迪文小说

第21部分（第2页）

〃I　will　kill　the　wretch；　I　swear　it！　In　no　other　way　can　I　wash　away　my　shame。〃

〃No；　no！　Do　not　say　such　a　thing；〃　said　Wang　Yun；　putting　his　hand　over　the　others　mouth。　〃You　will　bring　trouble　on　poor　me　and　my　family。〃

〃When　one　is　born　great；　one　cannot　be　patient　for　long　under　another　persons　domination；〃　said　Lu　Bu。

〃It　needs　someone　greater　than　the　Prime　Minister　to　limit　the　scope　of　such　talents　as　yours。〃

Lu　Bu　said；　〃I　would　not　mind　killing　the　old　wretch　were　it　not　for　the　relation　in　which　we　stand。　I　fear　to　provoke　the　hostile　criticism　of　posterity。〃

Wang　Yun　shook　his　head；　saying；　〃Your　name　is　Lu　Bu；　his　is　Dong　Zhuo。　Where　was　the　paternal　feeling　when　he　threw　the　halberd　at　you？〃

〃I　had　been　misled　if　you　had　not　said　that；〃　said　Lu　Bu　hotly。

Wang　Yun　saw　the　effect　of　his　words　and　continued；　〃It　would　be　a　loyal　deed　to　restore　the　House　of　Han；　and　history　would　hand　down　your　name　to　posterity　perpetually　fragrant。　If　you　lend　your　aid　to　Dong　Zhuo；　you　will　be　a　traitor　and　your　name　will　be　tainted　through　all　ages。〃

Lu　Bu　rose　from　his　place　and　bowed　to　Wang　Yun。

〃I　have　decided；〃　said　he。　〃You　need　not　fear；　Sir。〃

〃But　yet　you　may　fail　and　bring　upon　yourself　misfortune；〃　said　Wang　Yun。

Lu　Bu　drew　his　dagger；　pricking　his　arm；　and　swearing　by　the　blood　that　flowed。

Wang　Yun　fell　on　his　knees　and　thanked　him。

〃Then　the　Han　sacrifices　will　not　be　cut　off；　and　you　will　be　their　savior。　But　this　must　remain　a　secret；　and　I　will　tell　you　how　the　plot　shall　be　worked　out。〃

Lu　Bu　took　leave　with　great　emotion。

Wang　Yun　took　into　his　confidence　two　colleagues；　Minister　Shisun　Rui　and　Imperial　mander　Huang　Wan。

Shisun　Rui　said；　〃The　moment　is　favorable。　The　Emperor　has　just　recovered　from　his　illness；　and　we　can　dispatch　an　able　talker　to　Meiwo　to　persuade　Dong　Zhuo　to　e　here　to　discuss　affairs。　Meanwhile　we　will　obtain　a　secret　decree　as　authority　for　Lu　Bu　to　lay　an　ambush　just　inside　the　Palace　gates　to　kill　Dong　Zhuo　as　he　enters。　This　is　the　best　plan　to　adopt。〃

〃But　who　would　dare　to　go？〃　said　Huang　Wan。

〃Li　Su；　General　of　the　Imperial　Tiger　Army；　would　go。　He　belongs　to　the　same　region　as　Lu　Bu　and　is　very　angry　with　the　Prime　Minister　for　not　advancing　him。　His　going　would　assure　us　the　plan　would　be　pleted。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Wang　Yun。　〃Let　us　see　what　Lu　Bu　thinks　of　it。〃

When　Lu　Bu　was　consulted；　he　told　them　that　this　Li　Sus　persuasion　had　led　him　to　kill　Ding　Yuan；　his　former　benefactor。

〃If　Li　Su　refuses　this　mission；　I　will　kill　him；〃　said　Lu　Bu。

So　they　sent　for　Li　Su。

When　Li　Su　arrived；　Lu　Bu　said；　〃Formerly　you　talked　me　into　killing　Ding　Yuan　and　going　over　to　Dong　Zhuo。　Now　we　find　Dong　Zhuo　means　evil　for　the　Emperor　and　is　an　oppressor　of　the　people。　His　iniquities　are　many；　and　he　is　hated　by　gods　and　humans。　You　go　to　Meiwo；　say　you　have　a　mand　from　the　Emperor　to　summon　the　Prime　Minister　to　the　Palace。　He　will　e；　and　he　will　be　put　to　death。　You　will　have　the　credit　of　being　loyal　and　restoring　the　Hans。　Will　you　undertake　this？〃

〃I　also　wish　to　slay　him；〃　was　the　reply。　〃But　I　could　not　find　anyone　to　assist　me。　How　can　I　hesitate？　Your　intervention　is　directly　from　Heaven。〃

And　Li　Su　snapped　an　arrow　in　twain　as　register　of　his　oath。

〃If　this　succeeds；　what　glorious　rank　will　be　yours！〃　said　Wang　Yun。

Next　day　Li　Su；　with　a　small　escort；　set　out　for　Meiwo　and　announced　himself　as　bearer　of　a　decree。　He　was　conducted　into　Dong　Zhuos　presence。　After　he　had　made　his　obeisance；　Dong　Zhuo　asked　what　the　decree　was。

〃His　Majesty　has　recovered　and　wishes　his　ministers　to　meet　him　in　the　Palace　to　consider　the　question　of　his　abdication　in　your　favor。　That　is　what　this　summons　means。〃

〃What　does　Wang　Yun　think　of　the　scheme？〃

〃Wang　Yun　has　already　begun　the　construction　of　the　Terrace　of　Abdication　and　only　awaits　my　lords　arrival。〃

〃Last　night　I　dreamed　a　dragon　coiled　round　my　body；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo　greatly　pleased；　〃and　now　I　get　this　happy　tidings！　I　must　not　neglect　the　opportunity。〃

So　Dong　Zhuo　gave　instructions　to　his　four　trusted　generals　for　the　safekeeping　of　his　city。　Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji　were　to　guard　Meiwo　with　three　thousand　troops　of　the　Flying　Bear　Army。　Then　Dong　Zhuo　announced　his　intention　of　starting　on　the　morrow。