小说园

第8部分（第1页）

Dong　Zhuo　induced　the　soldiers　of　the　two　brothers　He　Jin　and　He　Miao　to　join　his　mand；　and　privately　spoke　to　his　adviser　Li　Ru　about　deposing　the　Emperor　in　favor　of　the　Prince　of　Chenliu。

〃The　government　is　really　without　a　head。　There　can　be　no　better　time　than　this　to　carry　out　your　plan。　Delay　will　spoil　all。　Tomorrow　assemble　the　officials　in　the　Wenming　Garden　and　address　them　on　the　subject。　Put　all　opponents　to　death；　and　your　prestige　is　settled。〃

So　spoke　Li　Ru；　and　the　words　pleased　Dong　Zhuo　mightily。

So　the　next　day　Dong　Zhuo　spread　a　feast　and　invited　many　guests。　As　all　the　officers　went　in　terror　of　him；　no　one　dared　be　absent。　Dong　Zhuo　himself　rode　up　to　the　garden　last　of　all　and　took　his　place　with　his　sword　girded　on。　When　the　wine　had　gone　round　several　times；　Dong　Zhuo　stopped　the　service　and　the　music　and　began　to　speak。

〃I　have　something　to　say。　Listen　quietly　all　of　you！〃

All　turned　towards　him。

〃The　emperor　is　lord　of　all。　If　he　lacks　dignity　and　behaves　in　an　unseemly　manner；　he　is　no　fitting　inheritor　of　the　ancestral　prerogatives。　He　who　is　now　on　the　throne　is　a　weakling；　inferior　to　the　Prince　of　Chenliu　in　intelligence　and　love　of　learning。　The　Prince　is　in　every　way　fitted　for　the　throne。　I　desire　to　depose　the　Emperor　and　set　up　the　Prince　in　his　place。　What　think　you？〃

The　assembly　listened　in　perfect　silence；　none　daring　at　first　to　utter　a　word　of　dissent。　But　one　dared；　for　suddenly　a　guest　stood　up　in　his　place；　smote　the　table　and　cried。

〃No！　No！　Who　are　you　that　you　dare　utter　such　bold　words？　The　Emperor　is　son　of　the　late　Emperor　and　has　done　no　wrong。　Why　then　should　he　be　deposed？　Are　you　a　rebel？〃

The　speaker　was　Ding　Yuan；　Imperial　Protector　of　Bingzhou。

Dong　Zhuo　glared　at　Ding　Yuan；　roaring；　〃There　is　life　for　those　who　are　with　me；　death　for　those　against！〃

Dong　Zhuo　drew　his　sword　and　made　for　the　objector。　But　the　watchful　Li　Ru　had　noticed　standing　behind　Ding　Yuan　a　particularly　dangerous　looking　henchman　of　his；　who　was　now　handling　his　halberd　threateningly；　and　whose　eyes　were　blazing　with　anger。

So　Li　Ru　hastily　interposed；　saying；　〃But　this　is　the　banquet　chamber；　and　state　affairs　should　be　left　outside。　The　matters　can　be　fully　discussed　tomorrow。〃

His　fellow　guests　persuaded　Ding　Yuan　to　leave；　and　after　his　departure　Dong　Zhuo　said；　〃Is　what　I　said　just　and　reasonable？〃

＇e＇　Yi　Yin　was　was　helper　and　prime　minister　of　King　Tang；　the　founder　of　Shang　Dynasty。　After　King　Tangs　death；　Yi　Yin　served　his　sons　and　grandson。　Soon　after　Tai　Jia；　King　Tangs　grandson；　ascended　the　throne；　he　mitted　many　faults；　and　Yi　Yin；　acting　as　regent；　exiled　Tai　Jia　to　Tong　Palace………the　burial　place　of　King　Tang。　After　three　years　Yi　Yin　returned　him　the　throne。　Tai　Jia　eventually　became　an　enlightened　emperor。　Shang　Dynasty　lasted　for　650　years　（BC　1700…1050）。　It　was　this　act　of　Yi　Yin　rather　than　his　services　in　building　up　an　empire　that　has　made　him　immortal。　Whether　he　did　right　in　temporarily　dethroning　the　king　was　open　to　question；　until　a　final　verdict　was　rendered　by　Mencius　who　thought　that　his　ends　amply　justified　his　means。　This　historical　event　attests　the　extent　of　the　power　exercised　by　a　prime　minister　in　those　days。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Huo　Guang　（BC　？…68）　a　general　and　regent　of　Han。　After　Emperor　Wu　died；　Huo　Guang　became　regent　to　three　successive　emperors；　and　the　second　one　had　been　the　Prince　of　Changyi；　who　was　on　the　throne　for　only　twenty…seven　days。　Huo　Guang　had　the　Prince　of　Changyi　declared　unfit　to　rule　and　deposed　him。　Even　though　Huo　Guang　contributed　much　to　the　empires　stabilization；　after　he　died；　he　was　distanced　by　the　emperor　and　most　of　his　family　were　executed　for　conspiracy　charges。　。。。。。

〃You　are　mistaken；　Illustrious　Sir；〃　said　Lu　Zhi。　〃Of　old　Emperor　Tai　Jia　of　the　Shang　Dynasty　was　unenlightened。　Wherefore　the　sage　Minister　Yi　Yin*　immured　him　in　the　Tong　Palace　till　he　reformed。　Later　the　Prince　of　Changyi　ascended　the　throne；　and　in　twenty…seven　days　he　mitted　more　than　three　thousand　categorical　faults。　Wherefore　Regent　Marshal　Huo　Guang*　declared　in　the　ancestral　temple　that　the　Prince　of　Changyi　was　deposed。　Our　present　Emperor　is　young；　but　he　is　intelligent；　benevolent；　and　wise。　He　has　not　mitted　a　single　fault。　You；　Sir；　are　an　imperial　protector　of　a　frontier　region　and　not　a　metropolitan　official　and　have　had　no　experience　in　state　administration。　Neither　have　you　the　pure　intentions　of　Yi　Yin　and　Huo　Guang　which　qualified　their　actions。　The　Teacher　said：　Only　with　Yi　Yins　purpose　can　one　act　like　Yi　Yin。　Otherwise；　such　a　deed　is　treason。〃

Dong　Zhuo　angrily　drew　his　sword　to　slay　the　bold　Lu　Zhi；　but　two　other　officials　remonstrated。

〃Minister　Lu　Zhi　is　the　cynosure　of　the　whole　country；　and　his　violent　death　would　stir　the　hearts　of　all　people！〃　said　Court　Counselors　Cai　Yong　and　Peng　Bo。

Dong　Zhuo　then　stayed　his　hand。

Then　said　Wang　Yun；　〃A　great　question　like　the　deposition　and　substitution　of　emperors　is　not　one　to　be　decided　after　a　wine　party。　Let　it　be　put　off　till　another　time。〃

So　the　guests　dispersed。　Dong　Zhuo　stood　at　the　gate　with　drawn　sword　watching　them　depart。　Standing　thus；　Dong　Zhuo　noticed　a　spearman　galloping　to　and　fro　on　a　fiery　steed　and　asked　Li　Ru　who　that　was。

〃That　is　Lu　Bu；　the　adopted　son　of　Ding　Yuan。　You　must　keep　out　of　his　way；　my　lord。〃

Dong　Zhuo　went　inside　the　gate　so　that　he　could　not　be　seen。　But　next　day　they　reported　to　him　that　Ding　Yuan　had　e　out　of　the　city　with　a　small　army　and　was　challenging　to　a　battle。　Dong　Zhuo；　with　his　army；　went　forth　to　accept　the　challenge。　And　the　two　armies　were　drawn　up　in　proper　array。

Lu　Bu　was　a　conspicuous　figure　in　the　forefront。　His　hair　was　arranged　under　a　handsome　headdress　of　gold；　and　he　had　donned　a　embroidered　thousand…flower　fighting　robe；　a　pheasant…tailed　helmet；　and　breast　plate；　and　round　his　waist　was　a　gleaming　jade　belt　with　a　lions　head　clasp。　With　spear　set　he　rode　close　behind　his　master　Ding　Yuan。

Ding　Yuan；　riding　forth；　pointing　his　finger　at　Dong　Zhuo；　began　to　revile　him。

〃Unhappy　indeed　was　this　state　when　the　eunuchs　became　so　powerful　that　the　people　were　as　if　trodden　into　the　mire　under　their　feet。　Now　you；　devoid　of　the　least　merit；　dare　to　talk　of　deposing　the　rightful　emperor　and　setting　up　another。　This　is　to　desire　rebellion　and　no　less！〃

Dong　Zhuo　could　not　reply　for　Lu　Bu；　eager　for　the　fight；　rode　straight　at　him。　Dong　Zhuo　fled　and　Ding　Yuans　army　came　on。　The　battle　went　in　Ding　Yuans　favor；　and　the　beaten　troops　retired　ten　miles　and　made　another　camp。　Here　Dong　Zhuo　called　his　officers　to　a　council。

〃This　Lu　Bu　is　a　marvel；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。　〃If　he　were　only　on　my　side；　I　would　defy　the　whole　world！〃

At　this　a　man　advanced　saying；　〃Be　content；　O　my　lord！　I　am　a　fellow　villager　of　his　and　know　him　well：　He　is　valorous；　but　not　crafty；　he　will　let　go　principles；　when　he　sees　advantages。　With　this　little；　blarneying　tongue　of　mine；　I　can　persuade　him　to　put　up　his　hands　and　e　over　to　your　side。〃

Dong　Zhuo　was　delighted　and　gazed　admiringly　at　the　speaker。　It　was　Li　Su；　a　general　in　the　Imperial　Tiger　Army。

〃What　arguments　will　you　use　with　him？〃　asked　Dong　Zhuo。

〃You　have　a　fine　horse；　Red　Hare；　one　of　the　best　ever　bred。　I　must　have　this　steed；　and　gold　and　pearls　to　win　his　heart。　Then　will　I　go　and　persuade　him。　He　will　certainly　abandon　Ding　Yuans　service　for　yours。〃

〃What　think　you？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo　to　his　adviser　Li　Ru。

〃One　cannot　grudge　a　horse　to　win　an　empire；〃　was　the　reply。