669小说网

第259部分（第3页）

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　Yis　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　Shuangs　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。

〃What　will　be　the　oute　of　this？〃　asked　her　brother。

〃Cao　Shuang　is　no　match　for　Sima　Yi；〃　replied　she。

〃If　Sima　Yi　asks　us　to　join　him；　should　we？〃　asked　Xin　Chang。

Xin　Xianying　replied；　〃You　know　what　a　true　man　should　do。　When　a　man　is　in　danger；　there　is　the　greater　need　for　sympathy。　To　be　of　Cao　Shuangs　people　and　desert　him　in　an　emergency　is　the　greatest　of　evils。〃

This　speech　decided　Xin　Chang；　who　went　with　Lu　Zhu。　At　the　head　of　a　some　twenty　horsemen；　they　forced　the　gate　and　got　out　of　the　city。

When　their　escape　was　reported　to　Sima　Yi；　he　thought　that　Huan　Fan　would　surely　try　to　follow　their　example；　so　he　sent　to　call　him。　However；　on　the　advice　of　his　son；　Huan　Fan　did　not　answer　the　summons；　but　decided　to　flee。　He　got　into　his　carriage　and　drove　hastily　to　the　South　Gate。　But　the　gate　was　barred。　The　mander　of　the　Gate；　Si　Fan；　was　an　old　dependant　of　Huan　Fan。

Huan　Fan　pulled　out　from　his　sleeve　a　slip　of　bamboo　and　said；　〃The　Empresss　mand：　Open　the　gate　for　me。〃

〃Let　me　look；〃　said　Si　Fan。

〃What！　How　dare　you；　an　o