三国演义英文版-第32章

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rant　wood　in　his　likeness；　laid　that　out　in　proper　form；　and　instituted　a　noble's　sacrifices　and　prayers。　The　remains　were　dressed　in　the　robes　of　a　prince；　laid　in　a　princely　coffin　for　burial。　They　selected　Meiwo　for　his　tomb　and　having　found　an　auspicious　day　conveyed　the　coffin　thither。
But　a　terrific　thunder　storm　came　on　at　the　time　of　inhumation；　and　the　ground　was　flooded。　The　coffin　was　rived　asunder；　and　the　poor　remains　knocked　out　by　thunders。　A　second　time　they　buried　the　coffin；　but　a　similar　thing　happened　in　the　night。　And　yet　a　third　time　in　another　place　but　the　earth　rejected　the　remains。　Meanwhile　the　thunder…fire　had　entirely　consumed　them。　So　it　may　be　said　justly　that　Heaven　was　exceedingly　angry　with　Dong　Zhuo。
So　now　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　wielded　the　real　power　of　the　scepter；　and　they　were　hard　upon　the　people。　They　also　removed　the　attendants　from　the　Palace　and　replaced　them　by　their　own　creatures；　who　maintained　a　most　perfect　watch　over　every　movement　of　the　Emperor　so　that　he　was　greatly　hampered　and　embarrassed。　All　appointments　and　demotions　were　made　by　the　two　rebels。　For　the　sake　of　popularity　they　especially　summoned　Zhu　Jun　to　court；　made　him　Minister　of　the　Inner　Bureau　and　associated　him　with　the　government。
One　day　came　a　report　that　the　Governor　of　Xiliang；　Ma　Teng；　and　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Bingzhou；　Han　Sui；　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops；　are　rapidly　approaching　the　capital　with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　rebels　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor。
Now　these　leaders　from　the　west　had　laid　careful　plans。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　had　sent　trusty　friends　to　the　capital　to　find　out　who　would　support　them。　They　had　conspired　with　three　officials………Court　Counselors　Ma　Yu　and　Chong　Shao；　and　Imperial　mander　Liu　Fan………to　be　their　inside　allies　and　plot　against　the　rebels。　These　three　obtained　from　the　Throne　two　secret　edicts　conferring　the　ranks　of　mander　Who　Conquers　the　West　on　Ma　Teng　and　mander　Who　Guards　the　West　on　Han　Sui。　With　these　powers　the　two　manders　joined　forces　and　began　their　march。
The　four　leaders　of　the　party　in　power………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………held　a　consultation　with　their　generals　as　to　how　to　meet　the　attack。
Adviser　Jia　Xu　said；　〃Since　the　attackers　are　ing　from　a　distance；　our　plan　is　to　fortify　and　wait　till　shortage　of　food　shall　work　for　us。　In　a　hundred　days　their　supplies　will　be　consumed；　and　they　must　retire。　We　can　pursue　and　we　shall　capture　them。〃
Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　rose　and　said；　〃This　plan　is　bad。　Give　us　ten　thousand　troops；　and　we　will　put　an　end　to　both　of　them　and　offer　their　heads　before　your　ensign。〃
〃To　fight　forthwith　means　defeat；〃　said　Jia　Xu。
Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　cried　with　one　voice；　〃If　we　fail；　we　are　willing　to　lose　our　heads。　But　if　we　win；　then　your　head　is　forfeit。〃
Jia　Xu　then　suggested　to　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　saying；　〃Seventy　miles　west　of　the　capital　stand　the　Zhouzhi　Hills。　The　passes　are　narrow　and　difficult。　Send　Generals　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　to　occupy　this　point　of　vantage　and　fortify　themselves　so　that　they　may　support　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang。〃
Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　accepted　this　advice。　They　told　off　fifteen　thousand　horse　and　foot；　and　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　left　in　high　spirit。　They　made　a　camp　ninety　miles　from　Changan。
The　force　from　the　west　arrived。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　led　out　their　troops　to　the　attack。　They　found　their　opponents　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　in　battle　array。
Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　rode　to　the　front　side　by　side。　Pointing　to　the　rebel　leaders；　the　manders　abused　them；　crying；　〃Those　are　traitors！　Who　will　capture　them？〃
Hardly　were　the　words　spoken　when　there　came　out　a　youth　general　with　a　clear；　white　plexion　as　jade；　eyes　like　shooting　stars；　lithe　of　body　and　strong　of　limb。　He　was　armed　with　a　long　spear　and　bestrode　an　excellent　steed。　This　young　leader　was　Ma　Chao；　son　of　Ma　Teng；　then　seventeen　years　of　age。
Though　young　he　was　a　supreme　valiance。　Wang　Fang；　despising　him　on　account　of　his　youth；　galloped　forth　to　fight　him。　Before　they　had　exchanged　many　passes　Wang　Fang　was　disabled　and　fell　to　a　thrust　of　the　young　Ma　Chao's　spear。　The　victor　turned　to　retire　into　the　formation；　but　Li　Meng　rode　after　Ma　Chao　to　avenge　his　fallen　colleague。
Ma　Chao　did　not　see　Li　Meng；　but　his　father　called　out　〃You　are　followed！〃
Hardly　had　Ma　Teng　spoken　when　he　saw　that　the　pursuer　was　a　prisoner　seated　on　his　son's　steed。　Now　Ma　Chao　had　known　he　was　followed；　but　pretended　not　to　see；　waiting　till　his　enemy　should　have　e　close　and　lifted　his　spear　to　strike。　Then　Ma　Chao　suddenly　wheeled　about。　The　spear　thrust　met　only　empty　air；　and　as　the　horses　passed；　Ma　Chao's　powerful　arm　shot　out　and　pulled　Li　Meng　from　the　saddle。　Thus　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang's　soldiers　were　left　leaderless　and　fled　in　all　directions。　The　army　of　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　dashed　in　pursuit；　and　a　plete　victory　was　scored。　They　pressed　into　one　of　the　passes　and　made　a　camp。　Then　they　decapitated　Li　Meng　and　exposed　his　head。
When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　heard　that　both　the　boastful　generals　had　fallen　under　the　hand　of　one　young　man；　they　knew　that　Jia　Xu　had　given　good　advice　and　was　gifted　with　clear　prescience。　So　they　valued　his　plans　the　more　highly　and　decided　to　act　on　the　defensive。　They　refused　all　challenges　to　bat。
Surely　enough　after　a　couple　of　months　the　supplies　of　the　Xiliang　force　were　all　exhausted　and　the　leaders　began　to　consider　retreat。
Just　at　this　juncture　a　household　servant　of　Ma　Yu's　family　betrayed　his　master　and　told　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　three　court　officials　to　assist　the　attackers。　The　two　chiefs　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　in　revenge　seized　the　three　conspirators………Ma　Yu；　Chong　Shao；　and　Liu　Fan………；　with　every　member　of　their　households；　and　beheaded　them　in　the　market　place。　The　heads　of　the　three　were　exposed　at　the　front　gate　of　the　capital。
Being　short　of　food　and　hearing　of　the　destruction　of　their　three　adherents　in　the　city；　the　only　course　for　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　was　to　retreat。　At　once　Zhang　Ji　went　in　pursuit　of　Ma　Teng；　and　Fan　Chou　followed　Han　Sui。　The　retreating　army　under　Ma　Teng　was　beaten；　and　only　by　Ma　Chao's　desperate　efforts　were　the　pursuers　driven　off。
Fan　Chou　pursued　the　other　army。　When　he　had　e　close；　Han　Sui　rode　boldly　up　and　addressed　him；　saying；　〃You　and　I；　Sir；　are　fellow　villagers。　Why　then　behave　so　unfriendly？〃
Fan　Chou　replied；　〃I　must　obey　the　mands　of　my　chief。〃
〃I　am　here　for　the　service　of　the　state。　Why　do　you　press　me　so　hard？〃　said　Han　Sui。
At　this　Fan　Chou　turned　his　horse；　called　in　his　troops；　and　left　Han　Sui　in　peace。　Unwittingly　a　nephew　of　Li　Jue　had　been　a　witness　of　this　scene；　and　when　he　saw　the　enemy　allowed　to　go　free；　he　returned　and　told　his　uncle。　Angry　that　his　enemy　had　escaped；　Li　Jue　would　have　sent　an　army　to　wreak　vengeance　on　his　general。
But　his　adviser　Jia　Xu　again　came　in；　saying；　〃The　people　are　yet　unsettled；　it　was　dangerous　to　provoke　another　war。　Instead；　invite　Fan　Chou　to　a　banquet　and；　while　the　feast　was　in　progress；　executing　him　for　dereliction　of　duty。〃
This　seemed　good　to　Li　Jue；　so　the　banquet　was　prepared。　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　accepted　their　invitations　and　went　cheerfully。
Toward　the　latter　part　of　the　entertainment　a　sudden　change　came　over　their　host　Li　Jue；　and　he　suddenly　asked　Fan　Chou；　〃Why　have　you　been　intriguing　with　Han　Sui？　You　are　turning　traitor；　eh？〃
The　unhappy　guest　was　taken　aback。　Before　he　could　frame　his　words　to　reply；　he　saw　the　assassins　rush　out　with　swords　and　axes。　In　a　moment　all　was　over；　and　Fan　Chou's　head　lay　beneath　the　table。
Scared　beyond　measure；　his　fellow…guest　Zhang　Ji　groveled　on　the　floor。
〃Fan　Chou　was　a　traitor；〃　said　the　host；　raising　Zhang　Ji　by　the　arm；　〃and　he　has　his　deserts。　You　are　my　friend　and　need　not　fear。〃
Li　Jue　gave　Zhang　Ji　mand　of　Fan　Chou's　army　with　which　Zhang　Ji　returned　to　his　headquarters　garrison　in　Hongnong。
No　one　of　the　leaders　among　the　leaguers　dared　attempt　an　attack　on　the　party　newly　risen　from　Dong　Zhuo's　disaffection；　while　on　the　other　hand　Jia　Xu　never　ceased　to　urge　his　masters　to　exert　themselves　for　the　welfare　of　the　people　and　thus　to　tempt　wise　people　to　join　them。　And　by　these　means　the　government　began　to　prosper；　and　the　court　t