第270部分(第1/7 页)

Jia　Chong　went　to　Zhuge　Dan　to　ask　him　to　convey　to　the　army　the　appreciation　of　the　soldiers'　services。　Jia　Chong　was　received　courteously；　and　at　a　banquet；　when　host　and　guest　were　both　mellow　with　wine；　Jia　Chong　set　himself　to　discover　Zhuge　Dan's　feelings。

Jia　Chong　said；　〃Lately　in　Luoyang　there　has　been　much　talk　of　the　weakness　and　lack　of　ability　of　the　Emperor　and　his　unfitness　to　rule。　Now　General　Sima　Zhao　es　of　a　family　noted　for　state　service　for　three　generations。　His　own　services　and　virtues　are　high　as　the　heavens；　and　he　is　the　man　best　fitted　to　take　the　rulership　of　Wei。　Is　this　not　your　opinion？〃

But　Zhuge　Dan　did　not　favor　the　suggestion。　On　the　contrary；　he　broke　out　angrily；　〃You　are　a　son　of　Jia　Kui　of　Yuzhou；　and　your　family　have　received　the　bounty　of　Wei。　Yet　you　dare　speak　of　rebellion！〃

Jia　Chong　said；　〃I　only　repeat　what　people　have　said。〃

Zhuge　Dan　said；　〃If　the　state　is　in　difficulty；　then　one　ought　to　stand　up　for　it　even　to　the　death！〃

Jia　Chong　said　no　more。　He　soon　returned　and　told　Sima　Zhao　what　had　been　said。

〃The　rat！〃　cried　Sima　Zhao；　angrily。

〃Zhuge　Dan　is　exceedingly　popular　there　in　the　South　of　River　Huai；　and　if　he　is　left　too　long；　he　will　do　harm。〃

Sima　Zhao　began　to　take　measures。　He　wrote　privately　to　Yue　Chen；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　and　sent　a　messenger　to　Zhuge　Dan　with　an　edict　making　him　Minister　of　Works。　This　meant　that　Zhuge　Dan　had　to　e　to　the　capital。

But　Zhuge　Dan　knew　that　Jia　Chong　had　done　him　mischief；　and　he　interrogated　the　messenger；　who　told　him　that　Yue　Chen　knew　all　about　the　matter。

〃How　does　he　know？〃

〃General　Sima　Zhao　sent　him　a　private　letter。〃

The　messenger　was　condemned　to　death。　Then　Zhuge　Dan　pl