　their　adviser；　Jia　Xu；　said；　〃If　we　throw　away　our　arms　and　flee　singly；　then　we　shall　fall　easy　victims　to　any　village　beadle　who　may　seize　us。　Rather　let　us　cajole　the　Shanxi　people　to　throw　in　their　lot　with　us　and　make　a　sudden　onslaught　on　the　capital　and　so　avenge　Dong　Zhuo。　If　we　succeed；　we　control　the　court　and　the　empire。　There　will　be　enough　time　to　run　away　if　we　fail。〃
The　plan　was　adopted；　and　they　spread　abroad　the　story　that　Wang　Yun　intended　to　massacre　the　county。
Having　thus　thrown　the　people　into　a　state　of　terror；　they　went　a　step　farther　and　said；　〃There　is　no　advantage　in　dying　for　nothing。　Revolt　and　join　us！〃
So　they　cajoled　the　people　into　joining　them　and　gathered　a　host　equal　to　one　hundred　thousand。　This　horde　was　divided　into　four　parts；　and　they　all　set　out　to　raid　Capital　Changan。　On　the　way　they　fell　in　with　a　son…in…law　of　their　late　chief；　Imperial　mander　Niu　Fu；　who　marched　five　thousand　troop　from　Xiliang。　Niu　Fu　had　set　out　to　avenge　his　father…in…law；　and　he　became　the　Van　Leader　of　the　horde。
As　they　advanced；　the　news　came　to　Wang　Yun；　and　he　consulted　Lu　Bu。
〃They　are　a　lot　of　rats；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃Never　mind　how　many　there　are　of　them。　Be　not　in　the　least　anxious。〃
So　Lu　Bu　and　Li　Su　went　to　oppose　them。　The　latter　was　in　advance　and　met　Niu　Fu。　They　fought；　Niu　Fu　was　outmatched　and　retired　after　suffering　a　slaughter。　But　unexpectedly　Niu　Fu　returned　in　a　night　attack；　found　Li　Su　quite　unprepared　and　drove　Li　Su's　force　some　ten　miles；　slaying　many。
Li　Su　reported　the　defeat；　and　Lu　Bu　raged　at　him；　saying；　〃You　have　sullied　my　reputation　as　a　warrior　and　destroyed　our　fighting　spirit！〃
And　Lu　Bu　put　Li　Su　to　death；　exposing　his　head　at　the　camp　gate。
Next　day　Lu　Bu　advanced　his　own　force　and　engaged　Niu　Fu。　He　overwhelmed　Niu　Fu　and　drove　him　off。　That　night　Niu　Fu　called　in　his　most　trusted　man；　Hu　Chier；　to　advise　him。
Hu　Chier　said；　〃Lu　Bu　is　too　doughty　a　fighter　for　us　to　hope　to　overe　him。　Our　case　is　hopeless。　Our　best　course　is　to　desert　these　four　generals；　secrete　their　valuables；　and　leave　the　army　with　just　a　few　of　our　followers。〃
The　plan　of　Hu　Chier　was　adopted；　and　the　two　traitors　and　some　others　that　very　night　packed　up　and　made　their　way　out　of　camp。　They　were　only　half　a　dozen。　They　came　to　a　river　and；　while　crossing；　Hu　Chier；　tempted　by　the　lust　of　wealth；　slew　his　panion。　Then　he　went　to　offer