第51部分(第3/7 页)

te　Uncle；　who　could　do　it。〃

〃Could　Uncle　Dong　Cheng　e　in　to　consult　about　this？　I　know　he　has　had　much　experience　of　state　troubles。〃

Fu　Wan　replied；　〃Everyone　of　your　attendants　is　a　partisan　of　Cao　Cao；　and　this　sort　of　thing　must　be　kept　most　profoundly　secret　or　the　consequence　will　be　most　serious。〃

〃Then　what　can　be　done？〃　said　the　Emperor。

〃The　only　plan　I　can　think　of　is　to　send　gifts　of　a　robe　and　a　jade　girdle　to　Dong　Cheng；　and　in　the　lining　of　the　girdle　hide　a　secret　edict　authorizing　him　to　take　certain　steps。　When　he　gets　home　and　has　read　the　edict；　he　can　elaborate　plans　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　neither　the　spirits　above　nor　the　demons　below　will　know　anything　about　them。〃

The　Emperor　approved；　and　Fu　Wan　went　out。　The　Emperor　then　with　his　own　hand　drew　up　a　decree；　writing　it　with　blood　drawn　by　biting　his　finger。　He　gave　the　document　to　Empress　Fu　to　sew　into　the　purple　lining　of　the　girdle。　When　all　was　done；　he　put　on　the　robe　and　girded　it　with　the　girdle。　Next　he　bade　one　of　the　attendants　summon　State　Uncle　Dong　Cheng　to　the　Palace。

Dong　Cheng　came；　and　after　the　ceremonies　were　finished；　the　Emperor　said；　〃A　few　nights　ago　I　was　talking　with　the　Empress　of　the　terrible　days　of　the　rebellion；　and　we　thought　of　your　good　services　then；　therefore　we　have　called　you　in　to　reward　you。〃

The　minister　bowed　his　head　in　thanks。　Then　the　Emperor　led　Dong　Cheng　out　of　the　Reception　Hall　to　the　Temple　of　Ancestors；　and　they　went　to　the　gallery　of　Worthy　Ministers；　where　the　Emperor　burned　incense　and　performed　the　usual　ceremonies。　After　this　they　went　to　see　the　portraits；　and　among　them　was　one　of　the　founder　of　the　dynasty；　Liu　Bang　the　Supreme　Ancestor。

〃Whence　sprang　our　great　ancestor；　and　ho