第98部分(第3/7 页)

pose　the　testament　of　our　late　lord？〃

Li　Gui　began　to　abuse　him；　saying；　〃You　and　your　party　have　fabricated　this　testament；　setting　aside　the　rightful　heir。　Now　the　whole　region　is　in　the　hands　of　the　Cai　family。　If　our　dead　lord　knew　your　doings；　he　would　slay　you！〃

Cai　Mao　ordered　the　lictors　to　take　Li　Gui　away　to　execution。　He　was　hurried　out；　but　his　tongue　ceased　not。

So　the　younger　son　was　placed　in　his　father's　seat；　and　the　Cai　clan　shared　among　them　the　whole　military　authority　of　the　region。　The　defense　of　Jingzhou　was　confided　to　Liu　Xin　and　Deng　Yi；　while　Lady　Cai　and　her　son　took　up　their　residence　in　Xiangyang　so　as　to　be　out　of　the　reach　of　the　rightful　heir　and　his　uncle。　They　interred　the　remains　of　the　late　Imperial　Protector　on　the　east　of　Xiangyang；　near　the　bank　of　the　Han　River。　No　notice　of　the　death　was　sent　to　Liu　Qi；　the　son；　or　to　Liu　Bei；　his　uncle。

Liu　Zong　arrived　at　Xiangyang；　but；　before　he　had　had　time　to　recover　from　the　fatigue　of　the　journey；　the　startling　news　of　the　approach　of　Cao　Cao's　great　army　came　in。　He　summoned　Kuai　Yue　and　Cai　Mao　and　others　to　ask　counsel。

One　of　the　secretaries；　Fu　Xuan；　offered　his　advice；　saying；　〃Not　only　are　we　threatened　by　a　great　army　from　the　north；　but　the　elder　son；　who　is　the　real　heir；　at　Jiangxia；　and　his　uncle　at　Xinye；　are　to　be　reckoned　with。　These　two　have　not　been　notified　of　the　death；　and　they　will　resent　that。　We　shall　be　in　sad　case　if　they　also　march　against　us。　But　if　you　will　adopt　my　suggestion；　then　our　people　will　be　as　steady　as　Taishan　Mountains　and　our　young　lord's　position　and　rank　will　be　assured。〃

〃What　is　your　plan？〃　asked　the　young　lord。

〃To　offer　the　whole　region　to　Cao　Cao；　who　will　treat　our　young　master　most　liberal