第233部分(第4/7 页)

o　your　best　in　the　enterprise。　Yet　you　would　not　listen　to　Wang　Ping；　and　thus　you　caused　this　misfortune。　The　army　is　defeated；　generals　have　been　slain　and　cities　and　territory　lost；　all　through　you。　If　I　do　not　make　you　an　example　and　vindicate　the　law；　how　shall　I　maintain　a　proper　state　of　discipline？　You　have　offended；　and　you　must　pay　the　penalty。　After　your　death　the　little　ones　of　your　family　shall　be　my　care；　and　I　will　see　that　they　get　a　monthly　allowance。　Do　not　let　their　fate　cause　you　anxiety。〃

Zhuge　Liang　told　the　executioners　to　take　Ma　Su　away。

＇e＇　Beginning　in　the　sixty…first　year　of　King　Yao's　reign；　the　prosperity　of　the　nation　was　temporarily　disturbed　by　a　thirteen…year　flood。　It　was　a　terrible　disaster；　and　King　Yao　was　greatly　grieved　by　the　sufferings　of　his　people。　With　some　hesitation；　the　great　task　of　reducing　the　waters　was　assigned　to　Gun；　who　failed；　and　for　this　failure　and　other　crimes；　was　put　to　death　by　Shun；　King　Yao's　son…in…law　and　co…ruler。　Strange　as　it　may　seem；　Yu；　son　of　Gun；　was　remended　to　the　throne　by　Shun。　Later　on；　Yao　would　yield　the　throne　to　Shun；　and　Shun　to　Yu。

Ma　Su　wept　bitterly；　saying；　〃Pity　me；　O　Prime　Minister！　You　have　looked　upon　me　as　a　son；　I　have　looked　up　to　you　as　a　father。　I　know　my　fault　is　worthy　of　death；　but　I　pray　you　remember　how　King　Shun　employed　Yu；　after　executing　Yu's　father*。　Though　I　die；　I　will　harbor　no　resentment　down　in　the　depths　of　the　Nine　Golden　Springs。〃

Zhuge　Liang　brushed　aside　his　tears　and　said；　〃We　have　been　as　brothers；　and　your　children　shall　be　as　my　own。　I　know　what　to　do。〃

They　led　the　doomed　man　away。　Without　the　main　gate；　just　as　they　were　going　to　deal　the　fatal　blow；　High　Counselor　Jiang　Wan；　who　had　just　arrived　from　Capital　Che