小说园

第58部分（第2页）

〃In　our　day　Lu　Cui　and　Yan　Xiang；　remarkable　for　their　talents；　have　been　appointed　among　the　secretaries。　And　Mi　Heng　is　no　less　capable。　Should　he　be　got；　then　all　possibilities　may　be　realized：　The　dragon　may　curvet　through　the　celestial　streets　and　soar　along　the　Milky　Way；　fame　will　extend　to　the　poles　of　the　universe　and　hang　in　the　firmament　with　rainbow　glory。　He　would　be　the　glory　of　all　the　present　Ministers　and　enhance　the　majesty　of　the　Palace　itself。　The　Music　will　acquire　new　beauties；　and　the　Palace　will　contain　an　excellent　treasure。　People　like　Mi　Heng　are　but　few。　As　in　the　recitation　of　Ji　Chu　Songs　and　the　singing　of　Yang　E　Poems；　the　most　skillful　performers　are　sought；　and　such　fleet　horses　as　Fei　Tu　Broncos　and　Yao　Niao　Mustangs　were　looked　for　by　the　famous　judges　of　horses；　Wang　Liang　and　Bo　Le。　So　I；　the　humble　one；　dare　not　conceal　this　man。　Your　Majesty　is　careful　in　the　selection　of　servants　and　should　try　him。　Let　him　be　summoned　as　he　is；　simply　clad　in　his　serge　dress；　and　should　he　not　appear　worthy；　then　may　I　be　punished　for　the　fault　of　deception。〃

The　Emperor　read　the　memorial　and　passed　it　to　his　Prime　Minister；　who　duly　summoned　Mi　Heng。　He　came；　but　after　his　formal　salutations　were　over；　he　was　left　standing　and　not　invited　to　sit　down。

Looking　up　to　heaven；　Mi　Heng　sighed　deeply；　saying；　〃Wide　as　is　the　universe；　it　cannot　produce　the　person。〃

〃Under　my　orders　are　scores　of　people　whom　the　world　call　heroes。　What　do　you　mean　by　saying　there　is　not　the　person；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃I　should　be　glad　to　hear　who　they　are；〃　said　Mi　Heng。

＇e＇　Xiao　He　（BC　？…193）　a　close　adviser　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Remended　Han　Xin　to　Liu　Bang。　Became　Hans　prime　minister。　Enobled　as　the　Lord　of　Cuo。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Chen　Ping　（BC　？…178）　a　master　strategist　of　Liu　Bang。　He　first　served　Xiang　Yu　but　then　became　a　follower　in　Liu　Bangs　camp。　Served　as　Liu　Bangs　prime　minister　and　Empress　Lus　left　minister。　After　the　death　of　Empress　Lu；　Chen　Ping　played　an　important　role　in　returning　royal　authority　to　the　Liu　clan。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Cen　Peng　was　a　general　of　Liu　Xiu。　Cen　Peng　was　loyal　and　contributed　much　to　Liu　Xius　success。　He；　together　with　Yao　Qi；　Deng　Yu；　Chen　Jun；　and　Du　Mao；　was　executed　by　Liu　Xiu　by　mistake　when　Liu　Xiu　was　drunk。　Liu　Xiu　later　died　of　this　grief。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Ma　Wu　was　a　general　of　Liu　Xiu。　Also　contributed　much　to　Liu　Xius　success。　Ma　Wu　mitted　suicide　after　Liu　Xiu　executed　several　ministers　by　mistake　when　Liu　Xiu　was　drunk。　Liu　Xiu　later　died　of　this　grief。　。。。。。

〃Xun　Yu；　Xun　You；　Guo　Jia；　and　Cheng　Yu　are　all　people　of　profound　skill　and　long　views；　superior　to　Xiao　He*　and　Chen　Ping*。　Zhang　Liao；　Xu　Chu；　Li　Dian；　and　Yue　Jing　are　bravest　of　the　brave；　better　than　Cen　Peng*　and　Ma　Wu*。　Lu　Qian　and　Man　Chong　are　my　secretaries；　Yu　Jin　and　Xu　Huang　are　my　van　leaders；　Xiahou　Dun　is　one　of　the　worlds　marvels；　Cao　Ren　is　the　most　successful　leader　of　the　age。　Now　say　you　there　are　not　the　people？〃

〃Sir；　you　are　quite　mistaken；〃　said　Mi　Heng　with　a　smile。　〃I　know　all　these　things　you　call　people。　Xun　Yu　is　qualified　to　pose　at　a　funeral　or　ask　after　a　sick　man；　Xun　You　is　fit　to　be　a　tomb　guardian；　Cheng　Yu　might　be　sent　to　shut　doors　and　bolt　windows；　and　Guo　Jia　is　a　reciter　of　poems；　Zhang　Liao　might　beat　drums　and　clang　gongs；　Xu　Chu　might　lead　cattle　to　pasture；　Yue　Jing　would　make　a　fair　reader　of　elegy；　Li　Dian　could　carry　dispatches　and　notices；　Lu　Qian　would　be　a　fair　armorer；　Man　Chong　could　be　sent　to　drink　wine　and　eat　brewers　grains；　Yu　Jin　might　be　of　use　to　carry　planks　and　build　walls；　Xu　Huang　might　be　employed　to　kill　pigs　and　slay　dogs；　Xiahou　Dun　should　be　styled　Whole　Body　General；　and　Cao　Ren　should　be　called　Money…grubbing　Governor。　As　for　the　remainder；　they　are　mere　clothes　shelves；　rice　sacks；　wine　vases；　flesh　bags。〃

〃And　what　special　gifts　have　you？〃　said　Cao　Cao　angrily。

＇e＇　Kings　Yao　and　Shun　are　two　ideal　rulers；　while　Confucius　and　Mencius　are　two　great　philosophers。

〃I　know　everything　in　heaven　above　and　the　earth　beneath。　I　am　conversant　with　the　Three　Religions　and　the　Nine　Systems　of　Philosophy。　I　could　make　my　prince　the　rival　of　Kings　Yao　and　Shun；　and　I　myself　could　pare　in　virtue　with　Confucius　and　Mencius。*　Can　I　discuss　on　even　terms　with　mon　people？〃

Now　Zhang　Liao　was　present；　and　he　raised　his　sword　to　strike　down　the　impudent　visitor　who　spoke　thus　to　his　master；　but　Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　want　another　drummer　boy　to　play　on　occasions　of　congratulation　in　the　court。　I　will　confer　this　office　upon　him。〃

Instead　of　indignantly　declining　this；　Mi　Heng　accepted　the　position　and　went　out。

〃He　spoke　very　impertinently；〃　said　Zhang　Liao。　〃Why　did　you　not　put　him　to　death？〃

〃He　has　something　of　a　reputation；　empty；　but　people　have　heard　of　him　and　so；　if　I　put　him　to　death；　they　would　say　I　was　intolerant。　As　he　thinks　he　has　ability；　I　have　made　him　a　drummer　to　mortify　him。〃

Soon　after　Cao　Cao　instituted　a　banquet　in　the　capital　at　which　the　guests　were　many。　The　drums　were　to　be　played；　and　the　old　drummers　were　ordered　to　wear　new　clothes。　But　the　new　drummer　Mi　Heng　took　his　place　with　the　other　musicians　clad　in　old　and　worn　garments。　The　piece　chosen　was　the　〃Tolling　of　Yuyang；〃　and　from　the　earliest　taps　on　the　drum　the　effect　was　exquisite；　profound　as　the　notes　from　metal　and　stone。　The　performance　stirred　deeply　the　emotions　of　every　guest；　some　even　shed　tears。

Seeing　all　eyes　turned　on　the　shabby　performer；　the　attendants　said；　〃Why　did　you　not　put　on　your　new　uniform？〃

Mi　Heng　turned　to　them；　slipped　off　his　frayed　and　torn　robe　and　stood　there　in　full　view；　naked　as　he　was　born。　The　assembled　guests　covered　their　faces。　Then　the　drummer　posedly　drew　on　his　nether　garments。

〃Why　do　you　behave　so　rudely　at　court？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃To　flout　ones　prince　and　insult　ones　superiors　is　the　real　rudeness；〃　cried　Mi　Heng。　〃I　bare　my　natural　body　as　an　emblem　of　my　purity。〃

〃So　you　are　pure！　And　who　is　foul？〃

〃You　do　not　distinguish　between　the　wise　and　the　foolish；　which　is　to　have　foul　vision。　You　have　never　read　the　Odes　or　the　Histories；　which　is　to　have　foul　speech。　You　are