三国演义英文版-第34部分

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leaders。　It　would　be　well　for　the　empire　if　he　would　lend　his　support　to　the　imperial　family　and　help　to　rid　the　government　of　this　evil　party。〃
His　Majesty　wept；　〃I　am　weary　of　the　insults　and　contempt　of　these　wretches　and　should　be　very　glad　to　have　them　removed。〃
〃I　have　thought　of　a　plan　to　estrange　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　and　so　make　them　destroy　each　other。　Then　Cao　Cao　could　e　and　cleanse　the　court；〃　said　Yang　Biao。
〃How　will　you　manage　it？〃　asked　the　Emperor。
〃Guo　Si's　wife；　Lady　Qiong；　is　very　jealous；　and　we　can　take　advantage　of　her　weakness　to　bring　about　a　quarrel。〃
So　Yang　Biao　received　instruction　to　act；　with　a　secret　edict　to　support　him。　Yang　Biao's　wife；　Lady　Kai；　made　an　excuse　to　visit　Lady　Qiong　at　her　palace　and；　in　the　course　of　conversation；　said　〃There　is　talk　of　secret　liaison　between　the　General；　your　husband；　and　the　wife　of　Minister　Li　Jue。　It　is　a　great　secret；　but　if　Minister　Li　Jue　knew　it；　he　might　try　to　harm　your　husband。　I　think　you　ought　to　have　very　little　to　do　with　that　family。〃
Lady　Qiong　was　surprised　but　said；　〃I　have　wondered　why　he　has　been　sleeping　away　from　home　lately；　but　I　did　not　think　there　was　anything　shameful　connected　with　it。　I　should　never　have　known　if　you　had　not　spoken。　I　must　put　a　stop　to　it。〃
By　and　by；　when　Lady　Kai　took　her　leave；　Lady　Qiong　thanked　her　warmly　for　the　information　she　had　given。
Some　days　passed；　and　Guo　Si　was　going　over　to　the　dwelling　of　Li　Jue　to　a　dinner。
Lady　Qiong　did　not　wish　him　to　go　and　she　said；　〃This　Li　Jue　is　very　deep；　and　one　cannot　fathom　his　designs。　You　two　are　not　of　equal　rank；　and　if　he　made　away　with　you；　what　would　bee　of　your　poor　handmaid？〃
Guo　Si　paid　no　attention；　and　his　wife　could　not　prevail　on　him　to　stay　at　home。　Late　in　the　afternoon　some　presents　arrived　from　Li　Jue's　palace；　and　Lady　Qiong　secretly　put　poison　into　the　delicacies　before　she　set　them　before　her　lord。
Guo　Si　was　going　to　taste　at　once　but　she　said；　〃It　is　unwise　to　consume　things　that　e　from　outside。　Let　us　try　on　a　dog　first。〃
They　did　and　the　dog　died。　This　incident　made　Guo　Si　doubt　the　kindly　intentions　of　his　colleague。
One　day；　at　the　close　of　business　at　court；　Li　Jue　invited　Guo　Si　to　his　palace。　After　Guo　Si　arrived　home　in　the　evening；　rather　the　worse　for　too　much　wine；　he　was　seized　with　a　colic。　His　wife　said　she　suspected　poison　and　hastily　administered　an　emetic；　which　relieved　the　pain。
Guo　Si　began　to　feel　angry；　saying；　〃We　did　everything　together　and　helped　each　other　always。　Now　he　wants　to　injure　me。　If　I　do　not　get　in　the　first　blow；　I　shall　suffer　some　injury。〃
So　Guo　Si　began　to　prepare　his　guards　for　any　sudden　emergency。
This　was　told　to　Li　Jue；　and　he　in　turn　grew　angry；　saying；　〃So　Guo　Si　is　doing　so　and　so！〃
Then　Li　Jue　got　his　guards　under　way　and　came　to　attack　Guo　Si。　Both　houses　had　ten　thousand；　and　the　quarrel　became　so　serious　that　they　fought　a　pitched　battle　under　the　city　walls。　When　that　was　over　both　sides　turned　to　plunder　the　people。
Then　a　nephew　of　Li　Jue；　Li　Xian；　suddenly　surrounded　the　Palace；　put　the　Emperor　and　Empress　in　two　carriages；　and　assigned　Jia　Xu　and　Zuo　Ling　to　carry　them　off。　The　Palace　attendants　were　made　to　follow　on　foot。　As　they　went　out　of　the　rear　gate；　they　met　Guo　Si's　army　who　began　to　shoot　at　the　cavalcade　with　arrows。　They　killed　many　attendants　before　Li　Jue's　army　came　up　and　forced　them　to　retire。
The　carriages　were　got　out　of　the　Palace　and　eventually　reached　Li　Jue's　camp；　while　Guo　Si's　soldiers　plundered　the　Palace　and　carried　off　all　the　women　left　there　to　their　camp。　Then　the　Palace　was　set　on　fire。
As　soon　as　Guo　Si　heard　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　Emperor；　he　came　over　to　attack　the　camp　of　Li　Jue。　The　Emperor　between　these　two　opposing　factions　was　greatly　alarmed。　Indeed：

Slowly　the　Hans　had　declined　but　renewed　their　vigor　with　Liu　Xiu；
Twelve　were　the　rulers　before　him；　followed　him　also　twelve　others。
Foolish　were　two　of　the　latest；　dangers　surrounded　the　altars；
These　were　degenerate　days；　with　authority　given　to　eunuchs。
Then　did　He　Jin　the　simple；　the　inept；　who　manded　the　army；
Warriors　call　to　the　capital；　wishing　to　drive　out　the　vermin；
Though　they　drove　out　the　leopards；　tigers　and　wolves　quickly　entered。
All　kinds　of　evil　were　wrought　by　a　low　class　creature　from　Xizhou。
Wang　Yun；　honest　of　heart；　beguiled　this　wretch　with　a　woman；
Much　desired　of　his　henchman；　thus　sowing　seeds　of　dissension。
Strife　resulted；　and　peace　no　longer　dwelt　in　the　empire。
No　one　suspected　that　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　would　continue　the　evil；
Much　to　the　sorrow　of　the　Middle　Kingdom；　yet　they　stove　for　a　trifle。
Famine　stalked　in　the　Palace；　grief　for　the　clashing　of　weapons；
Why　did　the　warriors　strive？　Why　was　the　land　thus　partitioned？
They　had　turned　aside　from　the　way　appointed　of　Heaven。
Kings　must　ponder　these　things；　heavy　the　burden　lies　on　them；
Chiefest　in　all　the　realm　theirs　is　no　mon　appointment；
Should　the　King　falter　or　fail；　calamities　fall　on　the　multitude　people；
The　empire　is　drenched　with　their　blood；　grisly　ruin　surrounds　them。
Steeped　in　sorrow　and　sad；　read　you　the　ancient　records；
Long　is　the　tale　of　years；　the　tale　of　sorrow　is　longer。
Wherefore　one　who　would　rule；　chiefly　must　exercise　forethought。
This　and　a　keen…edged　blade；　these　must　suffice　to　maintain　one。

Guo　Si's　army　arrived；　and　Li　Jue　went　out　to　give　battle。　Guo　Si's　troops　had　no　success　and　retired。　Then　Li　Jue　removed　the　imperial　captives　to　Meiwo　with　his　nephew　Li　Xian　as　gaoler。　Supplies　were　reduced；　and　famine　showed　itself　on　the　faces　of　the　eunuchs。　The　Emperor　sent　to　Li　Jue　to　request　five　carts　of　rice　and　five　sets　of　bullock　bones　for　his　attendants。
Li　Jue　angrily　replied；　〃The　court　gets　food　morning　and　evening。　Why　do　they　ask　for　more？〃
He　sent　putrid　meat　and　rotten　grain；　and　the　Emperor　was　very　vexed　at　the　new　insult。
Imperial　Counselor　Yang　Qi　counseled　patience；　saying；　〃Li　Jue　is　a　base　creature　but；　under　the　present　circumstances；　Your　Majesty　must　put　up　with　it。　You　may　not　provoke　him。〃
The　Emperor　bowed　and　was　silent；　but　the　tears　fell　on　his　garments。　Suddenly　someone　came　in　with　the　tidings　that　a　force　of　cavalry；　their　sabers　glittering　in　the　sun；　was　approaching　to　rescue　them。　Then　they　heard　the　gongs　beat　and　the　roll　of　the　drums。
The　Emperor　sent　to　find　out　who　it　was。　But　it　was　Guo　Si；　and　the　sadness　fell　again。　Presently　arose　a　great　din。　For　Li　Jue　had　gone　out　to　do　battle　with　Guo　Si；　whom　he　abused　by　name。
〃I　treated　you　well；　and　why　did　you　try　to　kill　me？〃　said　Li　Jue。
〃You　are　a　rebel；　why　should　I　not　slay　you？〃　cried　Guo　Si。
〃You　call　me　rebel　when　I　am　guarding　the　Emperor？〃
〃You　have　abducted　him：　Do　you　call　that　guarding？〃
〃Why　so　many　words？　Let　us　forgo　a　battle　and　settle　the　matter　in　single　bat；　the　winner　to　take　the　Emperor　and　go。〃
The　two　generals　fought　in　front　of　their　armies；　but　neither　could　prevail　over　the　other。
Then　they　saw　Yang　Biao　e　riding　up　to　them；　crying；　〃Rest　a　while；　O　manders！　For　I　have　invited　a　party　of　officers　to　arrange　a　peace。〃
Wherefore　the　two　leaders　retired　to　their　camps。　Soon　Yang　Biao；　Zhu　Jun；　and　sixty　other　officials　came　up　and　went　to　Guo　Si's　camp。　They　were　all　thrown　into　confinement。
〃We　came　with　good　intentions；〃　they　moaned；　〃and　we　are　treated　like　this。〃
〃Li　Jue　has　run　off　with　the　Emperor；　I　have　to　have　the　officers；〃　said　Guo　Si。
〃What　does　it　mean？　One　has　the　Emperor；　the　other　his　officers。　What　do　you　want？〃　said　Yang　Biao。
Guo　Si　lost　patience　and　drew　his　sword；　but　mander　Yang　Mi　persuaded　him　not　to　slay　the　speaker。　Then　Guo　Si　released　Yang　Biao　and　Zhu　Jun　but　kept　the　others　in　the　camp。
〃Here　are　we　two　officers　of　the　Throne；　and　we　cannot　help　our　lord。　We　have　been　born　in　vain；〃　said　Yang　Biao　to　Zhu　Jun。
Throwing　their　arms　about　each　other；　they　wept　and　fell　swooning　to　the　earth。　Zhu　Jun　went　home；　fell　seriously　ill　and　died。
Thereafter　the　two　adversaries　fought　every　day　for　nearly　three　months；　each　losing　many　soldiers。
Now　Li　Jue　was　irreligious　and　practiced　magic。　He　often　called　witches　to　beat　drums　and　summon　spirits；　even　when　in　camp。　Jia　Xu　used　to　remonstrate　with　him；　but　quite　uselessly。
Yang　Qi　said　to　the　Emperor；　〃That　Jia　Xu；　although　a　friend　of　Li　Jue；　never　seems　to　have　lost　the　sense　of　loyalty　to　Your　Majesty。〃
Soon　after　Jia　Xu　himself　arrived。
The　Emperor　sent　away　his　attendants　and　said　to　Jia　Xu；　weeping　the　while；　〃Can　you　not　pity　the　Hans　and　help　me？〃
Jia　Xu　prostrated　himself；　saying；　〃That　is　my　dearest　wish。　But；　Sire；　say　no　more：　Let　thy　servant　work　out　a　plan。〃
The　Emperor　dried　his　tears；　and　soon　Li　Jue　came　in。　He　wore　a　sword　by　his　side　and　strode　straight　up　to　the　Emperor；　whose　face　became　the　color　of　clay。
Then　Li　Jue　spoke；　〃Guo　Si　has　failed　in　his　duty　and　imprisoned　the　court　officers。　He　wished　to　slay　Your　Majesty；　and　you　would　have　been　captured　but　for　me。〃
The　Emperor　joined　his　hands　together　in　salute　and　thanked　Li　Jue。　Li　Jue　went　away。
Before　long　Huangfu　Li　entered。　The　Emperor；　knowing　him　as　a　man　of　persuasive　tongue　and　that　he　came　from　the　same　county　as　Li　Jue；　bade　him　go　to　both　factions　to　try　to　arrange　peace。
Huangfu　Li　accepted　the　mission　and　first　went　to　Guo　Si；　who　said；　〃I　would　release　the　officers　if　Li　Jue　would　restore　the　Emperor　to　full　liberty。〃
Huangfu　Li　then　went　to　the　other　side。　To　Li　Jue　he　said；　〃Since　I　am　a　Xiliang　man；　the　Emperor　and　the　officers　have　selected　me　to　make　peace　between　you　and　your　adversary。　Guo　Si　has　consented　to　cease　the　quarrel。　Will　you　agree　to　peace？〃
〃I　overthrew　Lu　Bu；　I　have　upheld　the　government　for　four　years　and　have　many　great　services　to　my　credit　as　all　the　world　knows。　That　other　fellow；　that　horse…thief；　has　dared　to　seize　the　officers　of　state　and　to　set　himself　up　against　me。　I　have　sworn　to　slay　him。　Look　around　you。　Do　you　not　think　my　army　large　enough　to　break　him？〃
〃It　does　not　follow；〃　said　Huangfu　Li。　〃In　ancient　days　in　Youqiong；　Hou　Yi；　proud　of　and　confident　in　his　archer's　skill；　gave　no　thought　to　others　and　governed　alone；　and　he　so　perished。　Lately　you　yourself　have　seen　the　powerful　Dong　Zhuo　betrayed　by　Lu　Bu；　who　had