三国演义英文版-第261章

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〃The　horses　were　feeding　on　bounty：　It　is　auspicious　to　dream　of　dignity；〃　replied　Jia　Xu。　〃And　naturally　such　an　honor　es　to　the　Caos。　I　do　not　think　you　need　feel　any　misgivings。〃
Cao　Cao　was　forted。

Cao　Cao　dreamed　three　steeds　together　fed；
The　vision　seers　could　not　explain；
None　guessed　how　soon；　when　Cao　Cao　was　dead；
One　dynasty　would　rule　again。
Ah；　yes；　Cao　Cao　had　vainly　wrought；
Of　none　avail　each　wicked　wile；
For；　later；　in　Wei　court；　there　fought
Against　him　one　with　equal　guile。

That　night　Cao　Cao　became　worse。　As　he　lay　on　his　couch　he　felt　dizzy　and　could　not　see；　so　he　rose　and　sat　by　a　table；　upon　which　he　leaned。　It　seemed　to　him　that　someone　shrieked；　and；　peering　into　the　darkness；　he　perceived　the　forms　of　many　of　his　victims………the　Empress　Fu；　the　Consort　Dong；　Fu　Wan；　Dong　Cheng；　and　more　than　twenty　other　officials………；　and　all　were　bloodstained。　They　stood　in　the　obscurity　and　whispered；　demanding　his　life。　He　rose；　lifted　his　sword　and　threw　it　wildly　into　the　air。　Just　then　there　was　a　loud　crash；　and　the　southwest　corner　of　the　new　building　came　down。　And　Cao　Cao　fell　with　it。　His　attendants　raised　him　and　bore　him　to　another　palace；　where　he　might　lie　at　peace。
But　he　found　no　peace。　The　next　night　was　disturbed　by　the　ceaseless　wailing　of　men　and　women's　voices。
When　day　dawned；　Cao　Cao　sent　for　his　officers；　and　said　to　them；　〃Thirty　years　have　I　spent　in　the　turmoil　of　war　and　have　always　refused　belief　in　the　supernatural。　But　what　does　all　this　mean？〃
〃O　Prince；　you　should　summon　the　Taoists　to　offer　sacrifices　and　prayers；〃　said　they。
Cao　Cao　sighed；　saying；　〃The　Wise　Teacher　said；　'He　who　offends　against　heaven　has　no　one　to　pray　to。'　I　feel　that　my　fate　is　acplished；　my　days　have　run；　and　there　is　no　help。〃
But　he　would　not　consent　to　call　in　the　priests。　Next　day　his　symptoms　were　worse。　He　was　panting　and　could　no　longer　see　distinctly。　He　sent　hastily　for　Xiahou　Dun；　who　came　at　once。　But　as　Xiahou　Dun　drew　near　the　doors；　he　too　saw　the　shadowy　forms　of　the　slain　Empress　and　her　children　and　many　other　victims　of　Cao　Cao's　cruelty。　He　was　overe　with　fear　and　fell　to　the　ground。　The　servants　raised　him　and　led　him　away；　very　ill。
Then　Cao　Cao　called　in　four　of　his　trusty　advisers………Cao　Hong；　Chen　Qun；　Jia　Xu；　and　Sima　Yi………that　they　might　hear　his　last　wishes。
Cao　Hong；　speaking　for　the　four；　said；　〃Take　good　care　of　your　precious　self；　O　Prince；　that　you　may　quickly　recover。〃
But　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Thirty　and　more　years　have　I　gone　up　and　down；　and　many　bold　leaders　have　fallen　before　me。　The　only　ones　that　remain　are　Sun　Quan　in　the　south　and　Liu　Bei　in　the　west。　I　have　not　yet　slain　them。　Now　I　am　very　ill；　and　I　shall　never　again　stand　before　you；　wherefore　my　family　affairs　must　be　settled。　My　first　born………Cao　Ang；　son　of　Lady　Liu………fell　in　battle　at　Wancheng；　when　he　was　young。　The　Lady　Bian　bore　four　sons　to　me；　as　you　know。　The　third；　Cao　Zhi；　was　my　favorite；　but　he　was　vain　and　unreliable；　fond　of　wine　and　lax　in　morals。　Therefore　he　is　not　my　heir。　My　second　son；　Cao　Zhang；　is　valiant；　but　imprudent。　The　fourth；　Cao　Xiong；　is　a　weakly　and　may　not　live　long。　My　eldest；　Cao　Pi；　is　steady　and　serious；　he　is　fit　to　succeed　me；　and　I　look　to　you　to　support　him。〃
Cao　Hong　and　the　others　wept　as　they　heard　these　words；　and　they　left　the　chamber。　Then　Cao　Cao　bade　his　servants　bring　all　of　the　rare　incenses　and　fragrances　that　he　burned　every　day；　and　he　handed　out　to　his　handmaids。

＇e＇　Kevin；　a　reader：　〃Cao　Cao　has　been　portrayed　as　an　evil　character　because　usually　in　a　novel；　you　need　a　good　guy　and　a　bad　guy。　Liu　Bei　is　of　course　the　good　guy　and　Cao　Cao　is　the　bad　guy　in　this　case。　But　in　reality；　that　was　not　the　case。　Cao　Cao　was　one　of　the　smartest　humans　ever　to　be　born　in　China………not　smart　like　Zhuge　Liang；　but　in　a　different　way。　Cao　Cao　was　amazing　in　everything。　No　wonder　he　controlled　the　biggest　area。　No　wonder　he　had　so　many　followers。　Yes；　he　seems　to　be　very　cold　hearted　at　times；　but　if　you　meet　any　successful　people；　they　know　when　to　separate　their　business　from　peronal　matters。　Remember；　this　is　only　a　novel　even　though　it　is　very　based　on　the　real　story；　but　do　not　forget　that　there　are　lots　of　embellishments。〃　。。。。。
And　he　said　to　them；　〃After　my　death　you　must　diligently　attend　to　your　womanly　labors。　You　can　make　silken　shoes　for　sale；　and　so　earn　your　own　living。〃
He　also　bade　them　go　on　living　in　the　Bronze　Bird　Pavilion　and　celebrate　a　daily　sacrifice　for　him；　with　music　by　the　singing　women；　and　presentation　of　the　eatables　laid　before　his　tablet。
Next　he　manded　that　seventy…two　sites　for　a　tomb　should　be　selected　near　Jiangwu；　that　no　one　should　know　his　actual　burying　place；　lest　his　remains　should　be　dug　up。
And　when　these　final　orders　had　been　given；　he　sighed　a　few　times；　shed　some　tears；　and　died。　He　was　sixty…six；　and　passed　away　in　the　first　month　of　the　twenty…fifth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　Era　（AD　220）。*
A　certain　poet　posed　〃A　Song　of　Yejun〃　expressing　sympathy　for　Cao　Cao；　which　is　given　here：

I　stood　in　Yejun　and　saw　the　River　Zhang
Go　gliding　by。　I　thought　no　mon　human
Ever　rose　from　such　a　place。　Or　he　was　great
In　war；　a　poet；　or　an　artist　skilled。
Perchance　a　model　minister；　or　son；
Or　famous　for　fraternal　duty　shown。
The　thoughts　of　heroes　are　not　ours　to　judge；
Nor　are　their　actions　for　our　eyes　to　see。
A　man　may　stand　the　first　in　merit；　then
His　crimes　may　brand　him　chief　of　criminals。
And　so　his　reputation's　fair　and　foul；
His　literary　gifts　may　bear　the　mark
Of　genius；　he　may　be　a　ruler　born；
But　this　is　certain：　He　will　stand　above
His　fellows；　herding　not　with　mon　people。
Takes　he　the　field；　then　is　he　bold　in　fight；
Would　he　a　mansion　build；　a　palace　springs。
In　all　things　great；　his　genius　masters　him。
And　such　was　Cao　Cao。　He　could　never　be
Obedient；　he　a　rebel　was；　foredoomed。
He　seized　and　ruled；　but　hungered　for　more　power；
Became　a　prince；　and　still　was　not　content。
And　yet　this　man　of　glorious　career
When　gripped　by　sickness；　wept　as　might　a　child。
Full　well　he　knew；　when　on　the　bed　of　death；
That　all　is　vanity　and　nothing　worth。
His　latest　acts　were　kindly。　Simple　gifts
Of　fragrant　incense　gave　he　to　the　maids。
Ah！　The　ancients'　splendid　deeds　or　secret　thoughts
We　may　not　measure　with　our　puny　rule。
But　criticize　them；　pedants；　as　ye　may
The　mighty　dead　will　smile　at　what　you　say。

As　Cao　Cao　breathed　his　last；　the　whole　of　those　present　raised　a　great　wailing　and　lamentation。　The　news　was　sent　to　the　members　of　the　family；　the　Heir　Cao　Pi；　Lord　of　Yanling　Cao　Zhang；　Lord　of　Linzi　Cao　Zhi；　and　Lord　of　Xiaohuai　Cao　Xiong。　They　wrapped　the　body　in　its　shroud；　enclosed　it　in　a　silver　shell；　and　laid　it　in　a　golden　coffin；　which　was　sent　at　once　home　to　Yejun。
The　eldest　son　wept　aloud　at　the　tidings　and　went　out　with　all　his　following　to　meet　the　procession　and　escort　the　body　of　his　father　into　his　home。　The　coffin　was　laid　in　a　great　hall　beside　the　main　building；　and　all　the　officials　in　deep　mourning　wailed　in　the　hall。
Suddenly　one　stood　out　from　the　ranks　of　the　mourners　and　said；　〃I　would　request　the　heir　to　cease　lamentation　for　the　dead　and　devote　himself　to　the　present　needs　of　state。〃
It　was　Sima　Fu；　and　he　continued；　〃The　death　of　the　Prince　will　cause　an　upheaval　in　the　empire；　and　it　is　essential　that　the　heir　should　assume　his　dignity　without　loss　of　time。　There　is　not　mourning　alone　to　be　seen　to。〃
The　others　replied。　〃The　succession　is　settled；　but　the　investiture　can　hardly　proceed　without　the　necessary　edict　from　the　Emperor。　That　must　be　secured。〃
Said　Chen　Jiao；　who　was　Minister　of　War；　〃As　the　Prince　died　away　from　home；　it　may　be　that　disputes　will　ensue；　and　the　country　will　be　in　danger。〃
Then　Chen　Jiao　slashed　off　the　sleeves　of　his　robe　with　a　sword　and　shouted　fiercely；　〃We　will　invest　the　prince　forthwith；　and　anyone　who　does　not　agree；　let　him　be　treated　as　this　robe。〃
Still　fear　held　most　of　the　assembly。　Then　arrived　Hua　Xin　most　haste　from　the　capital。　They　wondered　what　his　sudden　arrival　meant。
Soon　he　entered　the　hall　and　said；　〃The　Prince　of　Wei　is　dead　and　the　world　is　in　motion。　Why　do　you　not　invest　his　successor　quick