第一小说网

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第270部分（第1页）

Jia　Chong　went　to　Zhuge　Dan　to　ask　him　to　convey　to　the　army　the　appreciation　of　the　soldiers　services。　Jia　Chong　was　received　courteously；　and　at　a　banquet；　when　host　and　guest　were　both　mellow　with　wine；　Jia　Chong　set　himself　to　discover　Zhuge　Dans　feelings。

Jia　Chong　said；　〃Lately　in　Luoyang　there　has　been　much　talk　of　the　weakness　and　lack　of　ability　of　the　Emperor　and　his　unfitness　to　rule。　Now　General　Sima　Zhao　es　of　a　family　noted　for　state　service　for　three　generations。　His　own　services　and　virtues　are　high　as　the　heavens；　and　he　is　the　man　best　fitted　to　take　the　rulership　of　Wei。　Is　this　not　your　opinion？〃

But　Zhuge　Dan　did　not　favor　the　suggestion。　On　the　contrary；　he　broke　out　angrily；　〃You　are　a　son　of　Jia　Kui　of　Yuzhou；　and　your　family　have　received　the　bounty　of　Wei。　Yet　you　dare　speak　of　rebellion！〃

Jia　Chong　said；　〃I　only　repeat　what　people　have　said。〃

Zhuge　Dan　said；　〃If　the　state　is　in　difficulty；　then　one　ought　to　stand　up　for　it　even　to　the　death！〃

Jia　Chong　said　no　more。　He　soon　returned　and　told　Sima　Zhao　what　had　been　said。

〃The　rat！〃　cried　Sima　Zhao；　angrily。

〃Zhuge　Dan　is　exceedingly　popular　there　in　the　South　of　River　Huai；　and　if　he　is　left　too　long；　he　will　do　harm。〃

Sima　Zhao　began　to　take　measures。　He　wrote　privately　to　Yue　Chen；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　and　sent　a　messenger　to　Zhuge　Dan　with　an　edict　making　him　Minister　of　Works。　This　meant　that　Zhuge　Dan　had　to　e　to　the　capital。

But　Zhuge　Dan　knew　that　Jia　Chong　had　done　him　mischief；　and　he　interrogated　the　messenger；　who　told　him　that　Yue　Chen　knew　all　about　the　matter。

〃How　does　he　know？〃

〃General　Sima　Zhao　sent　him　a　private　letter。〃

The　messenger　was　condemned　to　death。　Then　Zhuge　Dan　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　personal　guard　and　marched　to　Yangzhou。　The　city　gates　were　closed　and　the　drawbridge　raised。　He　summoned　the　gate；　but　no　one　answered。

〃How　dare　this　fellow　Yue　Chen　treat　me　thus？〃　cried　Zhuge　Dan。

He　ordered　his　troops　to　force　the　gate。　Ten　of　his　bold　generals　dismounted；　crossed　the　moat；　and　climbed　the　ramparts；　where　they　slew　all　who　opposed　them　and　opened　the　gate。　The　others　entered；　set　fire　to　the　houses；　and　began　to　fight　their　way　toward　the　state　residence。

The　Imperial　Protector　sought　refuge　in　a　tower；　but　Zhuge　Dan　made　his　way　up　and　reproached　his　enemy；　crying；　〃Your　father；　Yue　Jing；　enjoyed　the　bounty　of　Wei。　Yet　you　have　not　sought　to　repay　the　kindness　of　the　Ruling　House；　but　you　want　to　help　the　rebel　Sima　Zhao！〃

Before　Yue　Chen　was　able　to　answer；　Zhuge　Dan　slew　him。　Then　he　sent　to　Luoyang　a　memorial　detailing　Sima　Yis　many　faults；　and　made　preparations　for　war。　He　called　up　all　the　militia　of　the　south　and　east　of　River　Huai；　to　the　total　of　one　hundred　thousand；　and　took　over　the　forty　thousand　troops　who　had　surrendered　on　the　fall　of　Yue　Chen　and　gathered　supplies。　He　also　sent　Adviser　Wu　Gang　to　Wu　for　aid；　offering　his　son　Zhuge　Jing　as　a　hostage　for　his　good　faith。

At　this　time　Sun　Jun　had　died　and　his　brother；　Sun　Chen；　was　Prime　Minister。　Sun　Chen　was　a　man　of　cruel　and　violent　temper　and　had　put　many　officers　to　death　on　his　way　to　power………among　them　were　Grand　mander　Teng　Yin；　General　Lu　Ju；　and　Minister　Wang　Chun。　The　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Liang；　although　intelligent；　was　helpless　in　his　hands。

The　messenger；　Wu　Gang；　conducted　Zhuge　Jing　to　the　residence　of　Sun　Chen　in　Shidou；　who　asked　what　he　had　e　for。

Wu　Gang　explained；　〃Zhuge　Dan　is　a　cousin　of　the　Lord　of　Wuxiang　in　Shu。　Zhuge　Dan　had　been　in　service　of　Wei；　and　seeing　Sima　Zhao　depose　the　his　prince　and　oppress　good　people；　he　wants　to　punish　the　tyrant。　But　his　force　is　not　enough；　and　he　asks　for　your　help。　To　show　his　sincerity；　he　sends　his　son　Zhuge　Jing　as　a　token　of　good　faith。〃

Wu　Gangs　request　was　received　favorably；　and　Sun　Chen　sent　seventy　thousand　troops　with　a　full　plement　of　officers………Quan　Yi　and　Quan　Duan　as　manders；　Yu　Quan　as　Rear　Guard；　Tang　Zi　and　Zhu　Yi　as　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Wen　Qin　as　Military　Guide。　They　marched　in　three　directions　to　attack　Wei。

Wu　Gang　returned　to　Shouchun　report　success。　Zhuge　Dan　thought　all　was　going　well　and　prepared　the　army　for　a　general　attack。

In　Luoyang；　Zhuge　Dans　memorial　angered　Sima　Zhao；　who　wished　to　set　out　to　revenge　the　attack　at　once；　but　Jia　Chong　preached　caution。

〃My　lord；　you　derived　your　power　from　your　father　and　brother；　and　people　have　not　had　time　to　discover　your　own　virtue。　If　you　leave　the　court　and　there　be　a　revulsion　of　feeling　against　you；　you　will　lose　all。　Rather　request　the　Empress　Dowager　and　the　Son　of　Heaven　to　go　with　you　in　the　expedition；　and　nothing　is　to　be　feared；〃　said　Jia　Chong。

〃That　is　an　excellent　plan。〃

Sima　Zhao　went　into　the　Palace　and　proposed　it　to　Her　Majesty；　saying；　〃Zhuge　Dan　is　in　revolt；　and　my　colleagues　and　I　intend　to　punish　him。　I　beg　that　you　will　acpany　the　expedition　as　the　late　Emperor　would　have　done。〃

The　Empress　was　afraid；　but　dared　not　refuse；　and　the　next　day　was　requested　to　set　out　with　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　Cao　Mao。

Cao　Mao　said；　〃General；　you　mand　all　the　armies　and　dispose　them　as　you　will。　Why　do　you　ask　me　to　go？〃

Sima　Zhao　replied；　〃Your　Majesty　is　wrong　to　hesitate。　Your　ancestors　traveled　over　the　empire　and　wished　to　unite　the　whole　under　one　ruler。　Wherever　there　was　a　worthy　opponent；　they　went　to　face　him。　Your　Majesty　should　follow　their　example　and　sweep　the　land　clean。　Why　fear？〃