Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/33

 Thereafter, whatever the uncle might say of his faults, his father paid no heed. So the young man grew up licentious and uncontrolled.

A certain man of the time said to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, “Rebellion is at hand and only a man of the greatest ability can succeed in restoring tranquillity. That man is yourself.”

And Ho Yung of Nanyang said of him, “The dynasty of Han is about to fall. He who can restore peace is this man and only he.”

Ts‘ao Ts‘ao went to enquire his future of a wise man of Junan.

“What manner of man am I?” asked Ts‘ao.

The seer made no reply and again he put the question. Then he replied, “You are able enough to rule the world, but wicked enough to disturb it.”

Ts‘ao greatly rejoiced to hear this.

He graduated at twenty and began his career in a district near Loyang. In the four gates of the city he ruled he hung up clubs of various sorts and any breach of the law met with its punishment whatever the rank of the offender.

Now an uncle of a eunuch was found one night in the streets with a sword and was arrested. In due course he was beaten. Thereafter no one dared to offend and Ts‘ao’s name became terrible. Soon he became a magistrate.

At the outbreak of rebellion he held the rank of Chi-tu-yü and was given command of five thousand horse and foot to help fight at Yingch‘uan. He just happened to fall in with the newly defeated rebels whom he cut to pieces. Thousands were slain and endless banners and drums and horses were captured and not a little money. However the two leaders got away and, after an interview with Huangfu Sung, Tsʻao went in pursuit of them.

We return now to Yüan-tê. He and his brothers were hastening toward the point of danger when they heard the din of battle and saw flames rising high toward the sky. However they arrived too late for the fighting. They saw Huanfu and Chu to whom they told the intentions of Lu Chih.

“The rebel power is quite broken here,” said the chiefs, “but they will surely make for Kuangtsung to join Chang Chio. You can do nothing better than hasten back.”

The three brothers retraced their steps. Half way along the road they met a party of soldiers escorting a prisoner in a cage-cart. When they drew near the prisoner was no other than the man they were going to help. Hastily dismounting Liu Pei asked what had happened. Liu Chih explained, “I had surrounded the rebels and was on the point of smashing them, when Chang Chio employed some of his supernatural powers and prevented my victory. The Court sent down a eunuch to enquire into my failure and that official demanded