第52部分(第1/7 页)

o　a　nonentity。　I　have　grieved　over　this　day　and　night。　I　have　feared　the　empire　would　be　ruined。

〃You　are　a　high　minister　of　state　and　my　own　relative。　You　must　recall　the　difficulties　of　the　Great　Founder's　early　days　and　draw　together　the　loyal　and　right…minded　to　destroy　this　evil　faction　and　restore　the　prerogatives　of　the　Throne。　Such　a　deed　would　be　indeed　an　extreme　joy　to　the　spirits　of　my　ancestors。

〃This　decree；　written　in　blood　drawn　from　my　own　veins；　is　confided　to　a　noble　who　is　to　be　most　careful　not　to　fail　in　executing　his　Emperor's　design。

〃Given　in　the　era　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity；　fourth　year　and　the　third　month　of　spring。〃　（AD　199）

So　ran　the　decree；　and　Dong　Cheng　read　it　with　streaming　eyes。　There　was　no　sleep　for　him　that　night。　Early　in　the　morning　he　returned　to　his　library　and　reread　it。　No　plan　suggested　itself。　He　laid　the　decree　down　on　the　table　and　sought　in　the　depths　of　his　mind　for　some　scheme　to　destroy　Cao　Cao；　but　could　not　decide　upon　any。　And　he　fell　asleep　leaning　over　his　table。

It　happened　that　Minister　Wang　Zifu；　with　whom　Dong　Cheng　was　on　terms　of　great　intimacy；　came　to　visit　him　and；　as　usual；　walked　into　the　house　unannounced　and　went　straight　to　the　library。　His　host　did　not　wake；　and　Wang　Zifu　noticed；　hardly　hidden　by　his　sleeve；　the　Emperor's　writing。

Wondering　what　this　might　be；　Wang　Zifu　drew　it　out；　read　it；　and　put　it　in　his　own　sleeve。

Then　he　called　out　loud；　〃Uncle　Dong　Cheng；　are　you　not　well？　Why　are　you　asleep　at　this　time　of　day？〃

Dong　Cheng　started　up　and　at　once　missed　the　decree。　He　was　aghast；　he　almost　fell　to　the　ground。

〃So　you　want　to　make　away　with　Cao　Cao？　I　shall　have　to　tell　him；〃　said　Wang　Zifu。

〃Then；　brother；　that　is　th