三国演义英文版-第358章

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Huan　Fan　made　no　reply；　but　with　head　bent　followed　the　others。
It　was　decided　to　request　the　Emperor　to　declare　the　hunt　at　an　end　and　order　a　return　to　the　city。　Cao　Shuang；　Cao　Xi；　and　Cao　Xun　were　confined　in　their　own　house；　the　gate　whereof　was　fastened　with　a　huge　lock；　and　soldiers　were　set　to　guard　it　round　about。　They　were　sad　and　anxious；　not　knowing　what　would　be　their　fate。
Then　Cao　Xi　said；　〃We　have　but　little　food　left。　Let　us　write　and　ask　for　supplies。　If　Sima　Yi　sends　us　food；　we　may　be　sure　he　does　not　intend　harm。〃
They　wrote；　and　a　hundred　carts　of　supplies　were　sent。
This　cheered　them；　and　Cao　Shuang　said；　〃Our　lives　are　safe　in　the　hands　of　Sima　Yi！〃
Sima　Yi　had　Zhang　Dang　arrested　and　put　to　the　question。
Zhang　Dang　said。　〃I　am　not　the　only　one　who　has　tried　to　subvert　the　government。　He　Yan；　Deng　Yang；　Li　Sheng；　Ding　Mi；　and　Bi　Gui　are　all　involved　in　the　plot。〃
So　they　were　arrested　and；　when　interrogated；　confessed　that　a　revolt　had　been　arranged　for　the　third　month。　Sima　Yi　had　them　locked　in　one　long　wooden　collar。
The　mander　of　the　Gates；　Si　Fan；　testified：　〃Huan　Fan　has　imposed　upon　me　with　a　pretended　mand　from　Her　Majesty　and　so　has　escaped　out　of　the　city。　Beside　he　has　said　the　Imperial　Guardian　was　a　rebel。〃
Then　said　Sima　Yi；　〃When　a　person　maligns　another　and　is　false；　the　punishment　for　such　a　crime　as　he　imputes　falls　upon　his　own　head。〃
Huan　Fan　and　those　with　him　were　thrown　into　prison。
Presently　Cao　Shuang　and　his　brothers；　all　persons　connected　with　them；　and　their　clans　were　put　to　death　in　the　market　place。　All　the　treasures　of　their　houses　was　sent　to　the　public　treasury。
Now　there　was　a　certain　woman　of　the　Xiahou　family　who　had　been　wife　to　Wen　Shu；　a　second　cousin　of　Cao　Shuang。　Early　left　a　childless　widow；　her　father　wished　her　to　marry　again。　Lady　Xiahou　refused　and　cut　off　her　ears　as　a　pledge　of　constancy。　However；　when　the　Caos　were　all　put　to　death；　her　father　arranged　another　marriage　for　her；　whereupon　she　cut　off　her　nose。　Her　own　people　were　chagrined　at　her　obstinate　determination。
〃For　whom　are　you　keeping　your　vow？〃　said　they。　〃Man　is　but　as　the　light　dust　upon　the　tender　grass；　and　what　is　the　good　of　mutilating　your　body？〃
The　woman　replied；　weeping；　〃I　have　heard　that　honorable　persons　do　not　break　a　vow　of　chastity　for　the　sake　of　wealth；　and　the　hearts　of　righteous　persons　are　constant　unto　death　regardless　of　all　losses。　While　the　house　of　Cao　enjoyed　prosperity；　I　remained　faithful；　how　much　more　should　I　be　true　now　that　it　has　fallen　upon　evil　days？　Can　I　act　like　a　mere　beast　of　the　field？〃
The　story　of　her　devotion　came　to　the　ears　of　Sima　Yi；　who　praised　her　conduct　and　allowed　her　to　adopt　a　son　to　rear　as　her　own　and　so　continue　the　family。
A　poem　says：

What　is　a　man　to　be　mindful　of？
A　grain　of　dust　on　a　blade　of　grass；
Such　virtue　as　Lady　Xiahou　had
Stands　out　sublime　as　the　ages　pass。
This　fair　young　wife　of　gentle　mien
Dared　all　to　maintain　her　purpose　high。
What　people　though　strong　in　the　flush　of　life
Have　equaled　her　in　constancy？

After　Cao　Shuang　had　suffered　death；　Jiang　Ji　said　to　Sima　Yi；　〃Xin　Chang　and　Lu　Zhu　and　others　who　had　been　of　his　party　had　forced　the　gate　and　joined　the　rebels。　Yang　Zong　had　opposed　the　surrender　of　the　seal　of　the　late　minister。　They　deserve　punishment。〃
However；　no　action　was　taken　against　them。
〃They　are　righteous　people　who　serves　their　master　faithfully；〃　said　Sima　Yi；　and　he　even　confirmed　these　men　in　their　offices。
Xin　Chang　sighed；　〃Had　I　not　listened　to　the　advice　of　my　sister；　I　would　have　walked　in　the　way　of　unrighteousness。〃
A　poet　has　praised　his　sister；　Xin　Xianying。

〃You　call　him　lord　and　take　his　pay；
Then　stand　by　him　when　danger　nears。〃
Thus　to　her　brother　spoke　Xin　Xianying；
And　won　fair　fame　though　endless　years。

A　general　amnesty　was　extended　to　all　Cao　Shuang's　partisans；　and　no　officer　was　removed　or　dismissed　for　having　supported　the　late　order　of　things。　All　were　left　in　possession　of　their　property；　and　soon　all　was　tranquillity。
However；　it　is　to　be　noted　that　He　Yan　and　Deng　Yang　met　the　unhappy　end　that　Guan　Lu　had　foretold　for　them。

The　seer　Guan　Lu　was　deeply　read
In　all　the　lore　of　the　ancient　sages。
Thus　he　could　see　events　to　e
As　clear　as　those　of　former　ages。
And　he　perceived　the　soul　of　He　Yan；
Already　in　the　vale　of　gloom。
And　knew　the　outer　shell　of　Deng　Yang
Was　hastening　to　an　early　tomb。

After　his　recovery　of　power；　Sima　Yi　was　made　Prime　Minister　and　received　the　Nine　Dignities。　Sima　Yi　refused　these　honors；　but　the　Ruler　of　Wei　insisted　and　would　take　no　denial。　His　two　sons　were　made　assistants　to　their　father；　and　all　state　affairs　fell　under　the　control　of　these　three。
However；　Sima　Yi　remembered　that　one　man；　Xiahou　Ba；　a　member　of　the　Cao　clan；　still　manded　at　Yongzhou。　In　his　position　Xiahou　Ba　might　be　a　real　danger；　and　he　must　be　removed。　So　an　edict　was　issued　calling　him　to　Capital　Luoyang　to　discuss　affairs。
Upon　receiving　this　call；　Xiahou　Ba　was　shocked。　But　instead　of　obeying　this　call；　he　declared　himself　a　rebel；　and　he　had　a　force　of　three　thousand　troops　to　support　him。　As　soon　as　this　was　known；　Guo　Huai　marched　to　suppress　the　malcontent。　The　two　armies　were　soon　face　to　face；　and　Guo　Huai　went　to　the　front　and　began　to　revile　his　opponent。
〃How　could　you　rebel　against　the　ruling　house；　you　who　are　of　the　same　clan　as　our　great　founder；　and　you　who　have　always　been　treated　generously？〃
Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃My　forefathers　served　the　state　right　well；　but　who　is　this　Sima　Yi　that　he　has　put　to　death　my　kinspeople　and　would　now　destroy　me？　What　is　his　aim；　if　it　be　not　to　usurp　the　Throne？　If　I　can　cut　him　off　and　so　frustrate　his　design；　I　shall　at　least　be　no　traitor　to　the　state。〃
Guo　Huai　rode　forward　to　attack；　and　Xiahou　Ba　advanced　to　the　encounter。　They　fought　some　ten　bouts；　and　then　Guo　Huai　turned　and　fled。　But　this　was　only　a　feint　to　lead　on　his　enemy；　for　ere　Xiahou　Ba　had　gone　far；　he　heard　a　shout　behind　him　and　turned　to　see　Chen　Tai　about　to　attack。　At　the　same　moment　Guo　Huai　turned　again；　and　thus　Xiahou　Ba　was　between　two　fires。　He　could　effect　nothing；　so　he　fled；　losing　many　troops。　Soon　he　decided　that　his　only　course　was　to　flee　to　Hanzhong　and　to　surrender　to　the　Ruler　of　Shu。
Wherefore　he　went　into　Hanzhong　to　see　if　haply　the　Latter　Ruler　would　accept　his　services。　When　Jiang　Wei　heard　of　his　desire　to　surrender；　he　had　doubts　of　Xiahou　Ba's　sincerity。　However；　after　due　inquiry　Jiang　Wei　was　satisfied　and　allowed　the　renegade　from　Wei　to　enter　the　city。　After　making　his　obeisance；　Xiahou　Ba；　with　many　tears；　told　the　story　of　his　wrongs。　Jiang　Wei　expressed　sympathy。

＇e＇　The　last　king　of　Shang　Dynasty　was　King　Zhou；　who　was　cruel　and　corrupt。　King　Zhou　had　three　uncles………Bi　Gan；　Qi　Zi；　and　Wei　Zi………who　served　as　ministers。　When　these　three　officials　repeatedly　failed　to　persuade　King　Zhou　to　repent；　Wei　Zi　resigned　his　post；　while　Qi　Zi　pretended　to　be　insane。　Bi　Gan　stayed　and　continued　persuading　the　king；　who　later　executed　Bi　Gan。　Later　the　Duke　of　Zhou　overthrew　Shang　Dynasty　and　enobled　Wei　Zi；　Qi　Zi；　and　the　wife　and　the　son　of　Bi　Gan。　Wei　Zi　became　known　as　the　Duke　of　Song。　Qi　Zi　left　for　Korea　where　he　became　a　ruler。　。。。。。
Said　Jiang　Wei；　〃In　the　ancient　time　Wei　Zi*　left　the　court　of　King　Zhou　in　disgust；　and　this　act　has　assured　to　him　everlasting　honor。　You　may　be　able　now　to　assist　in　the　restoration　of　the　House　of　Han；　and　you　will　then　stand　no　whit　inferior　to　any　person　of　antiquity。〃
A　banquet　was　ordered；　and　while　it　was　being　prepared　the　host　talked　of　affairs　in　Capital　Luoyang。
Said　Jiang　Wei；　〃The　Simas　are　now　most　powerful　and　in　a　position　to　carry　out　any　scheme　they　planned。　Think　you　that　they　have　any　intentions　against　Shu？〃
〃The　old　traitor　has　enough　to　do　with　his　rebellion；　he　has　no　leisure　to　trouble　about　any　outside　matters。　However；　two　other　young　leaders　in　Wei　have　lately　e　to　the　front；　and　if　Sima　Yi　sent　them　against　Shu　and　Wu；　it　might　go　ill　with　you　both。〃
〃And　who　are　these　two？〃
〃One　is　named　Zhong　Hui；　a　man　of　Changsha。　He　is　a　son　of　the　former　Imperial　Guardian　Zhong　Yao。　As　a　mere　boy　he　was　noted