小说园

第32部分（第1页）

But　Huangfu　Li　would　not　be　satisfied　with　failure。　As　he　went　out　of　the　camp；　he　cried　loudly；　〃Li　Jue　will　not　obey　the　Emperors　mand。　He　will　kill　his　prince　to　set　up　himself！〃

Counselor　Hu　Miao　tried　to　shut　Huangfu　Lis　mouth；　saying；　〃Do　not　utter　such　words。　You　will　only　bring　hurt　upon　yourself。〃

But　Huangfu　Li　shrieked　at　him　also；　saying；　〃You　also　are　an　officer　of　state；　and　yet　you　even　back　up　the　rebel。　When　the　prince　is　put　to　shame；　the　minister　dies。　That　is　our　code。　If　it　be　my　lot　to　suffer　death　at　the　hands　of　Li　Jue；　so　be　it！〃

And　Huangfu　Li　maintained　a　torrent　of　abuse。　The　Emperor　heard　of　the　incident；　called　in　Huangfu　Li　and　sent　him　away　to　his　own　country　Xiliang。

Now　more　than　half　Li　Jues　troops　were　from　Xiliang；　and　he　had　also　the　assistance　of　the　Qiangs；　the　northern　tribespeople　beyond　the　border。　When　Huangfu　Li　spread　that　Li　Jue　was　a　rebel　and　so　were　those　who　helped　him；　and　that　there　would　be　a　day　of　heavy　reckoning；　those　stories　disturbed　the　soldiers。

Li　Jue　sent　one　of　his　officers；　General　Wang　Chan　of　the　Tiger　Army；　to　arrest　Huangfu　Li；　but　Wang　Chan　had　a　sense　of　right　and　esteemed　Huangfu　Li　as　an　honorable　man。　Instead　of　carrying　out　the　orders；　Wang　Chan　returned　to　say　Huangfu　Li　could　not　be　found。

Jia　Xu　tried　to　work　on　the　feelings　of　the　barbarian　tribes。　He　said　to　them；　〃The　Son　of　Heaven　knows　you　are　loyal　to　him　and　have　bravely　fought　and　suffered。　He　has　issued　a　secret　mand　for　you　to　go　home；　and　then　he　will　reward　you。〃

The　tribesmen　had　a　grievance　against　Li　Jue　for　not　paying　them；　so　they　listened　readily　to　the　insidious　persuasions　of　Jia　Xu　and　deserted。

Then　Jia　Xu　advised　the　Emperor；　〃Li　Jue　is　covetous　in　nature。　He　is　deserted　and　enfeebled。　A　high　office　should　be　granted　to　him　to　lead　him　astray。〃

So　the　Emperor　officially　appointed　Li　Jue　Regent　Marshal。　This　delighted　him　greatly；　and　he　ascribed　his　promotion　to　the　potency　of　his　wise　witches　prayers　and　incantations。　He　rewarded　those　people　most　liberally。

But　his　army　was　forgotten。　Wherefore　his　mander；　Yang　Feng；　was　angry。

Yang　Feng　said　to　General　Song　Guo；　〃We　have　taken　all　the　risks　and　exposed　ourselves　to　stones　and　arrows　in　his　service；　yet　instead　of　giving　us　any　reward　he　ascribes　all　the　credit　to　those　witches　of　his。〃

〃Let　us　put　him　out　of　the　way　and　rescue　the　Emperor；〃　said　Song　Guo。

〃You　explode　a　bomb　within　as　signal；　and　I　will　attack　from　outside。〃

So　the　two　agreed　to　act　together　that　very　night　in　the　second　watch。　But　they　had　been　overheard；　and　the　eavesdropper　told　Li　Jue。　Song　Guo　was　seized　and　put　to　death。　That　night　Yang　Feng　waited　outside　for　the　signal　and　while　waiting；　out　came　Li　Jue　himself。　Then　a　melee　began；　which　lasted　till　the　fourth　watch。　But　Yang　Feng　got　away　and　fled　to　Xian。

But　from　this　time　Li　Jues　army　began　to　fall　away；　and　he　felt　more　than　ever　the　losses　caused　by　Guo　Sis　frequent　attacks。　Then　came　news　that　Zhang　Ji；　at　the　head　of　a　large　army；　was　ing　down　from　Shanxi　to　make　peace　between　the　two　factions。　Zhang　Ji　vowed　he　would　attack　the　one　who　was　recalcitrant。　Li　Jue　tried　to　gain　favor　by　hastening　to　send　to　tell　Zhang　Ji　he　was　ready　to　make　peace。　So　did　Guo　Si。

So　the　strife　of　the　rival　factions　ended　at　last；　and　Zhang　Ji　memorialized　asking　the　Emperor　to　go　to　Hongnong　near　Luoyang。

The　Emperor　was　delighted；　saying；　〃I　have　longed　to　go　back　to　the　east。〃

Zhang　Ji　was　rewarded　with　the　title　of　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　was　highly　honored。　Zhang　Ji　saw　to　it　that　the　Emperor　and　the　court　had　good　supplies　of　necessaries。　Guo　Si　set　free　all　his　captive　officers；　and　Li　Jue　prepared　transport　for　the　court　to　move　to　the　east。　Li　Jue　told　off　panies　of　his　Royal　Guard　to　escort　the　cavalcade。

The　progress　had　been　without　incident　as　far　as　Xinfeng。　Near　Baling　Bridge　the　west　wind　of　autumn　came　on　to　blow　with　great　violence；　but　soon　above　the　howling　of　the　gale　was　heard　the　trampling　of　a　large　body　of　force。　They　stopped　at　a　bridge　and　barred　the　way。

〃Who　es？〃　cried　a　voice。

〃The　Imperial　Chariot　is　passing；　and　who　dares　stop　it？〃　said　Yang　Qi；　riding　forward。

Two　leaders　of　the　barring　party　advanced　to　Yang　Qi；　saying；　〃General　Guo　Si　has　ordered　us　to　guard　the　bridge　and　stop　all　spies。　You　say　the　Emperor　is　here：　We　must　see　him；　and　then　we　will　let　you　pass。〃

So　the　pearl　curtain　was　raised　and　the　Emperor　said；　〃I；　the　Emperor；　am　here。　Why　do　you　not　retire　to　let　me　pass；　gentlemen？〃

They　all　shouted；　〃Wan　shui！　Long　Life！　Long　Life！〃　and　fell　away　to　allow　the　cortege　through。

But　when　they　reported　what　they　had　done；　Guo　Si　was　very　angry；　saying；　〃I　meant　to　outwit　Zhang　Ji；　seize　the　Emperor；　and　hold　him　in　Meiwo。　Why　have　you　let　him　get　away？〃

He　put　the　two　officers　to　death；　set　out　to　pursue　the　cavalcade；　and　overtook　it　just　at　the　county　of　Huaying。　The　noise　of　a　great　shouting　arose　behind　the　travelers；　and　a　loud　voice　manded；　〃Stop　the　train！〃

The　Emperor　burst　into　tears。