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Now Têng had hurried on Chêng Lun to make the first attack. As Chêng turned the corner of the hill a bomb exploded. At once the drums rolled and an ambush discovered itself. Liao was in command. Neither side stayed to parley, and the leaders engaged in single combat. In the first encounter Chêng fell.

Têng had not expected such preparation, and he hastened to withdraw. Then Chang came forth and attacked on the other side. The army of Wei was worsted. Têng fought his way clear, but he bore four arrow wounds upon his body. He got to the river, where he found Ssuma Wang, and they discussed how to get away.

But Ssuma proposed another form of attack.

"The King of Shu has a favourite, the eunuch Huang Hao, in whom he places all his trust and with whom he spends his time in one round of pleasure. Let us use the eunuch to sow distrust between the king and his general and so get Chiang Wei recalled. In that way we shall retrieve our defeat."

So Têng assembled his advisers and asked who could go into Shu and get into communication with the eunuch, the king's favourite.

A certain Tang Chün volunteered at once. To him was entrusted gold and pearls and precious things, and he was sent into Shu to win the treacherous alliance of the eunuch. As he went he also disseminated reports that Chiang Wei was angry and intended to desert.

These rumours became the common talk in Ch'êngtu, and everyone believed them. Huang Hao carried them to the king, and a messenger was sent to call the general to the capital.

Meanwhile Chiang tried every day to bring the enemy to give battle, but they remained obstinately behind their defences. Chiang began to think some evil scheme was afoot, when suddenly he was recalled. Although ignorant of the reason, he could not disobey, and when he retired the Wei leader knew that their plot had succeeded.

They broke camp and set out to attack the retreating army.

Because of Court intrigues

Yo I and Yo Fei failed.

How matters went will be told in the next chapter.

CHAPTER CXIV.

KING MAO DRIVES TO HIS DEATH;

CHIANG WEI ABANDONS STORES AND CONQUERS.

When the order to retreat was given, Liao Hua reminded his

general of the standing precept that a leader in the field is independent and need not obey even the command of his prince, but Chiang was not inclined to disobey, and beside he recognised that the people, tired of war and disappointed with unfulfilled hopes, would be glad to rest.

Chang I said, "The country begins to resent these many years of war; rather take the occasion of the victory you have just won to return and pacify the people."

"It is good," said Chiang Wei.

A systematic and orderly retirement began. The army of Wei, loth to forgo an opportunity, followed, but the absence of the least confusion gave them no chance, and as he saw his enemy disappearing in perfect order Têng Ai had to confess that Chiang Wei was a worthy inheritor of the warlike methods of Chuko. He returned to his camp on Ch'ishan.

On his return to Ch'êngtu, Chiang Wei had audience with the king whereat he inquired why he had been commanded to return.

The king replied, "Because you have been so long on the frontier, noble Sir; I thought the soldiers must be weary. There was no other reason.'

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"O King, thy servant had got his camps on Ch'ishan and was on the eve of complete success. To leave off thus in the middle just played into the hands of our enemies. Surely Têng Ai found means of sowing distrust in me." The king sat lost in thought, and silent.

Chiang Wei continued, "I am pledged to destroy those rebels and prove my devotion to my country. Your Majesty should not listen to the babble of mean persons till distrust grows in your heart."

"I do not distrust you," said the king after a long pause. "You may return into Hanchung and await the next favourable opportunity."

Chiang Wei left the court and betook himself into Hanchung to the army.

Tang Chün went back to the Ch'ishan camp and reported his success. The two leaders rejoiced, knowing that trouble was not far off when the king had lost confidence in his

servants. They sent Tang to Loyang to tell his own story to Ssuma Chao, who also rejoiced, for he ardently desired to subdue Shu.

On this matter he consulted the military officer Chia Ch'ung. "What do you think of an attack upon Shu?"

"Not to be considered," said Chia. "The Emperor does not trust you, and your departure would be the beginning of trouble for you. When the yellow dragon was seen in the well and all the officers were felicitating the king upon such a very auspicious occurrence the Emperor said, 'It is not auspicious; just the reverse. The dragon symbolises the ruler. To be neither in heaven, nor on earth among the people, but to be in a well, is a dark portent and bodes evil.' He wrote some verses, and one stanza undoubtedly points to you, my lord."

The dragon scotched a prisoner is,
No longer leaps he in th' abyss,
He soars not to the Milky Way,
Nor can he in the meadows play;

But coiled within a dismal well,

With slimy creatures he must dwell,
Must close his jaws, his claws retract,
Alas! quite like myself in fact.

The recital of the poem annoyed Ssuma Chao.

"This fellow

is very like Ts'ao Fang, and if I do not remove him he will hurt me," said he.

"I will see to it for you," said Chia.

In the fifth year, during the fourth month, Ssuma Chao had the effrontery to go to Court armed. However, the king received him with exaggerated courtesy, and the courtiers began to praise and magnify his services and say that he had been inadequately rewarded with the title "Duke of Chin" and the Nine Gifts.

And Ssuma himself said discontentedly, "My father and my brother have all given great services to Wei, and yet I am a mere duke; something seems wrong."

"Should I dare not do what you requested?" said the king. "That poem about the Lurking Dragon called us slimy creatures; what sort of politeness is that?" said Ssŭma Chao. The king had nothing to say, and the haughty minister left the chamber, smiling cruelly as he strode past the shivering courtiers.

The king retired, taking with him Wang Shên, Wang Ching and Wang Yeh, and they went to a privy chamber to consult. The king was very sad. He said, "There is no doubt that he intends to usurp the throne; everybody knows that. But I will not sit thereon patiently awaiting the indignity of being pushed off. Cannot you gentlemen help me to kill him?"

"He may not be slain," said Wang Ching. "That will not do. In the old state of Lu, Duke Shao could not bear with the Ch'i family, and ran away, thus losing his country. But this man and his family have been in power very long and have innumerable supporters, many of whom are quite independent of any act of his whether loyal or disloyal. They support him under any conditions. Your Majesty's guards are few and weak and incapable; not the men for any desperate effort. It would be most lamentable if Your Majesty could not bear this trial. The correct course is to wait and not act hastily."

"If I can bear this, what cannot I bear?" said the king. "But I will do something, and if I die, what matters?"

He went into the private apartments and spoke to his Consort. The three men sat outside talking.

"This matter is coming to a head, and unless we want to be put to death and all our loved ones with us, we had better go and warn Ssuma Chao," said Wang Shên.

This advice angered Wang Ching, whose nature was more noble, and he said, "The king's sorrow is the minister's shame, and a shamed minister dies. Dare you contemplate treachery?"

Wang Ching would have nothing to do with this visit to Ssuma Chao, but the other two went to the Ssuma palace to betray their king.

Shortly after, King Mao appeared, called the officer of the guard, Chiao Po, and bade him muster his men, grey-heads and lads, as many as he could. He got together about three hundred, and this little force marched out to the beating of a drum as escort to a small carriage, in which sat the king gripping his sword. They proceeded south. Wang Ching stepped to the front and prayed the king to stay his steps and not go.

"To go against Ssuma with such a force is driving the sheep into the tiger's jaws. To die such a death is a vain sacrifice. You can do nothing," said Wang.

"Do not hinder me. I have made up my mind," replied the king, heading toward the Dragon Gate.

Presently Chia Ch'ung came in sight. He was armed and mounted on a fine horse. Beside him rode two officers, and behind him followed a body of mail-clad men, who shouted one to another as they rode.

Then Mao held up his sword and cried, "I am the Emperor. Who are you thus breaking into the forbidden precincts? Are you come to murder your lawful ruler?"

The soldiers suddenly stopped, for they were palace guards. Then Chia shouted to one of the officers, Ch'êng Chi, saying, "What did the general train you for if not for this day's work?"

Ch'êng took his halberd and turned to Chia, saying, "Death or capture?" "Ssuma said he had to die," replied Chia. Chiêng rushed toward the carriage.

"Fool! How dare you?" cried the king.

But the shout was cut short by a thrust from the halberd full in the breast; another thrust, and the point came out at the back, so that the king lay there dead beside his carriage. Chiao Po coming up to strike a blow in defence was also slain, and the little escort scattered.

Wang Ching, who had followed, upbraided Chia Ch'ung, calling him traitor and regicide till Chia bade his lictors arrest him and stop his tongue.

When they told Ssuma, he went into the palace, but the king was dead. He assumed an air of being greatly shocked and beat his head against the carriage, weeping and lamenting the while. He sent to tell all the officials of high rank.

When the T'ai-fu Ssŭma Fu saw the dead body of the king he threw himself beside it, his head resting thereon, and wept, saying, "It is my fault that they slew Your Majesty."

He had a coffin brought, and the remains were laid therein and borne to the side hall. Therein Ssŭma Chao entered and summoned the chief officers to a council. They came, all but the President Ch'ên T'ai. Ssŭma noticed his absence and sent Hsün Chuan, his uncle and colleague, to call him. Ch'ên T'ai wept aloud, saying, "Gossips will class me and my uncle together. Yet is my uncle less virtuous than I."

However, he obeyed the summons and came, dressed in the coarse hempen cloth of mourning, and prostrated himself before the bier. Ssuma Chao feigned to be grieved also.

"How can this day's work be judged?" said he.

"If only Chia Ch'ung be put to death, that will scarce be an atonement to satisfy the empire," replied Ch'ên T'ai.

Ssuma was silent and thought long before he spoke. Then he said, "What next, think you?"

"That is only the beginning; I know not the sequel." "Chêng Chi is the ungodly rebel and actual criminal; he should suffer the death of shame; and his family," said Ssuma Chao.

Thereupon Ch'êng broke out into abuse of Ssuma and reviled him, saying, "It was not my crime; it was Chia Ch'ung who passed on your own orders."

Ssuma bade them cut out his tongue and put him to death. They did so; and he and his brother were both put to death in the market place, and their families were exterminated.

"The king must die," thu spoke Ssŭma full plain
In Chia Ch'ung's hearing; and the king was slain.
Although they killed Chêng Chi, who dealt the blow,
The author of the crime we all well know.

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