Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/375

 Seeing that success was at best only partial Tsʻao rode out to the hills near and thence had the drums beaten for a new attack under his own eye. Officers and men, seeing that he could observe them in person, exerted themselves to the utmost and Tʻan’s army was severely defeated. Of the peasantry driven into the battle-field multitudes were slain.

Tsʻao Hung, who displayed very great valour, burst into the press of battle and met Yüan Tʻan face to face. The two slashed and hammered at each other and Tʻan was killed.

Kuo Tʻu saw that his side was wholly disorganised and tried to withdraw into the shelter of the city. Yo Chin saw this and opened a tremendous discharge of arrows so that the moat was soon filled with dead.

The city fell to Tsʻao; he entered and set about restoring peace and order. Then suddenly appeared a new army under one of Yüan Hsi’s captains. Tsʻao led out his men to meet them, but the two commanders laid down their arms and yielded. They were rewarded with the rank of marquis.

Then Chang Yen, the leader of the Black Hills Brigands, came with ten legions and gave in his submission. He was made a General, Chiang-chün.

By an order of Tsʻao Tsʻao’s the head of Yüan Tʻan was exposed and death was threatened to any one who should lament for him. Nevertheless a man dressed in mourning attire was arrested for weeping below the exposed head at the north gate. Taken into Tsʻao’s presence he said he was Wang Hsiu and had been an officer in Chʻingchou. He had been expelled because he had remonstrated with Tʻan, but when the news of Tʻan’s death came he had come to weep for him.

“Did you know of my command?”

“I knew it.”

“Yet you were not afraid?”

“When one has received favours from a man in life it would be wrong not to mourn at his death. How can one stand in the world if one forgets duty through fear? If I could bury his body I would not mind death.”

Tsʻao said, “And there were many such as this in this district. What a pity that the Yüan family could not make the best of them! But if they had done so I should never have dared to turn my eyes toward this place.”

The intrepid mourner was not put to death. The remains of Yüan Tʻan were properly interred and Wang Hsiu was well treated and even given an appointment.

In his new position he was asked for advice about the best way to proceed against Yüan Shang, who had fled to his brother, but he held his peace, thereby winning from Tsʻao renewed admiration for his constancy. “He is indeed loyal!” said Tsʻao.