小说园

第50部分（第3页）

The　Emperor　bade　them　bring　forth　the　Books　of　the　Genealogies；　and　therefrom　a　secretary　read：

〃Liu　Jing　the　Filial　Emperor　begot　fourteen　sons　of　whom　the　seventh　was　Liu　Sheng；　Prince　of　Zhongshan。　Sheng　begot　Liu　Zhen；　Lord　of　Luchang。　Zhen　begot　Liu　Ang；　Lord　of　Pei。　Ang　begot　Liu　Lu；　Lord　of　Zhang。　Lu　begot　Liu　Lian；　Lord　of　Yishui。　Lian　begot　Liu　Ying；　Lord　of　Qinyang。　Ying　begot　Liu　Jian；　Lord　of　Anguo。　Jian　begot　Liu　Ai；　Lord　of　Guangling。　Ai　begot　Liu　Xia；　Lord　of　Jiaoshui。　Xia　begot　Liu　Shu；　Lord　of　Zuyi。　Shu　begot　Liu　Yi；　Lord　of　Qiyang。　Yi　begot　Liu　Bi；　Lord　of　Yuanze。　Bi　begot　Liu　Da；　Lord　of　Yingchuan。　Da　begot　Liu　Buyi；　Lord　of　Fengling。　Buyi　begot　Liu　Hui；　Lord　of　Jichuan。　Hui　begot　Liu　Xiong；　Governor　of　Zhuo。　Xiong　begot　Liu　Hong；　who　held　no　office　or　rank；　and　Liu　Bei　is　his　son。〃

The　Emperor　pared　this　with　the　registers　of　the　Imperial　House　and　found　by　them　that　Liu　Bei　was　his　uncle　by　descent。　The　Emperor　seemed　greatly　pleased　and　requested　Liu　Bei　to　go　into　one　of　the　side　chambers　where　he　might　perform　the　ceremonial　obeisance　prescribed　for　a　nephew　to　his　uncle。　In　his　heart　he　rejoiced　to　have　this　heroic　warrior　uncle　as　a　powerful　supporter　against　Cao　Cao　who　really　held　all　the　power　in　his　own　hands。　The　Emperor　knew　himself　to　be　a　mere　puppet。　He　conferred　upon　his　uncle　the　rank　of　General　of　the　Left　Army　and　the　title　of　Lord　of　Yicheng。

When　the　banquet　was　concluded；　Liu　Bei　thanked　the　Emperor　and　went　out　of　the　Palace。　And　from　this　time　he　was　very　generally　styled　the　〃Imperial　Uncle。〃

When　Cao　Cao　returned　to　his　palace；　Xun　Yu　and　his　fellow　advisers　went　in　to　see　him。

Xun　Yu　said；　〃It　is　no　advantage　to　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　that　the　Emperor　recognizes　Liu　Bei　as　an　uncle。〃

〃Liu　Bei　may　be　recognized　as　uncle；　but　he　is　under　my　orders　since　I　control　the　decrees　of　the　Throne。　He　will　be　all　the　more　ready　to　obey。　Beside　I　will　keep　him　here　under　the　pretense　of　having　him　near　his　sovereign；　and　he　will　be　entirely　in　my　hands。　I　have　nothing　to　fear。　The　man　I　fear　is　Yang　Biao；　who　is　a　relative　of　the　two　Yuan　brothers。　Should　Yang　Biao　conspire　with　them；　he　is　an　enemy　within　and　might　do　much　harm。　He　will　have　to　be　removed。〃

Hence　Cao　Cao　sent　a　secret　emissary　to　say　that　Imperial　Guardian　Yang　Biao　was　intriguing　with　Yuan　Shu；　and　on　this　charge　Yang　Biao　was　arrested　and　imprisoned。　And　his　death　would　have　been　passed　had　his　enemy　dared。

But　just　then　the　Governor　of　Beihai；　Kong　Rong；　was　at　the　capital；　and　he　remonstrated　with　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃Yang　Biao　es　from　a　family　famed　for　virtue　for　at　least　four　generations。　You　cannot　trump　up　so　foolish　a　charge　as　that　against　him。〃

〃It　is　the　wish　of　His　Majesty！〃　retorted　Cao　Cao。

〃If　the　child　Emperor　Cheng　of　Zhou　Dynasty　had　put　Duke　Chao　to　death；　could　the　people　have　believed　Duke　Zhou；　the　Regent　Marshal；　had　nothing　to　do　with　it？〃

So　Cao　Cao　had　to　relinquish　the　attempt；　but　he　took　away　Yang　Biaos　offices　and　banished　him　to　his　family　estate　in　the　country。

Court　Counselor　Zhao　Yan；　an　opponent　of　the　Prime　Minister；　sent　up　a　memorial　impeaching　Cao　Cao　for　having　removed　a　minister　of　state　from　office　without　a　decree。　Cao　Caos　reply　to　this　was　the　arrest　of　Zhao　Yan　and　his　execution；　a　bold　stroke　which　terrified　the　bulk　of　officers　and　reduced　them　to　silence。

Cheng　Yu　advised　Cao　Cao　to　assume　a　more　definite　position。　He　said；　〃Illustrious　Sir；　your　prestige　grows　daily。　Why　not　seize　the　opportunity　to　take　the　position　of　Chief　of　the　Feudatory　Princes？〃

〃There　are　still　too　many　supporters　of　the　court；〃　was　the　reply。　〃I　must　be　careful。　I　am　going　to　propose　a　royal　hunt　to　try　to　find　out　the　best　line　to　follow。〃

This　expedition　being　decided　upon　they　got　together　fleet　horses；　famous　falcons；　and　pedigree　hounds；　and　prepared　bows　and　arrows　in　readiness。　They　mustered　a　strong　force　of　guards　outside　the　city。

When　the　Prime　Minister　proposed　the　hunting　expedition；　the　Emperor　said　he　feared　it　was　an　improper　thing　to　do。

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃In　ancient　times　rulers　made　four　expeditions　yearly　at　each　of　the　four　seasons　in　order　to　show　their　strength。　They　were　called　Sou；　Miao；　Xien；　and　Shou；　in　the　order　of　spring；　summer；　autumn；　and　winter。　Now　that　the　whole　country　is　in　confusion；　it　would　be　wise　to　inaugurate　a　hunt　in　order　to　train　the　army。　I　am　sure　Your　Majesty　will　approve。〃

So　the　Emperor　with　the　full　paraphernalia　for　an　imperial　hunt　joined　the　expedition。　He　rode　a　saddled　horse；　carried　an　inlaid　bow；　and　his　quiver　was　filled　with　gold…tipped　arrows。　His　chariot　followed　behind。　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers　were　in　the　imperial　train；　each　with　his　bow　and　quiver。　Each　party　member　wore　a　breastplate　under　the　outer　robe　and　held　his　especial　weapon；　while　their　escort　followed　them。　Cao　Cao　rode　a　dun　horse　called　〃Flying…Lightning；〃　and　the　army　was　one　hundred　thousand　strong。

The　hunt　took　place　in　Xutian；　and　the　legions　spread　out　as　guards　round　the　hunting　arena　which　extended　over　some　one　hundred　square　miles。　Cao　Cao　rode　even　with　the　Emperor；　the　horses　heads　alternating　in　the　lead。　The　imperial　attendants　immediately　following　were　all　in　Cao　Caos　confidence。　The　other　officers；　civil　and　military；　lagged　behind；　for　they　dared　not　press　forward　into　the　midst　of　Cao　Caos　partisans。

One　day　the　Emperor　was　riding　toward　the　hunting　grounds　and　noticed　his　newly　found　uncle　respectfully　standing　by　the　roadside。

〃I　should　like　to　see　my　uncle　display　his　hunting　skill；〃　said　the　Emperor。

Liu　Bei　mounted　his　steed　at　once。　Just　then　a　hare　started　from　its　form。　Liu　Bei　shot　and　hit　it　with　the　first　arrow。

The　Emperor；　much　struck　by　this　display；　rode　away　over　a　slope。　Suddenly　a　deer　broke　out　of　the　thicket。　He　shot　three　arrows　at　it　but　all　missed。

〃You　try；〃　said　the　Emperor　turning　to　Cao　Cao。

〃Lend　me　Your　Majestys　bow；〃　Cao　Cao　replied。

Taking　the　inlaid　bow　and　the　golden…tipped　arrows；　Cao　Cao　pulled　the　bow　and　hit　the　deer　in　the　shoulder　at　the　first　shot。　It　fell　in　the　grass　and　could　not　run。

Now　the　crowd　of　officers　seeing　the　golden…barbed　arrow　sticking　in　the　wound　con