Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/52

 They reached the palace the same day and there was an affecting interview with Ho T‘ai-hou.

But when they had restored order in the palace the Hereditary Seal, the special seal of the Emperor, was missing.

Tung Cho camped without the walls but every day he was to be seen in the streets with an escort of mailed soldiers so that the common people were in a state of constant trepidation. He also went in and out of the palace careless of all the rules of propriety.

Pao Hsin spoke of his behaviour to Yüan Shao, saying, “This man harbours some evil design and should be removed.”

“Nothing can be done till the government is more settled,” said Shao.”

Then he saw Wang Yün and asked what he thought.

“Let us talk it over,” was the reply.

Pao Hsin said no more but he left the capital and retired to T‘aishan. Tung Cho induced the soldiers of the two brothers Ho to join his command and privately spoke to his adviser about deposing the Emperor in favour of the Prince of Ch‘ên-liu.

“The government is really without a head; there can be no better time than this to carry out your plan. Delay will spoil all. Tomorrow assemble the officials in the Wênming Garden and address them on the subject. Put all opponents to death and your prestige is settled.”

So spoke his adviser and the words pleased Tung Cho mightily.

So the next day he spread a feast and invited many guests. As all the officers went in terror of him no one dared be absent. He himself rode up to the garden last of all and took his place with his sword girded on. When the wine had gone round several times Tung Cho stopped the service and the music and began to speak.

“I have something to say; listen quietly all of you.”

All turned towards him.

“The Emperor is lord of all and is he lacks dignity and behaves in an unseemly manner he is no fitting inheritor of the ancestral prerogatives. He who is now on the throne is a weakling, inferior to the Prince of Ch‘ên-liu in intelligence and love of learning. The Prince is in every way fitted for the throne. I desire to depose the Emperor and set up the Prince in his place. What think you?”

The assembly listened in perfect silence, none daring at first to utter a word of dissent. But one dared; for suddenly a guest stood up in his place, smote the table and cried.

“No! No! who are you, that you dare utter such bold words? The Emperor is the son of the lawful consort and has done no wrong. Why then should he be deposed? Are you a rebel?”

The speaking was Ting Yüan, governor of Chinchow.