第一小说网

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第7部分（第2页）

The　two　boys　ignorant　of　the　meaning　of　all　this　confusion　and　terrified　out　of　their　senses；　dared　not　utter　a　cry。　They　crept　in　among　the　rank　grass　on　the　river　bank　and　hid。　The　soldiers　scattered　in　all　directions　but　failed　to　find　them。　So　they　remained　till　the　fourth　watch；　shivering　with　cold　from　the　drenching　dew　and　very　hungry。　They　lay　down　in　the　thick　grass　and　wept　in　each　others　arms；　silently；　lest　anyone　should　discover　them。

〃This　is　no　a　place　to　stay　in；〃　said　Prince　Xian。　〃We　must　find　some　way　out。〃

So　the　two　children　knotted　their　clothes　together　and　managed　to　crawl　up　the　bank。　They　were　in　a　thicket　of　thorn　bushes；　and　it　was　quite　dark。　They　could　not　see　any　path。　They　were　in　despair　when；　all　at　once；　millions　of　fireflies　sprang　up　all　about　them　and　circled　in　the　air　in　front　of　the　Emperor。

〃God　is　helping　us；〃　said　Prince　Xian。

They　followed　whither　the　fireflies　led　and　gradually　got　into　a　road。　They　walked　till　their　feet　were　too　sore　to　go　further；　when；　seeing　a　heap　of　straw　near　the　road；　they　crept　to　it　and　lay　down。

This　heap　of　straw　was　close　to　a　farm　house。　In　the　night；　as　the　farmer　was　sleeping；　he　saw　in　a　vision　two　bright　red　suns　drop　behind　his　dwelling。　Alarmed　by　the　portent；　he　hastily　dressed　and　went　forth　to　look　about　him。　Then　he　saw　a　bright　light　shooting　up　from　a　heap　of　straw。　He　hastened　thither　and　then　saw　two　youths　lying　behind　it。

〃To　what　household　do　you　belong；　young　gentlemen？〃　asked　the　farmer。

The　Emperor　was　too　frightened　to　reply；　but　his　panion　said；　〃He　is　the　Emperor。　There　was　a　revolution　in　the　Forbidden　City；　and　we　ran　away。　I　am　his　brother；　Prince　of　Chenliu。〃

The　farmer　bowed　again　and　again　and　said；　〃My　name　is　Sui　Lie。　My　brother　Sui　Yi　is　the　former　Minister　of　the　Interior。　My　brother　was　disgusted　with　the　behavior　of　the　eunuchs　and　so　resigned　and　hid　away　here。〃

The　two　lads　were　taken　into　the　farm；　and　their　host　on　his　knees　served　them　with　refreshment。

It　has　been　said　that　Min　Gong　had　gone　in　pursuit　of　Eunuch　Duan　Gui。　By　and　by　Min　Gong　overtook　Duan　Gui　and　cried；　〃Where　is　the　Emperor？〃

〃He　disappeared！　I　do　not　know　where　he　is！〃

Min　Gong　slew　Duan　Gui　and　hung　the　bleeding　head　on　his　horses　neck。　Then　he　sent　his　troops　searching　in　all　directions；　and　he　rode　off　by　himself　on　the　same　quest。　Presently　he　came　to　the　farm。　Sui　Lie；　seeing　what　hung　on　his　horses　neck；　questioned　him　and；　satisfied　with　his　story；　led　him　to　the　Emperor。　The　meeting　was　affecting。　All　were　moved　to　tears。

〃The　state　cannot　be　without　its　ruler；〃　said　Min　Gong。　〃I　pray　Your　Majesty　return　to　the　city。〃

At　the　farm　they　had　but　one　sorry　nag　and　this　they　saddled　for　the　Emperor。　The　young　Prince　was　taken　on　Min　Gongs　charger。　And　thus　they　left　the　farm。　Not　beyond　one　mile　from　the　farm；　they　fell　in　with　other　officials　and　several　hundred　guards　and　soldiers　made　up　an　imposing　cavalcade。　In　the　cavalcade　were　Wang　Yun；　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Yang　Biao；　Grand　mander；　Chunyu　Qiong；　mander　of　the　Left　Army；　Zhao　Meng；　mander　of　the　Right　Army；　Bao　Xin；　mander　of　the　Rear　Army；　and　Yuan　Shao；　mander　of　the　Center　Army。　Tears　were　shed　freely　as　the　ministers　met　their　Emperor。

A　man　was　sent　on　in　front　to　the　capital　there　to　expose　the　head　of　Eunuch　Duan　Gui。

As　soon　as　they　could；　they　placed　the　Emperor　on　a　better　steed　and　the　young　Prince　had　a　horse　to　himself。　Thus　the　Emperor　returned　to　Luoyang；　and　so　it　happened　after　all　as　the　street　childrens　ditty　ran：

Though　the　emperor　doesnt　rule；　though　the　prince　no　office　fills；

Yet　a　brilliant　cavalcade　es　along　from　Beimang　Hills。

The　cavalcade　had　not　proceeded　far　when　they　saw　ing　towards　them　a　large　body　of　soldiers　with　fluttering　banners　hiding　the　sun　and　raising　a　huge　cloud　of　dust。　The　officials　turned　pale；　and　the　Emperor　was　greatly　alarmed。　Yuan　Shao　rode　out　in　advance。

〃Who　are　you？〃　said　Yuan　Shao。

From　under　the　shade　of　an　embroidered　banner　rode　out　a　leader；　saying；　〃Do　you　have　the　Emperor？〃

The　Emperor　was　too　panic　stricken　to　respond；　but　the　Prince　of　Chenliu　rode　to　the　front　and　cried；　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃Dong　Zhuo；　Imperial　Protector　of　Xizhou　Region。〃

〃Have　you　e　to　protect　the　Chariot　or　to　steal　it？〃　said　Prince　Xian。

〃I　have　e　to　protect；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

〃If　that　is　so；　the　Emperor　is　here：　Why　do　you　not　dismount？〃

Dong　Zhuo　hastily　dismounted　and　made　obeisance　on　the　left　of　the　road。　Then　Prince　Xian　spoke　graciously　to　him。　From　first　to　last　the　Prince　had　carried　himself　most　perfectly　so　that　Dong　Zhuo　in　his　heart　admired　his　behavior；　and　then　arose　the　first　desire　to　set　aside　the　Emperor　in　favor　of　the　Prince　of　Chenliu。

They　reached　the　Palace　the　same　day；　and　there　was　an　affecting　interview　with　Empress　He。

But　when　they　had　restored　order　in　the　Palace；　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal；　the　special　seal　of　the　Emperor；　was　missing。

Dong　Zhuo　camped　without　the　walls；　but　every　day　he　was　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　with　an　escort　of　mailed　soldiers　so　that　the　mon　people　were　in　a　state　of　constant　trepidation。　He　also　went　in　and　out　of　the　Palace　careless　of　all　the　rules　of　propriety。

mander　of　the　Rear　Army　Bao　Xin　spoke　of　Dong　Zhuos　behavior　to　Yuan　Shao；　saying；　〃This　man　harbors　some　evil　design　and　should　be　removed。〃

〃Nothing　can　he　done　till　the　government　is　more　settled；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。

Then　Bao　Xin　saw　Minister　of　the　Interior　Wang　Yun　and　asked　what　he　thought。

〃Let　us　talk　it　over；〃　was　the　reply。

Bao　Xin　said　no　more　but　he　left　the　capital　and　retired　to　the　Taishan　Mountains。

Dong　Zhuo　induced　the　soldiers　of　the　two　brothers　He　Jin　and　He　Miao　to　join　his　mand；　and　privately　spoke　to　his　adviser　Li　Ru　about　deposing　the　Emperor　in　favor　of　the　Prince　of　Chenliu。

〃Th