CHAPTER VI.
Burning the Capital, Tung Cho Commits an Atrocity:
Hiding the Seal, Sun Chien Breaks Faith.
Chang Fei rode hard up to the Pass but the defenders sent down stones and arrows like rain so that he could not enter and he returned. The eight lords all joined in felicitations to the three heroes for their services and the story of victory was sent to Yüan Shao, who ordered Sun Chien to advance.
Thereupon Sun with two trusty friends went over to the camp of Yüan Shu. Tracing figures on the ground with his staff Sun Chien said, “Tung Cho and I had no personal quarrel. Yet now I have thrown myself into the battle regardless of consequences, exposed my person to the risk of wounds and fought bloody battles to their bitter end. And why? That I might be the means of ridding my country of a rebel and—for the private advantage of your family. Yet you, heeding the slanderous tongues of certain enemies, formerly withheld the supplies absolutely necessary to me, and so I suffered defeat. How can you explain, General?”
Yüan Shu, confused and frightened, had no word to reply. He ordered the death of the slanderers to placate Sun.
Then suddenly they told Sun, “Some officer has come riding down from the Pass to see you, General; he is in the camp.”
Sun Chien therefore took his leave and returned to his own camp where he found the visitor was an officer, much beloved of Tung Cho, named Li Ts‘ui.
“Wherefore come you?” said Chien.
He replied, “You are the one person for whom my master has respect and admiration, and he sends me to arrange a matrimonial alliance between the two families. He wishes that his daughter may become the wife of your son.”
“What! Tung Cho, that rebel and renegade, that subverter of the throne! Would that I could destroy his nine generations as a thank-offering to the Empire! Think you I would be willing to have an alliance with such a family? I will not slay you as I ought, but go, and go quickly! Yield the Pass and I may spare your lives. If you delay I will grind your bones to powder and make mincemeat of your flesh.”
Li Tsʻui threw his arms over his head and ran out. He returned to his master and told him what a rude reception he had met with. Cho asked his adviser Li Ju how to reply to this and he said that as Lü Pu’s late defeat had somewhat blunted the edge of his desire for battle it would be well to return to the capital and remove the Emperor to Ch‘angan, as the street boys had been lately singing:—
“A Han on the west, a Han on the east.
The deer will be safe in Ch‘angan, poor beast.”
Li continued “If you think out this couplet it applies to the present juncture. Half the first line refers to the founder of the dynasty, who became ruler in the western city, which was the capital during twelve reigns. The other half corresponds to Kuang-Wu who ruled from Loyang, the capital during twelve later reigns. The revolution of the heavens brings us to this moment and if the minister remove to Ch‘angan there will be no need for anxiety.”
Tung Cho was exceedingly pleased and said, “Had you not spoken thus I should not have understood.”
Then taking Lü Pu with him he started at once for the capital. Here he called all the officials to a great council in the palace and addressed them thus:—
“After two centuries of rule here the royal fortune has been exhausted and I perceive that the aura of rule has migrated to Ch‘angan, whither I now desire to move the court. All you had better pack up for the journey.”
The minister Yang Piao said, “I pray you reflect. Within that city all is destruction. There is no reason to renounce the ancestral temples and abandon the imperial tombs here. I fear the people will be alarmed. It is easy to alarm them but difficult to pacify them.”
“Do you oppose the State plans?” said Cho angrily.
Another official, Huang Yüan, supported his colleague, “In the rebellion of Wang Mang, in the days of Kêng Shih and Fan Ch‘ung of the Red Eyebrows, the city was burned and became a place of broken tiles. The inhabitants scattered all but a few. It is wrong to abandon these palaces for a desert.”
Tung Cho replied, “East of the Pass is full of sedition and all the Empire is in rebellion. The city of Ch‘angan is protected by Yaohan and very near Shênsi, whence can be easily brought building material. In a month or so palaces can be erected. So an end to your wild words!”
Yet another raised a protest against disturbing the people but the tyrant overbore him also.
“How can I stop to consider a few common people when my scheme affects the Empire?”
That day the three objectors were degraded to the rank of ordinary people.
As Cho went out to get into his coach he met two other officers who made obeisance. They were the President, Chou Pi, and the Captain of the City Gate, Wu Ch‘ing. Cho stopped and asked them what they wanted. Said the former, “We venture to try to dissuade you from moving the capital to Ch‘angan.”
Cho replied, “They used to say you two were supporters of Yüan Shao; now he has already turned traitor and you are of the same party.”
And without more ado he bade his guards take both outside the city and put them to death.
The command to remove to the new capital immediately was issued. On the advice of Li Ju, who pointed out that money was short and the rich people of Loyang could be easily plundered and that it was a good occasion to remove the supporters of their opponents, Cho sent five companies out to plunder and slay. They captured very many wealthy folk and, having stuck flags on their heads saying they were traitors and rebels, drove them out of the city and put them to death. Their property was all seized.
The task of driving forth the inhabitants, some millions, was given to two of Tung Cho’s creatures. They were sent off in bands of a hundred, each band between two parties of soldiers, who urged them forward. Enormous numbers fell by the road side and died in the ditches, and the escort plundered the fugitives and defiled the women. A wail of sorrow arose to the very sky. The tyrant’s final orders as he left were to burn the whole city, houses, palaces and temples, and everything was devoured by the flames. The capital became but a patch of scorched earth.
Tung Cho sent Lü Pu to desecrate the tombs of the Emperors and their consorts for the jewels therein, and the common soldiers took the occasion to dig up the graves of officers and plunder the cemeteries of the wealthy. The spoil of the city, gold and silver, pearls and silks, and beautiful ornaments, filled many carts and with these and the persons of the Emperor and his household Tung Cho moved off to the new capital.
The city being thus abandoned the commander at Ssŭshui Pass evacuated that post of vantage, which Sun Chien at once occupied. The three brothers took Tigertrap Pass and the confederate lords advanced.
Sun Chien hastened to the late capital which was still in flames. When he arrived dense smoke hung all over it and spread for miles around. No living thing, not a fowl, or a dog, or a human being, remained. Sun told off his men to extinguish the fires and set out camping places for the confederate lords.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao went to see the chief and said, “Tung has gone west; we ought to follow and attack without loss of time; why do you remain inactive?”
“All our colleagues are worn out and there is nothing to be gained by attack,” said Yüan Shao.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao urged him to strike a blow for the moment was most propitious in the utter confusion that reigned, palaces burned, the Emperor abducted, the whole world upset and no one knowing whither to turn. But all the confederate lords seemed of one mind and that mind was to postpone action. So they did nothing. However, Ts‘ao Ts‘ao and his subordinates, with a full legion of soldiers, started in pursuit.
The road to the new capital led through Jungyang, and when the cavalcade reached it the Prefect went to welcome Tung Cho. Li Ju said, “As there is some danger of pursuit it would be well to order the Prefect of this place to lay an ambush ready to cut off the retreat of our pursuers when our army beats them off. That will teach any others not to follow.”
Then Lü Pu was ordered to command the rear guard. Very soon they saw Ts‘ao Ts‘ao coming up and Lü Pu laughed at his colleague’s foresight. He set out his men in fighting order.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao rode forward crying, “Rebels, abductors, drovers of the people, where are you going?”
Lü Pu replied, “Treacherous simpleton, what mad words are these?”
Then from Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s army rode against him Hsiahou Tun with his spear set and they two engaged. The combat had hardly begun when Li Ts‘ui with a cohort came in from the left. Ts‘ao Ts‘ao bade Hsiahou Yüan meet this onslaught. However, on the other side appeared Kuo Ssŭ, against whom was sent Ts‘ao Jên. The onrush on three sides was too much to withstand and Lü Pu showed no signs of being vanquished, so Hsiahou Tun had to retire to the main line. Thereupon Lü Pu’s mail-clad men attacked and completed the defeat. The beaten men turned toward Jungyang.
They got as far as the foot of a bare hill in the second watch, about nine in the evening, and the moon made it as light as day. Here they halted to reform. Just as they were burying the boilers to prepare a meal there arose a great noise of shouting on all sides and out came the men from the ambush fresh to attack.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, thrown into a flurry, mounted and fled. He ran right in the way of the waiting Prefect. Then he dashed off in another direction, but the Prefect shot an arrow after him which struck him in the shoulder. The arrow still in the wound, he fled for his life. As he went over the hill two soldiers lying in wait among the grass suddenly dashed out and wounded his horse, which fell and rolled over, and as its rider slipped from the saddle he was seized and made prisoner.
Just then a horseman riding at full speed and whirling his sword came, up, cut down both the captors and rescued Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. It was his brother Ts‘ao Hung.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao said, “I am doomed, good brother, go and save yourself.”
“My lord, mount my horse quickly; I will go afoot,” said Hung.
“If those wretches come up, what then?”
“The world can do without me, but not without you, my brother.”
“If I live I shall owe you my life,” said Ts‘ao Ts‘ao.
So he mounted. His brother tore off his own breastplate, gripped his sword and went on foot after the horse. Thus they proceeded till the fourth watch when they saw before them a broad stream, and behind they still heard the shouts of pursuers drawing nearer and nearer.
“This is my fate;” said Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. “I am really doomed.”
His brother helped him down from his horse. Then taking off his fighting robe he took the wounded man on his back and waded into the stream. When they reached the further side the pursuers had already gained the bank whence they shot arrows. Ts‘ao Ts‘ao all wet pushed on.
Dawn was near. They went on another thirty li and then sat down to rest under a precipice. Suddenly loud shouting was heard and a party of horse appeared. It was the Prefect of Jungpang who had forded the river higher up. Just at this moment Hsiahou Tun and his brother, with a half score men, came along.
“Hurt not my lord!” cried Hsiahou to the Prefect, who at once rushed at him. But the combat was short. The Prefect speedily fell under a spear thrust and his men were driven off. Before long Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s other captains arrived. Sadness and joy mingled in the greetings. They gathered together the few hundreds of men left and then returned to Honei.
The story broke off leaving the confederate lords in their various camps at Loyang. Sun Chien, after extinguishing the fires, camped within the walls, his own tent being set up near the Chienchang Hall of the palace. His men cleared away the débris and closed the rifted tombs. The gates were barred. On the site of the Dynastic Temple he put up a mat shed containing three apartments, and here he begged the lords to meet and replace the sacred tablets, with solemn sacrifices and prayers.
This ceremony over, the others left and Sun Chien returned to his camp. That night the stars and moon vied with each other in brightness. As Sun sat in the open air looking up at the heavens he noticed a mist spreading over the stars of the Constellation Draco.
“The Emperor’s stars are dulled,” said he with a sigh, “No wonder a rebellious minister disturbs the State, the people sit in dust and ashes, and the capital is a waste.”
And his tears began to fall. Then a soldier pointing to the south said, “There is a beam of coloured light rising from a well.”
He bade his men light torches and descend into the well. Soon they brought up the corpse of a woman, not in the least decayed although it had been there many days. She was dressed in palace clothing and from her neck hung an embroidered bag. Opening this a red box was found, with a golden lock, and when the box was opened they saw a jade seal, square in shape, an inch each way. On it were delicately engraved five dragons intertwined. One corner had been broken off and repaired with gold. There were eight characters in the seal style of engraving which interpreted read, “I have received the command from Heaven: may my time be always prosperous.”
Sun Chien showed this to Ch‘êng P‘u who at once recognised it as the hereditary seal of the Emperor.
He said, “This seal has a history. In olden days one P‘ien Ho saw a phœnix sitting on a certain stone at the foot of Ching Hill. He offered the stone at court. King Wên of Ch‘u split open the stone and found a piece of jade. Early in the Ts‘in dynasty a jade cutter made a seal from it and Li Ssŭ engraved the characters. Two years later it was thrown overboard in a terrific storm on the Tungt‘ing Lake as a propitiatory offering, and the storm immediately ceased. Ten years later again, when the Emperor was making a progress and had reached Huaying, an old man by the road side handed a seal to one of the attendants saying, “This is now restored to the ancestral dragon,” and had then disappeared. Thus the jewel returned to Ts‘in. The next year Emperor Shê died.
“Later Tzŭ-ying presented the seal to the founder of the Han dynasty. In Wang Mang’s rebellion the Emperor struck two of the rebels with the seal and broke off a corner, which was repaired with gold. Kuang-Wu got possession of it at Iyang and it has been regularly bequeathed thereafter. I heard it had been lost during the trouble in the palace when ‘The Ten’ hurried off the Emperor. It was missed on His Majesty’s return. Now my lord has it and certainly will come to the imperial dignity. But you must not remain here. Quickly go east where you can lay plans for the accomplish ment of the great design.”
“Your words exactly accord with my thoughts,” said Sun Chien. “Tomorrow I will make an excuse that I am unwell and get away.”
The soldiers were told to keep the discovery a secret. But who could guess that one among them was a compatriot of the elected chief of the confederacy? He thought this might be of great advantage to him so he stole away out of the camp and betrayed his master. He received a liberal reward and Yüan Shao kept him in his own camp. So when Sun Chien came to take leave saying “I am rather unwell and wish to return to Changsha,” Shao laughed saying “I know what you are suffering from; it is called the Hereditary Seal!”
This was a shock to Sun Chien and he paled but he said, “Whence these words?”
Shao said, “The armies were raised for the good of the State and to relieve it from oppression. The seal is State property and since you have got hold of it you should publicly hand it over to me as chief. When Tung Cho has been slain it must go back to the government. What do you mean by concealing it and going away?”
“How could the seal get into my hands?”
“Where is the article out of the well?”
“I have it not: why harass me thus?”
“Quickly produce it, or it will be the worse for you.”
Sun Chien pointing toward the heavens as an oath said, “If I have this jewel and am hiding it myself may my end be unhappy and my death violent!”
The lords all said, “After an oath like this we think he cannot have it.”
Then Shao called out his informant. “When you pulled that thing out of the well, was this man there?” asked he of Sun.
Sun Chien’s anger burst forth and he sprang forward to kill the man. The chief also drew his sword saying “You touch that soldier and it is an insult to me.”
In a moment on all sides swords flew from their scabbards. But the confusion was stayed by the efforts of the others and Sun Chien left the assembly. Soon he broke up his camp and marched to his own place.
The chief was not satisfied. He wrote to Chingchou and sent the letter by a trusty hand to tell the governor to stop Sun Chien and take away the seal.
Just after this came the news of the defeat and misfortune of Ts‘ao Ts‘ao and when he was coming home Shao sent out to welcome him and conduct him into camp. They also prepared a feast to console him. During the feast Ts‘ao Ts‘ao said sadly, “My object was for the public good and all you gentlemen nobly supported me. My plan was to get Yüan Shu with his Honei men to approach Mêngching and Suantsao while the others of you held Ch‘êng-kao and took possession of the granaries and guarded Taku, and so controlled the points of vantage. Yüan Shao was to occupy Tanshi and go into Wukuan to help the three supports, all were to fortify their positions and not fight. Advantage lay in an uncertain military force showing the Empire’s possibilities of dealing with the rebellion. Victory would have been ours at once. But then came delays and doubts and inaction and the confidence of the people was lost and I am ashamed.”
No reply was possible and the guests dispersed. Ts‘ao Ts‘ao saw that the others mistrusted him and in his heart knew that nothing could be accomplished, so he led off his force to Yangchou.
Then Kungsun Tsan said to the three brothers, “This Yüan Shao is an incapable and things will go agley. We had better go too.”
So he broke camp and went north. At P‘ingyüan he left Liu Pei in command and went to strengthen hisown position and refresh his men.
The Prefect of Yenchou wished to borrow grain of the Prefect of Tungchun. Being denied he attacked the camp, killed the leader and took over all his men. Yüan Shao seeing the confederacy breaking up also marched away and went east.
Now the Governor of Chingchou, Liu Piao, was a scion of the imperial house. As a young man he had made friends with many famous persons and he and his companions were called the Eight Dilettanti. The other seven were Ch‘ên Hsiang, Fan P‘ang, K‘ung Yu, Fan K‘ang, T‘an Fu, Chang Chien and Ts‘ên Ching. He was friends with all these. He had three famous men who helped him in the government of his district. They were K‘uai Liang, K‘uai Yüeh and Ts‘ai Mao.
When the letter detailing the fault of Sun Chien arrived the two K‘uai and Ts‘ai were sent with a legion of soldiers to bar the way. When Sun Chien drew near the force was arranged in fighting order and the leaders were in the front.
“Why are you thus barring the road with armed men?” asked Sun.
“Why do you, a minister of Han, secrete the Emperor’s special seal? Leave it with me at once and you go free,” said K‘uai Yüeh.
Sun Chien angrily ordered out a leader Huang Kai, who exchanged a few bouts with Ts‘ao Mao and presently dealt him a blow with the iron whip just over the heart. Mao turned his steed and fled and Sun Chien got through with a sudden rush.
However, there arose the sound of gongs and drums on the hills behind and there was Prefect Liu in person with a large army. Sun Chien rode straight up to him and bowing low spoke thus. “Why did you, on the faith of a letter from Yüan Shao, try to coerce the chief of a neighbouring district?”
“You have concealed the State jewel and I want you to restore it,” was Liu’s reply.
“If I have this thing may I die a violent death!”
“If you want me to believe you let me search your baggage.”
“What force have you that you dare come to flout me thus?”
And only the Prefect’s prompt retirement prevented a battle.
Sun Chien proceeded on his way. But from the rear of the second hill an ambush suddenly discovered itself and K‘uai and Ts‘ai were still following. Sun Chien seemed entirely hemmed in.
What doth it advantage a man to hold the imperial seal if its possession lead to strife?
How Sun Chien got clear of the difficulty will presently be told.