迪文小说

第273部分（第1页）

by。

〃Sun　Chen　holds　all　real　power　and　does　as　he　wishes；　while　I　am　despised；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wu。　〃Something　must　be　done。〃

Quan　Ji　said；　〃I　would　think　no　sacrifice　too　great　if　Your　Majesty　would　make　use　of　me。〃

〃If　you　could　muster　the　Palace　guards　and　help　General　Liu　Cheng　to　keep　the　gates；　I　would　go　and　murder　that　ruffian。　But　you　must　not　let　anyone　know；　for　if　you　tell　your　noble　mother；　who　is　a　sister　of　Sun　Chen；　she　will　tell　her　brother；　and　that　would　be　very　serious　for　me。〃

〃Will　Your　Majesty　give　me　a　mand　that　I　may　have　authority　to　act　when　the　time　es？〃　said　Quan　Ji。　〃At　the　critical　moment　I　could　show　the　edict　and　hold　back　Sun　Chens　supporters。〃

The　mand　was　given；　and　Quan　Ji　went　home。　But　he　could　not　keep　his　secret；　and　confided　the　plan　to　his　father；　Quan　Shang。

His　father　told　his　wife；　〃Sun　Chen　will　be　got　rid　of　in　three　days。〃

〃Oh；　he　deserves　that；〃　said　she。

Although　she　seemed　to　approve　with　her　tongue；　she　sent　a　secret　messenger　with　a　letter　to　the　proposed　victim。

That　same　night　Sun　Chen　called　in　his　four　leader　brothers；　and　the　Palace　was　surrounded。　The　conspirators　were　seized；　with　Liu　Cheng　and　Quan　Shang　and　all　their　families。

About　dawn　the　Ruler　of　Wu　was　disturbed　by　a　motion　at　the　gates；　and　a　servant　told　him；　〃Sun　Chen　with　his　army　has　surrounded　the　Inner　Palace！〃

Sun　Liang　knew　that　he　had　been　betrayed。　He　turned　on　Empress　Quan；　who　was　of　the　Quan　house；　and　reproached　her。

〃Your　father　and　brother　have　upset　all　my　plans！〃

Drawing　his　sword；　he　was　dashing　out　when　his　Consort　and　her　people　clung　to　his　clothing　and　held　him　back。

After　putting　to　death　Liu　Chengs　and　Quan　Shangs　parties；　Sun　Chen　assembled　the　officers　in　the　court　and　addressed　them　thus：　〃The　Emperor　is　vicious　and　weak；　depraved　and　foolish　and　unfit　for　his　high　office。　Wherefore　he　must　be　deposed。　Any　of　you　who　oppose　will　be　punished　as　for　conspiracy。〃

〃We　shall　obey　your　mand；　O　General！〃　said　the　court　officiers　out　of　fear。

Only　one　of　those　present　dared　to　say　a　word　of　protest。

It　was　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Huan　Yi；　who　said；　〃How　dare　you　utter　such　words？　Our　Emperor　is　very　intelligent；　and　I　will　not　support　you。　I　would　rather　die！〃

Sun　Chen　wrathfully　drew　his　sword　and　slew　Huan　Yi。

Then　Sun　Chen　went　into　the　Palace　and　said　to　Sun　Liang；　〃O　unrighteous　and　unenlightened　Highness；　your　death　would　be　the　only　fitting　reparation　to　make　to　the　empire；　but　out　of　consideration　for　your　ancestors　you　are　only　deposed　and　degraded　to　princely　rank　as　Prince　of　Kuaiji。　I　will　select　a　worthy　successor。〃

Secretary　Li　Zong　was　ordered　to　bring　in　the　royal　seal；　which　was　delivered　to　Deng　Cheng。　The　deposed　ruler　retired　weeping。

The　sage　example　of　the　wise　Yi　Yin*

Perverted　now　to　traitors　use　we　see；

And　Huo　Guangs　faithful　services*　are　made

A　cloak　to　cover　vilest　treachery。

Even　able　princes　are　but　toys　of　fate；

And　need　our　pity；　fallen　from　high　estate。

＇e＇　Yi　Yin　was　was　helper　and　prime　minister　of　King　Tang；　the　founder　of　Shang　Dynasty。　After　King　Tangs　death；　Yi　Yin　served　his　sons　and　grandson。　Soon　after　Tai　Jia；　King　Tangs　grandson；　ascended　the　throne；　he　mitted　many　faults；　and　Yi　Yin；　acting　as　regent；　exiled　Tai　Jia　to　Tong　Palace………the　burial　place　of　King　Tang。　After　three　years　Yi　Yin　returned　him　the　throne。　Tai　Jia　eventually　became　an　enlightened　emperor。　Shang　Dynasty　lasted　for　650　years　（BC　1700…1050）。　It　was　this　act　of　Yi　Yin　rather　than　his　services　in　building　up　an　empire　that　has　made　him　immortal。　Whether　he　did　right　in　temporarily　dethroning　the　king　was　open　to　question；　until　a　final　verdict　was　rendered　by　Mencius　who　thought　that　his　ends　amply　justified　his　means。　This　historical　event　attests　the　extent　of　the　power　exercised　by　a　prime　minister　in　those　days。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Huo　Guang　（BC　？…68）　a　general　and　regent　of　Han。　After　Emperor　Wu　died；　Huo　Guang　became　regent　to　three　successive　emperors；　and　the　second　one　had　been　the　Prince　of　Changyi；　who　was　on　the　throne　for　only　twenty…seven　days。　Huo　Guang　had　the　Prince　of　Changyi　declared　unfit　to　rule　and　deposed　him。　Even　though　Huo　Guang　contributed　much　to　the　empires　stabilization；　after　he　died；　he　was　distanced　by　the　emperor　and　most　of　his　family　were　executed　for　conspiracy　charges。　。。。。。

Sun　Chen　then　sent　two　ministers　of　the　court；　Royal　Clan　Recorder　Sun　Kai　and　Secretary　Dong　Cao；　went　as　envoys　to　Hulin　to　request　Sun　Xiu；　Prince　of　Langye；　the　sixth　son　of　Sun　Quan；　to　ascend　the　throne。

The　Emperor…elect　had　had　some　premonition　of　the　high　honor　to　which　he　was　now　called；　for　in　a　dream　he　saw　he　ascended　into　the　skies　seated　on　a　dragon。　Only　the　dragon　seemed　to　have　no　tail。　He　woke　up　in　a　fright；　and　the　next　day　brought　the　Imperial　Envoys；　Sun　Kai　and　Dong　Cao。

Sun　Xiu　set　out。　At　Que　his　carriage　was　stopped　by　a　venerable　old　man　who　claimed　to　be　Gan　Xiu　and　offered　felicitations。