Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/119

 to provoke another war. He proposed inviting the defaulting officer to a banquet and, while the feast was in progress, executing him for dereliction of duty. This seemed good to Li so the banquet was prepared. The two officers accepted their invitations and went cheerfully. Toward the latter part of the entertainment a sudden change came over their hostand he suddenly asked Fan Ch‘ou, “Why have you been intriguing with Han Sui? You are turning traitor, eh?”

The unhappy guest was taken aback and before he could frame his words to reply he saw the assassins rush out with swords and axes. In a moment all was over and his head lay beneath the table.

Scared beyond measure his fellow-guest grovelled on the foor. “He was a traitor,” said the host, raising him by the arm, “and he has his deserts; you are my friend and need not fear.”

He gave Chang Chi command of the murdered man’s troop with which he returned to Hungnung. No one of the nobles among the leaguers dared attempt an attack on the party newly risen from Tung Cho’s disaffection, while on the other hand Chia Hsü never ceased to urge his masters to exert themselves for the welfare of the people and thus to tempt wise men to join them. And by these means the government began to prosper.

However, a new trouble arose in the shape of a resurgence of Yellow Turbans. They came, without apparent head or leader, in large numbers and plundered any place they reached. Chu Chien said he knew of one who could destroy this sedition, and when asked who was the man he proposed he said, “You want to destroy this horde of rebels; you will fail unless you get the services of Ts‘ao Mêng-tê.”

“And where is he?” asked Li Ts‘ui.

“He is Prefect of Tung Chün. He has a large army and you have only to order him to act; the rising will be broken.”

A messenger went post haste with a command for Ts‘ao Ts‘ao and Pao Hsin to act together in quelling the rebellion. As soon as Ts‘ao Ts‘ao received the court command he arranged with his colleague first to attack the rebels at Shouyang. Pao Hsin made a dash right into their midst, inflicting damage wherever he could, and Ts‘ao Ts‘ao pursued them as they fled. So many surrendered. Then he put his quondam enemies in the van and when his army reached any place many more surrendered and joined him. After three months of these tactics they had won over many thousands, both of soldiers and ordinary folk.

Of these new adherents the strongest and boldest were made soldiers and the others were sent home to their fields. In consequence of these successes Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s prestige and fame became very great and increased daily. He reported his