Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/123

 Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s army of revenge laid waste whatever place it passed through, slaying the people and desecrating their cemeteries.

When T‘ao Ch‘ien heard the terrible tidings he looked up to heaven saying, “I must be guilty of some fault before Heaven to have brought this evil upon my people.” He called together his officials to consult. One of them, Ts‘ao Pao, said, “Now the enemy is upon us, we cannot sit and await death with folded hands. I for one will help you to make a fight.”

The army went out. From a distance the enemy spread abroad like hoar frost and rushed far and wide like snow. In their midst was a large white flag and on both sides was written “Vengeance.”

When he had ranged his men Ts‘ao Ts‘ao rode out dressed in mourning white and abused T‘ao Ch‘ien. But T‘ao advanced and from beneath his ensign bowed low and said, “I wished to make friends with you, Illustrious Sir, and so I sent Chang K‘ai to escort your family. I knew not that his rebel heart was still unchanged. The fault does not lie at my door as you must see.”

“You old fool, you killed my father and now you dare to mumble this nonsense,” said Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. And he asked who would go out and seize him.

Hsiahou Tun undertook this service and rode out. The Prefect fled to the inner portion of his array and as Hsiahou Tun came on Ts‘ao Pao went to meet him. But just as the two horses met a hurricane burst over the spot and the flying dust and pebbles threw both sides into the utmost confusion. Both drew off.

The Prefect retired into the city and called his officers to council. “The force against us is too strong,” said he. “I will give myself up as a prisoner and let him wreak his vengeance on me. I may save the people.”

But a voice was heard saying, “You have long ruled here and the people love you. Strong as the enemy are they are not necessarily able to break down our walls, especially when defended by you and your people. I have a scheme to suggest that I think will make Ts‘ao Ts‘ao die in a place where he will not find burial.”

These bold words startled the assembly and they eagerly asked what the scheme was.

The next chapter will disclose who the speaker was.