第6部分(第4/7 页)

n　Gui；　are　spreading　the　report　outside　that　you　has　caused　the　death　of　the　late　empress　and　is　aiming　at　the　throne。　This　is　an　excuse　for　you　to　destroy　them。　Do　not　spare　them　this　time；　or　you　will　pay　like　Dou　Wu　and　Chen　Fan；　who　in　the　previous　reign　missed　their　chance　because　the　secret　had　not　been　kept；　and　they　paid　by　their　own　deaths。　Now　you　and　your　brother　have　many　manders　and　officers　behind；　so　that　the　destruction　of　the　eunuchs　can　be　but　an　ease。　It　is　a　heaven…sent　opportunity。　Delay　no　further！〃

But　He　Jin　replied；　〃Let　me　think　it　over。〃

He　Jin's　servants　overheard　the　discussion　and　secretly　informed　the　intended　victims；　who　sent　further　gifts　to　the　younger　brother　He　Miao。

Corrupted　by　these；　He　Miao　went　in　to　speak　with　his　sister　Empress　He　and　said；　〃The　General　is　the　chief　support　of　the　new　Emperor；　yet　he　is　not　gracious　and　merciful　but　thinks　wholly　of　slaughter。　If　he　slays　the　eunuchs　without　cause；　it　may　bring　about　revolution。〃

Soon　after　He　Jin　entered　and　told　her　of　his　design　to　put　the　eunuchs　to　death。

She　argued　with　him；　〃Those　officials　look　after　palace　affairs　and　are　old　servants。　To　kill　the　old　servants　just　after　the　death　of　their　master　would　appear　disrespectful　to　the　dynasty's　ancestral　temple。〃

And　as　He　Jin　was　of　a　vacillating　mind；　he　murmured　assent　and　left　her。

〃What　about　it？〃　said　Yuan　Shao　on　meeting　him。

〃She　will　not　consent。　What　can　be　done？〃

〃Call　up　an　army　and　slay　them。　It　is　imperative。　Never　mind　her　consent！〃

〃That　is　an　excellent　plan；〃　said　He　Jin。　And　he　sent　orders　all　round　to　march　soldiers　to　the　capital。

But　Secretary　Chen　Lin　objected；　〃Nay！　Do　not　act　without　due　consideration。　The　proverb　says　'To