第一小说网

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第9部分（第2页）

〃If　anyone　opposes　the　great　scheme；　he　will　be　dealt　with　by　military　law！〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

The　ministers；　thoroughly　dreaded；　promised　obedience；　and　the　feast　came　to　an　end。

Dong　Zhuo　asked　Counselor　Zhou　Bi　and　mander　Wu　Qiong　what　they　thought　of　the　flight　of　Yuan　Shao。

Zhou　Bi　said；　〃He　left　in　a　state　of　great　anger。　In　such　a　state　of　excitement　much　harm　may　ensue　to　the　present　state　of　affairs；　especially　as　the　Yuan　family　have　been　noted　for　their　high　offices　for　four　generations；　and　their　proteges　and　dependents　are　everywhere。　If　they　assemble　bold　people　and　call　up　their　clients；　all　the　valiant　warriors　will　be　in　arms；　and　the　east　region　of　the　Huashang　Mountains　will　be　lost。　You　had　better　pardon　Yuan　Shao　and　give　him　a　post。　He　will　be　glad　at　being　forgiven　and　will　do　no　harm。〃

Wu　Qiong　said；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　fond　of　scheming；　but　he　fails　in　decision　and　so　is　not　to　be　feared。　But　it　would　be　well　to　give　him　rank　and　thus　win　popular　favor。〃

Dong　Zhuo　followed　this　advice；　and　within　that　day　sent　a　messenger　to　offer　Yuan　Shao　the　governorship　of　Bohai。

On　the　first　day　of　the　ninth　month；　the　Emperor　was　invited　to　proceed　to　the　Hall　of　Virtue　where　was　a　great　assembly　of　officials。

There　Dong　Zhuo；　sword　in　hand；　faced　the　gathering　and　said；　〃The　Emperor　is　a　weakling　unequal　to　the　burden　of　ruling　this　land。　Now　listen　ye　to　the　document　I　have　prepared！〃

And　Li　Ru　read　as　follows：

〃The　dutiful　Emperor　Ling　too　soon　left　his　people。　The　emperor　is　the　cynosure　of　all　the　people　of　this　land。　Upon　the　present　Emperor　Bian；　Heaven　has　conferred　but　small　gifts：　In　dignity　and　deportment　he　is　deficient；　and　in　mourning　he　is　remiss。　Only　the　most　plete　virtue　can　grace　imperial　dignity。　Empress　He　has　trained　him　improperly；　and　the　whole　state　administration　has　fallen　into　confusion。　Empress　Dong　died　suddenly　and　no　one　knew　why。　The　doctrine　of　the　three　bonds………Heaven；　Earth；　and　Human………and　the　continuity　of　Heaven　and　Earth　interdependence　have　both　been　injured。

〃But　Liu　Xian；　Prince　of　Chenliu；　is　sage　and　virtuous　beside　being　of　handsome　exterior。　He　conforms　to　all　the　rules　of　propriety：　His　mourning　is　sincere；　and　his　speech　is　always　correct。　Eulogies　of　him　fill　the　empire。　He　is　well　fitted　for　the　great　duty　of　consolidating　the　rule　of　Han。

〃Now　therefore　the　Emperor　is　deposed　and　created　Prince　of　Hongnong；　and　Empress　He　retires　from　the　administration。

〃I　pray　the　Prince　of　Chenliu　to　accept　the　throne　in　conformity　with　the　decrees　of　Heaven　and　Earth；　the　desires　of　people；　and　the　fulfillment　of　the　hopes　of　humankind。〃

This　having　been　read；　Dong　Zhuo　bade　the　officials　lead　the　Emperor　down　from　the　throne；　remove　his　seal；　and　cause　him　to　kneel　facing　the　north；　styling　himself　faithful　servant　of　the　Throne　and　requesting　mands。　Moreover　Dong　Zhuo　bade　Empress　He　strip　off　her　royal　dress　of　ceremony　and　await　the　imperial　mand。　Both　victims　of　this　oppression　wept　bitterly；　and　every　minister　present　was　deeply　affected。

One　minister　put　his　discontent　into　words；　crying；　〃The　false　Dong　Zhuo　is　the　author　of　this　insult；　which　I　will　risk　my　life　to　wipe　away！〃

And　with　this　he　rushed　at　Dong　Zhuo　threatening　with　his　ivory　baton　of　office。

It　was　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Ding　Guan。　Dong　Zhuo　had　Ding　Guan　removed　and　summarily　put　to　death。　Before　his　death；　Ding　Guan　ceased　not　to　rail　at　the　oppressor；　nor　was　he　frightened　at　death。

The　rebel　Dong　Zhuo　conceived　the　foul　design

To　thrust　the　King　aside　and　wrong　his　line。

With　folded　arms　the　courtiers　stood；　save　one

Ding　Guan；　who　dared　to　cry　that　wrong　was　done。

Then　the　emperor　designate；　Prince　of　Chenliu；　went　to　the　upper　part　of　the　hall　to　receive　congratulations。　After　this　the　former　Emperor………now　Prince　of　Hongnong………；　his　mother；　and　the　Imperial　Consort；　Lady　Tang；　were　removed　to　the　Palace　of　Forever　Calm。　The　entrance　gates　were　locked　against　all　ers。

It　was　pitiful！　There　was　the　young　emperor；　after　reigning　less　than　half　a　year；　deposed　and　another　put　in　his　place。　The　new　Emperor　was　Liu　Xian；　the　second　son　of　the　late　Emperor　Ling。　He　was　nine　years　of　age；　five　years　younger　than　his　deposed　brother。　The　new　reign…style　was　changed　to　Inauguration　of　Tranquillity；　the　first　year　（AD　190）。

Being　the　Prime　Minister；　Dong　Zhuo　was　most　powerful　and　arrogant。　When　he　bowed　before　the　Throne；　he　did　not　declare　his　name。　In　going　to　court　he　did　not　hasten。　Booted　and　armed　he　entered　the　reception　halls。　He　amassed　a　wealth　exceeding　any　others。

His　adviser；　Li　Ru；　impressed　upon　Dong　Zhuo　constantly　to　employ　people　of　reputation　so　that　he　should　gain　public　esteem。　So　when　they　told　him　Cai　Yong　was　a　man　of　talent；　Dong　Zhuo　summoned　him。　But　Cai　Yong　would　not　go。　Dong　Zhuo　sent　a　message　to　him　that　if　he　did　not　e；　he　and　his　whole　clan　should　be　exterminated。　Then　Cai　Yong　gave　in　and　appeared。　Dong　Zhuo　was　very　gracious　to　him　and　promoted　him　thrice　in　a　month。　Cai　Yong　became　High　Minister。　Such　was　the　generosity　of　the　tyrant。

Meanwhile　the　deposed　ruler；　his　mother；　and　his　consort　were　immured　in　the　Palace　of　Forever　Calm　and　found　their　daily　supplies　gradually　diminishing。　The　deposed　Emperor　wept　incessantly。　One　day　a　pair　of　wallows　gliding　to　and　fro　moved　him　to　verse：

〃Spring　and　the　green　of　the　tender　grass；

Flushes　with　joy　as　the　swallows　pass；

The　wayfarers　pause　by　the　rippling　stream；

And　their　eyes　will　new　born　gladness　gleam；

With　lingering　gaze　the　roofs　I　see