第一小说网

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第258部分（第2页）

Then　Liu　Fang　and　Sun　Zu　memorialized；　saying；　〃As　Cao　Shuang　has　been　chosen；　Cao　Yu；　the　Prince　of　Yan；　should　be　ordered　to　leave　the　capital　and　return　to　Yan；　his　own　place。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　consented　and　issued　an　edict；　which　these　two　bore　to　Cao　Yu；　saying；　〃The　edict　in　the　Emperors　own　hand　bids　you　return　to　your　own　domain　at　once；　and　you　are　not　to　return　to　court　without　a　special　mand。〃

Cao　Yu　wept；　but　he　left　forthwith。

Thereupon　Cao　Shuang　was　created　Regent　Marshal　and　Court　Administrator。

But　the　Ruler　of　Weis　illness　advanced　rapidly；　and　he　sent　messenger　with　authority　ensign　to　call　Sima　Yi　into　the　Palace。　As　soon　as　he　arrived；　he　was　led　to　the　Emperors　chamber。

〃I　feared　lest　I　should　not　see　you　again；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。　〃But　now　I　can　die　content。〃

The　general　bowed　and　said；　〃On　the　road　they　told　me　the　sacred　person　was　not　perfectly　well。　I　grieved　that　I　had　not　wings　to　hasten　hither。　But　I　am　happy　in　that　I　now　behold　the　dragon　countenance。〃

The　heir；　Cao　Fang；　was　summoned　to　the　Emperors　bedside　and　also　Cao　Shuang；　Liu　Fang；　Sun　Zu；　and　certain　others。

Taking　Sima　Yi　by　the　hand；　the　dying　Emperor　said；　〃When　Liu　Bei　lay　dying　at　Baidicheng；　he　confided　his　son；　so　soon　to　be　an　orphan；　to　the　care　of　Zhuge　Liang；　who　labored　in　this　task　to　the　very　end　and　whose　devotion　only　ceased　with　death。　If　such　conduct　is　possible　in　the　mere　remnant　of　a　dying　dynasty　continued　in　a　small　state；　how　much　more　may　I　hope　for　it　in　a　great　country！　My　son　is　only　eight　years　of　age；　and　incapable　of　sustaining　the　burden　of　rulership。　Happily　for　him　he　has　ample　merit　and　experience　around　him　in　the　persons　of　yourself　and　his　relatives。　He　will　never　lack　friends　for　my　sake。〃

Turning　to　the　young　prince；　he　continued；　〃My　friend　Sima　Yi　is　as　myself；　and　you　are　to　treat　him　with　the　same　respect　and　deference。〃

Cao　Rui　bade　Sima　Yi　lead　the　young　prince　forward。　The　boy　threw　his　arms　around　Sima　Yis　neck　and　clung　to　him。

〃Never　forget　the　affection　he　has　just　shown；〃　said　Cao　Rui；　weeping。　And　Sima　Yi　wept　also。

The　dying　man　swooned；　although　he　could　not　speak；　his　hand　still　pointed　to　his　son；　and　soon　after　he　died。　Cao　Rui　had　reigned　thirteen　years　and　was　thirty…six　years　of　age。　His　death　took　place　in　the　first　month　of　the　third　year　of　Spectacular　Beginning　（AD　239）。

No　time　was　lost　in　enthroning　the　new　Emperor；　the　supporters　being　Sima　Yi　and　Cao　Shuang。　The　new　rulers　name　was　Cao　Fang。　However；　he　was　Cao　Ruis　son　only　by　adoption。　He　had　been　brought　up　in　the　Palace　secretly；　and　no　one　knew　his　real　origin。

The　posthumous　title　of　Emperor　Rui　the　Knowledgeable　was　conferred　upon　the　late　ruler；　and　he　was　buried　in　the　Gaoping　Tombs。　Empress　Guo　was　given　the　title　of　Empress　Dowager。

The　new　reign　was　styled　Right　Beginning　Era；　the　first　year　（AD　239）。　Sima　Yi　and　Cao　Shuang　conducted　the　government；　and　in　all　matters　Cao　Shuang　treated　Sima　Yi　with　deference　and　took　no　steps　without　his　knowledge。

＇e＇　Deng　Yu　was　mander…in…chief　of　Liu　Xiu；　the　founder　of　Latter　Han。　。。。。。

Cao　Shuang　was　no　stranger　at　court。　Cao　Rui　had　respected　him　for　his　diligence　and　care　and　had　been　very　fond　of　him；　He　had　had　the　freedom　of　the　Palace　all　his　life。　He　had　a　host　of　five　hundred　clients　and　retainers。　Among　them　were　five　wholly　light　and　foppish。　Their　names　were　He　Yan；　Deng　Yang；　Li　Sheng；　Ding　Mi；　and　Bi　Gui。　Deng　Yang　was　a　descendant　of　mander　Deng　Yu　of　Han*。　Beside　these　five　there　was　another　named　Huan　Fan；　Minister　of　Agriculture；　a　man　of　good　parts；　who　had　the　sobriquet　of　〃Bag　of　Wisdom〃。　These　six　were　Cao　Shuangs　most　trusted　panions　and　confidants。

One　day　He　Yan　said；　〃My　lord；　you　should　not　let　your　great　powers　slip　into　the　hands　of　any　other；　or　you　will　repent　it。〃

Cao　Shuang　replied；　〃Sima　Yi　as　well　as　I　received　the　late　Emperors　sacred　trust；　and　I　mean　to　be　true。〃

He　Yan　said；　〃When　your　father　and　this　Sima　Yi　were　winning　their　victories　in　the　west；　your　father　suffered　much　from　this　mans　temper；　which　ultimately　brought　about　his　death。　Why　do　you　not　look　into　that？〃

Cao　Shuang　seemed　suddenly　to　wake　up。

Having　entered　into　an　intrigue　with　the　majority　of　the　officers　about　the　court；　then　one　day　he　presented　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei　a　memorial；　saying；　〃Sima　Yi　should　be　promoted　to　the　rank　of　Guardian　of　the　Throne　for　his　great　merits　and　services。〃

The　promotion　was　made；　and　consequently　Sima　Yi；　now　a　civil　officer；　let　the　whole　military　authority　fall　into　the　hands　of　Cao　Shuang。

Having　thus　far　succeeded；　Cao　Shuang　next　appointed　his　brothers　to　high　military　posts：　Cao　Xi　as　mander　of　the　Center　Army；　Cao　Xun；　mander　of　the　Imperial　Guards；　Cao　Yan；　mander　of　the　Cavalry。　Each　manded　three　thousand　of　the　Palace　guards；　with　right　to　go　in　and　out　of　the　Palace　at　will。　Moreover；　three　of　his　friends………He　Yan；　Deng　Yang；　and　Ding　Mi………were　created　Chairs　of　three　boards；　Bi　Gui；　mander　of　Capital　District；　and　Li　Sheng；　Governor　of　Henan。　These　five　and　their　patron　were　close　associates　in　all　concerns　of　state。

Cao　Shuang　gathered　about　him　larger　and　still　larger　numbers　of　supporters；　till　Sima　Yi　gave　out　that　he　was　ill　and　remained　in　seclusion。　His　two　sons　also　resigned　their　offices。

Cao　Shuang　and　his　friends　now　gave　themselves　up　to　dissipation；　spending　days　and　nights　in　drinking　and　music。　In　their　dress　and　the　furniture　of　their　table　they　copied　the　Palace　patterns。　Tribute　in　the　shape　of　jewels　and　curios　went　to　the　residence　of　Cao　Shuang　before　it　entered　the　Emperors　palace；　and　his　plex　swarmed　with　beautiful　damsels。　Minister　Zhang　Dang　of　the　Inner　Bureau　toadied　to　Cao　Shuang　so　far　as　to　select　eighteen　of　the　late　Emperors　handmaids　and　send　them　to　the　now　powerful　minister。　Cao　Shuang　also　chose　for　him　a　chorus　of　two　score　well…born　ladies　who　were　skilled　in　music　and　dancing。　Cao　Shuang　also　built　for　himself　beautiful　towers　and　pavilions　and　made　to　himself　vessels　of　gold　and　silver；　the　work　of　the　most　expert