Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/275

 Next day Ts‘ao Ts‘ao with a large following went to the State Uncle’s Palace to ask after his health. Ch‘êng came out to receive his visitor, who at once said, “Why did you not come last night?”

“I am not quite well yet and have to be very careful about going out,” replied Ch‘êng.

“One might say you were suffering from national sorrow, eh?” said Ts‘ao.

Ch‘êng started. Ts‘ao continued, “Have you heard of the Chi P‘ing affair?”

“No; what is it?”

Ts‘ao smiled coldly. “How can it be you do not know?”

Ts‘ao turned to his attendants and told them to bring in the prisoner while he went on talking to his host about his illness.

Tung Ch‘êng was much put about and knew not what to do. Soon the gaolers led in the physician to the steps of the hall. At once the bound man began to rail at Ts‘ao as rebel and traitor.

“This man,” said Ts‘ao, pointing to Chi P‘ing, “has implicated Wang Tzŭ-fu and three others, all of whom are now under arrest. There is one more whom I have not caught yet.”

“Who sent you to poison me?” continued he, turning toward the physician. “Quick, tell me.”

“Heaven sent me to slay a traitor.”

Ts‘ao angrily ordered them to beat him again, but there was no part of his body that could be beaten. Tung Ch‘êng sat looking at him, his heart feeling as if transfixed with a dagger.

“You were born with ten fingers; how is it you have now only nine?”

Chi P‘ing replied, “I bit off one as a pledge when I swore to slay a traitor.”

Ts‘ao told them to bring a knife and they lopped off his other nine fingers.

“Now they are all off; that will teach you to make pledges.”

“Still I have a mouth that can swallow a traitor and a tongue that can curse him,” said Chi P‘ing.

Ts‘ao told them to cut out his tongue.

Chi P‘ing said, “Do not. I cannot endure any more punishment I shall have to speak out. Loosen my bonds.”

“Loose them. There is no reason why not,” said Ts‘ao.

They loosed him. As soon as he was free Chi P‘ing stood up, turned his face toward the Emperor’s Palace and bowed, saying, “It is Heaven’s will that thy servant has been unable to remove the evil,” then he turned and fell dead on the steps.

His body was quartered and exposed.