Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (79 page)

Reading this memorial, the thought entered the mind of Ssuma Chao that Teng Ai was exaggerating his own importance, wherefore he first wrote a private letter to Wei Kuan and then caused the king to issue an edict concerning the successful general. The edict ran thus:—
_:

"General Teng has performed a glorious exploit, penetrating deeply into a hostile country and reducing to submission a usurping potentate. This task has been quickly performed; the clouds of war have already rolled away and peace reigns throughout Pa and Shu.

"The merits of Teng Ai surpass those of Po Ch'i, who subdued the mighty state of Ch'u and Han Hsin, who conquered Chao. Teng Ai is created
Tai-yu,
and We confer upon him a fief of 20,000 homesteads, and his two sons are ennobled, each with a fief of 1,000 homesteads."

After the edict had been received with full ceremonies, the Inspector of the Forces, Wei Kuan, produced the private letter, which said that Teng's proposals would have suitable consideration in due time.

Then said Teng, "A general in the field may decline to obey even the orders of his prince. My commission was to conquer the west; why are my plans hindered?"

So he wrote a reply and sent it to the capital by the hand of the envoy. At that time it was common talk at court that Teng Ai intended to rebel, and when Ssuma Chao read the letter his suspicions turned to certainty, and he feared. This was the letter:—

"General Teng, 'Conqueror of the West,' has reduced the chief of the revolt to submission and must have authority to act according as he sees best in order to settle the early stages of administration of the new territory. To await government orders for every step means long delays. According to the 'Spring and Autumn' Annals a high officer, when abroad, has authority to follow his own judgment for the safety of the Throne and the advantage of the state.

"Now seeing that Wu is still unsubdued, all interest centres upon this country, and schemes of settlement should not be nullified by strict adherence to rules and formalities. In war advances are made without thought of reputation, retreats without consideration of avoiding punishment. Though I do not possess the fortitude of the ancients, I shall not be deterred from acting for the benefit of the state by craven and selfish ears for my own reputation."

In his perplexity Ssuma Chao turned to Chia Ch'ung for advice. Said he, "Teng Ai presumes upon his services to be haughty and imperious: his recalcitrancy is very evident. What shall I do?"

"Why not order Chung Hui to reduce him to obedience?" replied Chia.

Ssuma Chao accepted the suggestion and issued an edict raising Chung Hui to presidential rank. After this the Inspector of the Forces, Wei Kuan, was set over both, with special orders to keep a watch upon Teng and guard against any attempt at insubordination.

The edict sent to Chung Hui ran as follows:—"General Chung, 'Conqueror of the West,' against whose might none can stand, before whom no one is strong, whose virtue conquers every city, whose wide net no one escapes, to whom the valiant army of Shu humbly submitted, whose plans never fail, whose every undertaking succeeds, is hereby made President of the Board of Revenue and raised to the rank of Marquis of a fief of 10,000 families. His two sons also have similar rank with a fief of 1,000 families."

When this edict reached Chung Hui, he called in Chiang Wei and said to him, "Teng Ai has been rewarded more richly than I and is a
Tai-yu.
But Ssuma suspects him of rebellion and has ordered Wei Kuan and myself to keep him in order. What does my friend Po-Yueh think ought to be done?"

Chiang Wei replied, "They say Teng's origin was ignoble and in his youth he was a farmer and breeder of cattle. However, he had good luck and has won a great reputation in this expedition. But this is due not to his able plans, but to the good fortune of the state. If you had not been compelled to hold me in check at Chienko he could not have succeeded. Now he wishes the late king to be created Prince Fufeng, whereby he hopes to win the goodwill of the men of Shu. But to me it seems that perfidy lies therein. The duke suspects him, it is evident."

Chung complimented him. Chiang Wei continued, "If you will send away your people I have something to say to you in private."

When this had been done and they two were alone, Chiang drew a map from his sleeve and spread it before Chung, saying, "Long ago, before he had left his humble cot, K'ung-ming gave this to the Former Ruler and told him of the riches of Ichou and how well it was fitted for an independent state. Whereupon Ch'engtu was seized as a first step towards attaining it. Now that Teng Ai has got to the same point it is small wonder that he has lost his balance."

Chung asked many questions about the details of the features of the map, and Chiang explained in full. Toward the end, he asked how Teng could be got rid of.

"By making use of Duke Chin's suspicions," replied Chiang. "Send up a memorial to say that it looks as if Teng Ai really contemplated rebellion. You will receive direct orders to check the revolt.

So a memorial was sent to Loyang. It said that Teng Ai aimed at independence, nourished base designs, was making friends with the vanquished and was about to revolt.

At this news the court was much disturbed. Then to support his charges, Chung's men intercepted Teng's letters and re-wrote them in arrogant and rebellious terms. Ssuma Chao was greatly angered and ordered an expedition into the Hsieh Valley to arrest Teng, he himself directing it under the leadership of the King of Wei, whom he compelled to go with him.

Then said Shao T'i, "Chung Hui's army outnumbers that of Teng Ai by six to one. You need not go; you need only order Chung to arrest Teng."

"Have you forgotten?" said Ssuma, smiling. "You said Chung Hui was a danger;
I
am not really going against Teng Ai, but against the other."

"I feared lest you had forgotten," said Shao. "I ventured to remind you, but the matter must be kept secret."

The expedition set out. By this time Chung's attitude had aroused Chia Chung's suspicions, and he spoke of it to Ssuma Chao, who replied, "If I sent you should I feel doubts? However, come to Ch'angan and you will understand."

The despatch of the army was reported to Chung Hui, who wondered what it might mean. He at once called in Chiang Wei to consult about the seizure of Teng Ai.

Lo! he is victor here, a king must yield;
And there a threatening army takes the field.

The next chapter will relate the plan to arrest Teng Ai.

CHAPTER CXIX
FALSE DESERTION: A SUBTLE SCHEME:
A SECOND ABDICATION RESEMBLES
THE FIRST

A
sked
to say what was the best plan to secure the arrest of Teng Ai, Chiang Wei said, "Send Wei Kuan: Teng will try to kill him and so manifest the desire of his heart. Then you can destroy him as a traitor."

Hence Wei was sent, with a score or so of men, to effect the arrest. Wei's own men saw the danger of the enterprise and urged him not to go, but he felt confident and heeded them not.

Wei Kuan first wrote a score or two of letters, all in the same terms, saying that he had orders to arrest Teng Ai, but no other persons would be dealt with providing they submitted quickly. On the contrary, they might hope for rewards. However, the laggards and those who were contumacious would be dealt with severely. He sent these letters to various officers who were serving under Teng. He also prepared two cage carts.

Wei and his small party reached the capital about cock-crow and found waiting for him most of the officers to whom he had written. They at once yielded. Teng Ai was still asleep when the party reached his palace, but Wei entered and forced his way into Teng's chamber. He roared out that he had orders to arrest father and son, and the noise awakened the sleeper, who tumbled off his couch in alarm. But before he could do anything to defend himself he was seized, securely bound and huddled into one of the carts. Teng's son rushed in at the noise, but was also made prisoner and thrust into the other cart. Many captains and attendants were in the palace, but before they had recovered from their fright a cry arose that Chung Hui was close at hand, and they scattered.

Chung Hui and Chiang Wei dismounted at the palace gates and entered. The former, seeing both the Tengs prisoners, struck the elder about the head and face with his whip and insulted him, calling him a vile cattle breeder and so on. Nor was Chiang Wei backward.

"You fool! See what your good luck has brought you today!" cried he.

And Teng Ai replied in kind. Chung Hui at once sent off both the prisoners to Loyang, and then entered the capital in state. He added all Teng's army to his own forces, so that he became very formidable.

'Today I have attained the one desire of my life," cried Chung.

Chiang replied, "Han Hsin hearkened not to K'uai Tung and so blundered into trouble at the Weiyang Palace, the
T'ai-ju
Wen Chung would not follow Fan Li into retirement and fell victim to a sword on the lakes. No one would say these two were not brilliant, but they did not scent danger early enough. Now, Sir, your merit is great and your prestige overwhelming, but why do you risk future dangers? Why not sail off in a boat leaving no trace of your going? Why not go to Mount Omi and wander free with Chih Sung-tzu?"

Chung smiled. "I do not think your advice much to the point. I am a young man, not forty yet, and think rather of going on than halting. I could not take up a do-nothing hermit's life."

"If you do not, then take heed and prepare for dangers. Think out a careful course, as you are well able to do. You need not trouble any old fool for advice."

Chung Hui laughed loud and rubbed his hands together with glee.

"How well you know my thoughts, my friend!" said he.

They two became absorbed in the plans for their grand scheme. But Chiang wrote a secret letter to his late lord praying him to be patient and put up with humiliations for a season, for he would be restored in good time. The sun and moon were all the more glorious when they burst through the dark clouds. The House of Han was not yet done.

While these two were planning how best to outwit each other, but both being against Wei, there suddenly arrived a letter from Ssuma Chao saying he was at Ch'angan with an army lest there should be any difficulty in disposing of Teng Ai. Chung Hui divined the real purport at once.

"He suspects," said Chung. "He knows quite well that my army outnumbers that of Teng many times and I could do what he wishes easily. There is more than that in his coming."

He consulted his fellow-conspirator, who said, "When the prince suspects a minister, that minister dies. Have we not seen Teng Ai?"

"This decides me," replied Chung. "Success, and the empire is mine; failure, and I go west into Shu to be another Liu Pei, but without his mistakes."

Chiang said, "The Empress Kuo has just died. You can pretend she left you a command to destroy Ssuma Chao, the real murderer of the Emperor. Your talents are quite sufficient to conquer the empire."

"Will you lead the van?" said Chung. "When success is ours we will share the spoil."

"The little I can do I will do most willingly," said Chiang. "But I am not sure of the support of all our subordinates."

"Tomorrow is the Feast of Lanterns, and we can gather in the palace for the congratulations. There will be grand illuminations, and we will prepare a banquet for the officers, whereat we can kill all those who will not follow us."

At this the heart of Chiang Wei leapt with joy. Invitations were sent out in the joint names of the two conspirators, and the feast began. After several courses, suddenly Chung Wei lifted his cup and broke into wailing.

Everyone asked what was the cause of this grief, and Chung replied. "The Empress has just died, but before her death she gave me an edict, which is here, recounting the crimes of Ssuma Chao and charging him with aiming at the Throne. I am commissioned to destroy him, and you all must join me in the task."

The guests stared at each other in amazement, but no one uttered a word. Then the host suddenly drew his sword, crying, "Here is death for those who oppose!"

Not one was bold enough to refuse, and, one by one, they all signed a promise to help. As further security, they were all kept prisoners in the palace under careful guard.

"They are not really with us," said Chiang Wei. "I venture to request you to 'bury' them."

"A great pit has been already dug," replied his brother host. "And I have a lot of clubs ready. We can easily club those who disagree and bury them in the pit."

A certain officer named Ch'iu Chien, a man in the confidence of the conspirators, was present. He had once served under Hu Lieh, who was one of the imprisoned guests, and he found means to warn his former chief.

Hu Lieh wept and said, "My son is in command of a force outside the city. He will never suspect Chung capable of such a crime, and I pray you to tell him. If I am to die it will be with less regret if my son can be told."

"Kind master, have no anxiety; only leave it to me," replied Ch'iu.

He went to Chung Hui, and said, "Sir, you are holding in captivity a large number of officers, and they are suffering from lack of food and water. Will you not appoint an officer to supply their needs?"

Chung Hui was accustomed to yield to the wishes of Ch'iu, and he made no difficulty about this. He told him to see to it himself. Only saying, "I am placing great trust in you, and you must be loyal."

"My lord, you may be quite content. I know how to keep a strict watch when necessary."

But he allowed to enter into the place of confinement a trusty confidant of Hu Lieh, who gave him a letter to his son Yuan. It told him the whole story.

Hu Yuan told his subordinates, and they were greatly enraged. They came to their commander's tent to say they would rather die than follow a rebel. So Hu Yuan fixed upon the eighteenth day of the month to attempt the rescue. He enlisted the sympathy of Wei Kuan and got his men ready. He bade Ch'iu tell his father what was afoot. Hu Lieh told his fellow-captives.

Now Chung Hui dreamed a dream, that he was bitten by many serpents, and he asked Chiang Wei to expound the vision. Chiang replied that dreams of dragons and snakes and scaly creatures were exceedingly auspicious. Chung was only top ready to accept this interpretation. Then he told Chiang that all was ready and they would put the crucial question to each captive.

"I know they are opposed to us, and you would do well to slay them all, and that right quickly," replied Chiang.

"Good," replied Chung.

He bade Chiang turn in some ruffians among the captives. But just as Chiang was starting to carry out these instructions he was seized with a sudden spasm of the heart, so severe that he fainted. He was raised from the earth and in time revived. Just as he came to, a tremendous hubbub arose outside the palace. Chung at once sent to enquire what was afoot, but the noise waxed louder and louder, sounding like the rush of a multitude.

"The officers must be raging," said Chung. "We had best slay them at once."

But they told him that soldiers were in the palace. Chung bade them close the doors of the Hall of Audience, and he sent his own men upon the roof to pelt the incoming soldiers with tiles. A few were slain on either side.

Then a fire broke out. The assailants broke open the doors. Chung Hui faced them and slew a few, but others shot at him with arrows, and he fell and died. They hacked off his head.

Chiang Wei ran to and fro slaying all he met till another heart spasm seized him.

"Failed!" he shrieked, "But it is the will of Heaven." He put an end to his own life. He was fifty-nine.

Many hundreds were slain within the precincts of the palace. Wei Kuan presently ordered that the soldiers were to be led back to their various camps to await the orders of the king. The soldiers of Wei, burning for revenge, hacked the dead body of Chiang Wei to pieces. They found his gall bladder extraordinary large, as large as a hen's egg. They also seized and slew all the family of the dead leader.

Seeing that Teng Ai's two enemies on the spot were both dead, his old soldiers bethought themselves of trying to rescue him. When Wei Kuan, who had actually arrested Teng, heard this he feared for his life. Further, he was unwilling to forgo his revenge.

"If he gets free it means my death," said Wei.

Then T'ien Hsu spoke out, saying, "When Teng Ai took Chiangyu he wished to put me to death. It was only at the prayer of my friends that he let me off. May I not have my revenge now?"

So at the head of half a company T'ien went in pursuit of the cage-carts. He came up with them at Mienchu and found that the two prisoners had just been released from the carts in which they were being carried to Loyang. When Teng saw that those coming up were men of his own late command, he took no thought for defence. Nor did T'ien waste time in preliminaries. He went up to where Teng was standing and cut him down. His men fell upon the son, Teng Chung, and slew him also, and thus father and son met death in the same place.

A poem, pitying Teng Ai, was written:—

While yet a boy, Teng loved to sketch and plan;
He was an able leader as a man.
The earth could hide no secrets from his eye,
With equal skill he read the starry sky.
Past every obstacle his way he won,
And onward pressed until his task was done.
But foulest murder closed a great career,
His spirit ranges now a larger sphere.

A poem, was also composed in pity for Chung Hui:—

Of mother-wit Chung had no scanty share,
And in due time at court did office bear;
His subtle plans shook Ssuma's hold on power,
He was well named the
Tiu-fang
of the hour.
Chouch'un and Chienko ramparts straight fell down,
When he attacked, and he won great renown.
Ambition beckoned, he would forward press— His spirit homeward wandered, bodiless.

Another poem, in pity of Chiang Wei, runs:—

Tiensui boasts of a hero, talent came forth from Liangchou,

Chang Liang fathered his spirit, Chuko tutored his mind,

Valiant he ever pressed forward, nor had a thought of returning,

Grieved were the soldiers of Han when death rapt his soul from his body.

And thus died all three of the great leaders in Shu. Many other captains also perished, and with them died Liu Jui, the heir-apparent. Followed a time of great confusion, which endured till Chia Ch'ung arrived and restored confidence and order. He set Wei Kuan over the city of Ch'engtu and sent the captive king to Loyang. Few officers accompanied the deposed king on this degrading journey. Liao Hua and Tung Chueh made illness an excuse not to go. They died of grief soon after.

At this time the year-style of Wei was changed to
Hsien-K'ang.
In the third month of this year, since nothing could be done to assist Shu to recover its independence, the troops of Wu were withdrawn and returned to their own land.

Now the officer Hua Ho sent up a memorial to Sun Hsiu, King of Wu, saying, "Wu and Shu were as close as are one's lips to one's teeth, and when the lips are gone the teeth are cold. Without doubt Ssuma Chao will now turn his thoughts to attacking us, and Your Majesty must realise the danger and prepare to meet it."

The king knew that he spoke truly, so he set Lu K'ang, son of the late able leader Lu Hsun, over the army of Chingchou and the river ports with the title "Guardian of the East," and Sun I was sent to Nanhsu to control the camps along the river banks. Over all he set the veteran Ting Feng.

When Ho Ko, Prefect of Chienning, heard that Ch'engtu had been taken, he dressed himself in white and wailed during three days, facing toward the capital.

"Now that the capital has fallen and the king is a captive, it would be well to surrender," said his officers.