Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/235

 “If we do not rid the world of him to-day, 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 accession 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 Ssü. 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 and can do nothing, but there is General Tung Ch‘êng, 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