Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/250

 Yüan Shu being dead, his nephew taking his coffin and his wife and children, sought shelter in Luchiang. There the magistrate, Hsü Ch‘iu, slew all the survivors. Among the possessions he found the Imperial Seal, which he at once took to the capital and presented to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, for which service he was made Prefect of Kaoling.

When Yüan-tê heard that Yüan Shu was dead he prepared a report to the throne, and sent it to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. He sent the two officers deputed by Ts‘ao Ts‘ao back to the capital, keeping the army to defend Hsüchou. He also personally went through the country-side commanding the people to resume their ordinary avocations.

Ts‘ao Ts‘ao was angry when his two officers returned without their man and was going to put them to death. Hsün Yü reasoned with him.

“The power was in Liu Pei’s hands and so these two had no alternative,” said he.

So they were pardoned.

“You should instruct Ch‘ê Chou to try to destroy him,” said Yü.

Accordingly he sent secret orders to Ch‘ê Chou, who took Ch‘ên Têng into his confidence and asked his advice. Têng advised an ambush in the city gate to attack Liu Pei on his return from the country; he himself would attack the escort with arrows from the city walls. Ch‘ê agreed to try this.

Then Têng went to his father to tell him. His father Ch‘ên Kuei bade him go and warn the intended victim. He at once rode away to do so. Before long he met the two younger brothers, to whom he told his story.

Now Yüan-tê was following some distance behind. As soon as Chang Fei heard of the plot he wanted to attack the ambush, but Yün-ch‘ang said he had a better plan.

Said he, “The ambush will be a failure. And I think we can compass the death of Ch‘ê Chou. In the night we will pretend to be some of Ts‘ao’s men and entice him out to meet us. We will slay him.”

Chang Fei approved of the plan. Now the soldiers still had some of Tsʻao Ts‘ao’s army banners and wore similar armour. About the third watch they came to the city wall and hailed the gate. Those on guard asked who they were. The men replied that they were Chang Wên-yüan’s troop sent from the capital. This was told Ch‘ê Chou who sent hastily for Ch‘ên Têng to ask his advice.

“If I do not receive them they will suspect my loyalty,” said he. “Yet if I go out I may be victim of a ruse.”

So he went up on the wall and said it was too dark to distinguish friends from foes and they must wait till daylight. The men shouted back that Liu Pei must be kept in ignorance