Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/197

 burdens manfully, and when he thereby turns a defeat into a victory, who, even of the ancient leaders, can excel him?”

He rewarded Yü Chin with a service of plate and a marquisate. But he reprimanded Hsiahou Tun for his lack of discipline.

Sacrifices in honour of the dead warrior Tien Wei were instituted. Ts‘ao himself led the wailing and paid due honours. Turning to his offices he said, “I have lost my first born son, but I grieve not so heavily for him as for Tien Wei. I weep for him.”

All were sad at the loss of this captain. Then orders were issued to return but nothing will be said here of the march to the capital.

When Wang Tsê, bearing the imperial decree, reached Hsüchou, he was met by Lü Pu, who conducted him into the residence where the decree was read. It conferred the title General, “Pacificator of the East,” and a special seal accompanied the mandate. The private letter was also handed over and the messenger detailed the high appreciation in which Lü was held by the chief Minister of State.

Next came news that a messenger from Yüan Shu had arrived. When he had been introduced he said that Shu’s project of declaring himself Emperor was advancing. He had already built a palace and would speedily choose an Empress and concubines and would come to Huainan.

“Has the rebel gone so far?” cried Lü Pu in a rage.

He put the messenger to death and Han Yin into the cangue. He drafted a memorial of thanks and sent it to the capital, at the same time sending, too, Han Yin, the unfortunate agent who had arranged the marriage alliance. He also replied to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s private letter asking to be confirmed in his governorship.

Ts‘ao was pleased to hear of the rupture of the marriage arrangement, and forthwith put Han Yin to death in the market place.

However, Ch‘ên Têng sent a secret remonstrance to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, vilifying Lü Pu as cruel, stupid and facile and advising his destruction.

“I know Lü Pu quite well,” said Ts‘ao. “He is a wolf with a savage heart, and it will be hard to feed him for long. If it had not been for you and your father I should not have known all the circumstances and you must help me to get rid of him.”

“Anything the Minister wishes to do shall have my assistance,” was the reply.

As a reward Ts‘ao Ts‘ao obtained a grant of grain for the father and a prefecture for the son, who then took his leave. As he was saying farewell Ts‘ao took him by the hand saying, “I shall depend upon you in the eastern affair.”