第9部分(第3/7 页)

　to　Imperial　Guardian　Yuan　Wei；　〃Your　nephew　behaved　improperly；　but　I　pardon　him　for　your　sake。　What　think　you　of　my　scheme？〃

〃What　you　think　is　right；〃　was　the　reply。

〃If　anyone　opposes　the　great　scheme；　he　will　be　dealt　with　by　military　law！〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

The　ministers；　thoroughly　dreaded；　promised　obedience；　and　the　feast　came　to　an　end。

Dong　Zhuo　asked　Counselor　Zhou　Bi　and　mander　Wu　Qiong　what　they　thought　of　the　flight　of　Yuan　Shao。

Zhou　Bi　said；　〃He　left　in　a　state　of　great　anger。　In　such　a　state　of　excitement　much　harm　may　ensue　to　the　present　state　of　affairs；　especially　as　the　Yuan　family　have　been　noted　for　their　high　offices　for　four　generations；　and　their　proteges　and　dependents　are　everywhere。　If　they　assemble　bold　people　and　call　up　their　clients；　all　the　valiant　warriors　will　be　in　arms；　and　the　east　region　of　the　Huashang　Mountains　will　be　lost。　You　had　better　pardon　Yuan　Shao　and　give　him　a　post。　He　will　be　glad　at　being　forgiven　and　will　do　no　harm。〃

Wu　Qiong　said；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　fond　of　scheming；　but　he　fails　in　decision　and　so　is　not　to　be　feared。　But　it　would　be　well　to　give　him　rank　and　thus　win　popular　favor。〃

Dong　Zhuo　followed　this　advice；　and　within　that　day　sent　a　messenger　to　offer　Yuan　Shao　the　governorship　of　Bohai。

On　the　first　day　of　the　ninth　month；　the　Emperor　was　invited　to　proceed　to　the　Hall　of　Virtue　where　was　a　great　assembly　of　officials。

There　Dong　Zhuo；　sword　in　hand；　faced　the　gathering　and　said；　〃The　Emperor　is　a　weakling　unequal　to　the　burden　of　ruling　this　land。　Now　listen　ye　to　the　document　I　have　prepared！〃

And　Li　Ru　read　as　follows：

〃The　dutiful　Emperor　Ling　too　soon　left　his　people。　The　emperor　is　the　cynosure　of　all　the　people　of　this　land。