小说园

第288部分（第1页）

vice　and　chose　Eunuch　Cen　Hun　as　his　confidant　and　favorite。　When　Prime　Minister　Puyang　Xing　and　General　Zhang　Bu　ventured　upon　remonstrance；　both；　with　all　their　family；　were　put　to　death。　Thereafter　none　dared　to　speak；　the　mouth　of　every　courtier　was　shut　tight。

Another　year…style；　Treasured　Paramount；　was　adopted　the　next　year　（266）；　and　the　responsibility　of　the　Prime　Ministers　office　was　shared　by　two　officers；　Lu　Kuai　the　Left　and　Wan　Yu　the　Right。

At　this　time　the　imperial　residence　was　in　Wuchang。　The　people　of　Yangzhou　shouldered　heavy　tribute　and　suffered　exceedingly。　There　was　no　limit　to　the　Rulers　extravagance。　The　treasury　was　swept　clean；　and　the　ine　of　the　royal　domain　exhausted。

At　length　Lu　Kuai；　Left　Prime　Minister；　ventured　a　memorial；　saying：

〃No　natural　calamity　has　fallen　upon　the　people；　yet　they　starve；　no　public　work　is　in　progress；　yet　the　treasury　is　empty。　I　am　distressed。　The　country　under　the　Hans　has　fallen　apart　and　three　states　have　arisen　therefrom。　Those　ruled　by　the　Caos　and　the　Lius；　as　the　result　of　their　own　folly；　have　been　lost　in　Jin。　Foolish　I　may　be；　but　I　would　protect　the　state　for　Your　Majesty　against　the　evils　we　have　seen　in　the　other　divisions。　This　city　of　Wuchang　is　not　safe　as　a　royal　residence。　There　is　a　rhyme　concerning　it；　the　gist　of　which　is　that　it　is　better　to　drink　the　water　of　Jianye　than　eat　the　fish　of　Wuchang；　better　to　die　in　Jianye　than　to　live　in　Wuchang。　This　shows　the　regard　of　the　people　as　well　as　the　will　of　Heaven。　Now　the　public　storehouses　are　nearly　empty；　they　contain　insufficient　for　a　years　use。　The　officers　of　all　grades　vex　and　distress　the　people　and　none　pity　them。

〃In　former　times　the　Palace　women　numbered　less　than　a　hundred；　for　years　past　they　have　exceeded　a　thousand。　This　is　an　extravagant　waste　of　treasure。　The　courtiers　render　no　disinterested　service；　but　are　split　into　cliques　and　cabals。　The　honest　are　injured；　and　the　good　driven　away。　All　these　things　undermine　the　state　and　weaken　the　people。　I　beg　Your　Majesty　to　reduce　the　number　of　officers　and　remove　grievances；　to　dismiss　the　Palace　women　and　select　honest　officers；　to　the　joy　of　the　people　and　the　tranquillity　of　the　state。〃

But　the　Ruler　of　Wu　was　displeased；　threw　the　memorial　away；　and　showed　his　contempt　for　the　Ministers　remonstrance　by　beginning　to　collect　material　for　the　building　of　a　new　palace　plex　to　be　called　the　Reflected　Light　Palace。　He　even　made　the　officers　of　the　court　go　into　the　forest　to　fell　trees　for　the　work。

The　Ruler　of　Wu　called　in　the　soothsayer　Shang　Guang　and　bade　him　take　the　cast　and　inquire　as　to　the　attainment　of　empire。

Shang　Guang　cast　a　lot　and　replied；　〃All　is　propitious；　and　in　the　year　of　the　mouse　your　blue　umbrella　will　enter　Luoyang！〃

And　Sun　Hao　was　pleased。

He　said　to　Minister　Hua　Jiao；　〃The　former　Rulers　listened　to　your　words　and　sent　generals　to　various　points　and　placed　defensive　camps　along　the　rivers。　And　over　all　these　was　set　Ding　Feng。　Now　my　desire　is　to　conquer　Han　and　avenge　the　wrongs　of　my　brother；　the　Ruler　of　Shu。　What　place　should　be　first　conquered？〃

Hua　Jiao　replied；　〃Now　that　Chengdu　has　fallen　and　the　Throne　there　been　overturned；　Sima　Yan　will　assuredly　desire　to　absorb　this　southern　land。　Your　Majesty　should　display　virtue　and　restore　confidence　to　your　people。　That　would　be　the　best　plan。　If　you　engage　in　war；　it　will　be　like　throwing　on　hemp　to　put　out　a　fire………the　hemp　only　adds　to　the　blaze。　This　is　worthy　of　careful　consideration。〃

But　Sun　Hao　grew　angry　and　said；　〃I　desire　to　take　this　opportunity　to　return　to　my　real　heritage。　Why　do　you　employ　this　ill…omened　language？　Were　it　not　for　your　long　service；　now　would　I　slay　you　and　expose　your　head　as　a　warning。〃

He　bade　the　lictors　hustle　Minister　Hua　Jiao　from　his　presence；　and　Hua　Jiao　left　the　court。

〃It　is　pitiful；〃　said　Hua　Jiao。　〃Ere　long　our　silky；　beautiful　country　will　pass　to　another！〃

So　Hua　Jiao　retired。

And　the　Ruler　of　Wu　ordered　Lu　Kang；　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　to　camp　his　army　at　Jiangkou　in　order　to　attack　Xiangyang。

Spies　reported　this　in　Luoyang；　and　it　was　told　the　Ruler　of　Jin。　When　Sima　Yan　heard　that　the　army　of　Wu　threatened　to　invade　Xiangyang；　he　called　a　council。

Jia　Chong　stood　forth；　saying；　〃I　hear　the　government　of　Wu；　under　its　present　ruler；　Sun　Hao；　is　devoid　of　virtue；　and　the　Ruler　of　Wu　has　turned　aside　out　of　the　road。　Your　Majesty　should　send　mander　Yang　Hu　to　oppose　this　army。　When　internal　trouble　shall　arise；　let　him　attack；　and　victory　will　then　be　easy。〃

The　Ruler　of　Jin　issued　an　edict　ordering　Yang　Hu　to　prepare；　and　so　he　mustered　his　troops　and　set　himself　to　guard　the　county。

Yang　Hu　became　very　popular　in　Xiangyang。　Any　of　the　soldiers　of　Wu　who　desired　to　desert　to　the　other　side　were　allowed　to　e　over。　He　employed　only　the　fewest　possible　troops　on　patrol　duty。　Instead　he　set　his　soldiers　to　till　the　soil；　and　they　cultivated　an　extensive　area；　whereby　the　hundred　days　supplies　with　which　they　set　out　were　soon　increased　to　enough　for　ten　years。

Yang　Hu　maintained　great　simplicity；　wearing　the　lightest　of　garments　and　no　armor。　His　personal　escort　and　servants　numbered　only　about　ten。

One　day　his　officers　came　to　his　tent　and　said；　〃The　spies　reported　great　laxity　in　the　enemys　camp。　It　is　time　to　make　an　attack！〃

But　Yang　Hu　replied；　〃You　must　not　despise　Lu　Kang；　for　he　is　able　and　crafty。　Formerly　his　master　sent　him　to　attack　Xiling；　and　he　slew　Bu　Chan　and　many　of　his　generals；　before　I　could　save　that　city。　So　long　as　Lu　Kang　remains　in　mand；　I　shall　remain　on　the　defensive。　I　shall　not　attack　till　there　be　trouble　and　confusion　among　our　enemies。　To　be　rash　and　not　await　the　proper　moment　to　attack　is　to　invite　defeat。〃

They　found　him　wise　and　said　no　more。　They　only　kept　the　boundaries。

One　day　Yang　Hu　and　his　officers　went　out　to　hunt；　and　it　happened　that　Lu　Kang　had　chosen　the　same　day　to　hunt。　Yang　Hu　gave　strict　orders　not　to　cross　the　boundary；　and　so　each　hunted　only　on　his　own　side。

Lu　Kang　was　astonished　at　the　enemys　scrupulous　propriety。

He　sighed；　〃The　soldiers　of　Yang　Hu　have　so　high　a　discipline　that　I　may　not　make　any　invasion　now。〃

In　the　evening；　after　both　parties　had　returned；　Yang　Hu　ordered　an　inspection　of　the　slaughtered　game　and　sent　over　to　the　other　side　any　that　seemed　to　have　been　first　struck　by　the　soldiers　of　Wu。

Lu　Kang　was　greatly　pleased　and　sent　for　the　bearers　of　the　game。

〃Does　your　leader　drink　wine？〃　asked　he。

They　replied；　〃Only　fine　wines　does　he　drink。〃