第273部分(第6/7 页)

fears　and　said；　〃My　brothers　are　holding　the　army。　Who　will　dare　e　near　me？　But　if　there　is　anything　amiss；　you　just　give　a　fire　signal　from　the　Prime　Minister's　residence。〃

So　Sun　Chen　took　his　seat；　and　the　carriage　set　out。　When　he　reached　the　court；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　rose　from　his　place　to　wele　him；　and　at　table　Sun　Chen　sat　in　the　seat　of　honor。　The　banquet　proceeded。

〃There　is　a　fire　outside：　What　does　that　mean？〃　said　a　guest　presently。

Sun　Chen　rose　to　go　out；　but　the　Ruler　of　Wu　said；　〃There　is　no　danger；　and　there　are　plenty　of　soldiers　outside　to　take　care　of　that。〃

Just　at　that　moment　Zhang　Bu　entered　at　the　head　of　thirty　armed　guards。　He　rushed　up　the　banquet　chamber；　shouting；　〃I　hold　a　mand　to　slay　the　rebel　Sun　Chen！〃

＇e＇　Jiaozhou　was　a　deep…south　region；　which　is　now　northern　Vietnam。

Instantly　the　Prime　Minister　was　seized。　He　fell　prostrate　before　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　knocking　his　head　on　the　ground　and　crying；　〃Spare　my　life！　Exile　me　to　Jiaozhou*；　where　I　will　do　plow　work。〃

〃Did　you　exile　any　of　your　victims………Teng　Yin；　Lu　Ju；　Wang　Chun；　and　others？〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　angrily。

The　order　went　forth　to　carry　out　the　execution；　and　Sun　Chen　was　hustled　out　and　put　to　death。　No　single　person　of　his　servants　raised　a　hand　to　help　him。

Then　Zhang　Bu　read　an　edict：　〃Sun　Chen　is　the　only　culprit；　and　no　other　will　be　questioned。〃

Then　at　Zhang　Bu's　request；　the　Ruler　of　Wu　went　up　on　the　Tower　of　the　Five　Phoenixes。　Zhang　Bu；　Wei　Miao；　and　Shi　Shuo　brought　the　brothers　of　the　Prime　Minister　before　Sun　Xiu；　and　he　condemned　them　to　death。　After　this　their　families　were　slain；　so　that　many　hundreds　suffered　death。　Not　content　with　all　these　things；　the　tomb　of　Sun　Jun　was　broken　open　and　hi