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第266部分（第2页）

〃The　ruler　ought　not　to　return　these　salutations；〃　said　Grand　mander　Wang　Su。

〃I　also　am　a　minister　and　must　respond；〃　replied　he。

They　conducted　him　to　the　carriage　to　ride　into　the　Palace；　but　he　refused　to　mount　it；　saying；　〃Her　Majesty　has　manded　my　presence；　I　know　not　for　what　reason。　How　dare　I　enter　the　Palace　in　such　a　carriage？〃

He　went　on　foot　to　the　Hall；　where　Sima　Shi　awaited　him。　He　prostrated　himself　before　Sima　Shi。　Sima　Shi　hastily　raised　him　and　led　him　into　the　presence。

The　Empress　Dowager　said；　〃In　your　youth　I　noticed　that　you　bore　the　impress　of　majesty。　Now　you　are　to　be　the　Ruler　of　the　Empire。　You　must　be　respectful　and　moderate；　diffusing　virtue　and　benevolence。　You　must　do　honor　to　your　ancestors………the　former　emperors。〃

Cao　Mao　modestly　declined　the　proposed　honor；　but　he　was　pelled　to　accept　it。　He　was　led　out　of　the　presence　of　the　Empress　Dowager　and　placed　in　the　seat　of　empire　in　the　Hall　of　Principles。

The　style　of　the　reign　was　changed　from　Domestic　Calm；　the　sixth　year；　to　Right　Origin；　the　first　year　（AD　254）。　An　amnesty　was　granted。　Honors　were　heaped　upon　Sima　Shi；　who　also　received　the　golden　axes；　with　the　right　to　proceed　leisurely　within　the　precincts；　to　address　the　Throne　without　using　his　name；　and　to　wear　arms　at　court。　Many　other　officers　also　received　promotions。

But　in　the　spring　of　the　second　year　of　Right　Origin；　it　was　reported　at　court　that　Guanqiu　Jian；　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　and　Wen　Qin；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　were　raising　armies　with　the　declared　design　of　restoring　the　deposed　emperor。

Sima　Shi　disconcerted。

If　ministers　of　Han　have　always　faithful　been；

Wei　leaders；　too；　prove　their　loyalty　are　keen。

How　this　new　menace　was　met　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　110　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　110

Chapter　110

Riding　Alone；　Wen　Yang　Repulses　A　Brave　Force；

Following　The　River；　Jiang　Wei　Defeats　The　Enemy。

It　has　been　said　that　in　the　second　year　of　Right　Origin　（AD　256）　Guanqiu　Jian；　of　the　South　of　River　Huai；　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　was　manding　the　forces　in　River　Huai　when　he　heard　the　news　Sima　Shi　deposed　Cao　Fang。

He　was　moved　to　great　anger；　and　his　eldest　son；　Guanqiu　Dian；　fomented　his　fathers　wrath；　saying；　〃Father；　you　are　chief　of　all　this　region。　With　this　Sima　Shi　in　such　a　position；　the　country　is　in　danger；　and　you　cannot　sit　still　and　look　on。〃

〃My　son；　you　speak　well！〃　replied　Guanqiu　Jian。

Whereupon　he　requested　Wen　Qin；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　to　e　and　consult　with　him。　This　Wen　Qin　had　been　a　client　of　Cao　Shuangs；　and　he　hastened　at　the　call　of　the　general。　When　he　arrived；　he　was　led　into　the　private　apartments；　and；　the　salutations　at　an　end；　the　two　began　to　talk　over　the　situation。　Presently　the　host　began　to　weep；　and　his　visitor　asked　the　cause　of　his　tears。

〃Think　you　that　this　conduct　of　Sima　Shi　does　not　tear　my　heart？　He　has　deposed　the　Emperor　and　now　holds　in　his　grip　all　authority　of　the　state。　Things　are　all　upside　down。〃

Wen　Qin　replied；　〃You　are　the　chief　of　this　region。　If　you　are　willing　to　play　the　part；　you　ought　to　take　arms　and　slay　this　rebel。　I　will　help　you；　regardless　of　consequences。　My　second　son；　Wen　Yang；　is　a　good　warrior　and　a　man　of　great　valor。　Moreover；　he　hates　Sima　Shi　and　wishes　to　avenge　on　the　Sima　brothers　the　death　of　Cao　Shuang。　He　would　make　an　excellent　Leader　of　the　Van。〃

Guanqiu　Jian　was　delighted　to　get　such　ready　and　willing　support；　and　the　two　poured　a　libation　in　pledge　of　mutual　good　faith。　Then；　pretending　that　they　held　an　edict　from　the　Empress　Dowager；　they　summoned　all　the　officers　to　Shouchun；　where　they　built　an　altar　on　the　west　side　and　sacrificed　a　white　horse；　smearing　their　lips　with　its　blood　in　token　of　their　oath。

They　made　this　declaration：

〃Sima　Shi　is　a　rebel　and　devoid　of　rectitude。　We　have　a　secret　edict　manding　us　to　muster　the　forces　of　the　South　of　River　Huai　and　put　down　this　rebellion。〃

Thus　supported；　Guanqiu　Jian　led　sixty　thousand　troops　to　Xiangcheng；　where　he　camped；　while　his　fellow…conspirator　Wen　Qin　took　twenty　thousand　troops　to　the　front　to　go　to　and　fro　lending　help　where　it　was　needed。　Letters　were　sent　all　through　the　counties　and　territories　calling　for　assistance。

Now　that　mole　below　the　left　eye　of　Sima　Shi　used　to　pain　at　times；　and　he　decided　to　have　it　removed。　The　surgeon　excised　it；　closed　and　dressed　the　wound；　and　the　patient　rested　quietly　in　his　palace　till　it　should　heal。

It　was　at　this　time　that　he　received　the　disquieting　news　of　opposition　to　his　authority。　Whereupon　he　called　in　Grand　mander　Wang　Su　to　discuss　the　matter。

Said　Wang　Su；　〃When　Guan　Yu　was　most　famous；　Sun　Quan　sent　Lu　Meng　to　capture　Jingzhou　by　surprise。　What　did　Lu　Meng　do？　He　first　won　over　the　officers　of　Guan　Yu　by　taking　care　of　their　families　and　thus　broke　the　power　of　his　enemy　like　a　tile。　Now　the　families　of　all　the　officers　in　the　South　of　River　Huai　are　here　in　the　Middle　Land。　Treat　them　well；　at　the　same　time　taking　care　that　they　do　not　get　away；　and　you　will　be　irresistible。〃

〃Your　words　are　good；〃　said　Sima　Shi。　〃However；　I　cannot　go　out　to　war　till　I　have　recovered。　Yet；　to　send　another　is　to　take　great　risks；　and　I　shall　feel　insecure。〃

＇e＇　Chu　was　one　of　the　most　important　of　states　contending　for　power　in　both　Spring　and　Autumn　and　Warring　States　periods。　If　other　states　wanted　to　be　dominant；　they　had　to　fight　and　defeat　Chu。　Located　in　the　fertile　valley　of　the　Great　River　（Yangtze）　in　the　south；　corresponding　to　the　surrounding　territory　of　Jingzhou。

There　was　also　present　Secretary　Zhong　Hui；　who　here　interposed；　saying；　〃The　forces　of　the　South　of　River　Huai　and　Chu*　are　very　formidable。　If　you　send　another；　there　is　danger　whatever　happens；　and　if　your　leader　makes　a　serious　mistake；　your　whole　policy　will　fail。〃

〃No　one　but　myself　can　succeed；〃　cried　Sima　Shi；　starting　from　his　couch。　〃I　must　go。〃

So；　in　spite　of　illness；　he　resolved