第一小说网

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第260部分（第2页）

Huan　Fan　continued；　〃We　can　reach　Xuchang　tonight。　The　stay　in　Xuchang　would　be　but　brief；　and　there　are　ample　supplies　for　years。　You　have　forces　at　your　call　at　the　South　Pass。　You　hold　the　seal　of　Minister　of　War；　and　I　have　brought　it　with　me。　Everything　is　in　your　favor。　Act！　Act　at　once！　Delay　is　death。〃

〃Do　not　hurry　me；〃　said　Cao　Shuang。　〃Let　me　think　it　over　carefully。〃

Then　came　Xu　Yun　and　Chen　Tai；　the　two　messengers　of　Sima　Yi；　and　said；　〃The　Imperial　Guardian　desires　only　to　strip　the　military　power　of　the　Regent　Marshal。　If　the　Regent　Marshal　yields；　he　may　return　peacefully　to　the　city。〃

Still　Cao　Shuang　hesitated。

Next　arrived　Yin　Damu；　saying；　〃The　Imperial　Guardian　had　sworn　by　River　Luo　to　the　singleness　of　his　aim。　Here　is　letter　of　Minister　Jiang　Ji。　The　Regent　Marshal　should　relinquish　the　military　power　and　return　to　the　Palace　in　peace。〃

When　Cao　Shuang　seemed　disposed　to　accept　the　assurance　of　Sima　Yi；　Huan　Fan　inveighed　against　it；　saying；　〃You　are　a　dead　man　if　you　listen　to　the　voice　of　these　people！〃

Night　found　Cao　Shuang　still　vacillating。　As　twilight　faded　into　darkness　he　stood；　sword　in　hand；　sad；　sighing　and　weeping。　And　morning　found　him　still　trying　to　make　up　his　mind。

Huan　Fan　again　urged　him　to　decide　upon　some　course。

〃You　have　had　a　whole　day　and　a　whole　night　for　reflection　and　must　decide；〃　said　he。

〃I　will　not　fight；　I　will　yield　all；　being　a　wealthy　man　is　enough；〃　said　Cao　Shuang；　throwing　down　his　sword。

Huan　Fan　left　the　tent　wailing。

〃Cao　Zhen　might　boast　of　his　abilities；　but　his　sons　are　mere　cattle；〃　said　he；　weeping　copiously。

The　two　messengers；　Xu　Yun　and　Chen　Tai；　bade　Cao　Shuang　offer　his　seal　of　office　to　Sima　Yi；　and　it　was　brought。

But　First　Secretary　Yang　Zong　clung　to　it　and　would　not　give　it　up；　saying；　〃Alas！　That　you；　my　lord；　should　resign　your　powers　and　make　such　a　pitiful　surrender。　For　surely　you　will　not　escape　death　in　the　eastern　market　place。〃

〃The　Imperial　Guardian　will　surely　keep　faith　with　me；〃　said　Cao　Shuang。

The　seal　was　borne　away；　and　Cao　Shuangs　generals　and　soldiers；　thus　released　from　the　bonds　of　discipline；　dispersed　and　the　hosts　melted　away。　When　the　Cao　brothers　reached　the　Floating　Bridge；　they　were　ordered　to　go　to　their　dwellings；　and　they　went。　Their　supporters　were　imprisoned　to　await　the　edicts　of　the　Emperor。

Cao　Shuang　and　his　friends；　so　lately　all…powerful；　entered　the　city　alone；　without　even　a　servant　following。

As　Huan　Fan　approached　the　bridge；　Sima　Yi；　from　horseback；　pointed　his　whip　disdainfully　at　him　and　said；　〃What　brought　you　to　this？〃

Huan　Fan　made　no　reply；　but　with　head　bent　followed　the　others。

It　was　decided　to　request　the　Emperor　to　declare　the　hunt　at　an　end　and　order　a　return　to　the　city。　Cao　Shuang；　Cao　Xi；　and　Cao　Xun　were　confined　in　their　own　house；　the　gate　whereof　was　fastened　with　a　huge　lock；　and　soldiers　were　set　to　guard　it　round　about。　They　were　sad　and　anxious；　not　knowing　what　would　be　their　fate。

Then　Cao　Xi　said；　〃We　have　but　little　food　left。　Let　us　write　and　ask　for　supplies。　If　Sima　Yi　sends　us　food；　we　may　be　sure　he　does　not　intend　harm。〃

They　wrote；　and　a　hundred　carts　of　supplies　were　sent。

This　cheered　them；　and　Cao　Shuang　said；　〃Our　lives　are　safe　in　the　hands　of　Sima　Yi！〃

Sima　Yi　had　Zhang　Dang　arrested　and　put　to　the　question。

Zhang　Dang　said。　〃I　am　not　the　only　one　who　has　tried　to　subvert　the　government。　He　Yan；　Deng　Yang；　Li　Sheng；　Ding　Mi；　and　Bi　Gui　are　all　involved　in　the　plot。〃

So　they　were　arrested　and；　when　interrogated；　confessed　that　a　revolt　had　been　arranged　for　the　third　month。　Sima　Yi　had　them　locked　in　one　long　wooden　collar。

The　mander　of　the　Gates；　Si　Fan；　testified：　〃Huan　Fan　has　imposed　upon　me　with　a　pretended　mand　from　Her　Majesty　and　so　has　escaped　out　of　the　city。　Beside　he　has　said　the　Imperial　Guardian　was　a　rebel。〃

Then　said　Sima　Yi；　〃When　a　person　maligns　another　and　is　false；　the　punishment　for　such　a　crime　as　he　imputes　falls　upon　his　own　head。〃