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第60部分（第1页）

i　Ping　bit　off　one　of　his　fingers　as　a　pledge　of　fidelity。　I　saw　that。〃

Quin　Quington　was　kept　in　a　secret　part　of　the　palace；　while　his　late　master；　Dong　Cheng；　only　knowing　that　he　had　run　away；　took　no　special　means　to　find　him。

Soon　after　this　Cao　Cao　feigned　a　headache　and　sent　for　Ji　Ping　as　usual。

〃The　rebel　is　done　for；〃　thought　Ji　Ping；　and　he　made　a　secret　package　of　poison　which　he　took　with　him　to　the　palace　of　the　Prime　Minister。　He　found　Cao　Cao　in　bed。　The　patient　bade　the　doctor　prepare　a　potion　for　him。

〃One　draught　will　cure　this　disease；〃　said　Ji　Ping。

He　bade　them　bring　him　a　pot；　and　he　prepared　the　potion　in　the　room。　When　it　had　simmered　for　some　time　and　was　half　finished；　the　poison　was　added；　and　soon　after　the　physician　presented　the　draught。　Cao　Cao；　knowing　it　was　poisoned；　made　excuses　and　would　not　swallow　it。

〃You　should　take　it　hot；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Then　there　will　be　a　gentle　perspiration；　and　you　will　be　better。〃

〃You　are　a　scholar；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　sitting　up；　〃and　know　what　is　the　correct　thing　to　do。　When　the　master　is　ill　and　takes　drugs；　the　attendant　first　tastes　them；　when　a　man　is　ill；　his　son　first　tastes　the　medicine。　You　are　my　confidant　and　should　drink　first。　Then　I　will　swallow　the　remainder。〃

〃Medicine　is　to　treat　disease。　What　is　the　use　of　anyones　tasting　it？〃　said　Ji　Ping。

But　he　guessed　now　the　conspiracy　had　been　discovered；　so　he　dashed　forward；　seized　Cao　Cao　by　the　ear；　and　tried　to　pour　the　potion　down　his　throat。　Cao　Cao　pushed　it　away；　and　it　spilt。　The　bricks　upon　which　it　fell　were　split　asunder。　Before　Cao　Cao　could　speak；　his　servants　had　already　seized　the　assailant。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃I　am　not　ill。　I　only　wanted　to　test　you。　So　you　really　thought　to　poison　me！〃

He　sent　for　a　score　of　sturdy　gaolers　who　carried　off　the　prisoner　to　the　inner　apartments　to　be　interrogated。　Cao　Cao　took　his　seat　in　a　pavilion；　and　the　hapless　physician；　tightly　bound；　was　thrown　to　the　ground　before　him。　The　prisoner　maintained　a　bold　front。

Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　thought　you　were　a　physician。　How　dared　you　try　to　poison　me？　Someone　incited　you　to　this　crime。　If　you　tell　me；　I　will　pardon　you。〃

〃You　are　a　rebel。　You　flout　your　Prince　and　injure　your　betters。　The　whole　empire　wishes　to　kill　you。　Do　you　think　I　am　the　only　one？〃

Cao　Cao　again　and　again　pressed　the　prisoner　to　tell　what　he　knew；　but　he　only　replied　that　no　one　had　sent　him　and　it　was　his　own　desire。

〃I　have　failed；　and　I　can　but　die；〃　added　Ji　Ping。

Cao　Cao　angrily　bade　the　gaolers　give　him　a　severe　beating；　and　they　dogged　him　for　two　watches。　His　skin　hung　in　tatters；　the　flesh　was　battered；　and　the　blood　from　his　wounds　ran　down　the　steps。　Then　fearing　he　might　die　and　his　evidence　be　lost；　Cao　Cao　bade　them　cease　and　remove　him。　They　took　him　off　to　a　quiet　place　where　he　might　recover　somewhat。

Having　issued　orders　to　prepare　a　banquet　for　next　day；　Cao　Cao　invited　all　the　courtiers　thereto。　Dong　Cheng　was　the　only　one　who　excused　himself；　saying　he　was　unwell。　The　other　conspirators　dared　not　stay　away　as　they　felt　they　would　be　suspected。

Tables　were　laid　in　the　private　apartments；　and　after　several　courses　the　host　said；　〃There　is　not　much　to　amuse　us　today；　but　I　have　a　man　to　show　you　that　will　sober　you。〃

〃Bring　him　in！〃　Cao　Cao　said；　turning　to　the　gaolers；　and　the　hapless　Ji　Ping　appeared；　securely　fastened　in　a　wooden　collar。　He　was　placed　where　all　could　see　him。

〃You　officials　do　not　know　that　this　man　is　connected　with　a　gang　of　evil　doers　who　desire　to　overturn　the　government　and　even　injure　me。　However；　Heaven　has　defeated　their　plans；　but　I　desire　that　you　should　hear　his　evidence。〃

Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　the　gaolers　to　beat　their　prisoner。　They　did　so　till　Ji　Ping　lay　unconscious；　when　they　revived　him　by　spraying　water　over　his　face。　As　soon　as　he　came　to；　he　glared　at　his　oppressor　and　ground　his　teeth。

〃Cao　Cao；　you　rebel！　What　are　you　waiting　for？　Why　not　kill　me？〃　cried　Ji　Ping。

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃The　conspirators　were　only　six　at　first；　you　made　the　seventh。　Is　that　true？〃

Here　the　prisoner　broke　in　with　more　abuse；　while　Wang　Zifu　and　the　other　three　conspirators　exchanged　glances；　looking　as　though　they　were　sitting　on　a　rug　full　of　needles。　Cao　Cao　continued　his　torture　of　the　prisoner；　beating　him　into　unconsciousness　and　reviving　him　with　cold　water；　the　victim　disdaining　to　ask　mercy。　Finally　Cao　Cao　realized　he　would　incriminate　none　of　his　acplices；　and　so　he　told　the　gaolers　to　remove　Ji　Ping。

At　the　close　of　the　banquet；　when　the　guests　were　dispersing；　four　of　them；　the　four　conspirators；　were　invited　to　remain　behind　to　supper。　They　were　terrified　so　that　their　souls　seemed　no　longer　to　inhabit　their　bodies；　but　there　was　no　saying　nay　to　the　invitation。

Presently　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Still　there　is　something　I　want　to　speak　about；　so　I　have　asked　you　to　stay　for　a　time　longer。　I　do　not　know　what　you　four　have　been　arranging　with　Dong　Cheng。〃

〃Nothing　at　all；〃　said　Wang　Zifu。

〃And　what　is　written　on　the　white　silk？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

They　all　said　they　knew　nothing　about　it。

Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　the　runaway　servant　to　be　brought　in。　As　soon　as　Quin　Quington　came；　Wang　Zifu　said；　〃Well；　what　have　you　seen　and　where？〃

Quin　Quington　replied；　〃You　five　very　carefully　chose　retired　places　to　talk　in；　and　you　secretly　signed　a　white　roll。　You　cannot　deny　that。〃

Wang　Zifu　replied；　〃This　miserable　creature　was　punished　for　misbehavior　with　one　of　Uncle　Dong　Chengs　maids；　and　now　because　of　that　he　slanders　his　master。　You　must　not　listen　to　him。〃

〃Ji　Ping　tried　to　pour　poison　down　my　throat。　Who　told　him　to　do　that　if　it　was　not　Dong　Cheng？〃　said　Cao　Cao。