第一小说网

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第191部分（第2页）

〃Two　butchers　victims　lowing　walked　along；

Each　head　bore　curving　bones；　a　sturdy　pair；

They　met　just　by　a　hillock；　both　were　strong；

Each　would　avoid　a　pit　newly　dug　there。

They　fought　unequal　battle；　for　at　length

One　lay　below　a　gory　mass；　inert。

It　was　not　that　they　were　of　unequal　strength

Though　wrathful　both；　one　did　not　strength　exert。〃

This　exhibition　of　skill　amazed　the　Prince　and　the　whole　court。　Cao　Pi　thought　he　would　use　another　test；　so　he　bade　his　brother　improvise　on　the　theme　of　their　fraternal　relationship；　the　words　〃brotherhood〃　or　〃brother〃　being　barred。　Without　seeming　to　reflect；　Cao　Zhi　rattled　off　this　rhyme：

〃They　were　boiling　beans　on　a　beanstalk　fire；

Came　a　plaintive　voice　from　the　pot；

O　why；　since　we　sprang　from　the　selfsame　root；

Should　you　kill　me　with　anger　hot？〃

The　allusion　in　these　verses　to　the　cruel　treatment　of　one　member　of　a　family　by　another　was　not　lost　upon　Cao　Pi；　and　he　dropped　a　few　silent　tears。

The　mother　of　both　men　came　out　at　this　moment　from　her　abiding　place　and　said；　〃Should　the　elder　brother　thus　oppress　the　younger？〃

The　Prince　jumped　from　his　seat；　saying；　〃My　mother；　the　laws　of　the　state　cannot　be　nullified。〃

Cao　Zhi　was　degraded　to　the　rank　of　Lord　of　Anxiang。　He　accepted　the　decision　without　a　murmur　and　at　once　left　his　brothers　court　by　horse。

Cao　Pis　accession　was　the　signal　for　a　set　of　new　laws　and　new　mands。　His　behavior　toward　Emperor　Xian　was　more　intemperate　than　his　fathers　had　ever　been。

The　stories　of　his　harshness　reached　Chengdu　and　almost　frightened　Liu　Bei；　who　summoned　his　counselors　to　discuss　what　he　should　do。

Said　he；　〃Since　the　death　of　Cao　Cao　and　the　accession　of　his　son；　the　position　of　the　Emperor　has　changed　for　the　worse。　Sun　Quan　acknowledges　the　lordship　of　Wei；　and　its　influence　is　being　too　great。　I　am　disposed　to　destroy　Sun　Quan　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　my　brother。　That　done。　I　will　proceed　to　the　Capital　District　and　purge　the　whole　land　of　rebellion。　What　think　you？〃

Then　Liao　Hua　stood　out　from　the　ranks　of　officers　and　threw　himself　upon　the　earth；　saying　with　tears；　〃Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　were　the　true　cause　of　the　death　of　your　brother　and　his　adopted　son。　Both　these　renegades　deserve　death。〃

Liu　Bei　was　of　the　same　opinion　and　was　going　to　send　and　arrest　them　forthwith；　but　here　Zhuge　Liang　intervened　and　gave　wiser　advice。

〃That　is　not　the　way。　Go　slowly　or　you　may　stir　up　strife。　Promote　these　two　and　separate　them。　After　that　you　may　arrest。〃

The　Prince　of　Hanzhong　saw　the　prudence　of　this　procedure　and　stayed　his　hand。　He　raised　Liu　Feng　to　the　Governorship　of　Mianzhu；　and　so　separated　the　two　delinquents。

Now　Peng　Yang　and　Meng　Da　were　old　friends。　Hearing　what　was　afoot；　the　former　hastened　home　and　wrote　warning　his　friend。　The　letter　was　confided　to　a　trusty　messenger　to　bear　to　Meng　Da。　The　messenger　was　caught　as　he　went　out　of　the　city　and　carried　before　Ma　Chao；　who　thus　got　wind　of　the　business。　He　then　went　to　Peng　Yangs　house；　where；　nothing　being　suspected；　he　was　received　kindly　and　wine　was　brought　in。　The　two　drank　for　some　time。

When　Ma　Chao　thought　his　host　sufficiently　off　his　guard；　he　said；　〃The　Prince　of　Hanzhong　used　to　look　on　you　with　great　favor。　Why　does　he　do　so　no　longer？〃

The　host　began　to　rave　against　his　master。

〃The　obstinate　old　leather…belly！　But　I　will　find　some　way　to　pay　him　out。〃

In　order　to　see　to　what　lengths　he　would　go；　Ma　Chao　led　him　on；　saying；　〃Truth　to　tell；　I　have　long　hated　the　man　too。〃

〃Then　you　join　Meng　Da　and　attack；　while　I　will　win　over　the　people　of　East　and　West　River　Lands。　That　will　make　it　easy　enough；〃　said　Peng　Yang。

〃What　you　propose　is　very　feasible；　but　we　will　talk　it　over　again　tomorrow；〃　said　Ma　Chao；　and　took　leave。

Taking　with　him　the　captured　man　and　the　letter　he　carried；　Ma　Chao　then　proceeded　to　see　the　Prince；　to　whom　he　related　the　whole　story。　Liu　Bei　was　very　angry　and　at　once　had　the　intended　traitor　arrested　and　put　in　prison；　where　he　was　examined　under　torture　to　get　at　full　details。

While　Peng　Yang　lay　in　prison；　bitterly　but　vainly　repentant；　Liu　Bei　consulted　his　adviser。

〃That　fellow　Peng　Yang　meant　to　turn　traitor。　What　shall　I　do　with　him？〃

〃The　fellow　is　something　of　a　scholar；　but　irresponsible；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃He　is　too　dangerous　to　be　left　alive。〃

Thereupon　orders　were　given　that　he　should　be　allowed　to　mit　suicide　in　gaol。　The　news　that　Peng　Yang　had　been　made　away　frightened　his　sympathizer　and　friend；　Meng　Da；　and　put　him　in　a　quandary。　Further；　Liu　Fengs　promotion　and　transfer　to　Mianzhu　arrived；　and　it　frightened　him　still　more。　So　he　sought　advice　from　two　friends　and　manders；　the　b