三国演义英文版-第356章

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〃What　is　there　to　fear？　I　have　been　talking　to　two　dead　men。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃
〃Deng　Yang's　gait　is　that　of　one　whose　sinews　are　loosed　from　his　bones；　and　his　pulse　is　unsteady。　When　he　would　stand；　he　totters　as　a　man　without　limbs。　This　is　the　aspect　of　a　disembodied　soul。　He　Yan　looks　as　if　his　soul　was　about　to　quit　its　habitation。　He　is　bloodless；　and　what　should　be　solid　in　him　is　mere　vapor。　He　looks　like　rotten　wood。　This　is　the　aspect　of　a　soul　even　now　in　the　dark　valley。　Both　these　men　will　certainly　soon　die　a　violent　death；　and　none　need　fear　them。〃
His　uncle　left；　cursing　him　for　a　madman。
Cao　Shuang　and　his　five　friends　were　devoted　to　hunting　and　were　often　out　of　the　city。　Cao　Xi；　a　brother　of　Cao　Shuang；　remonstrated　with　him　about　this　and　pointed　out　the　dangers　of　such　frequent　absence　on　these　excursions。
〃You　are　in　an　exalted　position　and　yet　you　are　constantly　being　out　hunting。　If　anyone　took　advantage　of　this　to　work　you　evil；　you　might　have　to　be　exceedingly　regretful。〃
Cao　Shuang　only　showed　anger　and　replied；　〃The　whole　military　authority　is　in　my　hands；　and　what　is　there　to　fear？〃
Huan　Fan；　Minister　of　Agriculture；　also　reasoned　with　him；　but　Cao　Shuang　would　not　listen。
About　this　time　the　style　of　the　reign　was　changed　from　Right　Beginning；　the　tenth　year；　to　Domestic　Calm；　the　first　year　（AD　249）。
Now　ever　since　Cao　Shuang　had　enjoyed　the　monopoly　of　military　authority；　he　had　never　heard　the　truth　about　the　state　of　health　of　the　man　he　had　maneuvered　out　of　power。　But　when　the　Ruler　of　Wei　appointed　Li　Sheng　to　the　Imperial　Protectorship　of　Qingzhou；　Cao　Shuang　bade　Li　Sheng　go　to　take　leave　of　Sima　Yi；　at　the　same　time　to　find　out　the　true　state　of　his　health。
So　Li　Sheng　proceeded　to　the　residence　of　the　High　Minister　and　was　announced。
Sima　Yi　saw　through　the　device　at　once　and　told　his　sons；　saying；　〃This　is　Cao　Shuang's　wish　to　find　out　my　real　condition。〃
And　he　bade　them　play　their　parts　in　the　scene　he　arranged；　before　the　visitor　was　admitted。
Sima　Yi　threw　aside　his　headdress；　so　letting　his　hair　fall　in　disorder；　stretched　himself　upon　his　couch；　tumbled　the　bed　ding　into　confusion；　got　a　couple　of　servant　girls　to　support　him；　and　then　told　his　servants　to　lead　in　the　visitor。
Li　Sheng　came　in　and　went　up　to　the　sick　man；　saying；　〃It　is　a　long　time　since　I　have　seen　you；　and　I　did　not　know　you　were　so　seriously　ill。　His　Majesty　is　sending　me　to　Qingzhou；　and　I　have　e　to　pay　my　respects　to　you　and　bid　you　farewell。〃
〃Ah；　Bingzhou　is　in　the　north；　you　will　have　to　be　very　careful　there；〃　said　Sima　Yi　feigning　that　he　had　not　heard。
〃I　am　going　as　Imperial　Protector　of　Qingzhou；　not　Bingzhou；〃　said　Li　Sheng。
〃Oh；　you　have　just　e　from　Bingzhou。〃
〃Qingzhou；　in　Huashang　Mountains。〃
〃Just　back　from　Qingzhou；　eh？〃　said　Sima　Yi；　smiling。
〃How　very　ill　the　Imperial　Guardian　is！〃　said　Li　Sheng　to　the　servants。
〃The　Minister　is　deaf；〃　said　they。
〃Give　me　paper　and　a　pen；〃　said　Li　Sheng。
Writing　materials　were　brought；　when　Li　Sheng　wrote　what　he　wished　to　say　and　put　it　before　his　host。
〃My　illness　has　made　me　very　deaf。　Take　care　of　yourself　on　the　way；〃　said　Sima　Yi。
Looking　up；　he　pointed　to　his　mouth。　One　of　the　girls　brought　some　broth　and　held　the　cup　for　him　to　drink。　He　put　his　lips　to　the　cup；　but　spilled　the　broth　all　over　his　dress。
〃I　am　very　weak　and　ill；〃　said　he；　〃and　may　die　at　any　moment。　My　sons　are　but　poor　things；　but　you　will　instruct　them。　When　you　see　the　Regent　Marshal；　you　will　ask　him　to　take　care　of　them　for　me；　will　you　not？〃
At　this　point　Sima　Yi　fell　back　on　the　couch；　panting；　and　Li　Sheng　took　his　leave。
Li　Sheng　told　Cao　Shuang　what　he　had　seen；　and　Cao　Shuang　rejoiced；　thinking　his　rival　could　not　last　long。
〃If　the　old　man　died；　I　should　not　be　the　one　to　grieve；〃　said　Cao　Shuang。
But　no　sooner　had　Li　Sheng　gone　than　Sima　Yi　rose　from　his　couch　and　said　to　his　sons；　〃Li　Sheng　will　take　a　full　account　of　this　to　Cao　Shuang；　who　will　not　fear　me　any　more。　But　wait　till　Cao　Shuang　goes　on　his　next　hunting　trip；　and　we　will　see　what　can　be　done。〃
Soon　after　this；　Cao　Shuang　proposed　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　Cao　Fang；　to　visit　the　Gaoping　Tombs　where　his　father　lay　and　perform　the　filial　sacrifices　in　person。　So　they　went；　a　goodly　pany　of　officers　in　the　train　of　the　imperial　chariot；　and　Cao　Shuang　with　all　his　brothers　and　his　friends　went　with　the　guards。
Huan　Fan；　Minister　of　Agriculture；　entreated　him　to　remain　in　the　city　for　fear　of　plots　and　risings。
〃Your　Lordship　are　in　charge　of　the　capital　security；　and　you　and　your　brothers　should　not　leave　the　city　together。　Suppose　there　were　a　revolt；　what　then？〃
But　Cao　Shuang　asked　angrily　and　rudely；　〃Who　would　dare　make　trouble？　Hold　your　wild　tongue！〃
And　he　went　with　the　Emperor。
His　departure　rejoiced　the　heart　of　Sima　Yi；　who　at　once　began　quietly　to　muster　his　trusty　friends　and　henchmen　and　put　the　finishing　touches　to　the　plot　for　the　overthrow　of　his　rival。

Now　terminates　his　forced　inaction；
He　must　destroy　the　hostile　faction。

Cao　Shuang's　fate　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　107　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　107
　Chapter　107
The　Ruler　of　Wei　Hands　Over　The　Power　To　Sima　Yi；
Jiang　Wei　Is　Defeated　At　Ox　Head　Hills。
Sima　Yi　was　very　pleased　to　hear　that　Cao　Shuang　and　his　party　were　to　follow　the　Ruler　of　Wei　on　a　visit　to　the　tombs　bined　with　a　hunt；　for　it　meant　that　the　whole　enemy　faction　left　the　city。　Accordingly；　Cao　Shuang　and　his　three　brothers　Cao　Xi；　Cao　Xun；　Cao　Yan；　and　his　friends　He　Yan；　Deng　Yang；　Ding　Mi；　Bi　Gui；　Li　Sheng；　and　others　left　the　capital　with　the　Emperor。
As　soon　as　they　left；　Sima　Yi　entered　with　his　authority　as　Imperial　Guardian；　gave　Gao　Rou；　Minister　of　the　Interior；　provisional　mand　of　the　army　and　sent　him　to　seize　the　camp　of　Cao　Shuang。　A　similar　mand　was　given　to　Wang　Guan；　Supervisor　of　the　Palace；　to　replace　Cao　Xi　as　mander　of　the　Center　Army　and　to　occupy　his　camp。
Having　secured　his　position　thus；　Sima　Yi　and　his　supporters　went　to　the　palace　of　the　Empress　Dowager。
They　said　to　her；　〃Cao　Shuang　has　betrayed　the　trust　placed　in　him　by　the　late　Emperor　and　has　ruined　the　government。　His　fault　must　be　expiated。〃
Empress　Guo　replied；　〃What　can　be　done　in　the　absence　of　the　Son　of　Heaven？〃
〃I　have　prepared　plans　for　the　destruction　of　these　base　ministers　and　will　see　to　it　that　no　trouble　happens　to　yourself。〃
The　Empress　was　much　alarmed；　but　could　only　act　as　she　was　directed　and　agree。　So　two　of　Sima　Yi's　supporters；　mander　Jiang　Ji　and　High　Minister　Sima　Fu；　copied　out　the　memorial　he　had　prepared；　and　it　was　sent　to　the　Ruler　of　Wei　by　the　hand　of　an　eunuch。　Then　the　arsenals　were　seized。
Soon　the　news　of　the　rising　came　to　the　knowledge　of　the　family　of　Cao　Shuang；　and　his　wife；　Lady　Liu；　came　out　from　the　inner　apartments　and　summoned　Pan　Ju；　mander　of　the　Gates。
She　inquired；　〃The　Master　is　outside；　and　Sima　Yi　is　revolting：　What　does　it　mean？〃
〃Your　Ladyship　need　feel　no　alarm。　Let　me　go　and　find　out　the　truth；〃　said　Pan　Ju。
Thereupon　Pan　Ju；　at　the　head　of　a　several　dozen　bowmen；　went　up　on　the　wall　and　looked　around。　At　that　moment　Sima　Yi　was　crossing　the　court；　and　Pan　Ju　bade　his　men　shoot。　Sima　Yi　could　not　pass。
But　Sun　Qiao；　one　of　his　generals；　said；　〃You　must　not　shoot　at　the　Imperial　Guardian；　he　is　on　public　service。〃
Thrice　Sun　Qiao　urged　his　chief　not　to　let　the　men　shoot；　and　so　Pan　Ju　desisted。　Sima　Yi　went　across　guarded　by　his　son　Sima　Zhao。　Then　he　went　out　of　the　city　and　camped　on　River　Luo　at　the　Floating　Bridge。
When　the　revolution　began；　one　of　Cao　Shuang's　officers；　Lu　Zhu　by　name；　took　counsel　with　Military　Adviser　Xin　Chang。
〃Now　that　this　revolt　has　begun；　what　should　we　do？〃
〃Let　us　go　to　the　Emperor　with　what　troops　we　have；〃　replied　Xin　Chang。
〃Perhaps　the　best　course；〃　replied　Lu　Zhu。
And　Xin　Chang　went　into　the　inner　chamber　to　get　ready　to　start。　There　he　met　his　sister；　Xin　Xianying；　who　asked　the　meaning　of　all　this　haste。
〃His　Majesty　is　out　on　a　hunt；　and　Sima　Yi　has　closed　the　gates　of　the　city。　This　is　rebellion。〃
〃I　do　not　think　so。　He　only　means　to　slay　Cao　Shuang；　his　rival；〃　replied　she。
〃Wha