第一小说网

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第194部分（第2页）

Qiao　Zhou　said；　〃There　have　been　auspicious　indications。　A　yellow　vapor　has　been　seen　in　the　northwest　of　Chengdu　rising　to　the　clouds；　and　the　star　of　emperor　has　greatly　increased　in　splendor　and　shined　like　the　moon。　These　signs　mean　that　our　Prince　is　to　bee　Emperor　in　succession　to　the　House　of　Han。　There　can　be　no　doubt。〃

Whereupon　Zhuge　Liang　and　Xu　Jing；　at　the　head　of　a　large　number　of　officers；　presented　a　memorial　requesting　the　Prince　to　assume　the　title　of　Emperor。　But　Liu　Bei　objected。

〃O　Nobles；　do　you　desire　to　set　my　feet　in　the　way　of　disloyalty　and　wrong…doing？〃

〃Not　so；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃But　Cao　Pi　has　usurped　the　Throne；　while　you　are　a　scion　of　the　House。　It　is　right　and　proper　that　you　succeed　and　prolong　the　line。〃

But　the　Prince　suddenly　showed　anger；　saying；　〃Can　I　imitate　the　deeds　of　such　a　rebel？〃

He　rose　and　left　the　chamber；　going　to　his　own　apartments。　So　the　officials　dispersed。

But　three　days　later　Zhuge　Liang　again　led　a　deputation　to　the　court；　and　they　requested　that　the　Prince　should　e　forth　and　hear　them。　He　came；　and　they　all　prostrated　themselves。

Xu　Jing　spoke；　〃The　late　Emperor　of　the　Hans　has　been　slain　by　Cao　Pi。　You；　O　Prince；　will　fail　both　in　loyalty　and　rectitude　if　you　do　not　assume　the　succession　and　destroy　the　wrong…doers。　The　whole　empire　requests　you　to　rule　that　you　may　avenge　the　death　of　the　late　Emperor；　and　the　people　will　be　disappointed　if　you　do　not　accede　to　their　wishes。〃

The　Prince　replied；　〃Although　I　am　descended　from　the　grandson　of　Emperor　Jing；　I　have　not　been　of　the　least　advantage。　If　I　assumed　the　title　of　Emperor；　how　would　that　act　differ　from　usurpation？〃

Zhuge　Liang　pleaded　with　him　again　and　again；　but　the　Prince　remained　obdurate。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　bethought　that　where　argument　failed　a　ruse　might　succeed。　So　having　arranged　the　parts　his　several　colleagues　were　to　play；　he　pleaded　illness　and　remained　at　home。　Presently　it　was　told　the　Prince　that　his　advisers　condition　was　being　serious；　wherefore　Liu　Bei　went　to　see　him　as　he　lay　on　his　couch。

〃What　illness　affects　you；　my　mander…in…Chief？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃My　heart　is　sad　like　unto　burning；　and　I　shall　soon　die。〃

〃What　is　it　that　causes　you　such　grief？〃

But　Zhuge　Liang　did　not　reply。　And　when　the　question　was　repeated　again　and　again　he　said　nothing；　but　just　lay　with　his　eyes　closed　as　if　he　was　too　ill　to　speak。

The　Prince；　however；　pressed　him　to　reply；　and　then　with　a　deep　sigh　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Great　Prince；　from　the　day　I　left　my　humble　cottage　to　follow　you；　you　have　always　listened　to　my　words　and　accepted　my　advice；　and　now　this　western　domain；　the　whole　of　the　two　River　Lands　is　yours　just　as　I　said　it　would　be。　But　this　usurpation　of　Cao　Pi　means　the　annihilation　of　the　Hans　and　the　cessation　of　their　sacrifices；　wherefore　my　colleagues　and　I　desired　you　to　bee　Emperor　in　order　to　crush　this　upstart　Wei　and　restore　the　Hans。　We　all　worked　for　this　end；　never　thinking　that　you　would　refuse　so　obstinately　to　accede　to　our　wishes。　Now　the　officers　are　all　annoyed；　and　they　will　drift　away　before　very　long。　If　you　are　left　alone　and　Wu　and　Wei　e　to　attack；　it　will　be　difficult　for　you　to　hold　on　to　what　you　have。　Do　you　not　think　this　sufficient　reason　for　me　to　feel　grieved？〃

〃Unless　I　refused；　the　whole　world　would　blame　me。　I　am　afraid；〃　replied　the　Prince。

Quoting　Confucius　the　Teacher；　Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃If　names　be　not　correct；　language　is　not　in　accordance　with　the　truth　of　things。　In　other　words；　if　one　be　not　really　straight；　people　will　not　speak　of　one　favorably。　O　Prince；　you　are　straight；　and　people　speak　of　you　favorably。　What　more　is　there　to　say？　You　know　when　Heaven　offers　and　you　refuse；　you　are　certainly　to　blame。〃

〃When　you　have　recovered；　it　shall　be　done；〃　said　the　Prince。

Up　leapt　Zhuge　Liang　from　his　bed；　tapped　at　the　screen　in　front　of　a　doorway　and　in　rushed　a　number　of　high　officers；　who　prostrated　themselves；　crying；　〃So　you　have　consented；　O　Prince！　Then　choose　the　day　for　the　ceremony。〃

They　were　all　the　most　trusted　of　his　court：　Imperial　Guardian　Xu　Jing；　General　Who　Brings　Peace　to　Han　Mi　Zhu；　Lord　of　Qingyi　Xiang　Ju；　Lord　of　Yangquan　Liu　Bao；　Deputy　Governor　Zhao　Zuo；　First　Secretary　Yang　Hong；　Counselor　Du　Qiong；　Secretary　Zhang　Shuang；　Minister　Lai　Gong；　Minister　Huang　Quan；　Minister　He　Zong；　Doctorate　Scholar　Yin　Mo；　Minister　Qiao　Zhou；　Grand　mander　Yin　Chun；　Imperial　mander　Zhang　Si；　Treasurer　Wang　Mou；　Doctorate　Scholar　Yi　Ji；　Counselor　Qin　Mi；　and　many　others。

The　Prince　was　greatly　startled；　and　said；　〃You　are　mitting　me　to　doing　what　is　dishonorable！〃

But　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Since　consent　has　been　given；　let　a　terrace　be　built　and　a　day　chosen　for　the　great　ceremony。〃

The　Prince　was　escorted　back　to　his　palace；　and　Academician　Xu　Ci　and　High　Counselor　Meng　Guang　were　told　off　to　see　to　the　building　of　the　terrace　at　Mount　Wudan　south　of　Chengdu。　And　when　all　was　ready；　a　great　concourse　of　officers　solemnly　escorted　the　Prince；　seated　in　a　carriage　of　the　imperial　pattern；　to　the　ground　prepared；　and　he　went　up　to　the　altar　and　performed　the　appointed　sacrifice。

This　done；　the　solemn　announcement　was　read　in　a　loud　voice　by　Qiao　Zhou：

〃On　this　twelfth　day　of　the　fourth　month　of　the　twenty…fifth　year　of　the　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　Era；　Liu　Bei；　the　Emperor；　makes　this　solemn　announcement　to　Heaven　and　Earth。

〃The　dynasty　of　Han　has　possessed　the　empire　for　years　without　end。　Formerly　Wang　Mang　rebelled　against　his　sovereign；　and　L