第100部分(第6/7 頁)

　〃Your　protectorship　is　quite　near　the　capital；　and　I　have　sent　you　there　as　a　full　official　to　remove　you　from　the　intrigues　of　this　place。〃

In　vain　Liu　Zong　declined　the　honors　thus　thrust　upon　him：　He　was　pelled　to　go　and　he　departed；　taking　his　mother　with　him。　Of　his　friends；　only　Wang　Wei　acpanied　him。　Some　of　his　late　officers　escorted　him　as　far　as　the　river　and　then　took　their　leave。

Then　Cao　Cao　called　his　trusty　officer　Yu　Jin　and　said；　〃Follow　Liu　Zong　and　put　him　and　his　mother　to　death。　Our　worries　are　thus　removed。〃

Yu　Jin　followed　the　small　party。

When　he　drew　near　he　shouted；　〃I　have　an　order　from　the　great　Prime　Minister　to　put　you　both　to　death；　mother　and　son！　You　may　as　well　submit　quietly。〃

Lady　Cai　threw　her　arms　about　her　son；　lifted　up　her　voice　and　wept。　Yu　Jin　bade　his　soldiers　get　on　with　their　bloody　work。　Only　Wang　Wei　made　any　attempt　to　save　his　mistress；　and　he　was　soon　killed。　The　two；　mother　and　son；　were　soon　finished；　and　Yu　Jin　returned　to　report　his　success。　He　was　richly　rewarded。

Next　Cao　Cao　sent　to　discover　and　seize　the　family　of　Zhuge　Liang；　but　they　had　already　disappeared。　Zhuge　Liang　had　moved　them　to　the　Three　Gorges。　It　was　much　to　Cao　Cao's　disgust　that　the　search　was　fruitless。

So　Xiangyang　was　settled。　Then　Xun　You　proposed　a　further　advance。

He　said；　〃Jiangling　is　an　important　place；　and　very　rich。　If　Liu　Bei　gets　it；　it　will　be　difficult　to　dislodge　him。〃

〃How　could　I　have　overlooked　that？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Then　he　called　upon　the　officers　of　Xiangyang　for　one　who　could　lead　the　way。　They　all　came　except　Wen　Ping。

Cao　Cao　sent　for　him　and　soon　he　came　also。

〃Why　are　you　late？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

Wen　Ping　said；　〃To　be　a　minister　and　s