Chapter 004 동탁의 천하 02

2.卓從之，即日差人拜紹為渤海太守。九月朔，請帝陞嘉德殿，大會文武。卓拔劍在手，對眾曰：「天子闇弱，不足以君天下。今有策文一道，宜為宣讀。」乃令李儒讀策曰：「孝靈皇帝，早棄臣民；皇帝，海內仰望。而帝天資輕佻，威儀不恪，居喪慢惰：否德既彰，有忝大位。皇太后教無母儀，統政荒亂。永樂太后暴崩，眾論惑焉。三綱之道，天地之紀，毋乃有闕？陳留王協，聖德偉懋，規矩肅然；居喪哀戚，言不以邪；休聲美譽，天下所聞：宜承洪業，為萬世統。茲廢皇帝為弘農王，皇太后還政。請奉陳留王為皇帝，應天順人，以慰生靈之望。」

Dong Zhuo followed this advice, and within that day sent a messenger to offer Yuan Shao the governorship of Bohai.

On the first day of the ninth month, the Emperor was invited to proceed to the Hall of Virtue where was a great assembly of officials.

There Dong Zhuo, sword in hand, faced the gathering and said, "The Emperor is a weakling unequal to the burden of ruling this land. Now listen ye to the document I have prepared!"

And Li Ru read as follows:

"The dutiful Emperor Ling too soon left his people. The emperor is the cynosure of all the people of this land. Upon the present Emperor Bian, Heaven has conferred but small gifts: In dignity and deportment he is deficient, and in mourning he is remiss. Only the most complete virtue can grace imperial dignity. Empress He has trained him improperly, and the whole state administration has fallen into confusion. Empress Dong died suddenly and no one knew why. The doctrine of the three bonds---Heaven, Earth, and Human---and the continuity of Heaven and Earth interdependence have both been injured.

"But Liu Xian, Prince of Chenliu, is sage and virtuous beside being of handsome exterior. He conforms to all the rules of propriety: His mourning is sincere, and his speech is always correct. Eulogies of him fill the empire. He is well fitted for the great duty of consolidating the rule of Han.

"Now therefore the Emperor is deposed and created Prince of Hongnong, and Empress He retires from the administration.

"I pray the Prince of Chenliu to accept the throne in conformity with the decrees of Heaven and Earth, the desires of people, and the fulfillment of the hopes of humankind."