小说园

第9部分（第1页）

And　Lu　Bu　promised　his　friend　that　he　would　do　the　deed　and　e　over　on　the　morrow。

So　Li　Su　took　his　leave。　That　very　night；　at　the　second　watch；　Lu　Bu　entered；　sword　in　hand；　into　his　masters　tent。　He　found　Ding　Yuan　reading　by　the　light　of　a　solitary　candle。

Seeing　who　came　in；　Ding　Yuan　said；　〃My　son；　what　is　afoot？〃

〃I　am　a　bold　hero；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃Do　not　think　I　am　willing　to　be　a　son　of　yours！〃

〃Why　this　change；　Lu　Bu？〃

As　a　reply　Lu　Bu　made　one　cut；　and　Ding　Yuans　head　fell　to　the　earth。

Then　Lu　Bu　called　the　attendants　and　said；　〃He　was　an　unjust　man；　and　I　have　slain　him。　Let　those　who　back　me　stay。　The　others　may　depart。〃

Most　ran　away。　Next　day；　with　the　head　of　the　murdered　man　as　his　gift；　Lu　Bu　betook　himself　to　Li　Su；　who　led　him　to　Dong　Zhuo。　Dong　Zhuo　received　him　with　a　warm　wele　and　had　wine　set　before　him。

〃Your　ing　is　wele　as　the　gentle　dew　to　the　parched　grass；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

Lu　Bu　made　Dong　Zhuo　seat　himself　and　then　made　an　obeisance；　saying；　〃Pray　let　me　bow　to　you　as　my　adopted　father！〃

Dong　Zhuo　gave　his　newly　won　ally　gold　armor　and　silken　robes　and　spread　the　feast　of　wele。　They　then　separated。

Thence　Dong　Zhuos　power　and　influence　increased　rapidly。　He　gave　the　lordship　of　Hu　（an　ancient　state）　and　the　rank　mander　of　the　Left　Army　to　his　brother　Dong　Min。　He　appointed　Lu　Bu　Lord　of　Luoyang；　mander　of　Capital　District；　and　Cavalry　mander。　Dong　Zhuo　made　himself　Minister　of　Works；　Grand　mander；　and　mander　of　the　Front　Army。

The　adviser　Li　Ru　never　ceased　from　urging　him　to　carry　out　the　design　of　deposing　the　young　Emperor。

The　now　all…powerful　Dong　Zhuo　prepared　a　banquet　in　the　capital　at　which　all　the　officers　of　state　were　guests。　He　also　bade　Lu　Bu　post　a　pany　of　armed　men　right　and　left　ready　for　action。　The　feast　began　and　several　courses　were　served　with　nothing　to　distinguish　that　banquet　from　any　other。

Then　suddenly　the　host　arose　and　drew　his　sword；　saying；　〃He　who　is　above　us　being　weak　and　irresolute　is　unfit　for　the　duties　of　his　high　place。　Wherefore　I；　as　of　old　did　Yi　Yin　and　Huo　Guang；　will　set　aside　this　Emperor　giving　him　the　title　of　Prince　of　Hongnong；　and　I　will　place　on　the　throne　the　present　Prince　of　Chenliu。　And　those　who　do　not　support　me　will　suffer　death。〃

Fear　seized　them　in　its　grip　and　they　were　silent；　all　but　Yuan　Shao　who　said；　〃The　Emperor　was　innocent　of　any　fault；　and　to　set　him　aside　in　favor　of　a　moner　was　rebellion　and　nothing　else！〃

〃The　empire　is　in　my　hands！〃　cried　Dong　Zhuo。　〃When　I　choose　to　do　this　thing；　who　will　dare　to　say　nay？　Think　you　my　sword　lacks　an　edge？〃

〃If　your　sword　is　sharp；　mine　is　never　blunt！〃　said　Yuan　Shao　as　his　sword　flashed　out　of　the　sheath。

The　two　men　stood　face　to　face　amid　the　feasters。

When　Ding　Yuan　by　treacherous　murder　died；

The　loss　was　great　to　Yuan　Shaos　side。

The　fate　of　Yuan　Shao　will　be　disclosed　in　later　chapters。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　4　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　4

Chapter　4

The　Deposition　Of　The　Emperor：　Prince　Of　Chenliu　Bees　Emperor；

Schemes　Against　Dong　Zhuo：　Cao　Cao　Presents　A　Sword。

Dong　Zhuo　was　on　the　point　of　slaying　Yuan　Shao；　but　Li　Ru　checked　him；　saying；　〃You　must　not　kill　rashly　while　the　business　hangs　in　the　balance。〃

Yuan　Shao；　his　sword　still　unsheathed；　left　the　assembly。　He　hung　up　the　seals　of　his　office　at　the　east　gate　and　went　to　Jizhou　Region。

Dong　Zhuo　said　to　Imperial　Guardian　Yuan　Wei；　〃Your　nephew　behaved　improperly；　but　I　pardon　him　for　your　sake。　What　think　you　of　my　scheme？〃

〃What　you　think　is　right；〃　was　the　reply。