小说园

第31部分（第1页）

leaders。　It　would　be　well　for　the　empire　if　he　would　lend　his　support　to　the　imperial　family　and　help　to　rid　the　government　of　this　evil　party。〃

His　Majesty　wept；　〃I　am　weary　of　the　insults　and　contempt　of　these　wretches　and　should　be　very　glad　to　have　them　removed。〃

〃I　have　thought　of　a　plan　to　estrange　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　and　so　make　them　destroy　each　other。　Then　Cao　Cao　could　e　and　cleanse　the　court；〃　said　Yang　Biao。

〃How　will　you　manage　it？〃　asked　the　Emperor。

〃Guo　Sis　wife；　Lady　Qiong；　is　very　jealous；　and　we　can　take　advantage　of　her　weakness　to　bring　about　a　quarrel。〃

So　Yang　Biao　received　instruction　to　act；　with　a　secret　edict　to　support　him。　Yang　Biaos　wife；　Lady　Kai；　made　an　excuse　to　visit　Lady　Qiong　at　her　palace　and；　in　the　course　of　conversation；　said　〃There　is　talk　of　secret　liaison　between　the　General；　your　husband；　and　the　wife　of　Minister　Li　Jue。　It　is　a　great　secret；　but　if　Minister　Li　Jue　knew　it；　he　might　try　to　harm　your　husband。　I　think　you　ought　to　have　very　little　to　do　with　that　family。〃

Lady　Qiong　was　surprised　but　said；　〃I　have　wondered　why　he　has　been　sleeping　away　from　home　lately；　but　I　did　not　think　there　was　anything　shameful　connected　with　it。　I　should　never　have　known　if　you　had　not　spoken。　I　must　put　a　stop　to　it。〃

By　and　by；　when　Lady　Kai　took　her　leave；　Lady　Qiong　thanked　her　warmly　for　the　information　she　had　given。

Some　days　passed；　and　Guo　Si　was　going　over　to　the　dwelling　of　Li　Jue　to　a　dinner。

Lady　Qiong　did　not　wish　him　to　go　and　she　said；　〃This　Li　Jue　is　very　deep；　and　one　cannot　fathom　his　designs。　You　two　are　not　of　equal　rank；　and　if　he　made　away　with　you；　what　would　bee　of　your　poor　handmaid？〃

Guo　Si　paid　no　attention；　and　his　wife　could　not　prevail　on　him　to　stay　at　home。　Late　in　the　afternoon　some　presents　arrived　from　Li　Jues　palace；　and　Lady　Qiong　secretly　put　poison　into　the　delicacies　before　she　set　them　before　her　lord。

Guo　Si　was　going　to　taste　at　once　but　she　said；　〃It　is　unwise　to　consume　things　that　e　from　outside。　Let　us　try　on　a　dog　first。〃

They　did　and　the　dog　died。　This　incident　made　Guo　Si　doubt　the　kindly　intentions　of　his　colleague。

One　day；　at　the　close　of　business　at　court；　Li　Jue　invited　Guo　Si　to　his　palace。　After　Guo　Si　arrived　home　in　the　evening；　rather　the　worse　for　too　much　wine；　he　was　seized　with　a　colic。　His　wife　said　she　suspected　poison　and　hastily　administered　an　emetic；　which　relieved　the　pain。

Guo　Si　began　to　feel　angry；　saying；　〃We　did　everything　together　and　helped　each　other　always。　Now　he　wants　to　injure　me。　If　I　do　not　get　in　the　first　blow；　I　shall　suffer　some　injury。〃

So　Guo　Si　began　to　prepare　his　guards　for　any　sudden　emergency。

This　was　told　to　Li　Jue；　and　he　in　turn　grew　angry；　saying；　〃So　Guo　Si　is　doing　so　and　so！〃

Then　Li　Jue　got　his　guards　under　way　and　came　to　attack　Guo　Si。　Both　houses　had　ten　thousand；　and　the　quarrel　became　so　serious　that　they　fought　a　pitched　battle　under　the　city　walls。　When　that　was　over　both　sides　turned　to　plunder　the　people。

Then　a　nephew　of　Li　Jue；　Li　Xian；　suddenly　surrounded　the　Palace；　put　the　Emperor　and　Empress　in　two　carriages；　and　assigned　Jia　Xu　and　Zuo　Ling　to　carry　them　off。　The　Palace　attendants　were　made　to　follow　on　foot。　As　they　went　out　of　the　rear　gate；　they　met　Guo　Sis　army　who　began　to　shoot　at　the　cavalcade　with　arrows。　They　killed　many　attendants　before　Li　Jues　army　came　up　and　forced　them　to　retire。

The　carriages　were　got　out　of　the　Palace　and　eventually　reached　Li　Jues　camp；　while　Guo　Sis　soldiers　plundered　the　Palace　and　carried　off　all　the　women　left　there　to　their　camp。　Then　the　Palace　was　set　on　fire。

As　soon　as　Guo　Si　heard　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　Emperor；　he　came　over　to　attack　the　camp　of　Li　Jue。　The　Emperor　between　these　two　opposing　factions　was　greatly　alarmed。　Indeed：

Slowly　the　Hans　had　declined　but　renewed　their　vigor　with　Liu　Xiu；

Twelve　were　the　rulers　before　him；　followed　him　also　twelve　others。

Foolish　were　two　of　the　latest；　dangers　surrounded　the　altars；

These　were　degenerate　days；　with　authority　given　to　eunuchs。

Then　did　He　Jin　the　simple；　the　inept；　who　manded　the　army；

Warriors　call　to　the　capital；　wishing　to　drive　out　the　vermin；

Though　they　drove　out　the　leopards；　tigers　and　wolves　quickly　entered。