三国演义英文版-第362章

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The　siege　had　to　be　raised；　and　Zhuge　Ke　retired　into　his　own　country。　But　scouts　brought　the　news　of　retreat　to　Guanqiu　Jian　who　led　the　Wei's　grand　army　to　follow　and　harass　Zhuge　Ke's　march　and　inflicted　a　severe　defeat。
Mortified　by　the　course　of　events；　after　his　return　Zhuge　Ke　did　not　attend　court　held　by　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　but　pretended　illness。
Sun　Liang；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　went　to　the　residence　to　see　his　general；　and　the　officers　came　to　call。　In　order　to　silence　ment；　Zhuge　Ke　assumed　an　attitude　of　extreme　severity；　investigating　everyone's　conduct　very　minutely；　punishing　rigorously　any　fault　or　shorting　and　meting　out　sentences　of　banishment；　or　death　with　exposure；　till　everyone　walked　in　terror。　He　also　placed　two　of　his　own　cliques………Zhang　Yue　and　Zhu　En………over　the　royal　guards；　making　them　the　teeth　and　claws　of　his　vengeance。
Now　Sun　Jun　was　a　son　of　Sun　Gong　and　a　great　grandson　of　Sun　Jing；　brother　of　Sun　Jian。　Sun　Quan　loved　him　and　had　put　him　in　mand　of　the　guards。　Sun　Jun　was　enraged　at　being　superseded　by　Zhang　Yue　and　Zhu　En；　the　two　creatures　of　Zhuge　Ke。
Minister　Teng　Yin；　who　had　an　old　quarrel　with　Zhuge　Ke；　said　to　Sun　Jun；　〃This　Zhuge　Ke　is　as　cruel　as　he　is　powerful。　He　abuses　his　authority；　and　no　one　is　safe　against　him。　I　also　think　he　is　aiming　at　something　yet　higher　and　you；　Sir；　as　one　of　the　ruling　family　ought　to　put　a　stop　to　it。〃
〃I　agree　with　you；　and　I　want　to　get　rid　of　him；〃　replied　Sun　Jun。　〃Now　I　will　obtain　an　edict　condemning　him　to　death。〃
Both　went　in　to　see　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　Sun　Liang；　and　they　laid　the　matter　before　him。
〃I　am　afraid　of　him；　too；〃　replied　Sun　Liang。　〃I　have　wanted　to　remove　him　for　some　time；　but　have　found　no　opportunity。　If　you　would　prove　your　loyalty；　you　would　do　it　for　me。〃
Then　said　Teng　Yin；　〃Your　Majesty　can　give　a　banquet　and　invite　him；　and　let　a　few　braves　be　ready　hidden　behind　the　curtains。　At　a　signal；　as　the　dropping　of　a　wine　cup；　they　might　jump　out　and　slay　him；　and　all　further　trouble　would　be　avoided。〃
Sun　Liang　agreed。
Zhuge　Ke　had　never　been　to　court　since　his　return　from　the　unfortunate　expedition。　Under　a　plea　of　indisposition　he　had　remained　moping　at　home。　One　day　he　was　going　out　of　his　reception　room　when　he　suddenly　saw　ing　in　a　person　dressed　in　the　mourning　white。
〃Who　are　you？〃　said　he；　rather　roughly。
The　person　seemed　too　terror…stricken　to　reply　or　resist　when　he　was　seized。
They　questioned　him；　and　he　said；　〃I　was　in　mourning　for　my　father　newly　dead；　and　had　e　into　the　city　to　seek　a　priest　to　read　the　liturgy。　I　had　entered　by　mistake；　thinking　it　was　a　temple。〃
The　gate　wardens　were　questioned。　They　said；　〃There　are　scores　of　us　at　the　gate；　which　is　never　unwatched。　We　have　not　seen　a　man　enter。〃
Zhuge　Ke　raged　and　had　the　mourner　and　the　gate　wardens　put　to　death。　But　that　night　he　was　restless　and　sleepless。　By　and　by　he　heard　a　rending　sound　that　seemed　to　e　from　the　reception　hall；　so　he　arose　and　went　to　see　what　it　was。　The　great　main　beam　had　broken　in　two。
Zhuge　Ke；　much　disturbed；　returned　to　his　chamber　to　try　once　more　to　sleep。　But　a　cold　wind　blew；　and；　shivering　in　the　chilly　air；　he　saw　the　figures　of　the　mourner　and　the　gate　wardens　he　had　put　to　death。　They　advanced　toward　him　holding　their　heads　in　their　hands　and　seemed　to　threaten　him。　He　was　frightened；　and　fell　in　a　swoon。
Next　morning；　when　washing　his　face；　the　water　seemed　tainted　with　the　smell　of　blood。　He　bade　the　maid　throw　it　away　and　bring　more；　it　made　no　difference；　the　odor　was　still　there。　He　was　perplexed　and　distressed。　Then　came　a　messenger　with　an　invitation　to　a　royal　banquet。　He　had　his　carriage　prepared。　As　he　was　passing　through　the　gate；　a　yellow　dog　jumped　up　and　caught　hold　of　his　garment　and　then　howled　lugubriously。
〃The　dog　even　mocks　me！〃　said　he；　annoyed；　and　he　bade　his　attendants　take　it　away。
Then　he　set　out　for　the　Palace。　Before　he　had　gone　far；　he　saw　a　white　rainbow　rise　out　of　the　earth　and　reach　up　to　the　sky。　While　he　was　wondering　what　this　might　portend；　his　friend　Zhang　Yue　came　up　and　spoke　a　word　of　warning。
〃I　feel　doubtful　about　the　real　purpose　of　this　banquet；〃　said　Zhang　Yue；　〃and　advise　you　not　to　go。〃
Zhuge　Ke　gave　orders　to　drive　home　again。　But　before　he　had　reached　his　own　gate；　the　two　conspirators………Sun　Jun　and　Teng　Yin………rode　up　and　asked；　〃O　Imperial　Guardian；　why　are　you　turning　back？〃
〃I　feel　unwell　and　cannot　see　the　Emperor　today；〃　replied　Zhuge　Ke。
They　replied；　〃This　court　is　appointed　to　be　held　especially　to　do　honor　to　you　and　the　army。　You　have　not　yet　reported；　and　there　is　a　banquet　for　you。　You　may　be　ill；　but　you　really　must　go　to　court。〃
Zhuge　Ke　yielded；　and　once　more　set　his　face　toward　the　Palace。　Sun　Jun　and　Teng　Yin　went　with　him；　and　his　friend　Zhang　Yue　followed。　The　banquet　was　spread　when　he　arrived；　and　after　he　had　made　his　obeisance　he　went　to　his　place。
When　the　wine　was　brought　in；　Zhuge　Ke；　thinking　it　might　be　poisoned；　excused　himself　from　drinking；　saying；　〃I　am　currently　ill；　and　I　cannot　drink　wine。〃
〃Will　you　have　some　of　the　medicated　wine　brought　from　your　own　residence？〃　said　Sun　Jun。
〃Yes；　I　could　drink　that；〃　replied　he。
So　a　servant　was　sent　for　a　supply　that　he　might　drink　with　the　other　guests。
After　several　courses；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　made　an　excuse　and　left　the　banquet　hall。　Sun　Jun　went　to　the　foot　of　the　hall　and　changed　his　garments　of　ceremony　for　more　homely　garb；　but　underneath　these　he　put　on　armor。
Then　suddenly　he　raised　his　keen　sword　and　ran　up　the　hall；　shouting；　〃The　Emperor　has　issued　an　edict　to　slay　a　rebel！〃
Zhuge　Ke；　startled　so　that　he　dropped　his　cup；　laid　his　hand　upon　his　sword。　But　he　was　too　late；　his　head　rolled　to　the　floor。　His　friend　Zhang　Yue　drew　his　sword　and　rushed　at　the　assassin；　but　Sun　Jun　evaded　the　full　force　of　the　blow　and　was　only　wounded　in　the　left　finger。　Sun　Jun　slashed　back　at　Zhang　Yue　and　wounded　him　in　the　right　arm。　Then　the　braves　dashed　in　and　finished　Zhang　Yue。
The　braves　were　then　sent　to　arrest　Zhuge　Ke's　family；　while　the　bodies　of　Zhuge　Ke　and　Zhang　Yue　were　hastily　rolled　in　matting；　thrown　into　a　cart；　taken　to　the　outside　of　the　south　gate；　and　tossed　into　a　rubbish　pit。
While　Zhuge　Ke　was　absent　in　the　palace；　his　wife　sat　in　the　women's　quarters　at　home　feeling　strangely　unquiet。
Presently　a　maid　came　in　and；　when　she　drew　near；　his　wife　said；　〃Why　does　your　clothing　smell　of　blood？〃
To　her　horror　the　maid　suddenly　transformed　into　a　weird　creature　with　rolling　eyes　and　gritting　teeth；　that　went　dancing　about　the　room　and　leaping　till　it　touched　the　roof…beams；　shrieking　all　the　time；　〃I　am　Zhuge　Ke；　and　I　have　been　slain　by　that　bastard　Sun　Jun！〃
By　this　time　the　whole　family　were　frightened　and　began　wailing。　And　a　few　minutes　later　the　residence　was　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　armed　guards　sent　to　murder　the　inmates；　whom　they　bound；　carried　off　to　the　market　place；　and　put　to　the　sword。　These　things　occurred　in　the　tenth　month　of　the　second　year　of　Great　Prosperity　（AD　253）。
When　Zhuge　Jin　lived；　he　saw　his　son's　ability　display　prominently；　and　he　often　sighed；　saying；　〃This　son　will　not　safeguard　the　family。〃
Others　had　also　predicted　an　early　death。　Zhang　Qi；　High　Minister　in　Wei；　used　to　say　to　Sima　Shi；　〃Zhuge　Ke　will　die　soon。〃
And　when　asked　why；　Zhang　Qi　replied；　〃Can　a　person　live　long　when　his　dignity　endangers　that　of　his　lord？〃
After　the　conspiracy；　Sun　Jun　became　Prime　Minister　in　place　of　his　victim。　He　was　also　placed　in　mand　of　all　the　military　forces；　and　became　very　powerful。　The　control　of　all　matters　was　in　his　hands。
In　Chengdu；　when　the　letter　of　Zhuge　Ke　asking　help　from　Jiang　Wei　arrived；　Jiang　Wei　had　audience　with　the　Latter　Ruler　and　requested　authority　to　raise　an　army　against　the　north。

The　army　fought；　but　fought　in　vain；
Success　may　crown　a　new　campaign。

Who　were　victorious　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　109　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　109
　Chapter　109
A　Ruse　Of　A　Han　General：　Sima　Zhao　Is　Surrounded；
Retribution　For　The　House　Of　Wei：　Cao　Fang　Is　Dethroned。
It　was　the　autumn　of　the　sixteenth　year　of　Long　Enjoyment　（AD　253）；　and　Jiang　Wei's　army　of　two