小说园

第51部分（第1页）

d　could　not　run。

Now　the　crowd　of　officers　seeing　the　golden…barbed　arrow　sticking　in　the　wound　concluded　at　once　that　the　shot　was　the　Emperors；　so　they　rushed　up　and　shouted　〃Wan　shui！　O　King！　Live　forever！〃

Cao　Cao　rode　out　pushing　past　the　Emperor　and　acknowledged　the　congratulations。

They　all　turned　pale。　Guan　Yu；　who　was　behind　Liu　Bei；　was　especially　angry。　The　silkworm　eyebrows　stood　up　fiercely；　and　the　red　phoenix　eyes　glared　as；　sword　in　hand；　he　rode　hastily　forth　to　cut　down　the　audacious　Prime　Minister　for　his　impertinence。

However；　Liu　Bei　hastily　waved　him　back　and　shot　at　him　a　meaning　glance　so　that　Guan　Yu　stopped　and　made　no　further　move。

Liu　Bei　bowing　toward　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Most　sincere　felicitations！　A　truly　supernatural　shot；　such　as　few　have　achieved！〃

〃It　is　only　the　enormous　good　fortune　of　the　Son　of　Heaven！〃　said　Cao　Cao　with　a　smile。

Then　he　turned　his　steed　and　felicitated　the　Emperor。　But　he　did　not　return　the　bow；　he　hung　it　over　his　own　shoulder　instead。

The　hunt　finished　with　banqueting；　and　when　the　entertainments　were　over；　they　returned　to　the　capital；　all　glad　of　some　repose　after　the　expedition。

Guan　Yu　was　still　angry　of　the　Prime　Ministers　breach　of　decorum。

One　day　Guan　Yu　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃Brother；　why　did　you　prevent　me　from　killing　that　rebel　and　so　ridding　the　world　of　a　scoundrel？　He　insults　the　Emperor　and　ignores　everybody　else。〃

〃When　you　throw　stones　at　a　rat；　beware　of　the　vase；〃　quoted　Liu　Bei。　〃Cao　Cao　was　only　a　horses　head　away　from　Our　Lord；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　crowd　of　his　partisans。　In　that　momentary　burst　of　anger；　if　you　had　struck　and　failed；　and　harm　had　e　to　the　Emperor；　what　an　awful　crime　would　have　been　laid　to　us！〃

〃If　we　do　not　rid　the　world　of　him　today；　a　worse　evil　will　e　of　it；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃But　be　discreet；　my　brother。　Such　matters　cannot　be　lightly　discussed。〃

The　Emperor　sadly　returned　to　his　palace。　With　tears　in　his　eyes；　he　related　what　had　occurred　in　the　hunt　to　his　consort；　Empress　Fu。

〃Alas　for　me！〃　said　he。　〃From　the　first　days　of　my　accession；　one　vicious　minister　has　succeeded　another。　I　was　the　victim　of　Dong　Zhuos　evil　machinations。　Then　followed　the　rebellion　of　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si。　You　and　I　had　to　bear　sorrows　such　as　no　others　have　borne。　Then　came　this　Cao　Cao　as　one　who　would　maintain　the　imperial　dignity；　but　he　has　seized　upon　all　real　authority　and　does　as　he　wishes。　He　works　continually　for　his　own　glorification；　and　I　never　see　him　but　my　back　pricks。　These　last　few　days　in　the　hunting　field；　he　went　in　front　of　me　and　acknowledged　the　cheers　of　the　crowd。　He　is　so　extremely　rude　that　I　feel　sure　he　has　sinister　designs　against　me。　Alas；　my　wife；　we　know　not　when　our　end　may　e！〃

〃In　a　whole　court　full　of　nobles；　who　have　eaten　the　bread　of　Han；　is　there　not　one　who　will　save　his　country？〃　said　she。

Thus　spoke　the　Empress；　and　at　the　same　moment　there　stepped　in　a　man　who　said；　〃Grieve　not；　O　Imperial　Pair！　I　can　find　a　savior　for　the　country。〃

It　was　none　other　than　the　father　of　the　Empress；　Fu　Wan。

〃Have　you　heard　of　Cao　Caos　wanton　and　perverse　behavior？〃　said　the　Emperor；　drying　his　eyes。

〃You　mean　the　deer　shooting？　Who　did　not　see　that；　indeed？　But　the　whole　court　is　full　of　his　clan　or　his　creatures。　With　the　exception　of　the　relatives　of　your　Consort；　there　is　not　one　loyal　enough　to　deal　with　a　rebel。　I　have　no　authority　and　can　do　nothing；　but　there　is　General　Dong　Cheng；　the　State　Uncle；　who　could　do　it。〃

〃Could　Uncle　Dong　Cheng　e　in　to　consult　about　this？　I　know　he　has　had　much　experience　of　state　troubles。〃

Fu　Wan　replied；　〃Everyone　of　your　attendants　is　a　partisan　of　Cao　Cao；　and　this　sort　of　thing　must　be　kept　most　profoundly　secret　or　the　consequence　will　be　most　serious。〃

〃Then　what　can　be　done？〃　said　the　Emperor。

〃The　only　plan　I　can　think　of　is　to　send　gifts　of　a　robe　and　a　jade　girdle　to　Dong　Cheng；　and　in　the　lining　of　the　girdle　hide　a　secret　edict　authorizing　him　to　take　certain　steps。　When　he　gets　home　and　has　read　the　edict；　he　can　elaborate　plans　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　neither　the　spirits　above　nor　the　demons　below　will　know　anything　about　them。〃

The　Emperor　approved；　and　Fu　Wan　went　out。　The　Emperor　then　with　his　own　hand　drew　up　a　decree；　writing　it　with　blood　drawn　by　biting　his　finger。　He　gave　the　document　to　Empress　Fu　to　sew　into　the　purple　lining　of　the　girdle。　When　all　was　done；　he　put　on　the　robe　and　girded　it　with　the　girdle。　Next　he　bade　one　of　the　attendants　summon　State　Uncle　Dong　Cheng　to　the　Palace。

Dong　Cheng　came；　and　after　the　ceremonies　were　finished；　the　Emperor　said；　〃A　few　nights　ago　I　was　talking　with　the　Empress　of　the　terrible　days　of　the　rebellion；　and　we　thought　of　your　good　services　then；　therefore　we　have　called　you　in　to　reward　you。〃

The　minister　bowed　his　head　in　thanks。　Then　the　Emperor　led　Dong　Cheng　out　of　the　Reception　Hall　to　the　Temple　of　Ancestors；　and　they　went　to　the　gallery　of　Worthy　Ministers；　where　the　Emperor　burned　incense　and　performed　the　usual　ceremonies。　After　this　they　went　to　see　the　portraits；　and　among　them　was　one　of　the　founder　of　the　dynasty；　Liu　Bang　the　Supreme　Ancestor。

〃Whence　sprang　our　great　ancestor；　and　how　did　he　begin　his　great　achievement？〃　said　the　Emperor。

〃Your　Majesty　is　pleased　to　joke　with　thy　servant；〃　said　Dong　Cheng；　rather　startled　at　the　question。　〃Who　does　not　know　the　deeds　of　the　Sacred　Ancestor？　He　began　life　as　a　minor　official　in　Sishang。　There　gripping　his　sword；　he　slew　a　white　serpent；　the　beginning　of　his　struggle　for　the　right。　Speedily　he　mastered　the　empire：　In　three　years　had　destroyed　Qin　and；　in　five；　also　Chu。　Thus　he　set　up　a　dynasty　that　shall　endure　forever！〃

〃Such　heroic　forefathers！　Such　weakling　descendants！　How　sad　it　is！〃　said　the　Emperor。