Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 1 (Tuttle Classics)

by Lo Kuan-Chung

  Ts’ao Ts’ao replied,“Liu Shib-chun has rendered great services. You must wait till he has been received in audience and obtained his reward. After that he shall be sent here,”

  Ch’e Chou, a General of Cavalry, was given command of Hsuchou for the moment. After the army had arrived at the capital rewards were granted to all the officers who had been in the expedition. Liu Yuan-te was retained in the capital, lodging in an annexe to the Minister’s palace. Soon after a Court was held and Ts’ao Ts’ao represented the services of Yuan-te who was presented to the Emperor Hsien. Dressed in Court robes he bowed at the lower end of the audience arena. The Emperor called him to the Hall and asked his ancestry.

  Liu Pei replied,“Thy servant is the son of Liu Hung, grandson of Liu Hsiung, who was a direct descendant of Prince Ching of Chungshan, who was the great-great-grandson of His Majesty the Emperor Ching (about 150 B.C.).”

  The Emperor bade them bring forth the Books of the Genealogies and therefrom a secretary read: “The filial Emperor Ching begat fourteen sons of whom the seventh was Liu Sheng, Prince Ching of Chungshan. Sheng begat Chen, Marquis (T’ing-hou) of Luch’eng; Chen begat Ang, Marquis P’ei; Ang begat Lu, Marquis Chang; Lu begat Lien, Marquis of Ishui; Lien begat Ying, Marquis of Ch’inyang; Ying begat Chien, Marquis Ankuo; Chien begat Ai, Marquis Kuanglu; Ai begat Hsien, Marquis of Chiaoshui, Hsien begat Hsu, Marquis of Tsuyi; Hsu begat I, Marquis of Ch’iyang; I begat Pi, Marquis of Yuantse; Pi begat Ta, Marquis of Yingch’uan; Ta begat Pu-i, Marquis of Fengling; Pu-i begat Hui, Marquis of Chich’uan; Hui begat Hsiung, Governor of the Eastern Districts; Hsiung begat Hung, who held no office or rank and Liu Pei is his son.”

  The Emperor compared this with the registers of the Imperial House and found by them that Liu Pei was his uncle by descent. He seemed greatly pleased and requested Liu Pei to go into one of the side chambers where he might perform the ceremonial obeisance prescribed for a nephew to his uncle. In his heart he rejoiced to have this heroic warrior-uncle as a powerful supporter against Ts’ao Ts’ao who really held all the power in his own hands. The Emperor knew himself to be a mere puppet. He conferred upon his uncle, the rank of General and the title of Marquis of Ich’eng.

  When the banquet was concluded Yuan-te thanked the Emperor and went out of the palace. And from this time he was very generally styled Liu,“Uncle of the Emperor.”

  When Ts’ao Ts’ao returned to his palace Hsun Yu and his fellow advisers went in to see him. Hsun Yu said,“It is no advantage to you; Illustrious Sir, that the Emperor recognises Liu as an uncle.”

  “He may be recognised as uncle, but he is under my orders since I control the decrees of the throne. He will be all the more ready to obey. Beside I will keep him here under the pretence of having him near his sovereign and he will be entirely in my hands. I have nothing to fear. The man I fear is Yang Piao, who is a relative of the two Yuans. Should Yang conspire with them he is an enemy within and might do much harm. He will have to be removed.”

  Hence Ts’ao sent a secret emissary to say that Yang Piao was intriguing with Yuan Shu and on this charge Piao was arrested and imprisoned. And his death would have been compassed had his enemy dared.

  But just then the Prefect of Pohai, K’ung Jung, was at the capital and he remonstrated with Ts’ao Ts’ao saying,“Yang comes from a family famed for virtue for at least four generations; you cannot trump up so foolish a charge as that against him.”

  “It is the Court,” retorted Ts’ao.

  “If Prince Ch’eng had put Duke Chao to death, could Duke Chou have pretended ignorance?”

  So Ts’ao had to relinquish the attempt, but he took away Yang’s offices and banished him to his family estate in the country.

  A certain Chao Yen, a minor official but an opponent of the Minister, sent up a memorial impeaching Ts’ao for having removed a Minister of State from office without a decree. Ts’ao’s reply to this was the arrest of Chao and his execution, a bold stroke which terrified the bulk of officers and reduced them to silence.

  Ch’eng Yu advised Ts’ao to assume a more definite position. He said,“Illustrious Sir, your prestige grows daily; why not seize the opportunity to take the position of Chief of the Feudatory Princes?”

  “There are still too many supporters of the Court,” was the reply.“I must be careful. I am going to propose a royal hunt to try to find out the best line to follow.”

  This expedition being decided upon they got together fleet horses, famous falcons and pedigree hounds, and prepared bows and arrows in readiness. They mustered a strong force of guards outside the city.

  When the Minister proposed the hunting expedition the Emperor said he feared it was an improper thing to do.

  Ts’ao replied,“In ancient times rulers made four expeditions yearly at each of the four seasons in order to show their strength. They were called Sou, Miao, Hsien and Shou, in the order of the seasons. Now that the whole country is in confusion it would be wise to inaugurate a hunt in order to tram the army. I am sure Your Majesty will approve.”

  So the Emperor with the full paraphernalia for an Imperial hunt joined the expedition. He rode a saddle horse, carried an inlaid bow, and his quiver was filled with gold-tipped arrows. His chariot followed behind. The three brothers were in the Imperial train, each with his bow and quiver. Each wore a breastplate under the outer robe and held his especial weapon, while their escort followed them. Ts’ao Ts’ao rode a dun horse called “Flying Lightning” and the army was ten legions strong.

  The hunt took place in Hsut’ien and the legions spread out as guards round the hunting arena which extended over some two hundred square li. Ts’ao Ts’ao rode even with the Emperor, the horses’ heads alternating in the lead. The imperial suite immediately following were all in Ts’ao’s confidence. The other officers, civil and military, lagged behind, for who dared press forward into the midst of Ts’ao’s partizans?

  One day the Emperor was riding near Hsut’ien and noticed his newly found uncle respectfully standing by the roadside.

  “I should like to see my uncle display his hunting skill,” said the Emperor.

  Liu Pei mounted his steed at once. Just then a hare started from its form: Yuan-te shot and hit it with the first arrow.

  The Emperor, much struck by this display, rode away over a slope. Suddenly a deer broke out of the thicket. He shot three arrows at it but all missed.

  “You try,” said the Emperor turning to Ts’ao.

  “Lend me Your Majesty’s bow,” he replied, and taking the inlaid bow and the golden-barbed arrows he pulled the bow and hit the deer in the shoulder at the first shot. It fell in the grass and could not run.

  Now the crowd of officers seeing the golden-barbed arrow sticking in the wound concluded at once that the shot was the Emperor’s, so they rushed up and shouted “Wansui! O King, live for ever!” Ts’ao Ts’ao rode out pushing past the Emperor and acknowledged the congratulations.

  They all turned pale. What did this mean? Liu Pei’s brother Kuan who was behind him was especially angry. The sleeping caterpillar eyebrows stood up fiercely and the red phoenix eyes glared as, sword in hand, he rode hastily forth to cut down the audacious Minister for his impertinence. However, his elder brother hastily waved him back and shot at him a meaning glance so that he stopped and made no further move.

  Yuan-te bowing toward Ts’ao said,“Most sincere felicitations! A truly supernatural shot, such as few have achieved !”

  “It is only the enormous good fortune of the Son of Heaven!” said Ts’ao with a smile.

  Then he turned his steed and felicitated the Emperor. But he did not return the bow; he hung it over his own shoulder instead.

  The hunt finished with banqueting and when the entertainments were over they returned to the capital, all glad of some repose after the expedition. Kuan Yu was still full of the Minister’s breach of decorum.

  One day he said,“Brother, why did you prevent me from killing that rebel and so ridding the world of a scoundrel? He insults
the Emperor and ignores everybody else.”

  “When you throw stones at a rat, beware of the vase,” quoted Yuan-te.“Ts’ao Ts’ao was only a horse’s head away from Our Lord and in the midst of a crowd of his partizans. In that momentary burst of anger, if you had struck and failed, and harm had come to the Emperor, what an awful crime would have been laid to us!”

  “If we do not rid the world of him today, a worse evil will come of it,” said Kuan.

  “But be discreet, my brother. Such matters cannot be lightly discussed.”

  The Emperor sadly returned to his palace. With tears in his eyes he related what had occurred in the hunt to his consort the Empress Fu.

  “Alas for me!” said he. From the first days of my access one vicious minister has succeeded another. I was the victim of Tung Cho’s evil machinations; then followed the rebellion of Li Ts’ui and Kuo Ssu. You and I had to bear sorrows such as no others have borne. Then came this Ts’ao Ts’ao as one who would maintain the imperial dignity, but he has seized upon all real authority and does as he wishes. He works continually for his own glorification and I never see him but my back pricks. These last few days in the hunting field he went in front of me and acknowledged the cheers of the crowd. He is so extremely rude that I feel sure he has sinister designs against me. Alas, my wife, we know not when our end may come!”

  “In a whole Court full of nobles who have eaten the bread of Han, is there not one who will save his country?” said she.

  Thus spake the Empress, and at the same moment there stepped in a man who said,“Grieve not, O Imperial Pair! I can find a saviour for the country.”

  And who was this? It was none other than the father of the Empress, Fu Wan.

  “Have you heard of Ts’ao Ts’ao’s wanton and perverse behaviour?” said the Emperor, drying his eyes.

  “You mean the deer shooting? Who did not see that indeed? But the whole Court is full of his clan or his creatures. With the exception of the relatives of your Consort there is not one loyal enough to deal with a rebel. I have no authority to do anything, but there is General Tung Ch’eng, the State Uncle, who could do it.”

  “Could Uncle Tung come in to consult about this? I know he has had much experience of State troubles.”

  Wan replied,“Every one of your attendants is a partizan of Ts’ao’s and this sort of thing must be kept most profoundly secret or the consequence will be most serious.”

  “Then what can be done?” said the Emperor.

  “The only plan I can think of is to send gifts of a robe and a jade girdle to Tung, and in the lining of the girdle hide a secret edict authorising him to take certain steps. When he gets home and has read the edict he can elaborate plans as quickly as possible and neither the spirits above nor the demons below will know anything about them.”

  The Emperor approved and Fu Wan went out. The emperor then with his own hand drew up a decree, writing it with blood drawn by biting his finger. He gave the document to his consort to sew into the purple lining of the girdle. When all was done he put on the robe and girded it with the girdle. Next he bade one of the attendants summon Uncle Tung to the palace.

  Tung Ch’eng came and after the ceremonies were finished the Emperor said,“A few nights ago I was talking with the Empress of the terrible days of the rebellion and we thought of your good services then, therefore we have called you in to reward you.”

  The minister bowed his head in thanks. Then the Emperor led Tung out of the Reception Hall to the T’ai Miao or Temple of Ancestors, and they went to the gallery of Worthy Ministers, where the Emperor burned incense and performed the usual ceremonies. After this they went to see the portraits and among them was one of the Founder of the Dynasty, Han Kao-Tsu.

  “Whence sprang our great ancestor and how did he begin his great achievement?” said the Emperor.

  “Your Majesty is pleased to joke with thy servant,” said Tung Ch’eng, rather startled at the question.“Who does not know the deeds of the Sacred Ancestor? He began life as a minor official in Ssushang. There gripping his sword he slew the White Serpent, the beginning of his struggle for the right. Speedily he mastered the Empire; in three years had destroyed Ts’in and, in five, also Ch’u. Thus he set up a Dynasty that shall endure for ever.”

  “Such heroic forefathers! such weakling descendants! How sad it is!” said the Emperor.

  Pointing to the portraits right and left he continued,“Are not these two Chang Liang, Marquis Liu, and Hsiao Ho, Marquis Ts’uan?”

  “Certainly. Your great ancestor was greatly assisted by these two.”

  The Emperor glanced right and left. His attendants were rather far away. Then he whispered to Tung Ch’eng,“You, like these two, must stand by me.”

  “My poor services are of no worth; I do not compare with those men,” said the Uncle.

  “I remember that you saved me at the western capital. I have never forgotten and I could never reward you.” Then pointing to his own robe the Emperor continued,“You must wear this robe of mine, girded with my own girdle, and it will be as though you are always near your Emperor.”

  Tung Ch’eng bowed his gratitude while the Emperor, taking off the robe, presented it to his faithful Minister. At the same time he whispered,“Examine it closely when you get home, and help your Emperor carry out his intention.”

  Tung Cheng understood. He put on the robe and the girdle, took leave and left the chamber.

  The news of the audience for Tung Ch’eng had been taken to the Minister, who at once went to the Palace and arrived as Tung Ch’eng was passing out at the gate. They met face to face and Tung Ch’eng could in nowise avoid him. He went to the side of the road and made his obeisance.

  “Where are you from, State Uncle?” asked Ts’ao Ts’ao.

  “His Majesty summoned me into the Palace and has given me this robe and beautiful girdle.”

  “Why did he give you these?”

  “He had not forgotten that I saved his life in the old days.”

  “Take it off and let me see it.”

  Tung Ch’eng who knew that a secret decree was hidden away somewhere in the garments was afraid Ts’ao Ts’ao would notice a breach somewhere in the material, so he hesitated and did not obey. But the tyrant called his servants. So he took off the girdle. Then Ts’ao looked it over carefully.“It certainly is a very handsome girdle,” said he.“Now take off the robe and let me look at that.”

  Tung Cheng’s heart was melting with fear but he dared not disobey. So he handed over the robe. Ts’ao took it and held it up against the sun with his own hand and minutely examined every part of it. When he had done this he put it on, girded it with the girdle and turning to his suite said,“How is it for length?”

  “Beautiful!” they chorussed.

  Turning to Tung Ch’eng he said,“Will you give these to me?”

  “My King’s presents to me I dare not give to another. Let me give you another robe in its stead,” said Tung.

  “Is there not some intrigue connected with these presents? I am sure there is,” said Ts’ao.

  “How could I dare?” said Tung, trembling.“If you are so set upon it then I must give it up.”

  “How could I take away what your King has given you? It was all a joke,” said the Minister.

  He returned both robe and girdle and their owner made the best of his way home. When night came and he was alone in his library, he took out the robe and looked over every inch of it most carefully. He found nothing.

  “He gave me a robe and a girdle and bade me look at them carefully. That means there is something to be looked for but I can find no trace of it. What does it mean?” he soliloquised.

  Then he lifted the girdle and examined that. The jade plates were carved into the semblance of small dragons interlaced among flowers. The lining was of purple silk. All was sewn together most carefully and neatly and he could find nothing out of the common. He was puzzled. He laid the belt on the table. Presently he picked it up and looked at it again. He
spent long hours over it but in vain. He leaned over on the small table, his head resting on his hands and was almost asleep, when a candle snuff fell down upon the girdle and burned a hole in the lining. He hastily shook it off, but the mischief was done: a small hole had been burned in the silken lining, and through this there appeared something white with blood red marks. He hastily ripped it open and drew out the decree written by the hand of the Emperor himself in characters of blood.

  It read,“Of human relationships, that between father and son stands first; of the various social ties that between Prince and Minister stands highest. Today Ts’ao Ts’ao, the wicked is a real tyrant, treating even his Prince with indignity. With the support of his faction and his army he has destroyed the principles of government. By conferring rewards and inflicting punishments he has reduced the Emperor to a nonentity. I have grieved over this day and night. I have feared the Empire would be ruined.

  “You are a high Minister of State and my own relative, You must recall the difficulties of the great Founder’s early days and draw together the loyal and right-minded to destroy this evil faction and restore the prerogatives of the Throne. Such a deed would be indeed an extreme joy to the spirit; of my ancestors.

  “This decree, written in blood drawn from my own veins, is confided to a noble who is to be most careful not to fail in executing his Emperor’s design.

  “Given in the era Established Tranquillity, fourth year and the third month of Spring.”

  So ran the decree and Tung Ch’eng read it with streaming eyes. There was no sleep for him that night. Early in the morning he returned to his library and re-read it. No plan suggested itself. He laid the decree down on the table and sought in the depths of his mind for some scheme to destroy Ts’ao Ts’ao, but could not decide upon any. And he fell asleep leaning over his table.