第一小说网

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第256部分（第1页）

The　Latter　Ruler　was　pleased　and　rewarded　Zong　Yu。　Moreover；　the　envoy　of　Wu　was　generously　treated。

According　to　the　advice　in　Zhuge　Liangs　testament；　the　Latter　Ruler　made　Jiang　Wan　Prime　Minister　and　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　while　Fei　Yi　became　Deputy　Prime　Minister　and　Deputy　Chair　of　the　Secretariat。　Wu　Yi　was　made　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　mander　of　Hanzhong；　Jiang　Wei；　General　Who　Upholds　the　Han；　Lord　of　Pingxiang；　mander…in…Chief；　and　mander　of　Hanzhong。

Now　as　Yang　Yi　was　senior　in　service　to　Jiang　Wan；　who　had　thus　been　promoted　over　his　head；　and　as　he　considered　his　services　had　been　inadequately　rewarded；　he　was　discontented　and　spoke　resentfully。

He　said　to　Fei　Yi；　〃If　when　the　Prime　Minister　died　I　had　gone　over　to　Wei；　with　the　whole　army；　I　should　not　have　been　thus　left　out　in　the　cold。〃

Fei　Yi　secretly　reported　this　speech　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　who　was　angered　and　threw　Yang　Yi　into　prison。

The　Latter　Ruler　intended　putting　him　to　death；　but　Jiang　Wan　interceded；　saying；　〃Yang　Yi　had　followed　the　late　Prime　Minister　in　many　campaigns　and　had　had　many　good　services。　Your　Majesty　should　not　put　him　to　death；　but　take　away　his　rank。〃

And　Yang　Yi　was　reprieved。　However；　he　was　degraded　and　sent　into　Hanjia　in　Hanzhong；　where　he　mitted　suicide　through　shame。

In　the　thirteenth　year　of　Beginning　Prosperity　of　Shu；　the　same　year　being　the　third　year　of　Green　Dragon　of　Wei；　and　the　fourth　year　of　Domestic　Peace　of　Wu　（AD　235）；　there　were　no　military　expeditions。　In　Wei；　Sima　Yi　was　created　Grand　mander；　with　mand　over　all　the　forces　of　Wei；　and　he　departed　for　Luoyang。

The　Ruler　of　Wei；　at　Xuchang；　made　preparations　to　build　himself　a　palace　plex。　At　Luoyang　he　also　built　the　Hall　of　Sunrise；　the　Hall　of　the　Firmament；　and　the　Hall　of　plete　Patterns；　all　lofty　and　of　beautiful　designs。　He　also　raised　a　Hall　of　Beautiful　Passions；　a　Green　Flageolet　Tower；　and　a　Phoenix　Tower。　He　also　dug　a　Nine　Dragons　Pool。　Over　all　these　works　he　placed　Doctorate　Scholar　Ma　Jun　as　superintendent　of　their　building。

Nothing　was　spared　that　would　contribute　to　the　beauty　of　these　buildings。　The　beams　were　carved；　the　rafters　were　painted；　the　walls　were　of　golden　bricks；　and　the　roofs　of　green　tiles。　They　glittered　and　glowed　in　the　sunlight。　The　most　cunning　craftspeople　in　the　world　were　sought；　many　thousands　of　them；　and　myriads　of　ordinary　workers　labored　day　and　night　on　these　works　for　the　Emperors　glory　and　pleasure。　But　the　strength　of　the　people　was　spent　in　this　toil；　and　they　cried　aloud　and　plained　unceasingly。

Moreover；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　issued　an　edict　to　carry　earth　and　bring　trees　for　the　Fragrant　Forest　Park；　and　he　employed　officers　of　state　in　these　labors；　carrying　earth　and　transporting　trees。

The　Minister　of　Works；　Dong　Xun；　ventured　upon　a　remonstrance；　sending　a　memorial：

〃From　the　beginning　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　Era；　a　generation　ago；　wars　have　been　continuous　and　destruction　rife。　Those　who　have　escaped　death　are　few；　and　these　are　old　and　weak。　Now　indeed　it　may　be　that　the　palaces　are　too　small　and　enlargement　is　desired；　but　would　it　not　be　more　fitting　to　choose　the　building　season　so　as　not　to　interfere　with　cultivation？　Your　Majesty　has　always　valued　many　honorable　officers；　letting　them　wear　beautiful　headdresses；　clad　in　handsome　robes；　and　riding　in　decorated　chariots　to　distinguish　them　from　the　mon　people。　Now　these　officers　are　being　made　to　carry　timber　and　bear　earth；　to　sweat　and　soil　their　feet。　To　destroy　the　glory　of　the　state　in　order　to　raise　a　useless　edifice　is　indescribable　folly。　Confucius　the　Teacher　said　that　princes　should　treat　ministers　with　polite　consideration；　and　ministers　should　serve　princes　with　loyalty。　Without　loyalty；　without　propriety；　can　a　state　endure？

〃I　recognize　that　these　words　of　mine　mean　death；　but　I　am　of　no　value；　a　mere　bullocks　hair；　and　my　life　is　of　no　importance；　as　my　death　would　be　no　loss。　I　write　with　tears；　bidding　the　world　farewell。

〃Thy　servant　has　eight　sons；　who　will　be　a　burden　to　Your　Majesty　after　his　death。　I　cannot　say　with　what　trepidation　I　await　my　fate。〃

〃Has　the　man　no　fear　of　death？〃　said　Cao　Rui；　greatly　angered。

The　courtiers　requested　the　Emperor　to　put　Dong　Xun　to　death；　but　Cao　Rui　remembered　his　rectitude　and　proven　loyalty　and　only　degraded　him；　adding　a　warning　to　put　to　death　those　who　would　remonstrate。

A　certain　Zhang　Mao；　in　the　service　of　the　Heir　Apparent；　also　ventured　upon　a　remonstrance。　Cao　Rui　put　him　to　death　immediately。

Then　Cao　Rui　summoned　his　Master　of　Works；　Ma　Jun；　and　said；　〃I　have　built　high　terraces　and　lofty　towers　with　intent　to　hold　intercourse　with　gods　and　goddesses；　that　I　may　obtain　from　them　the　elixir　of　life。〃

＇e＇　Emperor　Wu；　aka　Liu　Che；　（reigned　BC　141…87）　whose　reign　was　longest　among　the　Han　emperors。　Emperor　Wu　was　perhaps　the　most　influential　Han　emperor　who　concerned　not　only　about　expanding　territory　but　also　about　developing　trade　with　other　countries　（the　Silk　Road；　for　example）。　Emperor　paid　special　attention　to　longevity；　and　his　court　often　had　elaborate　rituals。　。。。。。

Then　Ma　Jun　replied；　〃Of　the　four　and　twenty　emperors　of　the　line　of　Latter　Han；　only　Emperor　Wu*　enjoyed　the　throne　very　long　and　really　attained　to　old　age。　That　was　because　he　drank　of　the　essence　of　the　brilliancy　of　the　sun　and　the　brightness　of　the　moon。　In　the　Palace　at　Changan　is　the　Terrace　of　Cypress　Beams；　upon　which　stands　the　bronze　figure　of　a　man　holding　up　a　Dew　Bowl；　whereinto　distills；　in　the　third　watch　of　the　night；　the　vapor　from　the　great　constellation　of　the　north。　This　liquid　is　called　Celestial　Elixir；　or　Sweet　Dew。　If　mingled　with　powdered　jade　and　swallowed；　it　restores　youth　to　the　aged。〃

〃Take　workers　to　Changan　immediately　and　bring　hither　the　bronze　figure　to　set　up　in　the　Fragrant　Forest　Park；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

As　the　Ruler　of　Wei　manded；　they　took　ten　thousand　workers　to　Changan；　and　they　built　a　scaffold　around　the　figure。　Then　they　attached　ropes　to　haul　it　down。　The　terrace　being　two　hundred　feet　high　and　the　pedestal　ten　cubits　in　circumference；　Ma　Jun　bade　his　laborers　first　detach　the　bronze　image。　They　did　so　and　brought　it　down。　Its　eyes　were　moist　as　with　tears；　and　the　workers　were　affrighted。

Then　suddenly　beside　the　terrace　sprang　up　a　whirlwind；　with　dust　and　pebbles　flying　thick　as　a　shower　of　rain；　and　there　was　a　tempestuous　roar　as　of　an　earthquake。　Down　fell　the　pedestal；　and　the　platform　crumbled；　crushing　a　thousand　people　to　death。

However；　the　bronze　figure　and　the　golden　bowl　were　conveyed　to　Luoyang　and　presented　to　the　Emperor。