三国演义英文版-第292部分

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　in　the　mand　as　well；　and　we　will　work　together　to　remove　him。〃
〃But　I　am　afraid　we　can　not　overe　him；〃　said　Cao　Fang。
They　wept　and　said；　〃We　pledge　ourselves　to　work　together　for　the　destruction　of　the　tyrant；　and　to　show　our　gratitude　to　Your　Majesty！〃
Cao　Fang　them　stripped　himself　of　his　innermost　garment；　gnawed　his　finger　till　the　blood　flowed；　and　with　his　finger…tip　traced　a　mand　in　blood。
He　gave　it　to　his　father…in…law；　Zhang　Qi；　saying；　〃My　ancestor；　Emperor　Cao；　put　to　death　Dong　Cheng　for　just　such　a　matter　as　this；　so　you　must　be　exceedingly　careful　and　maintain　the　greatest　secrecy。〃
〃Oh；　why　use　such　ill…omened　words？〃　cried　Li　Feng。　〃We　are　not　like　Dong　Cheng；　and　Sima　Shi　cannot　pare　to　the　Founder。　Have　no　doubts。〃
The　three　conspirators　took　leave　and　went　out　carrying　the　edict　with　them。　Beside　the　Donghua　Gate　of　the　Palace；　they　saw　Sima　Shi　ing　to　meet　them　wearing　a　sword。　Following　him　were　many　armed　guards。　The　three　ministers　took　the　side　of　the　road　to　let　the　party　go　by。
〃Why　are　you　three　so　late　in　leaving　the　Palace？〃　asked　Sima　Shi。
〃His　Majesty　was　reading；　and　we　stayed　with　him；〃　said　Li　Feng。
〃What　was　he　reading？〃
〃The　histories　of　the　Xia；　Shang；　and　Zhou　dynasties。〃
〃What　questions　did　the　Emperor　ask　as　he　read　those　books？〃

＇e＇　Yi　Yin　was　was　helper　and　prime　minister　of　King　Tang；　the　founder　of　Shang　Dynasty。　After　King　Tang's　death；　Yi　Yin　served　his　sons　and　grandson。　Soon　after　Tai　Jia；　King　Tang's　grandson；　ascended　the　throne；　he　mitted　many　faults；　and　Yi　Yin；　acting　as　regent；　exiled　Tai　Jia　to　Tong　Palace………the　burial　place　of　King　Tang。　After　three　years　Yi　Yin　returned　him　the　throne。　Tai　Jia　eventually　became　an　enlightened　emperor。　Shang　Dynasty　lasted　for　650　years　（BC　1700…1050）。　It　was　this　act　of　Yi　Yin　rather　than　his　services　in　building　up　an　empire　that　has　made　him　immortal。　Whether　he　did　right　in　temporarily　dethroning　the　king　was　open　to　question；　until　a　final　verdict　was　rendered　by　Mencius　who　thought　that　his　ends　amply　justified　his　means。　This　historical　event　attests　the　extent　of　the　power　exercised　by　a　prime　minister　in　those　days。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Duke　of　Zhou　was　brother　of　King　Wu；　who　was　the　founder　of　Zhou　Dynasty。　After　King　Wu's　death；　the　Duke　of　Zhou　served　his　young　son　as　regent。　The　Duke　of　Zhou　pletely　ended　the　Shang　domination；　and　he　helped　establish　the　Zhou　administrative　framework；　which　served　as　a　model　for　future　Chinese　dynasties。　Zhou　Dynasty　lasted　for　800　years　（BC　1050…221）。　。。。。。
〃He　asked　about　Yi　Yin*　and　how　he　upheld　the　Shang；　and　the　Duke　of　Zhou*；　how　he　acted　when　he　was　regent。　And　we　told　His　Majesty　that　you　were　both　Yi　Yin　and　the　Duke　Zhou　to　him。〃
Sima　Shi　smiled　grimly　and　said；　〃Why　did　you　pare　me　with　those　two　when　in　your　hearts　you　think　me　a　rebel　like　Wang　Mang　and　Dong　Zhuo？〃
〃How　should　we　dare　when　we　are　your　subordinates？〃　said　the　three　ministers。
〃You　are　a　lot　of　flatterers；〃　said　Sima　Shi；　angrily。　〃And　what　were　you　crying　about　in　that　private　chamber　with　the　Emperor？〃
〃We　did　no　such　thing。〃
〃Your　eyes　are　still　red：　You　cannot　deny　that。〃
Xiahou　Xuan　then　knew　that　the　secrecy　had　been　showed；　so　he　broke　out　into　a　volley　of　abuse；　crying；　〃Well；　we　were　crying　because　of　your　conduct；　because　you　terrorize　over　the　Emperor　and　are　scheming　to　usurp　the　Throne！〃
〃Seize　him！〃　roared　Sima　Shi。
Xiahou　Xuan　threw　back　his　sleeves　and　struck　at　Sima　Shi　with　his　fists；　but　the　lictors　pulled　him　back。　Then　the　three　were　searched；　and　on　Zhang　Qi　was　found　the　blood…stained　garment　of　the　Emperor。　They　handed　it　to　their　chief；　who　recognized　the　object　of　his　search；　the　secret　edict。　It　said：
〃The　two　Sima　brothers　have　stolen　away　all　my　authority　and　are　plotting　to　take　the　Throne。　The　edicts　I　have　been　forced　to　issue　do　not　represent　my　wishes；　and　hereby　all　officers；　civil　and　military；　may　unite　to　destroy　these　two　and　restore　the　authority　of　the　Throne。　These　ends　achieved；　I　will　reward　those　who　help　to　acplish　them。〃
Sima　Shi；　more　angry　than　ever；　said；　〃So　you　wish　to　destroy　me　and　my　brother。　This　is　too　much！〃
He　ordered　his　followers　to　execute　the　three　on　the　public　ground　by　waist…bisection　and　to　destroy　their　whole　clans。
The　three　reviled　without　ceasing。　On　the　way　to　the　place　of　execution；　they　ground　their　teeth　with　rage；　spitting　out　the　pieces　they　broke　off。　They　died　muttering　curses。
Sima　Shi　then　went　to　the　rear　apartments　of　the　Palace；　where　he　found　the　Emperor　talking　with　his　Consort。
Just　as　he　entered；　she　was　saying　to　the　Emperor；　〃The　Palace　is　full　of　spies；　and　if　this　es　out；　it　will　mean　trouble　for　me。〃
Sima　Shi　strode　in；　sword　in　hand。
〃My　father　placed　Your　Majesty　on　the　throne；　a　service　no　less　worthy　than　that　of　Duke　Zhou；　I　have　served　Your　Majesty　as　Yi　Yin　served　his　master。　Now　is　kindness　met　by　enmity　and　service　regarded　as　a　fault。　Your　Majesty　has　plotted　with　two　or　three　insignificant　officials　to　slay　me　and　my　brother。　Why　is　this？〃
〃I　had　no　such　intention；〃　said　Cao　Fang。
In　reply　Sima　Shi　drew　the　garment　from　his　sleeve　and　threw　it　on　the　ground。
〃Who　did　this？〃
Cao　Fang　was　overwhelmed：　His　soul　flew　beyond　the　skies；　his　spirit　lied　to　the　ninth　heaven。
Shaking　with　fear；　he　said；　〃I　was　forced　into　it。　How　could　I　think　of　such　a　thing？〃
〃To　slander　ministers　by　charging　them　with　rebellion　is　an　aggravated　crime；〃　said　Sima　Shi。
Cao　Fang　knelt　at　his　feet；　saying；　〃Yes；　I　am　guilty。　Forgive　me。〃
〃I　beg　Your　Majesty　to　rise：　The　laws　must　be　respected！〃
Pointing　to　Empress　Zhang；　Sima　Shi　said；　〃She　is　of　the　Zhang　house　and　must　die！〃
〃Spare　her！〃　cried　Cao　Fang；　weeping　bitterly。
But　Sima　Shi　was　obdurate。　He　bade　the　lictors　lead　her　away；　and　she　was　strangled　with　a　white　silk　cord　at　a　Palace　gate。

Now　I　recall　another　year；　and　lo！
An　empress　borne　away　to　shameful　death。
Barefooted；　weeping　bitterly　she　shrieks
〃Farewell；〃　torn　from　her　consort's　arms。
History　repeats　itself；　time's　instrument；
Sima　Shi　avenges　this　on　Cao　Cao's　heirs。
＇e＇　Huo　Guang　（BC　？…68）　a　general　and　regent　of　Han。　After　Emperor　Wu　died；　Huo　Guang　became　regent　to　three　successive　emperors；　and　the　second　one　had　been　the　Prince　of　Changyi；　who　was　on　the　throne　for　only　twenty…seven　days。　Huo　Guang　had　the　Prince　of　Changyi　declared　unfit　to　rule　and　deposed　him。　Even　though　Huo　Guang　contributed　much　to　the　empire's　stabilization；　after　he　died；　he　was　distanced　by　the　emperor　and　most　of　his　family　were　executed　for　conspiracy　charges。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Yi　Yin　was　was　helper　and　prime　minister　of　King　Tang；　the　founder　of　Shang　Dynasty。　After　King　Tang's　death；　Yi　Yin　served　his　sons　and　grandson。　Soon　after　Tai　Jia；　King　Tang's　grandson；　ascended　the　throne；　he　mitted　many　faults；　and　Yi　Yin；　acting　as　regent；　exiled　Tai　Jia　to　Tong　Palace………the　burial　place　of　King　Tang。　After　three　years　Yi　Yin　returned　him　the　throne。　Tai　Jia　eventually　became　an　enlightened　emperor。　Shang　Dynasty　lasted　for　650　years　（BC　1700…1050）。　It　was　this　act　of　Yi　Yin　rather　than　his　services　in　building　up　an　empire　that　has　made　him　immortal。　Whether　he　did　right　in　temporarily　dethroning　the　king　was　open　to　question；　until　a　final　verdict　was　rendered　by　Mencius　who　thought　that　his　ends　amply　justified　his　means。　This　historical　event　attests　the　extent　of　the　power　exercised　by　a　prime　minister　in　those　days。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Qi　was　an　ancient　state　on　the　extreme　eastern　edge　of　the　North　China　Plain　in　what　is　now　Shandong　and　Hebei　provinces。　Became　prominent　under　the　leadership　of　Duke　Huan　and　his　adviser　Guan　Zhong　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　It　nearly　won　the　empire　in　the　Warring　States　period。　。。。。。
The　day　after　these　events；　Sima　Shi　assembled　all　the　officers　and　addressed　them　thus：　〃Our　present　lord　is　profligate　and　devoid　of　principle；　familiar　with　the　vile　and　friendly　with　the　impure。　He　lends　a　ready　ear　to　slander　and　keeps　good　people　at　a　distance。　His　faults　exceed　those　of　the　Prince　of　Changyi*　of　old；　and　he　has　proved　himself　unfit　to　rule。　Wherefore；　following　the　precedents　of　Yi　Yin*　and　Huo　Guang*；　I　have　decided　to　put　him　aside　and　to　set　up　another；　thereby　to　maintain　the　sanctity　of　the　ruler　and　ensure　tranquillity。　What　think　you；　Sirs？〃
They　all　agreed；　saying；　〃General；　you　are　right　to　play　the　same　part　as　Yi　Yin　and　Huo　Guang；　thereby　acting　in　accordance　with　Heaven　and　fulfilling　the　desire　of　humankind。　Who　dares　dispute　it？〃
Then　Sima　Shi；　followed　by　the　whole　of　the　officials；　went　to　the　Palace　of　Everlasting　Peace　and　informed　the　Empress　Dowager　of　his　intention。
〃Whom　do　you　propose　to　place　on　the　throne；　General？〃　she　asked。
〃I　have　observed　that　Cao　Ju；　Prince　of　Pengcheng；　is　intelligent；　benevolent；　and　filial。　He　is　fit　to　rule　the　empire。〃
She　replied；　〃He　is　my　uncle；　and　it　is　not　convenient。　However；　there　is　Cao　Mao；　Duke　of　Gaogui；　and　grandson　of　Emperor　Pi。　He　is　of　mild　temperament；　respectful；　and　deferential；　and　may　be　set　up。　You；　Sir；　and　the　high　officers　of　state　might　favorably　consider　this。〃
Then　spoke　one；　saying；　〃Her　Majesty　speaks　well：　Cao　Mao　should　be　raised　to　the　throne。〃
All　eyes　turned　toward　the　speaker；　who　was　Sima　Fu；　uncle　of　Sima　Shi。
The　Duke　of　Gaogui　was　summoned　to　the　capital。
The　Empress　called　Cao　Fang　into　her　presence　in　the　Hall　of　Principles　and　blamed　him；　saying；　〃You　are　vicious　beyond　measure；　a　panion　of　lewd　men　and　a　friend　of　vile　women。　You　are　unfitted　to　rule。　Therefore　resign　the　imperial　seal　and　revert　to　your　status　of　Prince　of　Qi*。　You　are　forbidden　to　present　yourself　at　court　without　special　mand。〃
Cao　Fang；　weeping；　threw　himself　at　her　feet。　He　gave　up　the　seal；　got　into　his　carriage　and　went　away。　Only　a　few　faithful　ministers　restrained　their　tears　and　bade　him　farewell。

Cao　Cao；　the　mighty　minister　of　Han；
Oppressed　the　helpless；　little　then　thought　he
That　only　two　score　swiftly　passing　years
Would　bring　like　fate　to　his　posterity。

The　Emperor…elect　Cao　Mao　was　the　grandson　of　Emperor　Pi；　and　son　of　Cao　Lin；　Prince　of　Donghai。　When　Cao　Mao　was　nearing　the　capital；　all　the　officers　attended　to　receive　him　at　the　Nanye　Gate；　where　an　imperial　carriage　await