第275部分(第3/7 頁)

ry　like　Cao　Fang；　and　if　I　do　not　remove　him　he　will　hurt　me；〃　said　he。

〃I　will　see　to　it　for　you；〃　said　Jia　Chong。

In　the　fifth　year　of　Sweet　Dew；　in　Wei　calendar　（AD　261）；　during　the　fourth　month；　in　summer；　Sima　Zhao　had　the　effrontery　to　go　to　court　armed。　However；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　received　him　with　exaggerated　courtesy。

The　courtiers　said；　〃The　services　of　the　Regent　Marshal　are　so　magnificent；　and　his　virtue　so　high　that　he　should　be　rewarded　with　the　title　'Duke　of　Jin'　and　the　Nine　Dignities。〃

Cao　Mao　hung　his　head　and　kept　silent。

And　Sima　Zhao　himself　said　discontentedly；　〃My　father　and　my　brother　have　all　given　great　services　to　Wei；　and　yet　I　deserves　not　being　a　mere　Duke　of　Jin？〃

〃Should　I　dare　not　do　what　you　requested？〃　said　Cao　Mao。

〃That　poem　about　the　Lurking　Dragon　called　us　slimy　creatures。　What　sort　of　politeness　is　that？〃　said　Sima　Zhao。

The　Ruler　of　Wei　had　nothing　to　say；　and　the　haughty　minister　left　the　chamber；　smiling　cruelly。

Cao　Mao　retired；　taking　with　him　Minister　Wang　Jing；　Adviser　Wang　Shen；　and　General　of　the　Cavalry　Wang　Ye；　and　they　went　to　a　privy　chamber　to　consult。　Cao　Mao　was　very　sad。

He　said；　〃There　is　no　doubt　that　Sima　Zhao　intends　to　usurp　the　throne………everybody　knows　that。　But　I　will　not　sit　thereon　patiently　awaiting　the　indignity　of　being　pushed　off。　Cannot　you　gentlemen　help　me　to　kill　him？〃

〃He　may　not　be　slain；〃　said　Wang　Jing。　〃That　will　not　do。　In　the　old　state　of　Lu；　King　Zhao　could　not　bear　with　the　Ji　family；　and　ran　away；　thus　losing　his　country。　But　this　Sima　Zhao　and　his　family　have　been　in　power　very　long　and　have　innumerable　supporters；　many　of　whom　are　quite　independent　of　any　act　of　his　whether　loyal　or　disloyal。　They　support　him