第287部分(第1/7 頁)

ral　advantages　he　has　a　great　destiny：　He　was　not　born　to　serve。〃

Sima　Zhao　hesitated；　for　he　was　still　unwilling　to　abandon　his　desire。

But　two　other　officers………Grand　mander　Wang　Xiang　and　Minister　of　Works　Xun　Kai………also　remonstrated；　saying；　〃Certain　former　dynasties　have　preferred　the　younger　before　the　elder　and　rebellion　has　generally　followed。　We　pray　you　reflect　upon　these　cases。〃

Finally　Sima　Zhao　yielded　and　named　his　elder　son　Sima　Yan　as　his　successor。

Certain　officers　memorialized：　〃This　year　a　gigantic　figure　of　a　man　descended　from　heaven　in　Xiangwu。　His　height　was　twenty　feet　and　his　footprint　measured　over　three　feet。　He　had　white　hair　and　a　hoary　beard。　He　wore　an　unlined　yellow　robe　and　a　yellow　cape。　He　walked　leaning　on　a　black…handled　staff。　This　extraordinary　man　preached；　saying；　'I　am　the　king　of　the　people；　and　now　I　e　to　tell　you　of　a　change　of　ruler　and　the　ing　of　peace。'　He　wandered　about　for　three　days　and　then　disappeared。　Evidently　this　portent　refers　to　yourself；　Noble　Sir；　and　now　you　should　assume　the　imperial　headdress　with　twelve　strings　of　pearls；　set　up　the　imperial　standard；　and　have　the　roads　cleared　when　you　make　a　progress。　You　should　ride　in　the　golden…shafted　chariot　with　six　horses。　Your　consort　should　be　styled　'Empress'　and　your　heir　'Apparent'。〃

Sima　Zhao　was　greatly　pleased。　He　returned　to　his　palace；　but　just　as　he　was　sitting　down；　he　was　suddenly　seized　with　paralysis　and　lost　the　use　of　his　tongue。　He　quickly　grew　worse。　His　three　chief　confidants；　Wang　Xiang；　He　Zeng；　and　Xun　Kai；　together　with　many　court　officials；　came　to　inquire　after　his　health；　but　he　could　not　speak　to　them。　He　pointed　toward　the　heir　apparent；　Sima　Yan；　and　died。　It　was　the　eighth　month　of　that　year。