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第5部分（第2页）

Liu　Tao　cried　aloud；　〃My　death　matters　nothing。　The　pity　is　that　Han　Dynasty；　after　four　centuries　of　reign；　is　falling　fast！〃

The　guards　hustled　him　away　and　were　just　about　to　carry　out　the　Emperors　order　when　a　minister　stopped　them；　shouting；　〃Strike　not！　Wait　till　I　have　spoken　with　His　Majesty。〃

It　was　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Chen　Dan。　He　went　in　to　the　Emperor；　to　whom　he　said；　〃For　what　fault　is　Counselor　Liu　Tao　to　be　put　to　death？〃

〃He　has　vilified　my　servants　and　has　insulted　me；〃　said　the　Emperor。

〃All　the　empire　would　eat　the　flesh　of　the　eunuchs　if　they　could；　and　yet；　Sire；　you　respect　them　as　if　they　were　your　parents。　They　have　no　merit；　but　they　are　created　nobles。　Moreover；　Feng　Xu　was　in　league　with　the　Yellow　Scarves。　Unless　Your　Majesty　looks　to　it；　the　state　will　crumble！〃

〃There　was　no　proof　against　Feng　Xu；〃　replied　the　Emperor。　〃About　the　Ten　Eunuchs；　are　there　none　faithful　among　them？〃

Chen　Dan　beat　his　forehead　on　the　steps　of　the　throne　and　did　not　desist　from　remonstrance。　Then　the　Emperor　grew　angry　and　manded　his　removal　and　imprisonment　with　Liu　Tao。　That　night　Liu　Tao　and　Chen　Dan　were　murdered。

Then　the　eunuchs　sent　a　forged　edict　to　Sun　Jian　making　him　Governor　of　Changsha；　with　orders　to　suppress　the　rebellion　of　Ou　Xing。　In　less　than　two　months　Sun　Jian　reported　the　county　all　tranquil。　For　this　he　was　created　Lord　of　Wucheng。

Further；　Liu　Yu　was　made　Imperial　Protector　of　Youzhou　to　move　against　Yuyang　and　suppress　Zhang　Ju　and　Zhang　Chun。　Liu　Hu　of　Daizhou　remended　Liu　Bei　to　Liu　Yu。　Liu　Yu　weled　Liu　Bei　and　gave　him　rank　of　mander　and　sent　him　against　the　rebels。　He　fought　with　and　worsted　them　and　entirely　broke　their　spirit。　Zhang　Chun　was　cruel；　and　his　leaders　turned　against　him。　One　of　his　officers　then　slew　him　and　brought　in　his　head；　after　which　the　others　submitted。　The　other　leader　Zhang　Ju　saw　that　all　was　lost　and　killed　himself。

Yuyang　being　now　tranquil；　Liu　Beis　services　were　reported　to　the　Throne；　and　he　received　full　pardon　for　the　insult　to　the　imperial　inspector。　He　was　made　Deputy　Magistrate　of　Xiami；　then　manding　Officer　of　Gaotang。　Then　Gongsun　Zan　praised　Liu　Beis　former　services；　and　he　was　promoted　to　Magistrate　of　Pingyuan。　This　place　was　very　prosperous；　and　Liu　Bei　recovered　something　of　his　old　manner　before　the　days　of　adversity。　Liu　Yu　also　received　preferment　and　was　promoted　to　Grand　mander。

＇e＇　Regent　Marshal　was　the　highest　military　office；　while　Imperial　Guardian　highest　civilian　office。

In　the　summer　of　the　six　year　of　Central　Stability　（AD　189）；　Emperor　Ling　became　seriously　ill　and　summoned　He　Jin　into　the　Palace　to　arrange　for　the　future。　He　Jin　had　sprung　from　a　humble　family　of　butchers；　but　his　sister　had　bee　a　concubine　of　rank　and　borne　a　son　to　the　Emperor；　named　Liu　Bian。　After　this　she　became　Empress　He；　and　He　Jin　became　the　powerful　Regent　Marshal*。

The　Emperor　had　also　greatly　loved　a　beautiful　girl；　Lady　Wang；　who　had　borne　him　a　son　named　Liu　Xian。　Empress　He　had　poisoned　Lady　Wang　from　jealousy；　and　the　baby　had　been　given　into　the　care　of　Empress　Dong；　who　was　the　mother　of　Emperor　Ling。　Lady　Dong　was　the　wife　of　Liu　Chang；　Lord　of　Jiedu。　As　time　went　on　and　the　Emperor　Huan　had　no　son　of　his　own；　he　adopted　the　son　of　Liu　Chang；　who　succeeded　as　the　Emperor　Ling。　After　his　accession；　Emperor　Ling　had　taken　his　own　mother　into　the　Palace　to　live　and　had　conferred　upon　her　the　title　of　Empress　Dowager。

Empress　Dong　had　always　tried　to　persuade　her　son　to　name　Liu　Xian　as　the　Heir　Apparent；　and　in　fact　the　Emperor　greatly　loved　the　boy　and　was　disposed　to　do　as　his　mother　desired。　When　his　end　was　near；　one　of　the　eunuchs；　Jian　Shuo；　said；　〃If　Liu　Xian　is　to　succeed；　He　Jin　must　be　killed　to　prevent　countermoves。〃

The　Emperor　saw　this　too。　He　placed　Jian　Shuo　in　mand　of　the　eight　armies　of　the　West　Garden　in　order　to　check　Liu　Bians　supporters。　And　he　summoned　He　Jin　to　e　to　him。

But　at　the　very　gate　of　the　Forbidden　City；　He　Jin　was　warned　of　his　danger　by　mander　Pan　Yin　who　said；　〃This　must　be　a　trap　of　Jian　Shuo　to　destroy　you！〃

He　Jin　rushed　back　to　his　quarters　and　called　many　of　the　ministers　to　his　side；　and　they　met　to　consider　how　to　put　the　eunuchs　to　death。

At　this　assembly　a　man　spoke　against　the　plot；　〃The　influence　of　the　eunuchs　dates　back　a　century　and　a　half；　during　the　reigns　of　Emperors　Chong　and　Zhi。　It　has　spread　like　a　noxious　weed　in　all　directions。　How　can　we　hope　to　destroy　it？　Above　all　keep　this　plot　secret；　or　our　whole　clans　will　be　exterminated。〃

He　Jin　eyed　down　and　saw　General　of　Military　Standards　Cao　Cao。

He　Jin　was　very　angry　at　this　speech　and　cried；　〃What　do　inferiors　like　you　know　of　the　ways　of　government？〃

And　in　the　midst　of　the　confusion　Pan　Yin　came　to　say：　〃The　Emperor　is　no　more。　The　eunuchs　have　decided　to　keep　the　death　a　secret　and　forge　a　mand　to　the　Regent　Marshal　to　e　into　the　Palace　to　settle　the　succession。　Meanwhile　to　prevent　trouble　they　have　inscribed　the　name　of　Prince　Xian　on　the　roll。〃

And　as　Pan　Yin　finished　speaking；　the　edict　arrived　summoning　He　Jin。

〃The　matter　for　the　moment　is　to　set　up　the　rightful　heir；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃We　can　deal　with　the　traitors　later。〃

〃Who　dare　to　join　me　in　supporting　the　rightful　heir………Prince　Bian？〃　asked　He　Jin；　the　Regent　Marshal。

At　once　one　stood　forward；　crying；　〃Give　me　five　thousand　veterans；　and　we　will　break　into　the　Palace；　set　up　the　true　heir；　slay　the　eunuchs；　and　sweep　clean　the　government！　Then　peace　will　e　to　the　empire。〃

The　energetic　speaker　was　Yuan　Shao；　son　of　the　former　Minister　of　the　Interior　Yuan　Feng　and　nephew　of　Imperial　Guardian　Yuan　Wei。　Yuan　Shao　then　held　the　rank　of　Imperial　mander。

He　Jin　mustered　five　thousand　royal　guards。　Yuan　Shao　put　on　plete　armor　and　took　mand。　He　Jin；　supported　by　He　Yong；　Xun　You；　Zheng　Tai；　and　more　than　thirty　other　ministers　and　high…rank　officials；　went　into　the　Palace。　In　the　hall　where　lay　the　coffin　of　the　late　Emperor；　they　placed　Liu　Bian　on　the　throne。　After　the　ceremony　was　over　and　all　had　bowed　before　the　new　Emperor；　Yuan　Shao　went　in　to　arrest　Eunuch