小说园

第287部分（第1页）

ral　advantages　he　has　a　great　destiny：　He　was　not　born　to　serve。〃

Sima　Zhao　hesitated；　for　he　was　still　unwilling　to　abandon　his　desire。

But　two　other　officers………Grand　mander　Wang　Xiang　and　Minister　of　Works　Xun　Kai………also　remonstrated；　saying；　〃Certain　former　dynasties　have　preferred　the　younger　before　the　elder　and　rebellion　has　generally　followed。　We　pray　you　reflect　upon　these　cases。〃

Finally　Sima　Zhao　yielded　and　named　his　elder　son　Sima　Yan　as　his　successor。

Certain　officers　memorialized：　〃This　year　a　gigantic　figure　of　a　man　descended　from　heaven　in　Xiangwu。　His　height　was　twenty　feet　and　his　footprint　measured　over　three　feet。　He　had　white　hair　and　a　hoary　beard。　He　wore　an　unlined　yellow　robe　and　a　yellow　cape。　He　walked　leaning　on　a　black…handled　staff。　This　extraordinary　man　preached；　saying；　I　am　the　king　of　the　people；　and　now　I　e　to　tell　you　of　a　change　of　ruler　and　the　ing　of　peace。　He　wandered　about　for　three　days　and　then　disappeared。　Evidently　this　portent　refers　to　yourself；　Noble　Sir；　and　now　you　should　assume　the　imperial　headdress　with　twelve　strings　of　pearls；　set　up　the　imperial　standard；　and　have　the　roads　cleared　when　you　make　a　progress。　You　should　ride　in　the　golden…shafted　chariot　with　six　horses。　Your　consort　should　be　styled　Empress　and　your　heir　Apparent。〃

Sima　Zhao　was　greatly　pleased。　He　returned　to　his　palace；　but　just　as　he　was　sitting　down；　he　was　suddenly　seized　with　paralysis　and　lost　the　use　of　his　tongue。　He　quickly　grew　worse。　His　three　chief　confidants；　Wang　Xiang；　He　Zeng；　and　Xun　Kai；　together　with　many　court　officials；　came　to　inquire　after　his　health；　but　he　could　not　speak　to　them。　He　pointed　toward　the　heir　apparent；　Sima　Yan；　and　died。　It　was　the　eighth　month　of　that　year。

Then　said　He　Zeng；　〃The　care　of　the　empire　devolves　upon　the　Prince　of　Jin：　Let　us　induct　the　heir。　Then　we　can　perform　the　sacrifices　to　the　late　prince。〃

Thereupon　Sima　Yan　was　set　up　in　his　fathers　place。　He　gave　He　Zeng　the　title　of　Prime　Minister；　Sima　Wang；　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Shi　Bao；　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　and　conferred　many　other　titles　and　ranks。　The　posthumous　title　of　the　〃Scholar　Prince〃　was　conferred　upon　his　late　father。

＇e＇　King　Wen；　aka　the　Scholar　King；　founder　of　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　father　of　King　Wu。　King　Wen　did　not　actually　founded　the　dynasty；　but　he　laid　the　foundation　for　Zhou。　At　the　end　of　Shang　Dynasty；　the　state　Zhou　of　King　Wen　had　already　possessed　two…thirds　of　the　empire；　but　King　Wen　still　faithfully　served　the　last　emperor　of　Shang。　The　final　conquest　was　pleted　by　King　Wu　and　King　Wus　brother；　the　Duke　of　Zhou。　。。。。。

When　the　obsequies　were　finished；　Sima　Yan　summoned　Jia　Chong　and　Pei　Xiu　into　the　Palace；　and　said；　〃Cao　Cao　said　that　if　the　celestial　mandate　rested　upon　him；　he　could　be　no　more　than　King　Wen　of　Zhou*；　who　served　as　a　regent　only。　Is　this　really　so？〃

Jia　Chong　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　was　in　the　service　of　Han　and　feared　lest　posterity　should　reproach　him　with　usurpation。　Wherefore　he　spoke　thus。　Nevertheless　he　caused　Cao　Pi　to　bee　Emperor。〃

〃How　did　my　father　pare　with　Cao　Cao？〃　asked　Sima　Yan。

〃Although　Cao　Cao　was　universally　successful；　yet　the　people　feared　him　and　credited　him　with　no　virtue。　Cao　Pis　rule　was　marked　by　strife　and　lack　of　tranquillity。　No　single　year　was　peaceful。　Later　the　Original　Prince　and　Wonderful　Prince　of　your　line　rendered　great　services　and　disseminated　passion　and　virtue；　so　that　they　were　beloved。　Your　late　father　overcame　Shu　in　the　west　and　was　universally　renowned。　parison　with　Cao　Cao　is　impossible。〃

〃Still　Cao　Pi　succeeded　the　rule　of　Han。　Can　I　not　in　like　manner　succeed　that　of　Wei？〃

Jia　Chong　and　Pei　Xiu　bowed　low　and　said；　〃Cao　Pis　action　may　be　taken　as　a　precedent　to　succeed　an　older　dynasty。　Wherefore　prepare　an　abdication　terrace　to　make　the　great　declaration。〃

Sima　Yan　resolved　to　act　promptly。　Next　day　he　entered　the　Forbidden　City　armed　with　a　sword。　No　court　had　been　held　for　many　days；　for　Cao　Huang　was　ill　at　ease　and　full　of　dread。　When　Sima　Yan　appeared；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　left　his　place　and　advanced　to　met　him。　Sima　Yan　sat　down。

〃By　whose　merits　did　Wei　succeed　to　empire？〃　he　asked　suddenly。

〃Certainly　success　was　due　to　your　forefathers；〃　replied　Cao　Huang。

Sima　Yan　smiled；　saying；　〃Your　Majesty　is　unskilled　in　debate；　inept　in　war；　and　unfit　to　rule。　Why　not　give　place　to　another　more　able　and　virtuous？〃

Cao　Huangs　lips　refused　a　reply。

But　Zhang　Jie；　one　of　the　ministers；　cried；　〃You　are　wrong　to　speak　thus；　O　Prince。　His　Majestys　ancestor　conquered　east　and　west；　north　and　south；　and　won　the　empire　by　strenuous　effort。　The　present　Emperor　is　virtuous　and　without　fault。　Why　should　he　yield　place　to　another？〃

Sima　Yan　replied　angrily；　〃The　imperial　right　lay　with　the　Hans；　and　Cao　Cao　coerced　them　as　he　did　the　nobles。　In　making　himself　the　Prince　of　Wei；　he　usurped　the　throne　of　Han。　Three　generations　of　my　forefathers　upheld　the　House　of　Wei；　so　that　their　power　is　not　the　result　of　their　own　abilities；　but　of　the　labor　of　my　house。　This　is　known　to　all　the　world；　and　am　I　not　equal　to　carrying　on　the　rule　of　Wei？〃

〃If　you　do　this　thing；　you　will　be　a　rebel　and　an　usurper；〃　said　Zhang　Jie。

〃And　what　shall　I　be　if　I　avenge　the　wrongs　of　Han？〃

He　bade　the　lictors　take　Zhang　Jie　outside　and　beat　him　to　death；　while　the　Ruler　of　Wei　wept　and　besought　pardon　for　his　faithful　minister。

Sima　Yan　rose　and　left。

Cao　Huang　turned　to　Jia　Chong　and　Pei　Xiu；　saying；　〃What　should　I　do？　Some　decision　must　be　taken。〃

They　replied；　〃Truth　to　tell；　the　measure　of　your　fate　is　acplished　and　you　cannot　oppose　the　will　of　Heaven。　You　must　prepare　to　abdicate　as　did　Emperor　Xian　of　the　Hans。　Resign　the　throne　to　the　Prince　of　Jin　and　thereby　accord　with　the　design　of　Heaven　and　the　will　of　the　people。　Your　personal　safety　need　not　cause　you　anxiety。〃

Cao　Huang　could　only　accept　this　advice；　and　the　terrace　was　built。　The　〃mouse〃　day　of　the　twelfth　month　was　chosen　for　the　ceremony。　On　that　day　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　dressed　in　full　robes　of　ceremony；　and　bearing　the　seal　in　his　hand；　ascended　the　terrace　in　the　presence　of　a　great　assembly。

The　House　of　Wei　displaced　the　House　of　Han

And　Jin　succeeded　Wei；　so　turns　fates　wheel

And　none　escape　its　grinding。　Zhang　Jie　the　true

Stood　in　the　way　and　died。　We　pity　him。