第一小说网

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第275部分（第3页）

Jia　Chong　got　angry　and　bade　his　lictors　arrest　Wang　Jing　and　stop　his　tongue。

When　they　told　Sima　Zhao；　he　went　into　the　Palace；　but　the　Emperor　was　dead。　He　assumed　an　air　of　being　greatly　shocked　and　beat　his　head　against　the　carriage；　weeping　and　lamenting　the　while。　He　sent　to　tell　all　the　officials　of　high　rank。

When　Imperial　Guardian　Sima　Fu　saw　the　dead　body　of　the　Emperor；　he　threw　himself　beside　it；　his　head　resting　thereon；　and　wept；　saying；　〃It　is　my　fault　that　they　slew　Your　Majesty！〃

Sima　Fu　had　a　coffin　brought；　and　the　remains　were　laid　therein　and　borne　to　the　West　Hall。　Therein　Sima　Zhao　entered　and　summoned　the　chief　officers　to　a　council。　They　came；　all　but　Minister　Chen　Tai。　Sima　Zhao　noticed　his　absence　and　sent　the　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Xun　Yi；　his　uncle；　to　call　him。

Chen　Tai　wept　aloud；　saying；　〃Gossips　often　class　me　and　my　uncle　together。　Yet　today　is　my　uncle　less　virtuous　than　I。〃

However；　Chen　Tai　obeyed　the　summons　and　came；　dressed　in　the　coarse　white　cloth　of　mourning；　and　prostrated　himself　before　the　bier。　Sima　Zhao　feigned　to　be　grieved　also。

〃How　can　this　days　work　be　judged？〃　said　Sima　Zhao。

〃If　only　Jia　Chong　be　put　to　death；　that　will　only　be　a　slight　atonement　to　satisfy　the　empire；〃　replied　Chen　Tai。

Sima　Zhao　was　silent　and　thought　long　before　he　spoke。　Then　he　said；　〃How　about　a　little　less　severe？〃

〃That　is　only　the　beginning。　I　know　not　other　punishments　less　severe。〃

〃Cheng　Ji　is　the　ungodly　rebel　and　actual　criminal。　He　should　suffer　the　death　of　shame………and　his　family；　too；〃　said　Sima　Zhao。

Thereupon　Cheng　Ji　broke　out　into　abuse　of　Sima　Zhao　and　reviled　him；　saying；　〃It　was　not　my　crime：　It　was　Jia　Chong　who　passed　on　your　own　orders！〃

Sima　Zhao　bade　them　cut　out　his　tongue　and　put　him　to　death。　They　did　so；　and　Cheng　Ji　and　his　brother　Cheng　Zu　were　both　put　to　death　in　the　market　place；　and　their　families　were　exterminated。

〃The　Emperor　must　die；〃　thus　spoke　Sima　Zhao　full　plain

In　Jia　Chongs　hearing；　and　the　Emperor　was　slain。

Although　they　killed　Cheng　Ji；　who　dealt　the　blow；

The　author　of　the　crime　we　all　well　know。

Wang　Jings　whole　household　were　imprisoned。　He　himself　was　standing　in　the　courthouse　when　he　saw　his　mother；　Lady　Zhao；　being　brought　up　a　prisoner。

He　knocked　his　head　on　the　ground　and　wept；　saying；　〃O　unfilial　son　to　bring　distress　upon　a　gentle　mother！〃

But　his　mother　laughed。

〃Who　does　not　die？〃　cried　she。　〃The　only　thing　to　be　feared　is　not　dying　the　proper　death。　Who　would　regret　dying　like　this？〃

When　next　day　the　family　were　led　out　to　execution；　both　mother　and　son　smiled　as　they　went　past。　But　the　whole　city　wept　tears　of　sorrow。

Mother　Yuan　was　famous　at　the　rise　of　Han；

Mother　Zhao　was　distinguished　at　the　end　of　Wei；

With　purest　virtue　and　unfaltering　heart；

With　resolution　stern　she　played　her　part。

Her　fortitude　was　great　as　Taishan　Mountains；

Her　life　but　as　the　floating　down　did　count；

Like　mother　like　son；　their　fame　never　will　die；

So　long　as　shall　endure　the　earth　and　sky。

Imperial　Guardian　Sima　Fu　proposed　that　the　body　of　the　late　Emperor　should　receive　a　royal　funeral；　and　Sima　Zhao　consented。　Jia　Chong　and　those　of　his　party　urged　Sima　Zhao　to　assume　the　Throne　and　replace　Wei；　but　he　refused。

〃Formerly　King　Wen　had　two…thirds　of　the　empire；　and　yet　he　supported　and　served　the　state　of　Yin　to　its　end。　Wherefore　Confucius　calle