三国演义英文版-第348章

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lace　want　to　attempt　a　rescue；　but　before　they　had　prepared；　they　saw　dust　arose　outside；　and　Zhong　Hui　with　an　army　was　close　at　hand；　thus　they　scattered。
Zhong　Hui　and　Jiang　Wei　dismounted　at　the　Palace　gates　and　entered。
Zhong　Hui；　seeing　both　the　Dengs　prisoners；　struck　the　elder　about　the　head　and　face　with　his　whip　and　insulted　him；　saying；　〃Vile　cattle　breeder！　How　dare　you　have　your　own　scheme？〃
Nor　was　Jiang　Wei　backward。　〃You　fool！　See　what　your　good　luck　has　brought　you　today！〃　cried　he。
And　Deng　Ai　replied　in　kind。　Zhong　Hui　at　once　sent　off　both　the　prisoners　to　Luoyang；　and　then　entered　Chengdu　in　state。　He　added　all　Deng　Ai's　army　to　his　own　forces；　so　that　he　became　very　formidable。
〃Today　I　have　attained　the　one　desire　of　my　life！〃　cried　Zhong　Hui。

＇e＇　Han　Xin　was　suspected　of　rebellion　and　was　arrested　by　Liu　Bang。　However；　Han　Xin　said；　〃When　the　birds　have　vanished；　the　good　bows　are　stored。〃　Liu　Bang　absolved　him　due　to　his　merits。　But　Xiao　He　and　Empress　Lu　executed　him　when　Liu　Bang　was　absent。　。。。。。
＇e＇　After　Yue　conquered　Wu；　Fan　Li　gave　up　politics　and　traveled。　But　his　collegue　Wen　Zhong　stayed　to　continue　serving　King　Gou　Jian　loyally。　Wen　Zhong　later　was　put　to　death　due　to　slanders。　Meanwhile；　it　is　said　that　Fan　Li；　together　with　the　beauty　Xi　Shi；　had　bee　a　wealthy　merchant　and　was　doing　charity　works。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Emei　Mountain　one　of　the　most　renowned　Buddhist　and　Daoist　（Taoist）　sanctuaries　in　China。　The　mountain　is　located　in　the　basin　of　Sichuan　Province。　The　beautiful　majesty　of　this　mountain　has　caused　it　to　be　named　Emei；　〃the　most　beautiful　mountain　under　heaven〃。　Visitors　of　this　mountain　are　treated　to　several　peaks；　bubbling　springs；　cascading　waterfalls；　tall　ancient　trees　and　abundant　flowers　along　the　many　mountain　paths　leading　to　the　many　scenic　spots　and　temples　that　dot　the　mountain　side　from　the　base　to　the　summit。　。。。。。
Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃At　the　beginning　of　Han；　Han　Xin　hearkened　not　to　Kuai　Tong　to　establish　his　own　kingdom；　and　so　blundered　into　trouble　at　the　Weiyang　Palace；　where　he　met　his　fate*。　In　Yue；　High　Minister　Wen　Zhong　would　not　follow　Fan　Li　into　retirement　on　the　lakes；　and　so　fell　victim　to　a　sword*。　No　one　would　say　these　two………Han　Xin　and　Wen　Zhong………were　not　brilliant；　but　they　did　not　scent　danger　early　enough。　Now；　Sir；　your　merit　is　great　and　your　prestige　overwhelming　that　of　your　prince；　but　why　do　you　risk　future　dangers？　Why　not　sail　off　in　a　boat　leaving　no　trace　of　your　going？　Why　not　go　to　Emei　Mountain*　and　wander　free　with　Master　Red　Pine？〃
Zhong　Hui　smiled。
〃I　do　not　think　your　advice　much　to　the　point。　I　am　a　young　man；　not　forty　yet；　and　think　rather　of　going　on　than　halting。　I　could　not　take　up　a　do…nothing　hermit's　life。〃
〃If　you　do　not；　then　take　heed　and　prepare　for　dangers。　Think　out　a　careful　course；　as　you　are　well　able　to　do。　You　need　not　trouble　any　old　fool　for　advice。〃
Zhong　Hui　laughed　loud　and　rubbed　his　hands　together　with　glee。
〃How　well　you　know　my　thoughts；　my　friend！〃　said　Zhong　Hui。
They　two　became　absorbed　in　the　plans　for　their　grand　scheme。
But　Jiang　Wei　wrote　a　secret　letter　to　the　Latter　Ruler；　saying：
〃I　pray　Your　Majesty　be　patient　and　put　up　with　humiliations　for　a　season；　for　Jiang　Wei；　your　humble　servant；　will　have　the　country　restored　in　good　time。　The　sun　and　moon　are　all　the　more　glorious　when　they　burst　through　the　dark　clouds。　The　House　of　Han　is　not　yet　done。〃
While　Zhong　Hui　and　Jiang　Wei　were　planning　how　best　to　outwit　each　other；　but　both　being　against　Wei；　there　suddenly　arrived　a　letter　from　Sima　Zhao：
〃I　am　at　Changan　with　an　army　lest　there　should　be　any　difficulty　in　disposing　of　Deng　Ai。　I　need　you　to　e　to　discuss　state　affairs。〃
Zhong　Hui　divined　the　real　purport　at　once。
〃He　suspects；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃He　knows　quite　well　that　my　army　outnumbers　that　of　Deng　Ai　many　times　and　I　could　do　what　he　wishes　easily。　There　is　more　than　that　in　his　ing。〃
He　consulted　Jiang　Wei；　who　said；　〃When　the　prince　suspects　a　minister；　that　minister　dies。　Have　we　not　seen　Deng　Ai？〃
〃This　decides　me；〃　replied　Zhong　Hui。　〃Success；　and　the　empire　is　mine；　failure；　and　I　go　west　into　Shu　to　be　another　Liu　Bei；　but　without　his　mistakes。〃
Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Empress　Guo　of　Wei　has　just　died。　You　can　pretend　she　left　you　a　mand　to　destroy　Sima　Zhao；　the　real　murderer　of　the　Emperor。　Your　talents　are　quite　sufficient　to　conquer　the　empire。〃
〃Will　you　lead　the　van？〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃When　success　is　ours；　we　will　share　the　spoil。〃
〃The　little　I　can　do；　I　will　do　most　willingly；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃But　I　am　not　sure　of　the　support　of　all　our　subordinates。〃
〃Tomorrow　is　the　fifteenth　day　of　the　month；　a　Feast　of　Lanterns　will　be　held。　We　can　gather　in　the　Palace　for　the　congratulations。　There　will　be　grand　illuminations；　and　we　will　prepare　a　banquet　for　the　officers；　whereat　we　can　kill　all　those　who　will　not　follow　us。〃
At　this；　the　heart　of　Jiang　Wei　leapt　with　joy。　Invitations　were　sent　out　in　the　joint　names　of　the　two　conspirators；　and　the　feast　began。　After　several　courses；　suddenly　Zhong　Hui　lifted　his　cup　and　broke　into　wailing。
Everyone　asked　what　was　the　cause　of　this　grief；　and　Zhong　Hui　replied。　〃The　Empress　has　just　died；　but　before　her　death　she　gave　me　an　edict；　which　is　here；　recounting　the　crimes　of　Sima　Zhao　and　charging　him　with　aiming　at　the　Throne。　I　am　missioned　to　destroy　him；　and　you　all　must　join　me　in　the　task。〃
The　guests　stared　at　each　other　in　amazement；　but　no　one　uttered　a　word。
Then　the　host　suddenly　drew　his　sword；　crying；　〃Here　is　death　for　those　who　oppose！〃
Not　one　was　bold　enough　to　refuse；　and；　one　by　one；　they　all　signed　a　promise　to　help。　As　further　security；　they　were　all　kept　prisoners　in　the　Palace　under　careful　guard。
〃They　are　not　really　with　us；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃I　venture　to　request　you　to　bury　them　all。〃
〃A　great　pit　has　been　already　dug；〃　replied　his　brother　host。　〃And　I　have　a　lot　of　clubs　ready。　We　can　easily　club　those　who　disagree　and　bury　them　in　the　pit。〃
As　Jiang　Wei　and　Zhong　Hui　discussed　the　matter；　General　Qiu　Jian；　a　man　in　the　confidence　of　Zhong　Hui；　was　present。　He　had　once　served　under　Assistant　General　Hu　Lie；　who　was　one　of　the　imprisoned　guests；　and　thus　he　found　means　to　warn　his　former　chief。
Hu　Lie　wept　and　said；　〃My　son；　Hu　Yuan；　is　in　mand　of　a　force　outside　the　city。　He　will　never　suspect　Zhong　Hui　capable　of　such　a　crime；　and　I　pray　you　tell　him。　If　I　am　to　die；　it　will　be　with　less　regret　if　my　son　can　be　told。〃
〃Kind　master；　have　no　anxiety；　only　leave　it　to　me；〃　replied　Qiu　Jian。
He　went　to　Zhong　Hui；　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　are　holding　in　captivity　a　large　number　of　officers；　and　they　are　suffering　from　lack　of　food　and　water。　Will　you　not　appoint　an　officer　to　supply　their　needs？〃
Zhong　Hui　was　accustomed　to　yield　to　the　wishes　of　Qiu　Jian；　and　he　made　no　difficulty　about　this。　He　told　Qiu　Jian　to　see　to　it　himself；　only　saying；　〃I　am　placing　great　trust　in　you；　and　you　must　be　loyal。　Our　secret　must　be　kept。〃
〃My　lord；　you　may　be　quite　content。　I　know　how　to　keep　a　strict　watch　when　necessary。〃
And　Qiu　Jian　allowed　to　enter　into　the　place　of　confinement　a　trusty　confidant　of　Hu　Lie；　who　gave　him　a　letter　to　his　son　Hu　Yuan。
When　Hu　Yuan　knew　the　whole　story；　he　was　astonished　and　told　his　subordinates；　and　they　were　greatly　enraged。
They　came　to　their　mander's　tent　to　say：　〃We　would　rather　die　than　follow　a　rebel！〃
So　Hu　Yuan　fixed　upon　the　eighteenth　day　of　the　month　to　attempt　the　rescue。　He　enlisted　the　sympathy　of　Wei　Guan　and　got　his　army　ready。　He　bade　Qiu　Jian　tell　his　father　what　was　afoot。　Hu　Lie　then　told　his　fellow…captives。
One　day　Zhong　Hui　said　to　Jiang　Wei；　〃Last　night　I　dreamed　a　dream；　that　I　was　bitten　by　many　serpents。　Can　you　expound　the　vision？〃
Jiang　Wei　replied；　〃Dreams　of　dragons　and　snakes　and　scaly　creatures　are　exceedingly　auspicious。〃
Zhong　Hui　was　only　too　ready　to　accept　this　interpretation。　Then　he　told　Jiang　Wei　that　all　was　ready　and　they　would　put　the　crucial　question　to　each　captive。
〃I　know　they　are　opposed　to　us；　and　you　would　do　well　to　slay　them　all；　and　that　right　quickly；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。
〃Good；〃　replied　Zhong　Hui。
He　bade　Jiang　Wei　with　several　ruffians　kill　the　Wei　leaders　among　the　captives。　But　just　as　Jiang　Wei　was　starting　to　carry　out　these　instructions；　he　was　seized　with　a　sudden　spasm　of　the　heart；　so　severe　that　he　fainted。　He　was　raised　from　the　earth　and　in　time　revived。　Just　as　he　came　to；　a　tremendous　hubbub　arose　outside　the　Palace。　Zhong　Hui　at　once　sent　to　inquire　what　was　afoot；　but　the　noise　waxed　louder　and　louder；　sounding　like　the　rush　of　a　multitude。
〃The　officers　must　be　raging；〃　said　Zhong　Hui。　〃We　would　best　slay　them　at　once！〃
But　they　told　him：　〃The　outside　soldiers　are　in　the　Palace！〃
Zhong　Hui　bade　them　close　the　doors　of　the　Hall　of　Audience；　and　he　sent　his　own　troops　upon　the　roof　to　pelt　the　ining　soldiers　with　tiles。　Many　were　slain　on　either　side　in　the　melee。　Then　a　fire　broke　out。　The　assailants　broke　open　the　doors。　Zhong　Hui　faced　them　and　slew　a　few；　but　others　shot　at　him　with　flights　of　arrows；　and　he　fell　and　died。　They　hacked　off　his　head。
Jiang　Wei　ran　to　and　fro　slaying　all　he　met　till　another　heart　spasm　seized　him。
〃