三国演义英文版-第8章

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And　He　Jin　obeyed　her　wish。　He　explained　to　his　party；　saying；　〃The　real　offender；　Jian　Shuo；　has　met　his　fate；　and　his　clan　will　be　punished。　But　we　need　not　exterminate　the　whole　party　nor　injure　his　colleagues。〃
〃Slay　them；　root　and　branch；〃　cried　Yuan　Shao；　〃or　they　will　ruin　you！〃
〃I　have　decided；〃　said　He　Jin；　coldly。　〃Say　no　more。〃
Within　a　few　days　He　Jin　became　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　and　his　associates　received　high　offices。
Now　Empress　Dong　summoned　the　eunuch　Zhang　Rang　and　his　party　to　a　council。
Said　she；　〃It　was　I　who　first　brought　forward　the　sister　of　He　Jin。　Today　her　son　is　on　the　throne；　and　all　the　officials　are　her　friends；　and　her　influence　is　enormous。　What　can　we　do？〃
Zhang　Rang　replied；　〃Your　Highness　should　administer　the　state　from　'behind　the　veil'；　create　the　late　Emperor's　son　Liu　Xian　a　prince；　give　your　brother；　the　Imperial　Uncle　Dong　Chong；　a　high　rank；　and　place　him　over　the　army；　and　use　us。　That　will　do　it。〃

＇e＇　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　was　the　second　highest　military　office；　just　below　Regent　Marshal；　and　of　the　same　rank　as　General　of　the　Flying　Chariots。
＇e＇　Empress　Lu　was　wife　of　Liu　Bang；　the　Han　Founder。　After　Liu　Bang's　death；　she　held　imperial　authority。　She　appointed　members　of　her　own　family　to　highly　important　positions　of　state　and　clearly　hoped　to　substitute　her　own　family　for　the　reigning　Liu　family。　But　these　plans　were　frustrated　on　her　death　（BC　180）。　。。。。。
Empress　Dong　approved。　Next　day　she　held　a　court　and　issued　an　edict　in　the　sense　proposed。　She　made　Liu　Xian　Prince　of　Chenliu　and　Dong　Chong　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry*；　and　she　allowed　the　eunuchs　again　to　participate　state　affairs。
When　Empress　He　saw　this；　she　prepared　a　banquet　to　which　she　invited　her　rival　Empress　Dong。
In　the　middle　of　the　feast；　when　all　were　well　warmed　with　wine；　Empress　He　rose　and　offered　a　cup　to　her　guest；　saying；　〃It　is　not　fitting　that　we　two　should　meddle　in　state　affairs。　In　the　beginning　of　the　Han　Dynasty；　when　Empress　Lu　laid　hands　upon　the　government；　all　her　clans　were　put　to　death*。　We　ought　to　remain　content；　immured　in　our　palaces；　and　leave　state　affairs　to　the　state　officials。　That　would　be　well　for　the　country；　and　I　trust　you　will　act　thus。〃
But　Empress　Dong　only　got　angry；　saying；　〃You　poisoned　Lady　Wang　out　of　jealousy。　Now；　relying　upon　the　fact　that　your　son　sits　on　the　throne　and　that　your　brother　is　powerful；　you　speak　these　wild　words。　I　will　mand　that　your　brother　be　beheaded；　and　that　can　be　done　as　easily　as　I　turn　my　hand！〃
Empress　He　in　her　turn　became　wroth　and　said；　〃I　tried　to　persuade　you　with　fair　words。　Why　get　so　angry？〃
〃You　low　born　daughter　of　a　butcher；　what　do　you　know　of　offices？〃　cried　Empress　Dong。
And　the　quarrel　waxed　hot。
The　eunuchs　persuaded　the　ladies　to　retire。　But　in　the　night　Empress　He　summoned　her　brother　into　the　Palace　and　told　him　what　had　occurred。　He　went　out　and　took　counsel　with　the　principal　officers　of　state。　Next　morning　a　court　was　held　and　a　memorial　was　presented；　saying：
〃Empress　Dong；　being　the　foster　mother　of　Liu　Xian；　Prince　of　Chenliu；　a　regional　prince………only　a　collateral………cannot　properly　occupy　any　part　of　the　Palace。　She　is　to　be　removed　into　her　original　fief　of　Hejian　and　is　to　depart　immediately。〃
And　while　they　sent　an　escort　to　remove　Empress　Dong；　a　strong　guard　was　placed　about　the　Imperial　Uncle　Dong　Chong's　dwelling。　They　took　away　his　seal　of　office　and　he；　knowing　this　was　the　end；　killed　himself　in　his　private　apartments。　His　dependents；　who　wailed　his　death；　were　driven　off　by　the　guards。
The　eunuchs　Zhang　Rang　and　Duan　Gui；　having　lost　their　patroness；　sent　large　gifts　to　He　Jin's　younger　brother；　He　Miao；　and　his　mother；　Lady　Wuyang；　and　thus　got　them　to　put　in　a　good　word　to　Empress　He　so　as　to　gain　her　protection。　And　so　they　gained　favor　once　more　at　court。

＇e＇　A　burial　place　of　court　officials　and　royal　families。
In　the　sixth　month　of　that　year；　the　secret　emissaries　of　He　Jin　poisoned　Empress　Dong　in　her　residence　in　the　country。　Her　remains　were　brought　to　the　capital　and　buried　in　Wen　Tombs*。　He　Jin　feigned　illness　and　did　not　attend　the　funeral。
mander　Yuan　Shao　went　one　day　to　see　He　Jin；　saying；　〃The　two　eunuchs；　Zhang　Rang　and　Duan　Gui；　are　spreading　the　report　outside　that　you　has　caused　the　death　of　the　late　empress　and　is　aiming　at　the　throne。　This　is　an　excuse　for　you　to　destroy　them。　Do　not　spare　them　this　time；　or　you　will　pay　like　Dou　Wu　and　Chen　Fan；　who　in　the　previous　reign　missed　their　chance　because　the　secret　had　not　been　kept；　and　they　paid　by　their　own　deaths。　Now　you　and　your　brother　have　many　manders　and　officers　behind；　so　that　the　destruction　of　the　eunuchs　can　be　but　an　ease。　It　is　a　heaven…sent　opportunity。　Delay　no　further！〃
But　He　Jin　replied；　〃Let　me　think　it　over。〃
He　Jin's　servants　overheard　the　discussion　and　secretly　informed　the　intended　victims；　who　sent　further　gifts　to　the　younger　brother　He　Miao。
Corrupted　by　these；　He　Miao　went　in　to　speak　with　his　sister　Empress　He　and　said；　〃The　General　is　the　chief　support　of　the　new　Emperor；　yet　he　is　not　gracious　and　merciful　but　thinks　wholly　of　slaughter。　If　he　slays　the　eunuchs　without　cause；　it　may　bring　about　revolution。〃
Soon　after　He　Jin　entered　and　told　her　of　his　design　to　put　the　eunuchs　to　death。
She　argued　with　him；　〃Those　officials　look　after　palace　affairs　and　are　old　servants。　To　kill　the　old　servants　just　after　the　death　of　their　master　would　appear　disrespectful　to　the　dynasty's　ancestral　temple。〃
And　as　He　Jin　was　of　a　vacillating　mind；　he　murmured　assent　and　left　her。
〃What　about　it？〃　said　Yuan　Shao　on　meeting　him。
〃She　will　not　consent。　What　can　be　done？〃
〃Call　up　an　army　and　slay　them。　It　is　imperative。　Never　mind　her　consent！〃
〃That　is　an　excellent　plan；〃　said　He　Jin。　And　he　sent　orders　all　round　to　march　soldiers　to　the　capital。
But　Secretary　Chen　Lin　objected；　〃Nay！　Do　not　act　without　due　consideration。　The　proverb　says　'To　cover　the　eyes　and　snatch　at　swallows　is　to　fool　oneself。'　If　in　so　small　a　matter　you　cannot　attain　your　wish；　what　of　great　affairs？　Now　by　virtue　of　the　emperor　and　with　the　army　under　your　hand；　you　are　like　prancing　tiger　and　soaring　dragon：　You　may　do　as　you　please。　To　use　such　enormous　powers　against　the　eunuchs　would　bring　victory　as　easily　as　lighting　up　a　furnace　to　burn　a　hair。　Only　act　promptly：　Use　your　powers　and　smite　at　once；　and　all　the　empire　will　be　with　you。　But　to　summon　forces　to　the　capital；　to　gather　many　bold　warriors　into　one　spot；　each　with　different　schemes；　is　to　turn　our　weapons　against　our　own　person；　to　place　ourselves　in　the　power　of　another。　Nothing　but　failure　can　e　of　it；　and　havoc　will　ensue。〃
〃The　view　of　a　mere　book…worm；〃　said　He　Jin　with　a　smile。
Then　one　of　those　about　He　Jin　suddenly　clapped　his　hands；　laughing；　〃Solving　this　issue　is　as　easy　as　turning　over　one's　hand！　Why　so　much　talk？〃
The　speaker　was　Cao　Cao。

Wouldst　thou　withdraw　wicked　people　from　thy　prince's　side；
Then　seek　counsel　of　the　wise　people　of　the　state。

What　Cao　Cao　said　will　be　disclosed　in　later　chapters。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　3　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　3
　Chapter　3
In　Wenming　Garden；　Dong　Zhuo　Denounces　Ding　Yuan；
With　Red　Hare；　Li　Su　Bribes　Lu　Bu。
What　Cao　Cao　said　was　this：　〃The　eunuch　evil　is　of　very　old　standing；　but　the　real　cause　of　the　present　trouble　is　in　the　improper　influence　allowed　them　by　the　emperors　and　the　misplaced　favoritism　they　have　enjoyed。　But　a　gaoler　would　be　ample　force　to　employ　against　this　kind　of　evil；　and　getting　rid　of　the　main　culprits　is　quite　enough。　Why　increase　confusion　by　summoning　troops　from　the　regions？　Any　desire　to　slay　all　of　them　will　speedily　bee　known；　and　the　plan　will　fail。〃
〃Then；　Cao　Cao；　you　have　some　scheme　of　your　own　to　further；〃　said　He　Jin　with　a　sneer。
Cao　Cao　left　the　meeting；　proclaiming；　〃The　one　who　throws　the　world　into　chaos　is　He　Jin！〃
Then　He　Jin　sent　swift；　secret　letters　far　and　wide　to　several　bases。
It　must　be　recalled　that　Dong　Zhuo　had　failed　in　his　attempt　to　destroy　the　Yellow　Scarves　rebellion。　He　would　have　been　punished　if　he　had　not　bribed　the　Ten　Eunuchs　heavily　for　their　protection。