小说园

第61部分（第1页）

But　glory　to　him　who　died　in　vain。

Another　poet　wrote　of　the　sad　fate　of　Wang　Zifu　and　his　friends：

Greatheartedly　these　signed　the　silken　roll；

And　pledged　themselves　to　save　their　king　from　shame。

Alas！　Black　death　of　them　took　heavy　toll；

To　write　their　names　upon　the　roll　of　fame。

But　the　slaughter　of　the　conspirators　and　their　whole　households　did　not　appease　the　wrath　of　the　Prime　Minister。　The　Emperors　consort　was　a　sister　of　Dong　Cheng；　and；　sword　in　hand；　Cao　Cao　went　into　the　Forbidden　City　determined　to　slay　her　also。　The　Emperor　cherished　her　tenderly；　the　more　so　as　she　was　then　in　the　fifth　month　of　pregnancy。　That　day；　as　they　often　did；　the　Emperor；　Consort　Dong；　and　Empress　Fu　were　sitting　in　their　private　apartment　secretly　talking　of　the　decree　entrusted　to　Dong　Cheng　and　asking　each　other　why　nothing　seemed　to　have　been　done。　The　sudden　appearance　of　the　angry　Prime　Minister；　armed　as　he　was；　frightened　them　greatly。

〃Does　Your　Majesty　know　that　Dong　Cheng　conspired　against　me？〃　said　he。

〃Dong　Zhuo　died　long　ago；〃　replied　the　Emperor。

〃Not　Dong　Zhuo………Dong　Cheng！〃　roared　Cao　Cao。

The　Emperors　heart　trembled；　but　he　gasped　out；　〃Really　I　did　not　know！〃

〃So　the　cut　finger　and　the　blood　written　decree　are　all　forgotten；　eh？〃

The　Emperor　was　silent。　Cao　Cao　bade　his　lictors　seize　Consort　Dong。　The　Emperor　interposed　asking　pity　for　her　condition。

But　Cao　Cao　said；　〃If　Heaven　had　not　interposed　and　defeated　the　plot；　I　should　be　a　dead　man。　How　could　I　leave　this　woman　to　work　evil　to　me　by　and　by？〃

Said　the　Emperor；　〃Immure　her　in　one　of　the　palaces　till　her　confinement。　Do　not　harm　her　now！〃

〃Do　you　wish　me　to　spare　her　offspring　to　avenge　the　mother？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃I　pray　that　my　body　may　be　spared　mutilation　and　not　put　to　shame；〃　said　Consort　Dong。

Cao　Cao　bade　his　men　show　her　the　white　silk　cord。　The　Emperor　wept　bitterly。

〃Do　not　hate　me　in　the　below　realms　of　the　Nine　Golden　Springs；〃　said　the　Emperor　to　her。

His　tears　fell　like　rain。　Empress　Fu　also　joined　in　the　lament；　but　Cao　Cao　said；　〃You　are　behaving　like　a　lot　of　children。〃

And　he　told　the　lictors　to　take　Consort　Dong　away　and　strangle　her　in　the　courtyard。

In　vain　had　the　fair　girl　found　favor　in　the　sight　of　her　lord。

She　died；　and　the　fruit　of　her　womb　perished。

Stern　and　calm　her　lord　sat；　powerless　to　save。

Hiding　his　face　while　tears　gushed　forth。

When　leaving　the　Palace；　Cao　Cao　gave　strict　orders　to　the　keepers；　saying　〃Anyone　of　the　imperial　relatives　by　marriage　who　enter　the　Palace　will　be　put　to　death；　and　the　guards　will　share　the　same　punishment　for　lack　of　zeal。〃

To　make　more　sure　he　appointed　three　thousand　Imperial　Guards　from　his　own　troops　and　appointed　Cao　Hong　to　the　mand。

Then　said　Cao　Cao　to　his　counselor　Cheng　Yu；　〃The　conspirators　in　the　capital　have　been　removed；　it　is　true；　but　there　are　yet　two　others；　Ma　Teng　and　Liu　Bei。　These　must　not　be　left。〃

Cheng　Yu　replied；　〃Ma　Teng　is　strong　in　the　west　and　would　not　be　easily　captured。　He　might　be　enticed　to　the　capital　by　suave　words　and　kindly　praises；　when　he　would　be　at　your　mercy。　Liu　Bei　is　at　Xuzhou；　strongly　posted　in　an　ox…horn　formation；　and　not　to　be　lightly　attacked。　More　than　this；　Yuan　Shao　is　at　Guandu；　and　his　one　desire　is　to　attack　you。　Any　attempt　on　the　east　will　send　Liu　Bei　to　Yuan　Shao　for　help；　and　Yuan　Shao　will　e　here　at　once。　Then　what　will　you　do？〃

〃You　are　at　fault；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。　〃Liu　Bei　is　a　bold　warrior。　If　we　wait　till　he　is　fully　fledged　and　winged；　he　will　be　more　difficult　to　deal　with。　Yuan　Shao　may　be　strong；　but　he　is　not　to　be　feared。　He　is　too　undeciding　to　act。〃

As　they　were　discussing　these　things；　Guo　Jia　came　in；　and　Cao　Cao　suddenly　referred　the　matter　to　him。

〃If　I　attack　Liu　Bei；　then　Yuan　Shao　is　to　be　feared。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

Guo　Jia　said；　〃Yuan　Shao　by　nature　is　dilatory　and　hesitating；　and　his　various　advisers　are　jealous　of　each　other。　He　is　not　to　be　feared。　Liu　Bei　is　getting　together　a　new　army　and　has　not　yet　won　their　hearts。　You　could　settle　the　east　in　one　battle。〃

〃This　advice　is　in　harmony　with　my　thinking；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　prepared　an　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops；　to　move　in　five　divisions　against　Xuzhou。

Scouts　took　the　news　of　these　preparations　to　Xuzhou。　Sun　Qian　first　went　to　Xiapi　to　tell　Guan　Yu　and　then　went　to　Xiaopei　to　tell　Liu　Bei。　The　two　discussed　the　position　and　decided　that　help　must　be　sought。　So　letters　were　written　to　Yuan　Shao　and　given　to　Sun　Qian；　who　went　north；　sought　Tian　Feng；　and　asked　him　to　arrange　an　interview　with　Yuan　Shao。　Sun　Qian　was　introduced　and　presented　his　letters。

But　Yuan　Shao　was　of　melancholy　countenance；　and　his　dress　was　all　awry。　Tian　Feng　said；　〃Why　this　disarray；　my　lord？〃