小说园

第194部分（第1页）

he　was　to　understand　this　act。

Then　Hua　Xin　said；　〃Your　Majesty　can　set　up　a　Terrace　of　Abdication　and　assemble　nobles；　officers；　and　mon　people　to　witness　the　act　of　abdication。　Thereafter　the　descendants　of　your　House　shall　receive　favor　at　the　hands　of　Wei。〃

The　Emperor　consented　and　sent　officials　in　the　Office　of　Imperial　Ceremonies　to　select　a　site　at　Fanyang。　And　there　they　built　a　terrace　of　three　stories；　and　they　chose　an　auspicious　day　of　the　tenth　month　for　the　act　of　abdication。　On　the　appointed　day；　Emperor　Xian　requested　Cao　Pi　to　ascend　the　terrace　and　receive　his　abdication。　At　the　foot　of　the　terrace　stood　the　officials；　more　than　four　hundred；　and　the　Imperial　Guards　and　the　Tiger　Guards；　and　soldiers　to　the　number　of　three　hundred　thousand。　Thereupon　the　Emperor　presented　the　seal；　which　Cao　Pi　received　into　his　hands。　Then　all　those　about　the　terrace　knelt　to　listen　to　the　reading　of　the　manifesto：

〃To　the　Prince　of　Wei。　In　days　of　old；　Yao　yielded　the　empire　to　Shun；　and　Shun　in　turn　gave　it　to　Yu。　The　will　of　Heaven　does　not　follow　the　way　of　mortals；　but　seeks　the　virtuous。　The　rule　of　Han　has　lost　its　virility　and　the　times　are　out　of　joint。　When　my　turn　came　to　rule；　great　disorder　arose；　and　evils　stalked　abroad　till　the　empire　was　in　danger　of　subversion。　I　trusted　to　the　military　genius　of　the　late　Prince　of　Wei　to　restore　order　and　purge　away　the　evil；　whereby　to　ensure　tranquillity　to　my　House。　What　could　my　single　hand　do　to　correct　this　and　ensure　peace　for　my　Nine　Domains？

〃The　present　Prince　has　succeeded　to　his　father。　He　is　also　resplendent　in　virtue；　capable　as　Wu　the　Military　King　and　Wen　the　Scholar　King　of　the　great　task；　brilliant　in　the　glory　of　his　father。　The　spirit　of　the　empire　is　upon　him；　gods　and　humans　declare　his　worth。　To　him　be　the　bright　reward；　and　let　him　accept　this　mandate。　For　all　say　his　capabilities　fit　him　to　stand　beside　Yu。

〃As　did　my　great　predecessor；　I　respectfully　retire　that　he　may　be　set　up。　The　revolution　of　Heaven　brings　the　glory　upon　his　person；　and　he　will　accept　the　high　office　and　fort　all　people　by　reverently　obeying　the　decree　of　Heaven。〃

The　reading　finished；　the　Prince　of　Wei；　Cao　Pi；　proceeded　to　the　terrace　and　ascended　to　the　place　of　the　Emperor。　Then　Jia　Xu；　at　the　head　of　the　great　concourse　of　officers；　came　to　the　foot　of　the　terrace；　and　a　court　was　held。　The　year　of　reign　was　changed　from　Prolonged　Wealth；　the　first　year；　to　Yellow　Dawn；　the　first　year　（AD　220）；　and　the　government　became　that　of　Great　Wei。　An　edict　was　then　published　proclaiming　a　general　amnesty；　and　the　title　of　〃Founder　of　the　Dynasty〃　was　conferred　upon　the　late　Prince；　Cao　Cao。

Then　said　Hua　Xin；　〃As　heaven　has　but　one　sun；　so　the　people　can　have　but　one　ruler。　The　Hans　have　abdicated；　and　it　is　fitting　that　they　withdraw　to　a　distance。　I　pray　for　an　edict　naming　the　place　of　residence　of　the　Liu　family。〃

Taking　the　late　Emperor　by　the　arm；　Hua　Xin　led　him　forward　and　made　him　kneel　below　the　terrace　to　hear　the　mand。　Then　the　new　Emperor　Pi　conferred　upon　him　the　title　of　Duke　of　Shanyang；　bidding　him　depart　forthwith。

Thereupon　Hua　Xin　drew　his　sword　and　in　a　harsh　voice　said；　〃It　is　an　old　rule　that　the　setting　up　of　one　emperor　means　the　degradation　of　another。　Now；　through　the　gracious　kindness　of　His　Majesty；　you　are　spared　personal　injury　and　created　a　duke。　Proceed　at　once　and　return　not　to　court　without　express　mand。〃

The　late　Emperor　Xian　controlled　his　emotion；　thanked　the　Emperor　Pi　for　his　clemency　and　left　on　horseback。　But　those　who　saw　the　departure　could　not　help　a　feeling　of　pity　for　him。

Said　Cao　Pi　to　his　courtiers；　〃Now　I　understand　the　story　of　Shun　and　Yu。〃

Then　they　all　shouted：　〃O　Ruler；　may　thy　life　be　eternal！〃

The　ruling　policy　of　Han　had　failed　them；

Dangers　pressed　in　upon　the　House；

And　the　land　they　had　held　so　long

Passed　from　them　forever。

Little　thought　he；　who　then　snatched　their　scepter；

That　the　precedent　he　then　claimed

Would　be　used　in　due　time　by　another

To　justify　the　destruction　of　his　own　House。

The　officials　then　requested　Cao　Pi　to　make　a　solemn　declaration　to　Heaven　and　Earth；　which　he　did　with　humble　obeisance。

But　at　this　moment　a　sudden　storm　burst　whirling　up　the　dust　and　rolling　along　stones　till　no　one　could　see　the　face　of　his　neighbor。　All　the　lights　on　the　terrace　were　extinguished。　The　newly　enthroned　Emperor　was　terrified　and　fell　prostrate。　He　was　borne　away　unconscious。　When　he　revived；　he　was　assisted　into　the　Palace；　but　for　many　days　he　was　too　ill　to　hold　a　court。

When　he　had　somewhat　recovered；　he　met　his　courtiers　and　received　their　felicitations。　He　rewarded　Hua　Xin　with　the　post　of　Minister　of　the　Interior；　and　Wang　Lang　with　that　of　Minister　of　Works。　All　the　officers　were　advanced　in　rank。　But　as　his　recovery　was　slow；　he　began　to　think　there　was　too　much　witchcraft　about　the　palaces　at　Xuchang　and　left　it　for　Luoyang；　where　he　erected　a　large　palace　plex。

＇e＇　These　rumors　were　inaccurate；　or　they　might　have　had　some　political　purpose。　Emperor　Xian　died　fourteen　years　later；　in　AD　234。

The　tale　of　these　doings　reached　Chengdu　and　caused　great　grief　to　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong；　for　he　heard　the　rumors　that　the　late　Emperor　had　been　put　to　death*。　He　issued　an　order　for　mourning　to　be　worn　and　instituted　sacrifices；　and　he　conferred　the　posthumous　title　of　Emperor　Xian　the　Filial　on　the　late　Emperor。　This　worry　brought　on　an　illness；　so　that　he　could　not　transact　the　business　of　the　court；　which　was　left　in　the　hands　of　Zhuge　Liang。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　and　some　of　his　colleagues　took　counsel　one　with　another；　saying；　〃The　empire　cannot　be　one　single　day　without　its　ruler；　wherefore　we　desire　that　our　Prince　should　be　honored　with　the　title　of　Emperor。〃