第273部分(第1/7 頁)

by。

〃Sun　Chen　holds　all　real　power　and　does　as　he　wishes；　while　I　am　despised；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wu。　〃Something　must　be　done。〃

Quan　Ji　said；　〃I　would　think　no　sacrifice　too　great　if　Your　Majesty　would　make　use　of　me。〃

〃If　you　could　muster　the　Palace　guards　and　help　General　Liu　Cheng　to　keep　the　gates；　I　would　go　and　murder　that　ruffian。　But　you　must　not　let　anyone　know；　for　if　you　tell　your　noble　mother；　who　is　a　sister　of　Sun　Chen；　she　will　tell　her　brother；　and　that　would　be　very　serious　for　me。〃

〃Will　Your　Majesty　give　me　a　mand　that　I　may　have　authority　to　act　when　the　time　es？〃　said　Quan　Ji。　〃At　the　critical　moment　I　could　show　the　edict　and　hold　back　Sun　Chen's　supporters。〃

The　mand　was　given；　and　Quan　Ji　went　home。　But　he　could　not　keep　his　secret；　and　confided　the　plan　to　his　father；　Quan　Shang。

His　father　told　his　wife；　〃Sun　Chen　will　be　got　rid　of　in　three　days。〃

〃Oh；　he　deserves　that；〃　said　she。

Although　she　seemed　to　approve　with　her　tongue；　she　sent　a　secret　messenger　with　a　letter　to　the　proposed　victim。

That　same　night　Sun　Chen　called　in　his　four　leader　brothers；　and　the　Palace　was　surrounded。　The　conspirators　were　seized；　with　Liu　Cheng　and　Quan　Shang　and　all　their　families。

About　dawn　the　Ruler　of　Wu　was　disturbed　by　a　motion　at　the　gates；　and　a　servant　told　him；　〃Sun　Chen　with　his　army　has　surrounded　the　Inner　Palace！〃

Sun　Liang　knew　that　he　had　been　betrayed。　He　turned　on　Empress　Quan；　who　was　of　the　Quan　house；　and　reproached　her。

〃Your　father　and　brother　have　upset　all　my　plans！〃

Drawing　his　sword；　he　was　dashing　out　when　his　Consort　and　her　people　clung　to　his　clothing　and　held　him　back。

After　putting　to　death　Liu　Cheng's　and　Quan　Shang's　parties；