Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/242



ho is it?" was the question on the lips of the conspirators.

Ma T‘êng’s reply was, “The Governor of Yüchow, Liu Pei. He is here and we will ask him to help.”

“Though he is an uncle of the EmpreorEmperor [sic], he is at present a partizan of our enemy, and he will not join.”

“But I saw something at the hunt,” said Ma T‘êng. “When Tsʻao Tsʻao advanced to acknowledge the congratulations due to the Emperor, Yüan-tê’s sworn brother Kuan Yü was behind him, and grasped his sword as if to cut down Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. However, Yüan-tê signed to him to hold his hand and he did. He would willingly destroy Ts‘ao, only he thinks his teeth and claws are too many. You must ask him and he will surely consent.”

Here Wu Shih urged caution. “Do not go too fast,” said he. “Let us consider the thing most carefully.”

They dispersed. Next day after dark Tung Ch‘êng went to Liu Pei’s lodging taking with him the decree. As soon as he was announced Yüan-tê came to greet him and led him into a private room where they could talk freely. The two younger brothers were there as well.

“It must be something unusually important that has brought you here to-night,” said Pei.

“If I had ridden forth by daylight, Ts‘ao might have suspected something so I came by night.”

Wine was brought in and while they were drinking Tung Ch‘êng said, “Why did you check your brother the other day at the hunt when he was going to attack Ts‘ao Ts‘ao?”

Yüan-tê was startled and said, “How did you know?”

“Nobody noticed but I saw.”

Yüan-tê could not prevaricate and said, “It was the presumption of the man that made my brother so angry; he could not help it.”

The visitor covered his face and wept. “Ah,” said he, “if all the Court Ministers were like him, there would be no sighs for lack of tranquillity.”

Now Yüan-tê felt that possibly Ts‘ao Tsʻao had sent his visitor to try him, so he cautiously replied, “Where are the sighs for lack of tranquillity while Ts‘ao Ts‘ao is at the head of affairs?”