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第254部分（第2页）

The　next　chapter　will　tell　who　they　were。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　105　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　105

Chapter　105

The　Lord　of　Wuxiang　Leaves　A　Plan　In　The　Silken　Bag；

The　Ruler　of　Wei　Removes　The　Bronze　Statue　With　The　Dew　Bowl。

Yang　Yi　sent　forward　a　man　to　find　out　what　force　this　was　that　stood　in　his　way；　and　the　scout　returned　to　say　they　were　soldiers　of　Shu　led　by　Wei　Yan。　Wei　Yan　had　burned　the　Plank　Trail　and　now　barred　the　way。

Then　said　Yang　Yi；　〃Just　before　his　death　the　Prime　Minister　foretold　that　this　man　would　one　day　turn　traitor；　and　here　it　has　e　to　pass。　I　did　not　expect　to　meet　it　thus；　but　now　our　road　of　retreat　is　cut；　and　what　is　to　be　done？〃

Then　replied　Fei　Yi；　〃He　certainly　has　slandered　us　to　the　Emperor　and　said　that　we　were　rebelling；　and　therefore　he　has　destroyed　the　wooden　roads　in　order　to　prevent　our　progress　first。　Therefore；　we　must　memorialize　to　the　Throne　the　truth　about　him　and　then　plan　his　destruction。〃

Jiang　Wei　said；　〃I　know　a　by…way　hereabout　that　will　lead　us　round　to　the　rear　of　these　covered　roads。　True　it　is　precipitous　and　dangerous；　but　it　will　take　us　to　our　destination。　It　is　called　the　Chashan　Mountain　Path。〃

So　they　prepared　a　memorial　and　turned　off　in　order　to　follow　the　narrow　mountain　road。

Meanwhile　in　Chengdu　the　Latter　Ruler　of　Shu　was　troubled；　he　lost　his　appetite　and　was　sleepless。　Then　he　dreamed　that　the　Silky　Hills　that　protected　his　capital　was　rived　and　fell。　This　dream　troubled　him　till　morning；　when　he　called　in　his　officers　of　all　ranks　to　ask　them　to　interpret　his　vision。

When　he　had　related　his　dream；　Qiao　Zhou　stood　forth　and　said；　〃Last　night　I　saw　a　large　red　star　fall　from　the　northeast　to　the　southwest。　Surely　it　forebodes　a　misfortune　to　the　First　Minister。　Your　Majestys　dream　corresponds　to　what　I　saw。〃

The　Latter　Rulers　anxiety　increased。　Presently　Li　Fu　returned　and　was　summoned　into　the　Latter　Rulers　presence。

Li　Fu　bowed　his　head　and　wept；　saying；　〃The　Prime　Minister　is　dead！〃

He　repeated　Zhuge　Liangs　last　messages　and　told　all　that　he　knew。

The　Latter　Ruler　was　overe　with　great　sorrow；　and　wailed；　crying；　〃Heaven　smites　me！〃

And　he　fell　over　and　lay　upon　his　couch。　They　led　him　within　to　the　inner　chambers；　and　when　Empress　Wu；　the　Empress　Dowager；　heard　the　sad　tidings；　she　also　wailed　without　ceasing。　And　all　the　officers　were　distressed　and　wept；　and　the　mon　people　showed　their　grief。

The　Latter　Ruler　was　deeply　affected；　and　for　many　days　could　hold　no　court。　And　while　thus　prostrate　with　grief；　they　told　him　that　Wei　Yan　had　sent　up　a　memorial　charging　Yang　Yi　with　rebellion。　The　astounded　courtiers　went　to　the　Latter　Rulers　chamber　to　talk　over　this　thing；　and　Empress　Wu　was　also　there。　The　memorial　was　read　aloud。　It　was　much　like　this：

〃I；　thy　Minister　and　General；　Wei　Yan；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West　and　Lord　of　Nanzheng；　humbly　and　with　bowed　head　write　that　Yang　Yi　has　assumed　mand　of　the　army　and　is　in　rebellion。　He　has　made　off　with　the　coffin　of　the　late　Prime　Minister　and　wishes　to　lead　enemies　within　our　borders。　As　a　precaution；　and　to　hinder　his　progress；　I　have　burned　the　Plank　Trail　and　now　report　these　matters。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　said；　〃Wei　Yan　is　a　valiant　warrior　and　could　easily　have　overe　Yang　Yi。　Why　then　did　he　destroy　the　Plank　Trail？〃

Empress　Wu　said；　〃The　First　Ruler　used　to　say　that　Zhuge　Liang　knew　that　treachery　lurked　in　the　heart　of　Wei　Yan；　and　he　wished　to　put　Wei　Yan　to　death；　he　only　spared　Wei　Yan　because　of　his　valor。　We　should　not　believe　too　readily　this　tale　of　his　that　Yang　Yi　has　rebelled。　Yang　Yi　is　a　scholar　and　a　civil　officer；　and　the　late　Prime　Minister　placed　him　in　a　position　of　great　responsibility；　thereby　proving　that　he　trusted　and　valued　Yang　Yi。　If　we　believe　this　statement；　surely　Yang　Yi　will　be　forced　to　go　over　to　Wei。　Nothing　should　be　done　without　due　meditation。〃

As　they　were　discussing　this　matter；　an　urgent　memorial　came　from　Yang　Yi；　and　opening　it；　they　read：

〃I；　Yang　Yi；　leader　of　the　retreating　army；　humbly　and　with　trepidation；　present　this　memorial。　In　his　last　moments　the　late　Prime　Minister　made　over　to　me　the　charge　of　the　great　enterprise；　and　bade　me　carry　out　his　plan　without　change。　I　have　respected　his　charge。　I　ordered　Wei　Yan　to　mand　the　rearguard　with　Jiang　Wei　as　his　second。　But　Wei　Yan　refused　obedience　and　led　away　his　own　army　into　Hanzhong。　Then　he　burned　the　Plank　Trail；　tried　to　steal　away　the　body　of　the　late　mander…in…Chief；　and　behaved　altogether　unseemly。　His　rebellion　came　upon　me　suddenly　and　unexpectedly。　I　send　this　memorial　in　haste。〃

The　Empress　Dowager　listened　to　the　end。

Then；　turning　to　the　officers；　she　said；　〃What　is　your　opinion　now？〃

Jiang　Wan　replied；　〃Yang　Yi　is　hasty　and　intolerant；　but　he　has　rendered　great　services　in　supplying　the　army。　He　has　long　been　a　trusted　colleague　of　the　late　Prime　Minister；　who；　being　near　his　end；　entrusted　to　him　the　conduct　of　affairs。　Certainly　he　is　no　rebel。　On　the　other　hand；　Wei　Yan　is　bold　and　ambitious　and　thinks　himself　everybodys　superior。　Yang　Yi　is　the　only　one　who　has　openly　been　of　different　opinion；　and　hence　Wei　Yan　hates　him。　When　he　saw　Yang　Yi　placed　over　his　head　in　mand　of　the　army；　Wei　Yan　refused　his　support。　Then　Wei　Yan　burned　the　Plank　Trail　in　order　to　cut　off　Yang　Yis　retreat；　and　maligned　him；　hoping　to　bring　about　his　fall。　I　am　ready　to　guarantee　Yang　Yis　fealty　to　the　extent　of　my　whole　house；　but　I　would　not　answer　for　Wei　Yan。〃

Dong　Yun　followed；　〃Wei　Yan　has　always　been　conceited　and　discontented。　His　mouth　was　full　of　hate　and　resentment；　and　only　fear　of　the　late　Prime　Minister　held　him　in　check。　The　Prime　Ministers　death　gave　him　his　opportunity；　and　he　turned　traitor。　This　is　certainly　the　true　state　of　the　case。　Yang　Yi　is　able；　and　his　employment　by　the　late　Prime　Minister　is　proof　of　his　loyalty。〃

〃If　this　is　true　and　Wei　Yan　is　really　a　rebel；　what　should　be　done？〃　asked　the　Latter　Ruler。

Jiang　Wan　said；　〃I　think　the　late　Prime　Minister　has　framed　some　scheme　by　which　to　get　rid　of　Wei　Yan。　If　Yang　Yi　had　not　felt　secure；　he　would　scarcely　have　set　out　to　return　through　the　valleys。　Your　Majesty　may　feel　sure　that　Wei　Yan　will　fall　into　some　trap。　We　have　received；　almost　at　the　same　time；　two　memorials　from　two　men；　each　bringing　against　the　other　a　charge　of　rebellion。　Let　us　wait。〃

In　a　short　time　another　memorial　arrived　from　Wei　Yan；　who　accused　Yang　Yi　of　rebellion。　The　Latter　Ruler　was　reading　it；　when　a　messenger　from　Yang　Yi　was　announced　with　yet　another　memorial　labeling　Wei　Yan　a　rebel。　The　court　received　several　more　memorials　from　both　sides　blaming　each　other；　and　the　officials　did　not　know　what　to　do。

Just　then　Fei　Yi　arrived。　He　was　summoned　into　the　royal　presence　and　told　the　story　of　Wei　Yans　revolt。

The　Latter　Ruler　replied；　〃In　that　case　I　should　do　well　to　send　Dong　Yun　with　the　ensigns　of　authority　to　mediate　the　situation　and　attempt　to　persuade　Wei　Yan　with　kind　words。〃

So　Dong　Yun　left　on　this　mission。

At　this　time　Wei　Yan　was　camped　at　Nangu　Valley；　which　was　a　manding　position。　He　thought