第一小说网

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第261部分（第1页）

However；　it　is　to　be　noted　that　He　Yan　and　Deng　Yang　met　the　unhappy　end　that　Guan　Lu　had　foretold　for　them。

The　seer　Guan　Lu　was　deeply　read

In　all　the　lore　of　the　ancient　sages。

Thus　he　could　see　events　to　e

As　clear　as　those　of　former　ages。

And　he　perceived　the　soul　of　He　Yan；

Already　in　the　vale　of　gloom。

And　knew　the　outer　shell　of　Deng　Yang

Was　hastening　to　an　early　tomb。

After　his　recovery　of　power；　Sima　Yi　was　made　Prime　Minister　and　received　the　Nine　Dignities。　Sima　Yi　refused　these　honors；　but　the　Ruler　of　Wei　insisted　and　would　take　no　denial。　His　two　sons　were　made　assistants　to　their　father；　and　all　state　affairs　fell　under　the　control　of　these　three。

However；　Sima　Yi　remembered　that　one　man；　Xiahou　Ba；　a　member　of　the　Cao　clan；　still　manded　at　Yongzhou。　In　his　position　Xiahou　Ba　might　be　a　real　danger；　and　he　must　be　removed。　So　an　edict　was　issued　calling　him　to　Capital　Luoyang　to　discuss　affairs。

Upon　receiving　this　call；　Xiahou　Ba　was　shocked。　But　instead　of　obeying　this　call；　he　declared　himself　a　rebel；　and　he　had　a　force　of　three　thousand　troops　to　support　him。　As　soon　as　this　was　known；　Guo　Huai　marched　to　suppress　the　malcontent。　The　two　armies　were　soon　face　to　face；　and　Guo　Huai　went　to　the　front　and　began　to　revile　his　opponent。

〃How　could　you　rebel　against　the　ruling　house；　you　who　are　of　the　same　clan　as　our　great　founder；　and　you　who　have　always　been　treated　generously？〃

Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃My　forefathers　served　the　state　right　well；　but　who　is　this　Sima　Yi　that　he　has　put　to　death　my　kinspeople　and　would　now　destroy　me？　What　is　his　aim；　if　it　be　not　to　usurp　the　Throne？　If　I　can　cut　him　off　and　so　frustrate　his　design；　I　shall　at　least　be　no　traitor　to　the　state。〃

Guo　Huai　rode　forward　to　attack；　and　Xiahou　Ba　advanced　to　the　encounter。　They　fought　some　ten　bouts；　and　then　Guo　Huai　turned　and　fled。　But　this　was　only　a　feint　to　lead　on　his　enemy；　for　ere　Xiahou　Ba　had　gone　far；　he　heard　a　shout　behind　him　and　turned　to　see　Chen　Tai　about　to　attack。　At　the　same　moment　Guo　Huai　turned　again；　and　thus　Xiahou　Ba　was　between　two　fires。　He　could　effect　nothing；　so　he　fled；　losing　many　troops。　Soon　he　decided　that　his　only　course　was　to　flee　to　Hanzhong　and　to　surrender　to　the　Ruler　of　Shu。

Wherefore　he　went　into　Hanzhong　to　see　if　haply　the　Latter　Ruler　would　accept　his　services。　When　Jiang　Wei　heard　of　his　desire　to　surrender；　he　had　doubts　of　Xiahou　Bas　sincerity。　However；　after　due　inquiry　Jiang　Wei　was　satisfied　and　allowed　the　renegade　from　Wei　to　enter　the　city。　After　making　his　obeisance；　Xiahou　Ba；　with　many　tears；　told　the　story　of　his　wrongs。　Jiang　Wei　expressed　sympathy。

＇e＇　The　last　king　of　Shang　Dynasty　was　King　Zhou；　who　was　cruel　and　corrupt。　King　Zhou　had　three　uncles………Bi　Gan；　Qi　Zi；　and　Wei　Zi………who　served　as　ministers。　When　these　three　officials　repeatedly　failed　to　persuade　King　Zhou　to　repent；　Wei　Zi　resigned　his　post；　while　Qi　Zi　pretended　to　be　insane。　Bi　Gan　stayed　and　continued　persuading　the　king；　who　later　executed　Bi　Gan。　Later　the　Duke　of　Zhou　overthrew　Shang　Dynasty　and　enobled　Wei　Zi；　Qi　Zi；　and　the　wife　and　the　son　of　Bi　Gan。　Wei　Zi　became　known　as　the　Duke　of　Song。　Qi　Zi　left　for　Korea　where　he　became　a　ruler。　。。。。。

Said　Jiang　Wei；　〃In　the　ancient　time　Wei　Zi*　left　the　court　of　King　Zhou　in　disgust；　and　this　act　has　assured　to　him　everlasting　honor。　You　may　be　able　now　to　assist　in　the　restoration　of　the　House　of　Han；　and　you　will　then　stand　no　whit　inferior　to　any　person　of　antiquity。〃

A　banquet　was　ordered；　and　while　it　was　being　prepared　the　host　talked　of　affairs　in　Capital　Luoyang。

Said　Jiang　Wei；　〃The　Simas　are　now　most　powerful　and　in　a　position　to　carry　out　any　scheme　they　planned。　Think　you　that　they　have　any　intentions　against　Shu？〃

〃The　old　traitor　has　enough　to　do　with　his　rebellion；　he　has　no　leisure　to　trouble　about　any　outside　matters。　However；　two　other　young　leaders　in　Wei　have　lately　e　to　the　front；　and　if　Sima　Yi　sent　them　against　Shu　and　Wu；　it　might　go　ill　with　you　both。〃

〃And　who　are　these　two？〃

〃One　is　named　Zhong　Hui；　a　man　of　Changsha。　He　is　a　son　of　the　former　Imperial　Guardian　Zhong　Yao。　As　a　mere　boy　he　was　noted　for　being　bold　and　smart。　His　father　used　to　take　him　and　his　brother；　Zhong　Yu；　to　court。　Zhong　Hui　was　seven　and　his　brother　a　year　older。　Emperor　Pi　noticed　one　day　that　the　elder　boy　was　sweating　and　asked　him　the　reason。　Zhong　Yu　replied；　Whenever　I　am　frightened；　the　sweat　pours　out。　Then　Emperor　Pi　said　to　the　other　boy；　You　do　not　seem　frightened。　And　Zhong　Hui　replied；　I　am　so　frightened　that　the　sweat　cannot　e　out。　The　Emperor　was　discerned　the　extraordinary　ability　of　the　boy。　A　little　later　Zhong　Hui　was　always　studying　books　on　war　and　tactics；　and　became　an　able　strategist；　so　that　he　won　admiration　from　both　Sima　Yi　and　Jiang　Ji。　Zhong　Hui　is　being　a　secretary　in　the　Palace。

〃The　second　man　is　Deng　Ai　from　Yiyang。　He　was　left　an　orphan　very　early；　but　he　was　ambitious　and　enterprising。　If　he　saw　lofty　mountains　or　wide　marshes；　he　always　looked　for　those　points　where　soldiers　might　be　stationed　or　depots　of　provisions　made　or　bustibles　laid。　People　ridiculed　him；　but　Sima　Yi　saw　there　was　much　to　admire　and　employed　the　young　man　on　his　staff。　Deng　Ai　had　an　impediment　in　his　speech；　so　that　he　called　himself　Deng…eng…eng…Ai；　and　Sima　Yi　used　to　make　fun　of　him　and　asked　him　one　day　how　many　there　were　of　him　since　he　called　himself　Deng…eng…eng…Ai。　Deng　Ai　at　once　replied；　There　is　only　one　phoenix　when　they　say　O　Phoenix！　O　Phoenix！　This　ready　repartee　shows　the　quickness　of　his　intellect；　and　you　may　well　be　on　your　guard　against　him　and　the　other；　for　they　are　to　be　feared。〃

〃I　do　not　think　them　worth　even　talking　about；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。