Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/254

 They both cried with one voice, “Send! Your armies are numerous enough and strong enough; you will destroy a traitor and help the dynasty.”

“Your words just express my desire,” said Shao and thenceforward the discussion turned on the expedition.

First Sun Ch‘ien was sent back with Yüan Shao’s consent and instructions for Liu Pei to make ready to co-operate. Officers were assigned divisions and advisers were told off. The army was to be composed of thirty legions, horse and foot in equal numbers. They were to march on Liyang.

When the arrangements were complete Kuo T‘u went to his chief saying, “In order to manifest the righteousness of your attack on Ts‘ao it would be well to issue a manifesto with a summary of his various crimes.”

Yüan Shao approved of this and a certain Ch‘ên Lin, well known as a scholar, who had been a Recorder in the late Emperor’s reign, was entrusted to compose such a document. This is the manifesto:—

“A perspicacious ruler wisely provides against political vicissitudes; a loyal minister carefully foresees the difficulties in the assertion of authority. Wherefore a man of unusual parts precedes an extraordinary situation, and of such a man the achievements will be extraordinary. For indeed the ordinary man is quite unequal to an extraordinary situation.

“In former days, after having gained ascendancy over a weakling King of the powerful Ts‘in Dynasty, Chao Kao wielded the whole authority of the Throne, overruling the government. All dignity and fortune came through him and his contemporaries were restrained so that none dared to speak openly. Slowly but surely evolved the tragedy of the Wangi Temple, when the Emperor was slain and the Imperial tablets perished in the flames. He, the author of these crimes, has ever since been held up to obloquy as the arch example of an evil doer.

“In the later days of the Empress Lü of the Hans the world saw Lü Chan and Lü Lu, brothers of the Empress and fellows in wickedness, monopolising the powers of government. Within the capital they commanded two armies and without they ruled the feudal states of Liang and Chao. They arbitrarily controlled all State affairs and decided all questions in the council chamber and the Court. This dominance of the base and declension of the noble continued till the hearts of the people grew cold within them.

“Thereupon Chou P‘o, Marquis of Chiang, and Liu Chang, Marquis of Chuhsü, asserted their dignity and let loose their wrath. They destroyed the contumacious ministers and restored their Ruler to his royal state. Thus they enabled the kingly way to be re-established and the glory to be manifested. Here are two instances where ministers asserted their authority.