小说园

第10部分（第1页）

Alas！　I　am　left　alone　with　the　grief　in　my　heart。〃

When　they　had　sung　these　lines；　they　fell　weeping　into　each　others　arms。

〃The　Prime　Minister　is　awaiting　my　report；〃　said　Li　Ru；　〃and　you　delay　too　long。　Think　you　that　there　is　any　hope　of　succor？〃

The　Empress　broke　into　another　fit　of　railing；　〃The　rebel　forces　us　to　death；　mother　and　son；　and　Heaven　has　abandoned　us。　But　you；　the　tool　of　his　crime；　will　assuredly　perish！〃

Thereupon　Li　Ru　grew　more　angry；　laid　hands　on　the　Empress　and　threw　her　out　of　the　window。　Then　he　bade　the　soldiers　strangle　Lady　Tang　and　forced　the　lad　to　swallow　the　wine　of　death。

Li　Ru　reported　the　achievement　to　his　master　who　bade　them　bury　the　victims　without　the　city。　After　this　Dong　Zhuos　behavior　was　more　atrocious　than　before。　He　spent　his　nights　in　the　Palace；　defiled　the　imperial　concubines　there；　and　even　slept　on　the　Dragon　Couch。

Once　he　led　his　soldiers　out　of　the　city　to　Yangcheng　when　the　villagers；　men　and　women；　were　assembled　from　all　sides　for　the　annual　spring　festival。　His　troops　surrounded　the　place　and　plundered　it。　They　took　away　booty　by　the　cart　loads；　and　women　prisoners　and　more　than　one　thousand　severed　heads。　The　procession　returned　to　Capital　Luoyang　and　published　a　story　that　they　had　obtained　a　great　victory　over　some　rebels。　They　burned　the　heads　beneath　the　walls；　and　the　women　and　jewelry　were　shared　out　among　the　soldiers。

A　general　named　Wu　Fu　was　disgusted　at　this　ferocity　and　sought　a　chance　to　slay　Dong　Zhuo。　Wu　Fu　constantly　wore　a　breastplate　underneath　his　court　dress　and　carried　in　conceal　a　sharp　dagger。　One　day　when　Dong　Zhuo　came　to　court；　Wu　Fu　met　him　on　the　steps　and　tried　to　stab　him。　But　Dong　Zhuo　was　a　very　powerful　man　and　held　Wu　Fu　off　till　Lu　Bu　came　to　his　help。　Lu　Bu　struck　down　the　assailant。

〃Who　told　you　to　rebel？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

Wu　Fu　glared　at　him　and　cried；　〃You　are　not　my　prince；　I　am　not　your　minister：　Where　is　the　rebellion？　Your　crimes　fill　the　heavens；　and　every　person　would　slay　you。　I　am　sorry　I　cannot　tear　you　asunder　with　chariots　to　appease　the　wrath　of　the　world！〃

Dong　Zhuo　bade　the　guards　take　him　out　and　hack　him　to　pieces。　Wu　Fu　only　ceased　railing　as　he　ceased　to　live。

That　loyal　servant　of　the　latter　days　of　Han。

His　valor　was　high　as　the　heavens；　in　all　ages　unequaled；

In　the　court　itself　would　he　slay　the　rebel；　great　is　his　fame！

Throughout　all　time　will　people　call　him　a　hero。

Thereafter　Dong　Zhuo　always　went　well　guarded。

At　Bohai；　Yuan　Shao　heard　of　Dong　Zhuos　misuse　of　power　and　sent　a　secret　letter　to　Minister　of　the　Interior　Wang　Yun：

〃That　rebel　Dong　Zhuo　outrages　Heaven　and　has　deposed　his　ruler。　mon　people　dare　not　speak　of　him：　That　is　understandable。　Yet　you　suffer　his　aggressions　as　if　you　knew　naught　of　them。　How　then　are　you　a　dutiful　and　loyal　minister？　I　have　assembled　an　army　and　desire　to　sweep　clean　the　royal　habitation；　but　I　dare　not　lightly　begin　the　task。　If　you　are　willing；　then　find　an　opportunity　to　plot　against　this　man。　If　you　would　use　force；　I　am　at　your　mand。〃

The　letter　arrived　but　Wang　Yun　could　see　no　chance　to　plot　against　Dong　Zhuo。

One　day　while　among　the　throng　in　attendance；　mostly　people　of　long　service；　Wang　Yun　said　to　his　colleagues；　〃This　is　my　birthday；　I　pray　you　e　to　a　little　party　in　my　humble　cot　this　evening。〃

〃We　certainly　will；〃　they　cried；　〃and　wish　you　long　life。〃

That　night　the　tables　were　spread　in　an　inner　room；　and　his　friends　gathered　there。　When　the　wine　had　made　a　few　rounds；　the　host　suddenly　covered　his　face　and　began　to　weep。

The　guests　were　aghast。

〃Sir；　on　your　birthday　too；　why　do　you　weep？〃　said　they。

〃It　is　not　my　birthday；〃　replied　Wang　Yun。　〃But　I　wished　to　call　you　together；　and　I　feared　lest　Dong　Zhuo　should　suspect；　so　I　made　that　the　excuse。　This　man　insults　the　Emperor　and　does　as　he　wishes　so　that　the　imperial　prerogatives　are　in　imminent　peril。　I　think　of　the　days　when　our　illustrious　founder　destroyed　the　Qin；　annihilated　Chu；　and　obtained　the　empire。　Who　could　have　foreseen　this　day　when　that　Dong　Zhuo　has　subjugated　all　to　his　will？　That　is　why　I　weep。〃

Then　they　all　wept　with　him。

Seated　among　the　guests；　however；　was　Cao　Cao；　who　did　not　join　in　the　weeping　but　clapped　his　hands　and　laughed　aloud。

〃If　all　the　officers　of　the　government　weep　till　dawn；　and　from　dawn　weep　till　dark；　will　that　slay　Dong　Zhuo？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Wang　Yun　turned　on　him　angrily。

〃Your　forbears　ate　the　bounty　of　the　Hans。　Do　you　feel　no　gratitude？　You　can　laugh？〃

〃I　laughed　at　the　absurdity　of　an　assembly　like　this　being　unable　to　pass　the　death　of　one　man。　Foolish　and　incapable　as　I　am；　I　will　cut　off　his　head　and　hang　it　at　the　gate　as　an　offering　to　the　people。〃

Wang　Yun　left　his　seat　and　went　over　to　Cao　Cao。

〃These　later　days；〃　Cao　Cao　continued；　〃I　have　bowed　my　head　to　Dong　Zhuo　with　the　sole　desire　of　finding　a　chance　to　destroy　him。　Now　he　begins　to　trust　me；　and　so　I　can　approach　him　sometimes。　You　have　a　sword　with　seven　precious　jewels　which　I　would　borrow；　and　I　will　go　into　his　palace　and　kill　him。　I　care　not　if　I　die　for　it。〃

〃What　good　fortune　for　the　world　that　this　is　so！〃　said　Wang　Yun。

With　this　Wang　Yun　himself　poured　out　a　goblet　for　Cao　Cao　who　drained　it　and　swore　an　oath。　After　this　the　treasured　sword　was　brought　out　and　given　to　Cao　Cao　who　hid　it　under　his　dress。　He　finished　his　wine；　took　leave　of　the　guests；　and　left　the　hall。　Before　long　the　others　dispersed。

The　next　day　Cao　Cao；　with　this　short　sword　girded　on；　came　to　the　palace　of　the　Prime　Minister。

〃Where　is　the　Prime　Minister？〃　asked　he。

〃In　the　small　guest　room；〃　replied　the　attendants。

So　Cao　Cao　went　in　and　found　his　host　seated　on　a　couch。　Lu　Bu　was　at　his　side。