Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/148

 buried his annoyance and Chang Fei did not again refer to the matter.

That Ts‘ao Ts‘ao had subdued Shantung has been stated before. He memorialised the throne and was rewarded with the title of General with the epithet “Firm Virtue” and a marquisate. At this time the rebellious Li Ts‘ui had made himself Ta-ssŭ-ma, or Minister of War, and his colleague styled himself Grand Commander. Their conduct was abominable but no one dared to criticise them. The Tai-yü Yang Piao and the Minister of Agriculture, Chu Chien, privately talked with the Emperor Hsien and said, “Ts‘ao Ts‘ao has twenty legions of soldiers and many capable advisers and leaders; it would be well for the Empire if he would lend his support to the imperial family and help to rid the government of this evil party.”

His Majesty wept, “I am weary of the insults and contempt of these wretches and should be very glad to have them removed,” said he.

“I have thought of a plan to estrange Li and Kuo and so make them destroy each other. Then Ts‘ao could come and cleanse the Court,” said Piao.

“How will you manage it?” asked the Emperor.

“Kuo’s wife is very jealous and we can take advantage of her weakness to bring about a quarrel.”

So Yang Piao received instruction to act, with a secret edict to support him.

Piao’s wife made an excuse to visit Madam Kuo at her palace and, in the course of conversation, said “There is talk of secret liaison between the General, your husband, and the wife of the Minister Li. It is a great secret, but if the Minister knew it he might try to harm your husband. I think you ought to have very little to do with that family.”

Madam Kuo was surprised but said, “I have wondered why he has been sleeping away from home lately, but I did not think there was anything shameful connected with it. I should never have known if you had not spoken. I must put a stop to it.”

By and by, when Madam Yang took her leave, her hostess thanked her warmly for the information she had given.

Some days passed and Kuo Ssŭ was going over to the dwelling of his colleague to a dinner. His wife did not wish him to go and she said, “This Ts‘ui is very deep and one cannot fathom his designs. You two are not of equal rank and if he made away with you, what would become of your poor hand maid?”

Kuo Ssŭ paid no attention and his wife could not prevail on him to stay at home. Late in the afternoon some presents arrived from the Li palace and Kuo’s wife secretly put poison into the delicacies before she set them before her lord. He was going to taste at once but she said, “It is unwise to