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第258部分（第1页）

point　over　Shoushan　Mountain　and　travel　over　toward　Xiangping；　where　it　fell。　The　soldiers　were　rather　frightened　at　this　apparition；　but　the　leader　rejoiced。

〃Five　days　from　now　Gongsun　Yuan　will　be　slain　where　that　star　fell；〃　said　he。　〃Therefore　attack　with　vigor。〃

They　opened　the　attack　the　next　morning　at　dawn；　throwing　up　banks　and　sapping　the　walls；　setting　up　stone…throwing　machines　and　rearing　ladders。　When　night　came　the　attack　did　not　cease。　Arrows　fell　in　the　city　like　pelting　rain。

Within　the　city；　grain　began　to　run　short；　and　soon　there　was　none。　They　slaughtered　bullocks　and　horses　for　food。　The　soldiers　began　to　be　mutinous　and　no　longer　fought　with　any　spirit。　There　was　talk　of　slaying　Gongsun　Yuan　and　yielding　the　city。

Gongsun　Yuan　was　disheartened　and　frightened；　and　decided　to　sue　for　peace。　He　sent　his　Prime　Minister　Wang　Jian　and　Imperial　Censor　Liu　Fei　out　of　the　city　to　beg　Sima　Yi　to　allow　him　to　submit。　These　two　had　to　be　let　down　from　the　walls　by　ropes；　as　no　other　means　of　exit　were　possible。

Wang　Jian　and　Liu　Fei　found　their　way　to　Sima　Yi　and　said；　〃We　pray　you；　O　mander；　retire　seven　miles　and　allow　the　officers　to　e　forth　and　surrender。〃

〃Why　did　not　Gongsun　Yuan　himself　e？〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃He　is　rude。〃

He　put　the　two　envoys　to　death　and　sent　their　heads　back　into　the　city。

Gongsun　Yuan　was　still　more　alarmed；　but　he　resolved　to　make　one　more　attempt。　This　time　he　sent　High　Counselor　Wei　Yin　as　his　envoy。　Sima　Yi　received　this　messenger　sitting　in　state　in　his　tent　with　his　officers　standing　right　and　left。　Wei　Yin　approached　on　his　knees；　and　when　he　reached　the　door　of　the　tent　recited　his　petition。

〃I　pray　you；　O　mander；　turn　your　thunderous　wrath　from　us。　We　will　send　the　son　of　our　leader；　Gongsun　Xiu；　the　Heir　Apparent；　as　hostage　and　all　the　officers　shall　appear　before　you　bound　with　cords。〃

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃There　are　five　possible　operations　for　any　army。　If　you　can　fight；　fight；　if　you　cannot　fight；　defend；　if　you　cannot　defend；　flee；　if　you　cannot　flee；　surrender；　if　you　cannot　surrender；　die。　These　five　courses　are　open　to　you；　and　a　hostage　would　be　useless。　Now　return　and　tell　your　master。〃

Wei　Yin　put　his　hands　over　his　head　and　fled　like　a　rat。　He　went　into　the　city　and　related　what　had　happened　to　him。

The　Gongsuns；　father　and　son；　resolved　to　flee。　They　chose　a　thousand　of　mounted　troops；　and　in　the　dead　of　night　opened　the　south　gate　and　got　out。　They　took　the　road　to　the　east　and　were　rejoiced　to　find　it　clear。

All　went　well　for　a　distance　of　three　miles；　when　a　bomb　exploded。　This　was　followed　by　a　roll　of　drums　and　the　blare　of　trumpets；　and　a　cohort　stood　in　the　way。　The　leader　was　Sima　Yi；　supported　by　his　two　sons………Sima　Shi　and　Sima　Zhao。

〃Stop；　O　rebel！〃　cried　the　sons。

But　Gongsun　Yuan　lashed　his　steed　to　a　gallop。　Then　Hu　Zun；　Xiahou　Ba；　Xiahou　Wei；　Zhang　Hu；　and　Yue　Chen；　with　their　troops；　came　up　and　quickly　surrounded　them　so　that　they　were　helpless。　Gongsun　Yuan　saw　that　escape　was　impossible；　so　he　came　with　his　son；　dismounted；　and　offered　surrender。

Sima　Yi　hardly　looked　at　the　two　men；　but　he　turned　to　his　officers　and　said；　〃That　night　the　star　fell　to　this　land；　and　today；　five　days　later；　the　omen　bees　true。〃

They　all　felicitated　him；　saying；　〃The　mander　is　superhuman！〃

Gongsun　Yuan　and　Gongsun　Xiu　were　slain　where　they　stood。　Then　Sima　Yi　turned　to　resume　the　siege　of　Xiangping；　but　before　he　had　reached　the　walls；　Hu　Zuns　army　had　entered。　Sima　Yi　went　in　and　was　received　with　great　respect；　the　people　burning　incense　as　he　passed。　He　went　to　the　residence；　and　then　the　whole　of　the　Gongsun　Yuans　clan；　and　all　who　had　assisted　in　his　rising；　were　beheaded。　They　counted　heads　to　the　number　of　seventy。

The　city　taken　and　the　rebels　destroyed；　Sima　Yi　issued　a　proclamation　in　order　to　restore　confidence　among　the　people。

Certain　persons　told　him；　〃Jia　Fan　and　Lun　Zhi　had　been　against　the　revolt　and　had　therefore　suffered　death。〃

So　Sima　Yi　honored　their　tombs　and　conferred　ranks　upon　their　children。　The　contents　of　the　treasury　were　distributed　among　the　soldiers　as　rewards；　and　then　the　army　marched　back　to　Luoyang。

One　night　the　Ruler　of　Wei　was　suddenly　awakened　by　a　chill　blast　that　extinguished　all　the　lights；　but　he　saw　the　form　of　the　late　Empress　Mao；　with　a　score　or　two　of　other　Palace　attendants；　ing　toward　the　bed　whereon　he　lay；　and　as　they　approached　they　demanded　his　life。　He　was　very　frightened　and　fell　ill　so　that　he　was　like　to　die。

So　the　two　officers；　Liu　Fang　and　Sun　Zu；　were　set　over　the　privy　council；　and　he　summoned　his　brother　Cao　Yu；　the　Prince　of　Yan；　to　the　capital　to　make　him　Regent　Marshal　to　assist　the　Heir　Apparent；　Cao　Fang。　However；　Cao　Yu　being　modest　and　retiring　by　nature；　declined　these　high　offices　and　their　responsibilities。

The　Ruler　of　Wei　then　turned　to　his　two　confidants；　Liu　Fang　and　Sun　Zu；　inquired　of　them；　saying；　〃Who　of　the　family　is　a　suitable　person　to　support　the　Heir　Apparent？〃

As　Liu　Fang　and　Sun　Zu　had　both　received　many　favors　from　Cao　Zhen；　they　replied；　〃None　is　so　fit　as　Cao　Shuang；　the　son　of　Cao　Zhen。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　approved　their　choice；　and　thus　Cao　Shuang　became　a　great　person。