小说园

第195部分（第1页）

〃The　dynasty　of　Han　has　possessed　the　empire　for　years　without　end。　Formerly　Wang　Mang　rebelled　against　his　sovereign；　and　Liu　Xiu　the　Founder　of　Latter　Han　rose　in　his　wrath　and　put　Wang　Mang　to　death；　thus　restoring　the　prerogatives　of　the　great　sacrifices　to　him　who　rightly　exercised　them。　Lately　Cao　Cao；　powerful　and　cruel；　slew　the　Empress；　and　his　crimes　cry　aloud　to　Heaven　for　vengeance。　His　son；　Cao　Pi；　carrying　evils　into　every　quarter；　then　seized　the　scepter。

〃My　officials　and　leaders；　regarding　the　dynasty　as　having　been　overthrown；　think　it　fitting　that　I；　Liu　Bei；　would　continue　the　line。　As　successor　to　my　two　warrior　ancestors；　Liu　Bang　and　Liu　Xiu；　I　will　punish　as　Heaven　decrees。

〃Fearing　lest　my　virtue　be　inadequate　to　the　Imperial　Throne；　I　consulted　the　voices　of　the　people；　and　all；　even　the　most　distant；　have　said　that　the　mandate　of　Heaven　may　not　be　disobeyed；　the　great　task　of　my　ancestors　may　not　discontinue；　the　land　must　have　a　lord；　and　they　aver　the　cynosure　of　all　eyes　is　myself。

〃Now　I；　respecting　the　mandate　of　Heaven　and　fearing　lest　the　great　achievements　of　Liu　Bang　and　Liu　Xiu　may　be　overthrown；　have　reverently　selected　this　auspicious　day　to　ascend　the　altar；　sacrifice；　and　announce　my　assumption　of　the　Imperial　Seal　in　order　to　fort　all　the　people；　rejoice　the　ancestors　of　the　Dynastic　House；　and　bring　eternal　tranquillity　to　all　domains。〃

When　the　reading　was　ended；　and　the　sacrifice　and　the　prayer；　Zhuge　Liang；　in　the　name　of　all　those　assembled；　presented　the　Imperial　Seal。

The　Prince　received　it　in　both　hands；　laid　it　upon　the　altar；　and　again　declined　acceptance；　saying；　〃I；　Liu　Bei；　am　unfitted。　I　pray　that　another；　more　able；　may　be　chosen。〃

But　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Our　lord　has　settled　the　empire；　and　his　merits　are　manifest　to　the　whole　world。　Moreover；　he　is　of　the　Dynastic　Family；　and　it　is　fitting　that　he　succeed。　Now　that　the　great　announcement　has　been　made；　such　self…abnegation　is　impossible。〃

So　all　the　officers　shouted；　〃Eternal　life　to　the　Emperor！〃　And　they　did　obeisance。

Then　the　style　of　the　reign　was　announced　to　be　Manifest　Might；　the　first　year　（AD　220）。　The　Lady　Wu　was　declared　Empress；　and　the　eldest　son；　Liu　Shan；　was　declared　Heir…Apparent。　The　second　son　Liu　Yung　was　made　Prince　of　Lu；　and　the　third　son　Liu　Li；　Prince　of　Liang　（the　ancient　states　of　Lu　and　Liang）。　Zhuge　Liang　became　Prime　Minister；　and　Xu　Jing；　Minister　of　the　Interior。　Many　others　were　promoted；　and　a　general　amnesty　was　proclaimed；　so　that　there　was　great　rejoicing　throughout　all　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　two　River　Lands。

Next　day　the　first　court　was　held；　and　after　the　ceremonial　prostration；　and　when　they　were　all　arranged　in　due　order；　the　First　Ruler　made　a　pronouncement。

〃In　the　Peach　Garden　I　and　my　brothers　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　pledged　ourselves　to　live　and　die　together。　Unhappily　my　brother　Guan　Yu　came　to　his　end　at　the　hands　of　Sun　Quan　of　Wu；　and　I　must　avenge　him　lest　I　fail　to　fulfill　the　oath。　Therefore　will　I　devote　the　whole　force　of　my　kingdom　to　the　destruction　of　Wu　and　the　capture　of　its　rebellious　chief；　whereby　to　wipe　away　my　reproach。〃

But　just　as　he　closed　this　oration；　an　officer　threw　himself　down　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　crying；　〃It　may　not　be　so！〃

All　eyes　turned　to　this　man。　He　was　Tiger　General　Zhao　Yun。

〃Dire　vengeance　will　I　wreak！〃　so　cried　the　King；

His　minister　replied；　〃Do　no　such　thing。〃

What　arguments　were　used　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　81　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　81

Chapter　81

Eager　For　Vengeance；　Zhang　Fei　Is　Assassinated；

Athirst　Of　Retribution；　The　First　Ruler　Goes　To　War。

Zhao　Yun　was　opposed　to　the　attempt　to　fight　Wu；　and　spoke　against　the　plan。

〃The　real　rebel　was　not　Sun　Quan；　but　Cao　Cao。　Now　it　is　his　son　who　has　usurped　the　Imperial　Throne　and　called　forth　the　anger　of　gods　and　humans。　You　should　first　aim　at　the　Land　Within　the　Passes　by　camping　on　the　River　Wei；　from　which　to　attack　the　rebel。　After　that　the　loyal　people　in　the　East　of　the　Pass　will　cart　their　grains　and　herd　their　horses　to　wele　your　army。　If　you　leave　River　Wei　out　of　consideration　in　order　to　fight　Wu；　your　military　force　will　be　engaged；　and　could　you　disengage　it　quickly　in　case　of　necessity？　It　is　worth　reflection。〃

The　First　Ruler　replied；　〃Sun　Quan　slew　my　brother。　Furthermore；　Fu　Shiren；　Mi　Fang；　Pan　Zhang；　and　Ma　Zhong　are　on　his　side；　all　of　whom　I　hate　so　much　that　I　could　eat　their　flesh　with　gusto　and　devour　their　relatives；　whereby　I　should　have　my　vengeance。　Why；　Noble　Sir；　do　you　obstruct　me？〃

〃Because　the　enmity　against　Cao　Cao　is　a　public　matter；　vengeance　for　the　manner　of　your　brothers　end　is　private。　The　empire　should　be　placed　first。〃

〃What　care　I　for　myriads　of　square　miles　of　territory　as　long　as　my　brother　is　unavenged？〃

So　Zhao　Yuns　remonstrance　was　disregarded；　and　orders　went　forth　to　prepare　an　army　against　Wu。　The　First　Ruler　also　sent　into　the　Five　Valleys　to　borrow　the　aid　of　fifty　thousand　of　tribesmen。　He　sent　a　messenger　to　Langzhong　conferring　on　Zhang　Fei　the　rank　of　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　the　title　of　Lord　of　Xixiang。　Zhang　Fei　became　also　Governor　of　Langzhong。