第273部分(第5/7 页)

uler　of　Wu；　and　Sun　Xiu's　fears　increased　so　that　he　could　not　rest。　Shortly　after　this；　Sun　Chen　sent　a　large　body　of　troops　under　the　mand　of　Minister　Meng　Zong　into　camp　at　Wuchang；　and　Sun　Chen　armed　them　from　the　state　arsenals。

Whereupon　General　Wei　Miao　and　Imperial　Guard　Shi　Shuo　secretly　memorialized　the　Ruler　of　Wu：　〃Sun　Chen　has　moved　the　troops　outside　and　provided　them　with　state　arms。　This　action　points　to　rebellion。〃

Sun　Xiu　was　shocked；　and　called　in　Zhang　Bu　to　consult；　and　he　said；　〃The　Veteran　General　Ding　Feng　is　an　able　and　trustworthy　officer。　He　should　be　consulted。〃

So　Ding　Feng　was　called　and　taken　into　the　Emperor's　confidence。

〃Have　no　anxiety；〃　said　Ding　Feng。　〃I　will　find　some　way　of　ridding　the　state　of　this　evil。〃

〃What　do　you　propose？〃

〃When　the　winter　court　is　held；　and　all　the　officers　are　assembled；　spread　a　great　banquet　and　invite　Sun　Chen。　I　shall　be　ready　to　act。〃

Wei　Miao　and　Shi　Shuo　were　taken　into　the　plot　and　were　to　do　what　was　possible　outside　the　Palace；　and　Zhang　Bu　saw　to　arrangements　within。

One　night　a　heavy　storm　came　on　to　blow；　which　tore　up　great　trees　by　the　roots。　However；　by　daylight　it　had　abated；　and　that　morning　an　Emperor's　messenger　arrived　bearing　an　invitation　to　a　banquet　in　the　Palace。　Sun　Chen　rose　from　his　couch；　and；　as　he　did　so；　fell　flat　on　the　ground　as　though　he　had　been　pushed　from　behind。　This　accident　troubled　him；　and　he　felt　apprehensive；　so　he　called　half　a　score　of　his　trusty　guards　to　act　as　his　escort　to　the　Palace。

As　he　was　leaving　home；　his　family　besought　him　not　to　go　out；　saying；　〃The　storm　last　night　and　the　fall　this　morning　are　fearful　omens。　You　should　not　go　to　that　banquet。〃

However；　he　made　light　of　their