小说园

第193部分（第2页）

〃Is　it　consent　or　not？〃　cried　he　angrily。　〃One　word！〃

The　Emperor　was　dumb　with　terror。

〃Where　is　the　Keeper　of　the　Seal？〃　shouted　Cao　Hong　and　Cao　Xiu；　drawing　their　swords。

〃The　Keeper　of　the　Seal　is　here；〃　said　Zu　Bi；　stepping　calmly　to　the　front。

They　tried　to　force　the　seal　from　him；　but　he　cried；　〃The　Seal　belongs　to　the　Emperor；　and　I　will　not　yield　it！〃

Cao　Hong　called　up　the　executioners　and　told　them　to　behead　him；　which　they　did。　Zu　Bi　abused　the　ruffians　to　the　last　breath。

Dethroned　by　wicked　traitors　was　the　ruling　House　of　Han；

They　falsely　claimed　as　precedent　the　deeds　of　Yu　and　Tang。

The　crowd　of　officers　at　court　were　all　on　Cao　Pis　side；

Save　one；　Zu　Bi　the　Keeper　of　the　Seal；　and　loyally　he　died。

The　Emperor　was　in　a　state　of　abject　terror；　and　when　he　saw　the　whole　court　filling　up　with　armed　guards；　all　the　soldiers　of　Wei　and　so　enemies；　he　burst　into　tears。

〃Yes；　I　will　give　up　the　throne　to　the　Prince；　if　haply　I　may　be　spared　to　live　out　the　few　years　Heaven　has　assigned　me；〃　wailed　he。

〃The　Prince　will　always　take　care　of　Your　Majesty；〃　said　Jia　Xu。　〃It　would　be　as　well　to　prepare　the　abdication　manifesto　quickly　so　as　to　preserve　tranquillity。〃

Such　a　hint　could　not　be　missed；　and　Chen　Qun　was　directed　to　draft　the　document。　As　soon　as　it　was　finished；　Hua　Xin　and　a　host　of　officers；　took　it　off　to　the　Prince　of　Weis　palace　and　presented　it；　with　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal；　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor。　Very　joyfully；　Cao　Pi　read　this　writing：

〃During　the　whole　of　my　thirty…two　years　of　reign　the　land　has　been　in　a　state　of　turmoil；　but　the　spirits　of　my　ancestors　have　preserved　me　in　the　midst　of　danger。　Now　from　the　signs　of　the　heavens　and　the　hearts　of　the　people；　I　see　that　the　virtue　of　the　Hans　is　exhausted；　and　happy　fortune　has　devolved　upon　the　House　of　Wei；　as　may　be　seen　from　the　success　in　war　enjoyed　by　the　late　King　Cao　and　the　resplendent　virtue　of　the　present　Prince；　which　answers　to　the　times。

〃By　all　noble　principles　the　empire　is　no　private　possession；　but　a　public　trust。　Wherefore　the　great　King　Yao；　to　his　eternal　glory；　passed　over　his　own　son。　How　I　admire　this　deed！　Now　in　imitation　thereof　I　have　resolved　to　abdicate　in　favor　of　my　Chief　Minister；　the　Prince　of　Wei；　who　will　not；　I　hope；　disappoint　my　wishes。〃

Cao　Pi　heard　this　and　was　going　to　accept　it　as　final。

But　Sima　Yi　said　no：　〃Although　the　declaration　and　the　seal　have　been　sent；　yet　decorum　demands　refusal　at　first　so　as　to　silence　peoples　criticism。〃

Then　Wang　Lang　drafted　a　memorial　modestly　declining　the　proposal　of　succession　on　the　ground　of　unfitness　and　asking　that　some　other　be　sought。　When　this　reached　the　Emperor；　he　was　much　perturbed　and　asked　what　was　to　be　done　next。

Replied　Hua　Xin；　〃When　his　father　was　offered　a　princedom；　he　declined　thrice；　but　he　finally　accepted。　Wherefore　Your　Majesty　should　renew　the　offer。　The　Prince　will　end　by　acceptance。〃

There　was　no　help　for　it；　and　so　Huan　Jie　was　bidden　to　draft　another　declaration　of　offer；　which　was　sent　by　the　hand　of　the　Officer　of　the　Dynastic　Temple；　Zhang　Yin；　together　with　the　emblems　and　the　seal。

This　new　declaration　read　thus：

〃To　the　Prince　of　Wei。　You　have　sent　your　modest　refusal　of　my　offer　to　abdicate。　But　I　have　long　since　seen　that　the　virtue　of　Han　is　passing；　and　I　could　only　rely　upon　the　late　Prince；　your　father；　who　virtuously　undertook　the　great　task　of　removing　the　evil　oppressors　and　purging　the　land。　Now　his　son　Cao　Pi　has　succeeded。　His　perfect　virtue　is　resplendent；　his　fame　universal　and　his　benevolence　is　wafted　to　all　parts。　The　divine　choice　rests　upon　him。

〃In　the　days　of　old；　Yao　the　Great　would　abdicate；　and　did　so　in　favor　of　Shun；　who　possessed　merit　after　his　twenty　acplishments；　and　the　God…king　Shun　in　the　same　manner　handed　the　Throne　to　Yu　after　Yu　had　labored　to　control　the　floodwaters。　The　House　of　Han　succeeded　in　the　course　of　ages　to　the　work　of　Yao　and　now　passes　on　the　sacred　trust；　to　promote　the　repose　of　the　Earth　and　manifest　the　mand　of　Heaven。

〃By　the　hand　of　the　Minister　Zhang　Yin；　this　is　sent　with　the　emblems　and　the　seal。〃

Greatly　rejoicing；　Cao　Pi　received　this。

But　he　said　to　Jia　Xu；　〃Although　I　have　received　two　such　declarations；　yet　I　fear　that　I　may　not　escape　being　branded　as　a　usurper　by　posterity。〃

〃That　is　easily　arranged；〃　replied　Jia　Xu。　〃Direct　Zhang　Yin　to　take　the　seal　back　again；　and　tell　Hua　Xin　to　cause　the　Emperor　to　set　up　a　Terrace　of　Abdication　and　select　an　auspicious　day　for　the　ceremony。　Then　assemble　all　the　officers　at　the　terrace；　and　cause　the　Emperor　to　offer　the　seal　with　his　own　hands　and　surrender　the　empire　to　you。　Thus　can　you　dissipate　all　doubts　and　prevent　any　caviling。〃

So　the　seal　was　once　more　rejected　with　a　memorial　to　say　so。　Zhang　Yin　returned；　and　the　Emperor　inquired　of　the　courtiers　how　he