小说园

第283部分（第1页）

a　matter　concerning　the　existence　of　a　dynasty？　Has　any　emperor　ever　yielded　to　the　enemy？〃

The　Latter　Ruler　had　seven　sons　in　all………Liu　Rui；　Liu　Dao；　Liu　Zhong；　Liu　Zan；　Liu　Chan；　Liu　Xue；　and　Liu　Ju。　But　the　ablest；　and　the　only　one　above　the　mon　level　of　people；　was　this　Liu　Chan。

The　Latter　Ruler　turned　feebly　to　his　son　and　said；　〃The　ministers　have　decided　otherwise：　They　advise　surrender。　You　are　the　only　one　who　thinks　that　boldness　may　avail；　and　would　you　drench　the　city　in　blood？〃

The　Prince　said；　〃While　the　First　Ruler　lived；　this　Qiao　Zhou　had　no　voice　in　state　affairs。　Now　he　gives　this　wild　advice　and　talks　the　most　subversive　language。　There　is　no　reason　at　all　in　what　he　says；　for　we　have　in　the　city　many　legions　of　soldiers；　and　Jiang　Wei　is　undefeated　in　Saber　Pass。　He　will　e　to　our　rescue　as　soon　as　he　knows　our　straits；　and　we　can　help　him　to　fight。　We　shall　surely　succeed。　Why　listen　to　the　words　of　this　dryasdust？　Why　abandon　thus　lightly　the　work　of　our　great　forerunner？〃

The　Latter　Ruler　became　angry　at　this　harangue　and　turned　to　his　son；　saying；　〃Be　silent！　You　are　too　young　to　understand　Heavens　will！〃

Liu　Chan　beat　his　head　upon　the　ground　and　implored　his　father　to　make　an　effort。

〃If　we　have　done　our　best　and　defeat　yet　es；　if　parents　and　children；　lords　and　ministers　have　set　their　backs　to　the　wall　and　died　in　one　final　effort　to　preserve　the　dynasty；　then　in　the　shades　of　the　Nine　Golden　Springs　we　shall　be　able　to　look　the　First　Ruler　in　the　face；　unashamed。　But　what　if　we　surrender？〃

The　appeal　left　the　Latter　Ruler　unmoved。

The　Prince　cried；　〃Is　it　not　shameful　in　one　day　to　throw　down　all　that　our　ancestors　built　up　with　so　great　labor？　I　would　rather　die。〃

The　Latter　Ruler；　now　very　angry；　bade　the　courtiers　thrust　the　young　man　out　of　the　Palace。　Then　he　ordered　Qiao　Zhou　to　prepare　the　formal　Act　of　Surrender。　After　it　had　been　written；　three　officers………Adviser　Zhang　Shao；　Imperial　Son…in…Law　mander　Deng　Liang；　and　Minister　Qiao　Zhou………were　sent　with　it　and　the　Hereditary　Seal　to　the　camp　of　Deng　Ai　to　offer　submission。

Every　day　Deng　Ais　horsemen　rode　to　the　city　to　see　what　was　afoot。　It　was　a　glad　day　when　they　returned　reporting　the　hoisting　of　the　flag　of　surrender。　The　general　had　not　long　to　wait。　The　three　messengers　soon　arrived　and　presented　the　letter　announcing　surrender　and　the　seal　therewith。　Deng　Ai　read　the　letter　with　great　exultation；　and　took　possession　of　the　seal。　He　treated　the　envoys　courteously；　and　by　their　hands　sent　back　a　letter　to　allay　any　anxiety　among　the　people。　In　due　time　they　reentered　the　city　and　bore　this　missive　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　and　they　told　him　they　had　been　treated　well。　The　Latter　Ruler　read　the　letter　with　much　satisfaction。　Then　he　sent　Minister　Jiang　Xian　to　order　Jiang　Wei　to　surrender。

Then　Li　Hu；　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　carried　to　the　victorious　Deng　Ai　the　statistical　documents　of　the　resources　of　the　kingdom：

2；800；000　households；　9；140；000　souls；　102；000　active　armed　soldiers　of　all　ranks；　and　40；000　civil　employees。　Besides；　there　were　granaries　with　4；000；000　carts　of　grain；　treasuries　with　3；000　pounds　of　gold　and　silver　and　200；000　rolls　of　silks　of　many　qualities；　and　many　unenumerated　but　precious　things　in　the　various　storehouses。

Li　Hu　arranged　that　the　ceremony　of　surrender　should　take　place　on　the　first　day　of　the　twelfth　month。

The　wrath　of　Prince　Liu　Chan　swelled　high　as　heaven　when　he　heard　that　his　father　had　actually　arranged　the　date　of　his　abdication。

Girding　on　his　sword；　he　was　setting　out　for　the　Palace　when　his　Consort；　Lady　Cui；　stopped　him；　saying；　〃My　Prince；　why　does　your　face　bear　this　look　of　terrible　anger？〃

He　replied；　〃The　army　of　Wei　is　at　the　gates；　and　my　father　has　made　his　Act　of　Surrender。　Tomorrow　he　and　all　his　ministers　are　going　out　of　the　city　to　submit　formally；　and　the　dynasty　will　end。　But　rather　than　bow　the　knee　to　another；　I　will　die　and　go　into　the　presence　of　the　First　Ruler　in　the　realms　below。〃

〃How　worthy；　how　worthy！〃　replied　she。　〃And　if　my　lord　must　die；　I；　thy　handmaid；　prays　that　she　may　die　first。　Then　may　my　Prince　depart。〃

〃But　why　should　you　die？〃

〃The　Prince　dies　for　his　father　and　the　handmaid　for　her　husband。　One　eternal　principle　guides　us　all。〃

Thereupon　she　dashed　herself　against　a　pillar；　and　so　she　died。　Then　Liu　Chan　slew　his　three　sons　and　cut　off　the　head　of　his　Consort　that　he　might　sever　all　ties　to　life　lest　he　be　tempted　to　live。　Bearing　the　head　of　the　princess　in　his　hand；　he　went　to　the　Temple　of　the　First　Ruler；　where　he　bowed　his　head；　saying；　〃Thy　servant　is　ashamed　at　seeing　the　kingdom　pass　to　another。　Therefore　has　he　slain　his　Consort　and　his　sons　that　nothing　should　induce　him　to　live　and　forego　death。〃

This　announcement　recited；　he　made　yet　another　to　his　ancestors。

〃My　ancestors；　if　you　have　spiritual　intelligence；　you　know　the　feelings　of　your　descendant。〃

Then　he　wept　sore　till　his　eyes　ran　blood；　and　he　mitted　suicide。　The　people　of　Shu　grieved　deeply　for　him；　and　a　poet　has　praised　his　noble　deed。

Both　king　and　courtiers；　willing；　bowed　the　knee；

One　son　alone　was　grieved　and　would　not　live。

The　western　kingdom　fell　to　rise　no　more；

A　noble　prince　stood　forth；　for　aye　renowned