小说园

第264部分（第1页）

〃Will　you　have　some　of　the　medicated　wine　brought　from　your　own　residence？〃　said　Sun　Jun。

〃Yes；　I　could　drink　that；〃　replied　he。

So　a　servant　was　sent　for　a　supply　that　he　might　drink　with　the　other　guests。

After　several　courses；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　made　an　excuse　and　left　the　banquet　hall。　Sun　Jun　went　to　the　foot　of　the　hall　and　changed　his　garments　of　ceremony　for　more　homely　garb；　but　underneath　these　he　put　on　armor。

Then　suddenly　he　raised　his　keen　sword　and　ran　up　the　hall；　shouting；　〃The　Emperor　has　issued　an　edict　to　slay　a　rebel！〃

Zhuge　Ke；　startled　so　that　he　dropped　his　cup；　laid　his　hand　upon　his　sword。　But　he　was　too　late；　his　head　rolled　to　the　floor。　His　friend　Zhang　Yue　drew　his　sword　and　rushed　at　the　assassin；　but　Sun　Jun　evaded　the　full　force　of　the　blow　and　was　only　wounded　in　the　left　finger。　Sun　Jun　slashed　back　at　Zhang　Yue　and　wounded　him　in　the　right　arm。　Then　the　braves　dashed　in　and　finished　Zhang　Yue。

The　braves　were　then　sent　to　arrest　Zhuge　Kes　family；　while　the　bodies　of　Zhuge　Ke　and　Zhang　Yue　were　hastily　rolled　in　matting；　thrown　into　a　cart；　taken　to　the　outside　of　the　south　gate；　and　tossed　into　a　rubbish　pit。

While　Zhuge　Ke　was　absent　in　the　palace；　his　wife　sat　in　the　womens　quarters　at　home　feeling　strangely　unquiet。

Presently　a　maid　came　in　and；　when　she　drew　near；　his　wife　said；　〃Why　does　your　clothing　smell　of　blood？〃

To　her　horror　the　maid　suddenly　transformed　into　a　weird　creature　with　rolling　eyes　and　gritting　teeth；　that　went　dancing　about　the　room　and　leaping　till　it　touched　the　roof…beams；　shrieking　all　the　time；　〃I　am　Zhuge　Ke；　and　I　have　been　slain　by　that　bastard　Sun　Jun！〃

By　this　time　the　whole　family　were　frightened　and　began　wailing。　And　a　few　minutes　later　the　residence　was　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　armed　guards　sent　to　murder　the　inmates；　whom　they　bound；　carried　off　to　the　market　place；　and　put　to　the　sword。　These　things　occurred　in　the　tenth　month　of　the　second　year　of　Great　Prosperity　（AD　253）。

When　Zhuge　Jin　lived；　he　saw　his　sons　ability　display　prominently；　and　he　often　sighed；　saying；　〃This　son　will　not　safeguard　the　family。〃

Others　had　also　predicted　an　early　death。　Zhang　Qi；　High　Minister　in　Wei；　used　to　say　to　Sima　Shi；　〃Zhuge　Ke　will　die　soon。〃

And　when　asked　why；　Zhang　Qi　replied；　〃Can　a　person　live　long　when　his　dignity　endangers　that　of　his　lord？〃

After　the　conspiracy；　Sun　Jun　became　Prime　Minister　in　place　of　his　victim。　He　was　also　placed　in　mand　of　all　the　military　forces；　and　became　very　powerful。　The　control　of　all　matters　was　in　his　hands。

In　Chengdu；　when　the　letter　of　Zhuge　Ke　asking　help　from　Jiang　Wei　arrived；　Jiang　Wei　had　audience　with　the　Latter　Ruler　and　requested　authority　to　raise　an　army　against　the　north。

The　army　fought；　but　fought　in　vain；

Success　may　crown　a　new　campaign。

Who　were　victorious　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　109　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　109

Chapter　109

A　Ruse　Of　A　Han　General：　Sima　Zhao　Is　Surrounded；

Retribution　For　The　House　Of　Wei：　Cao　Fang　Is　Dethroned。

It　was　the　autumn　of　the　sixteenth　year　of　Long　Enjoyment　（AD　253）；　and　Jiang　Weis　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　was　ready　to　march　against　the　north。　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi　were　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Xiahou　Ba　was　Army　Strategist；　Zhang　Ni　was　in　mand　of　the　missariat。　The　army　marched　out　by　the　Yangping　Pass。

Discussing　the　plan　of　campaign　with　Xiahou　Ba；　Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Our　former　attack　on　Yongzhou　failed；　so　this　time　they　will　doubtless　be　even　better　prepared　to　resist。　What　do　you　suggest？〃

Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃Nanan　is　the　only　well…provided　place　in　all　Longshang。　If　we　take　that；　it　will　serve　as　an　excellent　base。　Our　former　ill…success　was　due　to　the　non…arrival　of　the　Qiangs。　Let　us　therefore　send　early　to　tell　them　to　assemble　at　Longyou；　after　which　we　will　move　out　at　Shiying　and　march　to　Nanan　by　way　of　Dongting。〃

〃You　spoke　well；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

He　at　once　sent　Xi　Zheng　as　his　envoy；　bearing　gifts　of　gold　and　pearls　and　silk　to　win　the　help　of　the　King　of　the　Qiangs；　whose　name　was　Mi　Dang。　The　mission　was　successful：　King　Mi　Dang　accepted　the　presents　and　sent　fifty　thousand　troops　to　Nanan　under　the　Qiang　General　Ehe　Shaoge。

When　Guo　Huai　heard　of　the　threatened　attack；　he　sent　a　hasty　memorial　to　Capital　Luoyang。

Sima　Shi　at　once　asked　his　leaders；　〃Who　will　go　out　to　meet　the　army　from　the　west？〃