第190部分(第2/7 页)

ed　the　forms　of　many　of　his　victims………the　Empress　Fu；　the　Consort　Dong；　Fu　Wan；　Dong　Cheng；　and　more　than　twenty　other　officials………；　and　all　were　bloodstained。　They　stood　in　the　obscurity　and　whispered；　demanding　his　life。　He　rose；　lifted　his　sword　and　threw　it　wildly　into　the　air。　Just　then　there　was　a　loud　crash；　and　the　southwest　corner　of　the　new　building　came　down。　And　Cao　Cao　fell　with　it。　His　attendants　raised　him　and　bore　him　to　another　palace；　where　he　might　lie　at　peace。

But　he　found　no　peace。　The　next　night　was　disturbed　by　the　ceaseless　wailing　of　men　and　women's　voices。

When　day　dawned；　Cao　Cao　sent　for　his　officers；　and　said　to　them；　〃Thirty　years　have　I　spent　in　the　turmoil　of　war　and　have　always　refused　belief　in　the　supernatural。　But　what　does　all　this　mean？〃

〃O　Prince；　you　should　summon　the　Taoists　to　offer　sacrifices　and　prayers；〃　said　they。

Cao　Cao　sighed；　saying；　〃The　Wise　Teacher　said；　'He　who　offends　against　heaven　has　no　one　to　pray　to。'　I　feel　that　my　fate　is　acplished；　my　days　have　run；　and　there　is　no　help。〃

But　he　would　not　consent　to　call　in　the　priests。　Next　day　his　symptoms　were　worse。　He　was　panting　and　could　no　longer　see　distinctly。　He　sent　hastily　for　Xiahou　Dun；　who　came　at　once。　But　as　Xiahou　Dun　drew　near　the　doors；　he　too　saw　the　shadowy　forms　of　the　slain　Empress　and　her　children　and　many　other　victims　of　Cao　Cao's　cruelty。　He　was　overe　with　fear　and　fell　to　the　ground。　The　servants　raised　him　and　led　him　away；　very　ill。

Then　Cao　Cao　called　in　four　of　his　trusty　advisers………Cao　Hong；　Chen　Qun；　Jia　Xu；　and　Sima　Yi………that　they　might　hear　his　last　wishes。

Cao　Hong；　speaking　for　the　four；　said；　〃Take　good　care　of　your　precious　self；　O　Prince；　that　you　may　quickly　recover。〃

But　Cao