小说园

第285部分（第1页）

Bang　was　absent。　。。。。。

＇e＇　After　Yue　conquered　Wu；　Fan　Li　gave　up　politics　and　traveled。　But　his　collegue　Wen　Zhong　stayed　to　continue　serving　King　Gou　Jian　loyally。　Wen　Zhong　later　was　put　to　death　due　to　slanders。　Meanwhile；　it　is　said　that　Fan　Li；　together　with　the　beauty　Xi　Shi；　had　bee　a　wealthy　merchant　and　was　doing　charity　works。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Emei　Mountain　one　of　the　most　renowned　Buddhist　and　Daoist　（Taoist）　sanctuaries　in　China。　The　mountain　is　located　in　the　basin　of　Sichuan　Province。　The　beautiful　majesty　of　this　mountain　has　caused　it　to　be　named　Emei；　〃the　most　beautiful　mountain　under　heaven〃。　Visitors　of　this　mountain　are　treated　to　several　peaks；　bubbling　springs；　cascading　waterfalls；　tall　ancient　trees　and　abundant　flowers　along　the　many　mountain　paths　leading　to　the　many　scenic　spots　and　temples　that　dot　the　mountain　side　from　the　base　to　the　summit。　。。。。。

Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃At　the　beginning　of　Han；　Han　Xin　hearkened　not　to　Kuai　Tong　to　establish　his　own　kingdom；　and　so　blundered　into　trouble　at　the　Weiyang　Palace；　where　he　met　his　fate*。　In　Yue；　High　Minister　Wen　Zhong　would　not　follow　Fan　Li　into　retirement　on　the　lakes；　and　so　fell　victim　to　a　sword*。　No　one　would　say　these　two………Han　Xin　and　Wen　Zhong………were　not　brilliant；　but　they　did　not　scent　danger　early　enough。　Now；　Sir；　your　merit　is　great　and　your　prestige　overwhelming　that　of　your　prince；　but　why　do　you　risk　future　dangers？　Why　not　sail　off　in　a　boat　leaving　no　trace　of　your　going？　Why　not　go　to　Emei　Mountain*　and　wander　free　with　Master　Red　Pine？〃

Zhong　Hui　smiled。

〃I　do　not　think　your　advice　much　to　the　point。　I　am　a　young　man；　not　forty　yet；　and　think　rather　of　going　on　than　halting。　I　could　not　take　up　a　do…nothing　hermits　life。〃

〃If　you　do　not；　then　take　heed　and　prepare　for　dangers。　Think　out　a　careful　course；　as　you　are　well　able　to　do。　You　need　not　trouble　any　old　fool　for　advice。〃

Zhong　Hui　laughed　loud　and　rubbed　his　hands　together　with　glee。

〃How　well　you　know　my　thoughts；　my　friend！〃　said　Zhong　Hui。

They　two　became　absorbed　in　the　plans　for　their　grand　scheme。

But　Jiang　Wei　wrote　a　secret　letter　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　saying：

〃I　pray　Your　Majesty　be　patient　and　put　up　with　humiliations　for　a　season；　for　Jiang　Wei；　your　humble　servant；　will　have　the　country　restored　in　good　time。　The　sun　and　moon　are　all　the　more　glorious　when　they　burst　through　the　dark　clouds。　The　House　of　Han　is　not　yet　done。〃

While　Zhong　Hui　and　Jiang　Wei　were　planning　how　best　to　outwit　each　other；　but　both　being　against　Wei；　there　suddenly　arrived　a　letter　from　Sima　Zhao：

〃I　am　at　Changan　with　an　army　lest　there　should　be　any　difficulty　in　disposing　of　Deng　Ai。　I　need　you　to　e　to　discuss　state　affairs。〃

Zhong　Hui　divined　the　real　purport　at　once。

〃He　suspects；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃He　knows　quite　well　that　my　army　outnumbers　that　of　Deng　Ai　many　times　and　I　could　do　what　he　wishes　easily。　There　is　more　than　that　in　his　ing。〃

He　consulted　Jiang　Wei；　who　said；　〃When　the　prince　suspects　a　minister；　that　minister　dies。　Have　we　not　seen　Deng　Ai？〃

〃This　decides　me；〃　replied　Zhong　Hui。　〃Success；　and　the　empire　is　mine；　failure；　and　I　go　west　into　Shu　to　be　another　Liu　Bei；　but　without　his　mistakes。〃

Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Empress　Guo　of　Wei　has　just　died。　You　can　pretend　she　left　you　a　mand　to　destroy　Sima　Zhao；　the　real　murderer　of　the　Emperor。　Your　talents　are　quite　sufficient　to　conquer　the　empire。〃

〃Will　you　lead　the　van？〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃When　success　is　ours；　we　will　share　the　spoil。〃

〃The　little　I　can　do；　I　will　do　most　willingly；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃But　I　am　not　sure　of　the　support　of　all　our　subordinates。〃

〃Tomorrow　is　the　fifteenth　day　of　the　month；　a　Feast　of　Lanterns　will　be　held。　We　can　gather　in　the　Palace　for　the　congratulations。　There　will　be　grand　illuminations；　and　we　will　prepare　a　banquet　for　the　officers；　whereat　we　can　kill　all　those　who　will　not　follow　us。〃

At　this；　the　heart　of　Jiang　Wei　leapt　with　joy。　Invitations　were　sent　out　in　the　joint　names　of　the　two　conspirators；　and　the　feast　began。　After　several　courses；　suddenly　Zhong　Hui　lifted　his　cup　and　broke　into　wailing。

Everyone　asked　what　was　the　cause　of　this　grief；　and　Zhong　Hui　replied。　〃The　Empress　has　just　died；　but　before　her　death　she　gave　me　an　edict；　which　is　here；　recounting　the　crimes　of　Sima　Zhao　and　charging　him　with　aiming　at　the　Throne。　I　am　missioned　to　destroy　him；　and　you　all　must　join　me　in　the　task。〃

The　guests　stared　at　each　other　in　amazement；　but　no　one　uttered　a　word。

Then　the　host　suddenly　drew　his　sword；　crying；　〃Here　is　death　for　those　who　oppose！〃

Not　one　was　bold　enough　to　refuse；　and；　one　by　one；　they　all　signed　a　promise　to　help。　As　further　security；　they　were　all　kept　prisoners　in　the　Palace　under　careful　guard。

〃They　are　not　really　with　us；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃I　venture　to　request　you　to　bury　them　all。〃

〃A　great　pit　has　been　already　dug；〃　replied　his　brother　host。　〃And　I　have　a　lot　of　clubs　ready。　We　can　easily　club　those　who　disagree　and　bury　them　in　the　pit。〃