小说园

第7部分（第1页）

without　further　action。

Zhang　Rang　and　the　eunuchs　knew　this　move　was　directed　against　them　and　said；　〃This　is　He　Jins　plot。　If　we　do　not　strike　first；　our　whole　clans　shall　be　exterminated。〃

So　they　hid　a　band　of　fifty　armed　ruffians　at　the　Gate　of　Grand　Virtue　in　the　Palace　of　Happiness；　where　the　Empress　lived；　then　they　went　in　to　see　her。

They　said；　〃The　General；　feigning　to　act　under　mand；　has　called　up　armies　to　the　capital　to　destroy　us。　We　pray　you；　Your　Majesty；　pity　and　save　us！〃

〃Go　to　the　General　and　confess　your　faults；〃　said　the　Empress。

〃If　we　did；　then　should　we　be　cut　to　mincemeat！　Rather　summon　the　General　into　your　presence　and　mand　him　to　cease。　If　he　will　not；　then　we　pray　but　die　in　your　presence。〃

Empress　He　issued　the　requisite　mand。

He　Jin　was　just　going　to　her　when　Secretary　Chen　Lin　advised　him　not　to　enter；　saying；　〃The　eunuchs　are　certainly　behind　the　order　and　mean　your　harm。〃

But　He　Jin　could　only　see　the　mand　of　the　Empress　and　was　oblivious　to　all　else。　Said　he；　〃Clearly；　this　is　an　edict　from　the　Empress。　What　harm？〃

〃Our　plot　is　no　longer　a　secret；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃Still　you　may　go　if　you　are　ready　to　fight　your　way　in。〃

〃Get　the　eunuchs　out　first！〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Silly　children！〃　said　He　Jin。　〃What　can　they　do　against　the　man　who　holds　the　forces　of　the　empire　in　his　palm？〃

Yuan　Shao　said；　〃If　you　will　go；　then　we　will　e　as　a　guard；　just　as　a　precaution。〃

Whereupon　both　Yuan　Shao　and　Cao　Cao　chose　five　hundred　best　men　under　their　mand；　at　whose　head　they　placed　Yuan　Shu；　a　brother　of　Yuan　Shao。　Yuan　Shu；　clad　in　mail；　drew　up　his　troops　outside　the　Forbidden　Citys　entrance；　while　Yuan　Shao　and　Cao　Cao；　holding　swords；　went　as　escort。

When　He　Jin　neared　the　Palace　of　Happiness；　the　officers　from　the　Inner　Bureau　said；　〃The　orders　are　to　admit　the　Regent　Marshal　and　none　other。〃

So　the　escort　was　detained　outside。　He　Jin　went　in　proudly。　At　the　Gate　of　Grand　Virtue；　he　was　met　by　Zhang　Rang　and　Duan　Gui；　and　their　followers　quickly　closed　in　around　him。　He　Jin　began　to　feel　alarmed。

Then　Zhang　Rang　in　a　harsh　voice　began　to　revile　him：　〃What　crime　had　Empress　Dong　mitted　that　she　should　have　been　put　to　death？　And　when　the　Mother　of　the　Country　was　buried；　who　feigned　sickness　and　did　not　attend？　We　raised　you　and　your　paltry；　huckstering　family　to　all　the　dignity　and　wealth　you　have；　and　this　is　your　gratitude！　You　would　slay　us。　You　call　us　sordid　and　dirty：　Who　is　the　cleaner？〃

He　Jin　was　panic　stricken　and　looked　about　for　a　way　to　escape；　but　all　gates　had　been　shut。　The　eunuchs　closed　him　in；　and　then　the　assassins　appeared　and　cut　He　Jin　into　halves。

Closing　the　days　of　the　Hans；　and　the　years　of　their　rule　were　near　spent；

Stupid　and　tactless　was　He　Jin；　yet　stood　he　highest　in　office；

Many　were　they　who　advised　him；　but　he　was　deaf　as　he　heard　not；

Wherefore　fell　he　a　victim　under　the　swords　of　the　eunuchs。

So　He　Jin　died。　Yuan　Shao　and　Cao　Cao　waited　long。　By　and　by；　impatient　at　the　delay；　they　called　through　the　gate；　〃Thy　carriage　awaits；　O　General！〃

For　reply　the　head　of　He　Jin　was　flung　over　the　wall。　A　decree　was　proclaimed：　〃He　Jin　has　contemplated　treachery　and　therefore　has　been　slain！　It　pardons　his　adherents。〃

Yuan　Shao　shouted；　〃The　eunuchs　have　slain　the　High　Minister。　Let　those　who　will　slay　this　wicked　party　e　and　help　me！〃

Then　one　of　He　Jins　generals；　Wu　Kuang；　set　fire　to　the　gate。　Yuan　Shu　at　the　head　of　his　guards　burst　in　and　fell　to　slaying　the　eunuchs　without　regard　to　age　or　rank。　Yuan　Shao　and　Cao　Cao　broke　into　the　inner　part　of　the　Palace。　Four　of　the　eunuchs………Zhao　Zhong；　Cheng　Kuang；　Xia　Yun；　and　Guo　Sheng………fled　to　the　Blue　Flower　Lodge　where　they　were　hacked　to　pieces。　Fire　raged；　destroying　the　buildings。

Four　of　the　Ten　Regular　Attendants………Zhang　Rang；　Duan　Gui；　Cao　Jie；　and　Hou　Lan………led　by　Zhang　Rang　carried　off　the　Empress；　Emperor　Bian；　and　Prince　Xian　of　Chenliu　toward　the　North　Palace。

Lu　Zhi；　since　he　had　resigned　office；　was　at　home；　but　hearing　of　the　revolution　in　the　Palace　he　donned　his　armor；　took　his　spear；　and　prepared　to　fight。

He　saw　Eunuch　Duan　Gui　hurrying　the　Empress　along　and　called　out；　〃You　rebel；　how　dare　you　abduct　the　Empress？〃

The　eunuch　fled。　The　Empress　leaped　out　of　a　window　and　was　taken　to　a　place　of　safety。

General　Wu　Kuang　burst　into　one　of　the　inner　halls　where　he　found　He　Miao；　sword　in　hand。

〃You　also　were　in　the　plot　to　slay　your　own　brother；〃　cried　Wu　Kuang。　〃You　shall　die　with　the　others！〃

〃Let　us　kill　the　plotter　against　his　elder　brother！〃　cried　many。

He　Miao　looked　around：　His　enemies　hemmed　him　in　on　every　side。　He　was　hacked　to　pieces。

Yuan　Shu　bade　his　soldiers　scatter　and　seek　out　all　the　families　of　the　eunuchs；　sparing　none。　In　that　slaughter　many　beardless　men　were　killed　in　error。

Cao　Cao　set　himself　to　extinguish　the　fires。　He　then　begged　Empress　He　to　undertake　the　direction　of　affairs；　and　soldiers　were　sent　to　pursue　Zhang　Rang　and　rescue　the　young　Emperor　and　the　young　Prince　of　Chenliu。

Meanwhile；　Zhang　Rang　and　Duan　Gui　had　hustled　away　the　Emperor　and　the　Prince。　They　burst　through　the　smoke　and　fire　and　traveled　without　stopping　till　they　reached　the　Beimang　Hills。　It　was　then　the　third　watch。　They　heard　a　great　shouting　behind　them　and　saw　soldiers　in　pursuit。　Their　leader；　Min　Gong；　a　mander　in　Henan；　was　shouting；　〃Traitors；　stop；　stop！〃

Zhang　Rang；　seeing　that　he　was　lost；　jumped　into　the　river；　where　he　was　drowned。