小说园

第6部分（第1页）

nuch　Jian　Shuo。　Jian　Shuo　in　terror　fled　into　the　Palace　garden　and　hid　among　the　shrubs；　where　he　was　discovered　and　murdered　by　Guo　Sheng；　one　of　the　Ten　Eunuchs。　The　guards　under　Jian　Shuos　mand　all　surrendered。

Yuan　Shao　said；　〃Their　gangs　have　broken。　The　most　opportune　moment　is　now　to　slay　all　the　eunuchs！〃

But　Zhang　Rang　and　the　eunuchs　of　the　Ten　scented　the　danger　and　rushed　to　see　Empress　He。

They　said；　〃The　originator　of　the　plan　to　injure　your　brother　was　Jian　Shuo：　Only　he　was　concerned　and　no　other。　Now　the　Regent　Marshal；　on　Yuan　Shaos　advice；　wishes　to　slay　everyone　of　us。　We　implore　your　pity；　O　Your　Majesty！〃

〃Fear　not！〃　said　Empress　He；　whose　son　had　just　bee　Emperor；　〃I　will　protect　you。〃

She　sent　for　her　brother；　and　said；　〃You　and　I　are　of　lowly　origin；　and　we　owe　our　good　fortune　to　the　eunuchs。　The　misguided　Jian　Shuo　is　now　dead；　and　need　you　really　put　all　the　others　to　death　as　Yuan　Shao　advises？〃

And　He　Jin　obeyed　her　wish。　He　explained　to　his　party；　saying；　〃The　real　offender；　Jian　Shuo；　has　met　his　fate；　and　his　clan　will　be　punished。　But　we　need　not　exterminate　the　whole　party　nor　injure　his　colleagues。〃

〃Slay　them；　root　and　branch；〃　cried　Yuan　Shao；　〃or　they　will　ruin　you！〃

〃I　have　decided；〃　said　He　Jin；　coldly。　〃Say　no　more。〃

Within　a　few　days　He　Jin　became　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　and　his　associates　received　high　offices。

Now　Empress　Dong　summoned　the　eunuch　Zhang　Rang　and　his　party　to　a　council。

Said　she；　〃It　was　I　who　first　brought　forward　the　sister　of　He　Jin。　Today　her　son　is　on　the　throne；　and　all　the　officials　are　her　friends；　and　her　influence　is　enormous。　What　can　we　do？〃

Zhang　Rang　replied；　〃Your　Highness　should　administer　the　state　from　behind　the　veil；　create　the　late　Emperors　son　Liu　Xian　a　prince；　give　your　brother；　the　Imperial　Uncle　Dong　Chong；　a　high　rank；　and　place　him　over　the　army；　and　use　us。　That　will　do　it。〃

＇e＇　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　was　the　second　highest　military　office；　just　below　Regent　Marshal；　and　of　the　same　rank　as　General　of　the　Flying　Chariots。

＇e＇　Empress　Lu　was　wife　of　Liu　Bang；　the　Han　Founder。　After　Liu　Bangs　death；　she　held　imperial　authority。　She　appointed　members　of　her　own　family　to　highly　important　positions　of　state　and　clearly　hoped　to　substitute　her　own　family　for　the　reigning　Liu　family。　But　these　plans　were　frustrated　on　her　death　（BC　180）。　。。。。。

Empress　Dong　approved。　Next　day　she　held　a　court　and　issued　an　edict　in　the　sense　proposed。　She　made　Liu　Xian　Prince　of　Chenliu　and　Dong　Chong　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry*；　and　she　allowed　the　eunuchs　again　to　participate　state　affairs。

When　Empress　He　saw　this；　she　prepared　a　banquet　to　which　she　invited　her　rival　Empress　Dong。

In　the　middle　of　the　feast；　when　all　were　well　warmed　with　wine；　Empress　He　rose　and　offered　a　cup　to　her　guest；　saying；　〃It　is　not　fitting　that　we　two　should　meddle　in　state　affairs。　In　the　beginning　of　the　Han　Dynasty；　when　Empress　Lu　laid　hands　upon　the　government；　all　her　clans　were　put　to　death*。　We　ought　to　remain　content；　immured　in　our　palaces；　and　leave　state　affairs　to　the　state　officials。　That　would　be　well　for　the　country；　and　I　trust　you　will　act　thus。〃

But　Empress　Dong　only　got　angry；　saying；　〃You　poisoned　Lady　Wang　out　of　jealousy。　Now；　relying　upon　the　fact　that　your　son　sits　on　the　throne　and　that　your　brother　is　powerful；　you　speak　these　wild　words。　I　will　mand　that　your　brother　be　beheaded；　and　that　can　be　done　as　easily　as　I　turn　my　hand！〃

Empress　He　in　her　turn　became　wroth　and　said；　〃I　tried　to　persuade　you　with　fair　words。　Why　get　so　angry？〃

〃You　low　born　daughter　of　a　butcher；　what　do　you　know　of　offices？〃　cried　Empress　Dong。

And　the　quarrel　waxed　hot。

The　eunuchs　persuaded　the　ladies　to　retire。　But　in　the　night　Empress　He　summoned　her　brother　into　the　Palace　and　told　him　what　had　occurred。　He　went　out　and　took　counsel　with　the　principal　officers　of　state。　Next　morning　a　court　was　held　and　a　memorial　was　presented；　saying：

〃Empress　Dong；　being　the　foster　mother　of　Liu　Xian；　Prince　of　Chenliu；　a　regional　prince………only　a　collateral………cannot　properly　occupy　any　part　of　the　Palace。　She　is　to　be　removed　into　her　original　fief　of　Hejian　and　is　to　depart　immediately。〃

And　while　they　sent　an　escort　to　remove　Empress　Dong；　a　strong　guard　was　placed　about　the　Imperial　Uncle　Dong　Chongs　dwelling。　They　took　away　his　seal　of　office　and　he；　knowing　this　was　the　end；　killed　himself　in　his　private　apartments。　His　dependents；　who　wailed　his　death；　were　driven　off　by　the　guards。

The　eunuchs　Zhang　Rang　and　Duan　Gui；　having　lost　their　patroness；　sent　large　gifts　to　He　Jins　younger　brother；　He　Miao；　and　his　mother；　Lady　Wuyang；　and　thus　got　them　to　put　in　a　good　word　to　Empress　He　so　as　to　gain　her　protection。　And　so　they　gained　favor　once　more　at　court。

＇e＇　A　burial　place　of　court　officials　and　royal　families。

In　the　sixth　month　of　that　year；　the　secret　emissaries　of　He　Jin　poisoned　Empress　Dong　in　her　residence　in　the　country。　Her　remains　were　brought　to　the　capital　and　buried　in　Wen　Tombs*。　He　Jin　feigned　illness　and　did　not　attend　the　funeral。

mander　Yuan　Shao　went　one　day　to　see　He　Jin；　saying；　〃The　two　eunuchs；　Zhang　Rang　and　Duan　Gui；　are　spreading　the　report　outside　that　you　has　caused　the　death　of　the　late　empress　and　is　aiming　at　the　throne。　This　is　an　excuse　for　you　to　destroy　them。　Do　not　spare　them　this　time；　or　you　will　pay　like　Dou　Wu　and　Chen　Fan；　who　in　the　previous　reign　missed　their　chance　because　the　secret　had　not　been　kept；　and　they　paid　by　their　own　deaths。　Now　you　and　your　brother　have　many　manders　and　officers　behind；　so　that　the　destruction　of　the　eunuchs　can　be　but　an　ease。　It　is　a　heaven…sent　opportunity。　Delay　no　further！〃

But　He　Jin　replied；　〃Let　me　think　it　over。〃

He　Jins　servants　overheard　the　discussion　and　secretly　informed　the　intended　victims；　who　sent　further　gifts　to　the　younger　brother　He　Miao。

Corrupted　by　these；　He　Miao　went　in　to　speak　with　his　sister　Empress　He　and　said；　〃The　General　is　the　chief　support　of　the　new　Emperor；　yet　he　is　not　gracious　and　merciful　but　thinks　wholly　of　slaughter。　If　he　slays　the　eunuchs　without　cause；　it　may　bring　about　revolution。〃

Soon　after　He　Jin　entered　and　told　her　of　his　design　to　put　the　eunuchs　to　death。