第288部分(第2/7 页)

they　have　exceeded　a　thousand。　This　is　an　extravagant　waste　of　treasure。　The　courtiers　render　no　disinterested　service；　but　are　split　into　cliques　and　cabals。　The　honest　are　injured；　and　the　good　driven　away。　All　these　things　undermine　the　state　and　weaken　the　people。　I　beg　Your　Majesty　to　reduce　the　number　of　officers　and　remove　grievances；　to　dismiss　the　Palace　women　and　select　honest　officers；　to　the　joy　of　the　people　and　the　tranquillity　of　the　state。〃

But　the　Ruler　of　Wu　was　displeased；　threw　the　memorial　away；　and　showed　his　contempt　for　the　Minister's　remonstrance　by　beginning　to　collect　material　for　the　building　of　a　new　palace　plex　to　be　called　the　Reflected　Light　Palace。　He　even　made　the　officers　of　the　court　go　into　the　forest　to　fell　trees　for　the　work。

The　Ruler　of　Wu　called　in　the　soothsayer　Shang　Guang　and　bade　him　take　the　cast　and　inquire　as　to　the　attainment　of　empire。

Shang　Guang　cast　a　lot　and　replied；　〃All　is　propitious；　and　in　the　year　of　the　'mouse'　your　blue　umbrella　will　enter　Luoyang！〃

And　Sun　Hao　was　pleased。

He　said　to　Minister　Hua　Jiao；　〃The　former　Rulers　listened　to　your　words　and　sent　generals　to　various　points　and　placed　defensive　camps　along　the　rivers。　And　over　all　these　was　set　Ding　Feng。　Now　my　desire　is　to　conquer　Han　and　avenge　the　wrongs　of　my　brother；　the　Ruler　of　Shu。　What　place　should　be　first　conquered？〃

Hua　Jiao　replied；　〃Now　that　Chengdu　has　fallen　and　the　Throne　there　been　overturned；　Sima　Yan　will　assuredly　desire　to　absorb　this　southern　land。　Your　Majesty　should　display　virtue　and　restore　confidence　to　your　people。　That　would　be　the　best　plan。　If　you　engage　in　war；　it　will　be　like　throwing　on　hemp　to　put　out　a　fire………the　hemp　only　adds　to　the　blaze。　This　is　worthy　of　careful　consid