第一小说网

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第277部分（第2页）

Then　Jiang　Wei　said　to　his　officers；　〃The　attack　of　Deng　Ai　was　a　feint。　He　has　certainly　gone　to　relieve　Qishan。〃

So　Jiang　Wei　decided　to　go　to　the　aid　of　Zhang　Yi。　He　left　Fu　Qian　to　guard　the　camp；　and　he　marched　away　with　three　thousand　troops。

Zhang　Yi　was　then　actually　attacking　the　Wei　position　on　Qishan。　Shi　Zuan　had　few　troops；　and　it　looked　as　though　the　defenders　must　soon　give　in；　when　the　sudden　appearance　of　Deng　Ai　made　all　the　difference。　The　onslaught　of　Deng　Ais　force　drove　off　Zhang　Yi；　and　he　was　forced　to　take　refuge　behind　the　hills。　No　road　was　open　to　him。　When　things　looked　worst；　he　saw　the　Wei　soldiers　suddenly　falling　back　in　confusion。

〃General　Jiang　Wei　has　e！〃　they　told　him。

Zhang　Yi　took　the　opportunity　to　return　to　the　attack；　and　the　tables　were　turned。　Deng　Ai　lost　the　fight　and　retired　into　his　camp；　which　Jiang　Wei　surrounded　and　attacked　vigorously。

In　Chengdu　the　Latter　Ruler　fell　daily　more　and　more　under　the　malign　influence　of　Huang　Hao；　who　encouraged　him　in　every　form　of　self…indulgence　and　ministered　to　every　desire　for　luxury　and　dissipation。　Government　was　left　to　look　after　itself。

At　that　time　High　Minister　Liu　Yang　had　a　very　beautiful　wife；　Lady　Hu。　One　day　she　went　into　the　Palace　to　visit　the　Empress；　who　kept　her　there　a　whole　month。　Liu　Yang　was　not　without　suspecting　an　intrigue　with　the　Latter　Ruler　and　took　a　brutal　revenge。　He　bound　Lady　Hu；　and　made　five　hundred　of　his　soldiers　shame　her　to　the　last　degree　by　beating　her　on　the　face　with　their　boots。　She　swooned　many　times。

The　story　got　to　the　ears　of　the　Latter　Ruler；　and　he　ordered　the　officials　concerned　to　investigate　and　decide　the　crime　and　its　punishment。

The　judges　found　that：　〃Soldiers　are　not　proper　persons　to　administer　a　punishment　to　a　woman；　and　the　face　is　not　a　portion　of　the　body　to　be　mortified：　The　author　of　this　crime　ought　to　be　put　to　death。〃

Wherefore　Liu　Yang　was　beheaded。

As　time　went　on　the　Latter　Ruler　indulged　in　unbridled　sensuality；　and　gradually　all　good　people　left　the　government；　giving　place　to　the　meanest；　who　soon　swarmed　there。

Among　the　sycophants　of　Huang　Hao　was　Yan　Yun；　General　of　the　Right　Army；　whose　lack　of　merit　had　not　stood　in　the　way　of　preferment。

Hearing　of　Jiang　Weis　defeats　at　Qishan；　Yan　Yun　got　his　friend　Huang　Hao　to　propose　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　saying；　〃Jiang　Wei　should　be　recalled　as　he　has　not　been　able　to　score　a　decisive　victory。　Yan　Yun　can　be　sent　to　replace　him。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　agreed；　and　the　edict　was　issued。

One　day；　as　Jiang　Wei　was　working　out　his　plan　of　attack　on　the　camps　of　Wei；　three　edicts　came；　all　to　the　same　effect；　recalling　him　to　the　capital。　Disobedience　being　out　of　the　question；　Jiang　Wei　ceased　all　operations　and　sent　the　Taoyang　force　back　first。　Then　gradually　he　and　Zhang　Yi　withdrew　with　the　others。

Deng　Ai　in　his　camp　wondered　at　the　rolling　of　drums　one　night；　but　next　day　he　heard　that　the　Shu　camps　were　empty。　However；　he　suspected　some　ruse　and　did　not　pursue。

Arrived　in　Hanzhong；　the　army　halted；　and　Jiang　Wei　went　on　to　the　capital　in　pany　with　the　messenger　who　had　brought　his　orders。　Here　he　waited　ten　days；　and　still　the　Latter　Ruler　held　no　court。　He　began　to　suspect　mischief。

One　day　near　a　Palace　gate　he　met　Secretary　General　Xi　Zheng；　and　asked；　〃Do　you　know　the　reason　for　my　recall？〃

〃What　General！　Do　you　not　know？　Huang　Hao　wanted　to　push　Yan　Yun　into　favor；　so　he　intrigued　for　your　recall。　Now　they　have　found　out　Deng　Ai　is　too　clever　to　be　tackled；　and　so　they　are　not　fighting　any　more。〃

〃I　shall　certainly　have　to　put　this　eunuch　fellow　out　of　the　way；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

〃Hush！　You　are　the　successor　of　the　Martial　Lord；　Zhuge　Liang；　the　man　to　whom　he　bequeathed　his　unfinished　task。　You　are　too　important　to　act　hastily　or　indiscreetly。　If　the　Emperor　withdrew　his　support；　it　would　go　ill　with　you。〃

〃Sir；　what　you　say　is　true；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。

However；　soon　after　this　Jiang　Wei；　with　a　small　party；　got　into　the　Palace。　The　Latter　Ruler　was　enjoying　himself　with　Huang　Hao　in　the　gardens。　They　told　Huang　Hao；　who　at　once　hid　himself　among　the　rocks　by　a　pond。

Jiang　Wei　approached　his　master　and　prostrated　himself；　saying；　〃Why　did　Your　Majesty　recall　me？　I　had　the　enemy　in　my　power　at　Qishan　when　the　triple　edicts　came。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　hummed　and　hawed；　but　made　no　reply。　Then　Jiang　Wei　began　his　real　grievance。

＇e＇　Zhang　Rang　was　one　of　the　Ten　Regular　Attendants。　Zhang　Rang　won　such　influence　that　Emperor　Ling　called　him　〃Foster　Father〃。　Zhang　Rang　plotted　the　murder　of　He　Jin；　that　caused　Dong　Zhou　to　seize　the　capital。　（chapter　3）

＇e＇　Zhao　Gao　a　court　eunuch　serving　the　First　Emperor。　Zhao　Gao　killed　the　eldest　son　and　supported　the　second　son　for　the　throne　after　the　First　Emperors　death　（BC　209）。　In　the　final　days　of　Qin　Dynasty；　Zhao　Gao　killed　the　Second　Emperor　and　placed　the　First　Emperors　grandson　on　the　throne　（BC　206）。　。。。。。

〃This　Huang　Hao　is　wicked　and　artful　and　seems　to　have　the　last　say　in　everything。　The　times　of　the　Emperor　Ling　and　the　Ten　Regular　Attendants　have　returned。　Your　Majesty　may　recall　Zhang　Rang*　recently　or　Zhao　Gao*　in　the　old　time。　If　you　will　only　slay　this　man；　the　court　will　be　purified；　and　you　may　return　gloriously　to　the　home　of　your　fathers。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　smiled；　saying；　〃Huang　Hao　is　but　a　minor　servant；　one　who　runs　errands　for　me。　If　he　tried　to　do　as　you　say；　he　could　not。　I　always　wondered　why　Dong　Yun　seemed　to　hate　poor　Huang　Hao　so　much。　Now　you　are　the　same。　I　pray　you；　Noble　Sir；　take　no　notice　of　him。〃

〃Unless　Your　Majesty　gets　rid　of　him；　evil　is　very　close；〃　said　Jiang　Wei；　beating　his　head　upon　the　ground。

The　Latter　Ruler　replied；　〃If　you　love　anyone；　you　want　him　to　live；　if　you　dislike　him；　you　desire　his　death。　Can　you　not　bear　with　my　one　poor　eunuch？〃

The　Latter　Ruler　bade　one　of　the　attendants　go　and　call　Huang　Hao。　When　Huang　Hao　approached　the　pavilion；　the　Latter　Ruler　told　him　to　ask　pardon　of　Jiang　Wei。

Huang　Hao　prostrated　himself　and　wept；　saying；　〃I　am　always　in　attendance　upon　the　Sacred　One………that　is　all　I　d