第7部分(第5/7 页)

ind　it。

〃To　what　household　do　you　belong；　young　gentlemen？〃　asked　the　farmer。

The　Emperor　was　too　frightened　to　reply；　but　his　panion　said；　〃He　is　the　Emperor。　There　was　a　revolution　in　the　Forbidden　City；　and　we　ran　away。　I　am　his　brother；　Prince　of　Chenliu。〃

The　farmer　bowed　again　and　again　and　said；　〃My　name　is　Sui　Lie。　My　brother　Sui　Yi　is　the　former　Minister　of　the　Interior。　My　brother　was　disgusted　with　the　behavior　of　the　eunuchs　and　so　resigned　and　hid　away　here。〃

The　two　lads　were　taken　into　the　farm；　and　their　host　on　his　knees　served　them　with　refreshment。

It　has　been　said　that　Min　Gong　had　gone　in　pursuit　of　Eunuch　Duan　Gui。　By　and　by　Min　Gong　overtook　Duan　Gui　and　cried；　〃Where　is　the　Emperor？〃

〃He　disappeared！　I　do　not　know　where　he　is！〃

Min　Gong　slew　Duan　Gui　and　hung　the　bleeding　head　on　his　horse's　neck。　Then　he　sent　his　troops　searching　in　all　directions；　and　he　rode　off　by　himself　on　the　same　quest。　Presently　he　came　to　the　farm。　Sui　Lie；　seeing　what　hung　on　his　horse's　neck；　questioned　him　and；　satisfied　with　his　story；　led　him　to　the　Emperor。　The　meeting　was　affecting。　All　were　moved　to　tears。

〃The　state　cannot　be　without　its　ruler；〃　said　Min　Gong。　〃I　pray　Your　Majesty　return　to　the　city。〃

At　the　farm　they　had　but　one　sorry　nag　and　this　they　saddled　for　the　Emperor。　The　young　Prince　was　taken　on　Min　Gong's　charger。　And　thus　they　left　the　farm。　Not　beyond　one　mile　from　the　farm；　they　fell　in　with　other　officials　and　several　hundred　guards　and　soldiers　made　up　an　imposing　cavalcade。　In　the　cavalcade　were　Wang　Yun；　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Yang　Biao；　Grand　mander；　Chunyu　Qiong；　mander　of　the　Left　Army；　Zhao　Meng；　mander　of　the　Right　Army；　Bao　Xin；　mander　of　the　Rear　Army；　and　Yuan　Shao；　ma