第4部分(第7/7 页)

ied；　〃I　am　descended　from　Prince　Sheng　of　Zhongshan。　Since　my　first　fight　with　the　Yellow　Scarves　rebels　at　Zhuo　County；　I　have　been　in　some　thirty　battles；　wherein　I　gained　some　trifling　merit。　My　reward　was　this　office。〃

〃You　lie　about　your　descent；　and　your　statement　of　services　is　false！〃　roared　the　inspector。　〃Now　the　court　has　ordered　the　reduction　of　your　sort　of　low　class　and　corrupt　officials。〃

Liu　Bei　muttered　to　himself　and　withdrew。　On　his　return　to　the　magistracy；　he　took　council　with　his　secretaries。

〃This　pompous　attitude　only　means　the　inspector　wants　a　bribe；〃　said　they。

〃I　have　never　wronged　the　people　to　the　value　of　a　single　coin：　Then　where　is　a　bribe　to　e　from？〃

Next　day　the　inspector　had　the　minor　officials　before　him　an