小说园

第191部分（第1页）

〃Who　has　the　late　Princes　seal？〃　asked　he。

Jia　Kui　replied　seriously；　〃There　is　an　eldest　son　to　a　house；　and　an　heir…apparent　to　a　state。　Such　a　question　from　your　lordship　is　unbeing。〃

Cao　Zhang　held　his　peace；　and　the　two　proceeded　into　the　city　to　the　gates　of　the　Palace。　There　Jia　Kui　suddenly　asked　him；　〃You　e　as　a　mourner　or　as　a　rival　claimant？〃

〃I　am　e　as　a　mourner。　I　never　had　any　ulterior　motive。〃

〃That　being　so。　Why　bring　in　your　soldiers？〃

Whereupon　Cao　Zhang　ordered　his　escort　to　retire；　and　entered　the　city　alone。　When　the　Cao　brothers　met；　they　fell　into　each　others　arms　and　wept。　Then　Cao　Zhang　yielded　mand　of　all　his　army；　and　he　was　directed　to　go　back　to　Yanling　and　guard　it。　He　obediently　withdrew。

Cao　Pi；　being　now　firmly　established；　changed　the　name　of　the　period　of　his　rule　to　the　Prolonged　Wealth　Era；　the　First　Year　（AD　220）。　He　made　Jia　Xu　Grand　mander；　Hua　Xin　Prime　Minister；　and　Wang　Lang　High　Minister；　and　made　many　promotions。　To　the　late　Prince；　he　gave　the　posthumous　title　of　the　King　of　Great　Might；　and　buried　him　in　Gaoling。

To　the　superintendence　of　the　building　of　King　Caos　tomb；　Cao　Pi　nominated　Yu　Jin；　but　with　malevolent　intent。　For　when　Yu　Jin　reached　his　post；　he　found　the　walls　of　the　rooms　decorated　with　chalk　sketches　depicting　the　drowning　of　the　seven　armies　and　the　capture　of　himself　by　Guan　Yu。　Guan　Yu　was　looking　very　dignified　and　severe。　Pang　De　was　refusing　to　bow　to　the　victor；　while　Yu　Jin　himself　was　lying　in　the　dust　pleading　for　his　life。

Cao　Pi　had　chosen　this　method　of　putting　Yu　Jin　to　open　shame；　because　Yu　Jin　had　not　preferred　death　to　the　dishonor　of　capture；　and　had　sent　an　artist　on　purpose　to　depict　the　shameful　scenes。　When　Yu　Jin　saw　them；　shame　and　rage　alternately　took　possession　of　him　till　he　fell　ill。　Soon　after　he　died。

War　waged　he　for　many　a　year；

Yet　fell　prey　to　craven　fear。

None　can　know　anothers　heart；

Drawing　tigers；　with　bones　start。

Soon　after　the　accession；　Hua　Xin　memorialized　the　Prince　of　Wei；　saying；　〃The　Lord　of　Yanling　has　cut　himself　loose　from　his　army　and　gone　quietly　to　his　post；　but　your　other　two　brothers　did　not　attend　the　funeral　of　their　father。　Their　conduct　should　be　inquired　into　and　punished。〃

Cao　Pi　took　up　the　suggestion　and　sent　missioners　to　each。

They　who　were　sent　to　the　younger　quickly　returned　to　report：　〃Cao　Xiong；　the　Lord　of　Xiaohuai；　had　hanged　himself　rather　than　suffer　for　his　fault。〃

Cao　Pi　ordered　honorable　burial　for　Cao　Xiong　and　gave　him　the　posthumous　title　of　Prince　of　Xiaohuai。

Soon　after；　the　envoy　to　Linzi　returned　to　report：　〃The　Lord　of　Linzi；　Cao　Zhi；　is　spending　his　time　in　dissipation；　his　especial　boon　panions　being　two　brothers　named　Ding　Yi　and　Ding　Yin。　They　were　very　rude。　When　we　presented　ourselves；　Cao　Zhi　sat　bolt　upright；　but　would　not　say　a　word。　Ding　Yi　used　insulting　words；　saying；　King　Cao　intended　our　lord　to　succeed；　but　was　turned　there　from　by　the　slanderous　tongues　of　certain　among　you。　As　soon　as　he　is　dead；　your　master　begins　to　think　of　punishment　for　his　own　flesh　and　blood。

〃The　other　brother　Ding　Yin　said；　In　intellect　our　lord　leads　the　age；　and　he　ought　to　have　been　heir　to　his　father。　Now；　not　only　does　he　not　succeed；　but　he　is　treated　in　this　harsh　way　by　a　lot　of　courtiers　of　your　sort；　ignorant　of　what　genius　means。

〃And　then　Cao　Zhi；　in　a　fit　of　anger；　had　ordered　his　lictors　to　beat　the　chief　envoy　and　turn　him　out。〃

This　treatment　of　his　messenger　annoyed　Cao　Pi　greatly；　and　he　dispatched　a　force　of　three　thousand　Imperial　Tiger　Guards　under　Xu　Chu　to　arrest　his　brother　and　all　his　immediate　surroundings。　When　Xu　Chu　arrived　Linzi；　the　gate　mander　stopped　him。　Xu　Chu　slew　that　general　and　entered　the　city；　unchallenged。　He　went　to　the　residence　and　found　Cao　Zhi　and　all　his　panions　dead　drunk。　So　he　bound　them；　put　them　into　carts；　and　sent　them　to　court　in　Yejun。　He　also　arrested　all　the　officers　of　the　palace。

Cao　Pis　first　order　was　to　put　to　death　Ding　Yi　and　Ding　Yin。　The　two　brothers　were　not　wholly　base；　they　had　a　reputation　for　learning；　and　many　were　sorry　for　them。

Cao　Pis　mother；　Lady　Bian；　was　alarmed　at　the　severity　of　the　new　rule；　and　the　suicide　of　her　youngest　son　wounded　her　deeply。　When　she　heard　that　Cao　Zhi　had　been　arrested　and　his　rades　put　to　death；　she　left　her　palace　and　went　to　see　her　eldest　son。　As　soon　as　he　saw　her；　the　Prince　hastened　to　meet　her。　She　began　to　weep。

〃Your　brother　has　always　had　that　weakness　for　wine；　but　we　let　him　go　his　way　out　of　consideration　for　his　undoubted　ability。　I　hope　you　will　not　forget　he　is　your　brother　and　that　I　bore　you　both。　Spare　his　life　that　I　may　close　my　eyes　in　peace　when　I　set　out　for　the　deep　springs。〃

〃I　also　admire　his　ability；　Mother；　and　have　no　intention　to　hurt　him。　But　I　would　reform　him。　Have　no　anxiety　as　to　his　fate；〃　said　Cao　Pi。

So　the　mother　was　forted　and　withdrew。　The　Prince　then　went　to　a　private　room　and　bade　them　call　his　brother。

Said　Hua　Xin；　〃Surely　the　Princess…Mother　has　just　been　interceding　for　your　brother。　Is　it　not　so？〃

〃It　is　so；〃　replied　the　Prince。

〃Then　let　me　say　that　Cao　Zhi　is　too　clever　to　be　content　to　remain　in　a　humble　station。　If　you　do　not　remove　him；　he　will　do　you　harm。〃

〃I　must　obey　my　mothers　mand。〃

〃People　say　your　brother　simply　talks　in　literature。　I　do　not　believe　it　myself；　but　he　might　be　put　to　the　test。　If　he　bears　a　false　reputation；　you　can　slay　him；　if　what　they　say　is　true；　then　degrade　him；　lest　the　scholars　of　the　land　should　babble。〃

Soon　Cao　Zhi　came；　and　in　a　state　of　great　trepidation　bowed　low　before　his　elder　brother；　confessing　his　fault。

The　Prince　addressed　him；　saying；　〃Though　we　are　brothers；　yet　the　proper　relation　between　us　of　prince　and　minister　must　not　be　overlooked。　Why　then　did　you　behave　indecorously？　While　the　late　Prince　lived；　you　made　a　boast　of　your　literary　powers；　but　I　am　disposed　to　think　you　may　have　made　use　of　anothers　pen。　Now　I　require　you　to　pose　a　poem　within　the　time　taken　to　walk　seven　paces；　and　I　will　spare　your　life　if　you　succeed。　If　you　fail；　then　I　shall　punish　you　with　rigor。〃

〃Will　you　suggest　a　theme？〃　asked　Cao　Zhi。

Now　there　was　hanging　in　the　hall　a　black　and　white　sketch　of　two　bulls　that　had　been　fighting　at　the　foot　of　a　wall；　and　one　of　them　had　just　fallen　dead　into　a　well。　Cao　Pi　pointed　to　the　sketch　and　said；　〃Take　that　as　the　subject。　But　you　are　forbidden　to　use　the　words　two　bulls；　one　bull；　fighting；　walls　foot；　falling；　well；　and　dead。〃

Cao　Zhi　took　seven　paces　and　then　recited　this　poem：