第23部分(第5/7 頁)

rely　consumed　them。　So　it　may　be　said　justly　that　Heaven　was　exceedingly　angry　with　Dong　Zhuo。

So　now　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　wielded　the　real　power　of　the　scepter；　and　they　were　hard　upon　the　people。　They　also　removed　the　attendants　from　the　Palace　and　replaced　them　by　their　own　creatures；　who　maintained　a　most　perfect　watch　over　every　movement　of　the　Emperor　so　that　he　was　greatly　hampered　and　embarrassed。　All　appointments　and　demotions　were　made　by　the　two　rebels。　For　the　sake　of　popularity　they　especially　summoned　Zhu　Jun　to　court；　made　him　Minister　of　the　Inner　Bureau　and　associated　him　with　the　government。

One　day　came　a　report　that　the　Governor　of　Xiliang；　Ma　Teng；　and　the　Imperial　Protector　of　Bingzhou；　Han　Sui；　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops；　are　rapidly　approaching　the　capital　with　the　intention　of　attacking　the　rebels　in　the　name　of　the　Emperor。

Now　these　leaders　from　the　west　had　laid　careful　plans。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　had　sent　trusty　friends　to　the　capital　to　find　out　who　would　support　them。　They　had　conspired　with　three　officials………Court　Counselors　Ma　Yu　and　Chong　Shao；　and　Imperial　mander　Liu　Fan………to　be　their　inside　allies　and　plot　against　the　rebels。　These　three　obtained　from　the　Throne　two　secret　edicts　conferring　the　ranks　of　mander　Who　Conquers　the　West　on　Ma　Teng　and　mander　Who　Guards　the　West　on　Han　Sui。　With　these　powers　the　two　manders　joined　forces　and　began　their　march。

The　four　leaders　of　the　party　in　power………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………held　a　consultation　with　their　generals　as　to　how　to　meet　the　attack。

Adviser　Jia　Xu　said；　〃Since　the　attackers　are　ing　from　a　distance；　our　plan　is　to　fortify　and　wait　till　shortage　of　food　shall　work　for　us。　In　a　hundred　days　their　supplies　will　be　consumed；　and　the