小说园

第23部分（第2页）

Main　Next　to　Chapter　10　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　10

Chapter　10

Gathering　Arms；　Ma　Teng　Moves　To　Rescue　The　Emperor；

manding　An　Army；　Cao　Cao　Marches　to　Avenges　His　Father。

In　the　last　chapter　the　two　arch　rebels；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　proposed　to　murder　Emperor　Xian；　but　their　followers　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　opposed　this。

〃No。　The　people　will　not　approve　of　his　death　now。　Restore　him　to　power；　and　get　the　leaguers　inside　Changans　control。　Remove　his　supporters；　and　then　we　can　pass　his　death。　And　the　empire　shall　be　in　our　hands。〃

So　they　ceased　the　attack。　The　Emperor　again　spoke　from　the　tower；　saying；　〃Why　do　you　still　remain？　You　have　slain　Wang　Yun：　Now　withdraw　these　soldiers。〃

Then　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　replied；　〃Your　servants　desire　rank　rewards　for　their　good　service　to　your　dynasty。〃

〃And　what　ranks；　Sirs？〃

All　four　wrote　their　wishes　and　handed　them　up　to　the　Emperor　who　had　no　choice　but　to　accede　to　the　request；　and　they　were　created：

Li　Jue　was　appointed　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　Lord　of　Chiyang；　mander　of　Capital　District；　Court　Administrator；　and　granted　Military　Insignia。

Guo　Si　was　appointed　General　of　the　Rear　Army；　Lord　of　Meiyang；　Court　Administrator；　and　granted　Military　Insignia。

Fan　Chou　was　appointed　General　of　the　Right　Army　and　Lord　of　Wanian。

Zhang　Ji　was　appointed　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　Lord　of　Pingyan。

Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang；　for　opening　the　city　gates；　were　appointed　Imperial　manders。

After　receiving　ranks　of　nobility；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　thanked　the　Emperor；　and　went　away　to　camp　at　Xunung；　the　suburb　of　Changan。　The　inferior　rebel　leaders　also　were　gratified　with　ranks。　And　once　more　the　capital　was　free　of　troops。

Dong　Zhuos　followers；　having　so　far　succeeded；　did　not　forget　their　late　leader。　They　sought　his　corpse　for　burial；　but　only　a　few　fragments　were　discoverable。　Then　they　had　sculptors　engrave　a　statue　of　fragrant　wood　in　his　likeness；　laid　that　out　in　proper　form；　and　instituted　a　nobles　sacrifices　and　prayers。　The　remains　were　dressed　in　the　robes　of　a　prince；　laid　in　a　princely　coffin　for　burial。　They　selected　Meiwo　for　his　tomb　and　having　found　an　auspicious　day　conveyed　the　coffin　thither。

But　a　terrific　thunder　storm　came　on　at　the　time　of　inhumation；　and　the　ground　was　flooded。　The　coffin　was　rived　asunder；　and　the　poor　remains　knocked　out　by　thunders。　A　second　time　they　buried　the　coffin；　but　a　similar　thing　happened　in　the　night。　And　yet　a　third　time　in　another　place　but　the　earth　rejected　the　remains。　Meanwhile　the　thunder…fire　had　entirely　consumed　them。　So　it　may　be　said　justly　that　Heaven　was　exceedingly　angry　with　Dong　Zhuo。

So　now　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　wielded　the　real　power　of　the　scepter；　and　they　were　hard　upon　the　people。　They　also　removed　the　attendants　from　the　Palace　and　replaced　them　by　their　own　creatures；　who　maintained　a　most　perfect　watch　over　every　movement　of　the　Emperor　so　that　he　was　greatly　hampered　and　embarrassed。　All　appointments　and　demotions　were　made　by　the　two　rebels。　For　the　sake　of　popularity　they　especially　summoned　Zhu　Jun　to　court；　made　him　Minister　of　the　Inner　Bureau　and　associated　him　with　the　government。

One　day　came　a　report　that　the　Governor　of　Xiliang；　Ma　Teng；　and　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Bingzhou；　Han　Sui；　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops；　are　rapidly　approaching　the　capital　with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　rebels　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor。

Now　these　leaders　from　the　west　had　laid　careful　plans。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　had　sent　trusty　friends　to　the　capital　to　find　out　who　would　support　them。　They　had　conspired　with　three　officials………Court　Counselors　Ma　Yu　and　Chong　Shao；　and　Imperial　mander　Liu　Fan………to　be　their　inside　allies　and　plot　against　the　rebels。　These　three　obtained　from　the　Throne　two　secret　edicts　conferring　the　ranks　of　mander　Who　Conquers　the　West　on　Ma　Teng　and　mander　Who　Guards　the　West　on　Han　Sui。　With　these　powers　the　two　manders　joined　forces　and　began　their　march。

The　four　leaders　of　the　party　in　power………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………held　a　consultation　with　their　generals　as　to　how　to　meet　the　attack。

Adviser　Jia　Xu　said；　〃Since　the　attackers　are　ing　from　a　distance；　our　plan　is　to　fortify　and　wait　till　shortage　of　food　shall　work　for　us。　In　a　hundred　days　their　supplies　will　be　consumed；　and　they　must　retire。　We　can　pursue　and　we　shall　capture　them。〃

Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　rose　and　said；　〃This　plan　is　bad。　Give　us　ten　thousand　troops；　and　we　will　put　an　end　to　both　of　them　and　offer　their　heads　before　your　ensign。〃

〃To　fight　forthwith　means　defeat；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　cried　with　one　voice；　〃If　we　fail；　we　are　willing　to　lose　our　heads。　But　if　we　win；　then　your　head　is　forfeit。〃

Jia　Xu　then　suggested　to　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　saying；　〃Seventy　miles　west　of　the　capital　stand　the　Zhouzhi　Hills。　The　passes　are　narrow　and　difficult。　Send　Generals　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　to　occupy　this　point　of　vantage　and　fortify　themselves　so　that　they　may　support　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang。〃

Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　accepted　this　advice。　They　told　off　fifteen　thousand　horse　and　foot；　and　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　left　in　high　spirit。　They　made　a　camp　ninety　miles　from　Changan。

The　force　from　the　west　arrived。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　led　out　their　troops　to　the　attack。　They　found　their　opponents　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　in　battle　array。

Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　rode　to　the　front　side　by　side。　Pointing　to　the　rebel　leaders；　the　manders　abused　them；　crying；　〃Those　are　traitors！　Who　will　capture　them？〃

Hardly　were　the　words　spoken　when　there　came　out　a　youth　general　with　a　clear；　white　plexion　as　jade；　eyes　like　shooting　stars；　lithe　of　body　and　strong　of　limb。　He　was　armed　with　a　long　spear　and　bestrode　an　excellent　steed。　This　young　leader　was　Ma　Chao；　son　of　Ma　Teng；　then　seventeen　years　of　age。

Though　young　he　was　a　supreme　valiance。　Wang　Fang；　despising　him　on　account　of　his　youth；　galloped　forth　to　fight　him。　Before　they　had　exchanged　many　passes　Wang　Fang　was　disabled　and　fell　to　a　thrust　of　the　young　Ma　Chaos　spear。　The　victor　turned　to　retire　into　the　formation；　but　Li　Meng　rode　after　Ma　Chao　to　avenge　his　fallen　colleague。

Ma　Chao　did　not　see　Li　Meng；　but　his　father　called　out　〃You　are　followed！〃

Hardly　had　Ma　Teng　spoken　when　he　saw　that　the　pursuer　was　a　prisoner　seated　on　his　sons　steed。　Now　Ma　Chao　had　known　he　was　followed；　but　pretended　not　to　see；　waiting　till　his　enemy　should　have　e　close　and　lifted　his　spear　to　strike。　Then　Ma　Chao　suddenly　wheeled　about。　The　spear　thrust　met　only　empty　air；　and　as　the　horses　passed；　Ma　Chaos　powerful　arm　shot　out　and　pulled　Li　Meng　from　the　saddle。　Thus　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fangs　soldiers　were　left　leaderless　and　fled　in　all　directions。　The　army　of　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　dashed　in　pursuit；　and　a　plete　victory　was　scored。　They　pressed　into　one　of　the　passes　and　made　a　camp。　Then　they　decapitated　Li　Meng　and　exposed　his　head。

When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　heard　that　both　the　boastful　generals　had　fallen　under　the　hand　of　one　young　man；　th