ied　to　steal　away　the　body　of　the　late　mander…in…Chief；　and　behaved　altogether　unseemly。　His　rebellion　came　upon　me　suddenly　and　unexpectedly。　I　send　this　memorial　in　haste。〃

The　Empress　Dowager　listened　to　the　end。

Then；　turning　to　the　officers；　she　said；　〃What　is　your　opinion　now？〃

Jiang　Wan　replied；　〃Yang　Yi　is　hasty　and　intolerant；　but　he　has　rendered　great　services　in　supplying　the　army。　He　has　long　been　a　trusted　colleague　of　the　late　Prime　Minister；　who；　being　near　his　end；　entrusted　to　him　the　conduct　of　affairs。　Certainly　he　is　no　rebel。　On　the　other　hand；　Wei　Yan　is　bold　and　ambitious　and　thinks　himself　everybody's　superior。　Yang　Yi　is　the　only　one　who　has　openly　been　of　different　opinion；　and　hence　Wei　Yan　hates　him。　When　he　saw　Yang　Yi　placed　over　his　head　in　mand　of　the　army；　Wei　Yan　refused　his　support。　Then　Wei　Yan　burned　the　Plank　Trail　in　order　to　cut　off　Yang　Yi's　retreat；　and　maligned　him；　hoping　to　bring　about　his　fall。　I　am　ready　to　guarantee　Yang　Yi's　fealty　to　the　extent　of　my　whole　house；　but　I　would　not　answer　for　Wei　Yan。〃

Dong　Yun　followed；　〃Wei　Yan　has　always　been　conceited　and　discontented。　His　mouth　was　full　of　hate　and　resentment；　and　only　fear　of　the　late　Prime　Minister　held　him　in　check。　The　Prime　Minister's　death　gave　him　his　opportunity；　and　he　turned　traitor。　This　is　certainly　the　true　state　of　the　case。　Yang　Yi　is　able；　and　his　employment　by　the　late　Prime　Minister　is　proof　of　his　loyalty。〃

〃If　this　is　true　and　Wei　Yan　is　really　a　rebel；　what　should　be　done？〃　asked　the　Latter　Ruler。

Jiang　Wan　said；　〃I　think　the　late　Prime　Minister　has　framed　some　scheme　by　which　to　get　rid　of　Wei　Yan。　If　Yang　Yi　had　not　felt　secure；　he　would　scarcely　have　set　out　to　return　through　the　valleys。　Your　Majesty　ma