Driving To The South Gate, Cao Mao Plunges Into Death;
Abandoning Stores, Jiang Wei Defeats The Wei Army.

When the order to retreat was given, Liao Hua said, "A leader in the field is independent and need not obey even the command of his prince."

Zhang Yi 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 Jiang 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.

As he saw his enemy disappearing in perfect order, Deng Ai sighed, "Jiang Wei is a worthy inheritor of the warlike methods of Zhuge Liang."

Deng Ai did not pursue but returned to his camp on Qishan.

On his return to Chengdu, Jiang Wei had audience with the Latter Ruler, whereat he inquired, saying, "Your Majesty has commanded me to return for an important reason?"

The Latter Ruler replied, "Because you have been so long on the frontier, Noble Sir. I thought the soldiers must be weary. There was no other reason."

"Your Majesty, thy servant had got his camps on Qishan and was on the eve of complete success. To leave off thus in the middle just played into the hands of our enemies. Surely Deng Ai found means of sowing distrust in me."

The Latter Ruler sat lost in thought, and silent.

Jiang 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 Latter Ruler after a long pause. "You may return into Hanzhong and await the next favorable opportunity."

Jiang Wei left the court and betook himself into Hanzhong to the army.

Dang Jun went back to the Qishan camp and reported his success.

Deng Ai and Sima Wang rejoiced, saying, "In the River Lands, trouble is not far off when the ruler and his servants do not live in harmony."

They sent Dang Jun to Luoyang to tell his own story to Sima Zhao, who also rejoiced, for he ardently desired to subdue Shu.

On this matter Sima Zhao consulted Jia Chong, Commander of the Center Guard.

"What do you think of an attack upon Shu?"

"Not to be considered," said Jia Chong. "The Emperor does not trust you, and your departure would be the beginning of trouble for you. Last year, when a yellow dragon was seen in the Ningling well and all the officers were felicitating the Emperor upon such a very auspicious occurrence, the Emperor said, 'It is not auspicious; just the reverse. The dragon symbolizes 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. It reads:

 [hip, hip, hip]
"The dragon like a prisoner is,
No longer leaps he in the 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."
[yip, yip, yip]
 

The recital of the poem annoyed Sima Zhao.

"This fellow is very like Cao Fang, and if I do not remove him he will hurt me," said he.

"I will see to it for you," said Jia Chong.

In the fifth year of Sweet Dew, in Wei calendar (AD 261), during the fourth month, in summer, Sima Zhao had the effrontery to go to court armed. However, the Ruler of Wei received him with exaggerated courtesy.

The courtiers said, "The services of the Regent Marshal are so magnificent, and his virtue so high that he should be rewarded with the title 'Duke of Jin' and the Nine Dignities."

Cao Mao hung his head and kept silent.

And Sima Zhao himself said discontentedly, "My father and my brother have all given great services to Wei, and yet I deserves not being a mere Duke of Jin?"

"Should I dare not do what you requested?" said Cao Mao.

"That poem about the Lurking Dragon called us slimy creatures. What sort of politeness is that?" said Sima Zhao.

The Ruler of Wei had nothing to say, and the haughty minister left the chamber, smiling cruelly.

Cao Mao retired, taking with him Minister Wang Jing, Adviser Wang Shen, and General of the Cavalry Wang Ye, and they went to a privy chamber to consult. Cao Mao was very sad.

He said, "There is no doubt that Sima Zhao 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 Jing. "That will not do. In the old state of Lu, King Zhao could not bear with the Ji family, and ran away, thus losing his country. But this Sima Zhao 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 ones 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 Cao Mao. "But I will do something, and if I die, what matters?"

He went into the private apartments and spoke to the Empress Dowager.

Wang Shen, Wang Jing, and Wang Ye 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 Sima Zhao," said Wang Shen.

This advice angered Wang Jing, and he said, "The prince's sorrow is the minister's shame, and a shamed minister dies. Dare you contemplate treachery?"

Wang Jing would have nothing to do with this visit to Sima Zhao, but the other two went to the Prime Minister's palace to betray their prince.

Shortly after, Cao Mao appeared, called the officer of the guard, Jiao Bo, and bade him muster his force, as many as he could. Jiao Bo 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 Ruler of Wei gripping his sword. They proceeded south.

Wang Jing stepped to the front and prayed Cao Mao to stay his steps and not go.

"To go against Sima Zhao with such a force is driving the sheep into the tiger's jaws. To die such a death is a vain sacrifice. Not that I want to live, but this can do nothing," said Wang Jing.

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

Presently Jia Chong came in sight. He was armed and mounted on a fine horse. Beside him rode two generals, Cheng Zu and Cheng Ji, and behind him followed a body of mail-clad guards, who shouted one to another as they rode.

Then Cao Mao held up his sword and cried, "I am the Son of God. Who are you thus breaking into the Forbidden City? Are you come to murder your lawful ruler?"

The soldiers suddenly stopped, for they were Palace guards.

Then Jia Chong shouted to Cheng Ji, saying, "What did Duke Sima Zhao train you for if not for this day's work?"

Cheng Ji took his halberd and turned to Jia Chong, saying, "Death or capture?"

"Duke Sima Zhao said the man had to die," replied Jia Chong.

Cheng Ji rushed toward the carriage.

"Fool! How dare you?" cried the Ruler of Wei.

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 Cao Mao lay there dead beside his carriage. Jiao Bo coming up to strike a blow in defense was also slain, and the little escort scattered.

Wang Jing, who had followed, upbraided Jia Chong, shouting, "Rebel and traitor! How dare you kill the Emperor?"

Jia Chong got angry and bade his lictors arrest Wang Jing and stop his tongue.

When they told Sima Zhao, he went into the Palace, but the Emperor 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 Imperial Guardian Sima Fu saw the dead body of the Emperor, he threw himself beside it, his head resting thereon, and wept, saying, "It is my fault that they slew Your Majesty!"

Sima Fu had a coffin brought, and the remains were laid therein and borne to the West Hall. Therein Sima Zhao entered and summoned the chief officers to a council. They came, all but Minister Chen Tai. Sima Zhao noticed his absence and sent the Chair of the Secretariat Xun Yi, his uncle, to call him.

Chen Tai wept aloud, saying, "Gossips often class me and my uncle together. Yet today is my uncle less virtuous than I."

However, Chen Tai obeyed the summons and came, dressed in the coarse white cloth of mourning, and prostrated himself before the bier. Sima Zhao feigned to be grieved also.

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

"If only Jia Chong be put to death, that will only be a slight atonement to satisfy the empire," replied Chen Tai.

Sima Zhao was silent and thought long before he spoke. Then he said, "How about a little less severe?"

"That is only the beginning. I know not other punishments less severe."

"Cheng Ji is the ungodly rebel and actual criminal. He should suffer the death of shame---and his family, too," said Sima Zhao.

Thereupon Cheng Ji broke out into abuse of Sima Zhao and reviled him, saying, "It was not my crime: It was Jia Chong who passed on your own orders!"

Sima Zhao bade them cut out his tongue and put him to death. They did so; and Cheng Ji and his brother Cheng Zu were both put to death in the market place, and their families were exterminated.

 [hip, hip, hip]
"The Emperor must die," thus spoke Sima Zhao full plain
In Jia Chong's hearing; and the Emperor was slain.
Although they killed Cheng Ji, who dealt the blow,
The author of the crime we all well know.
[yip, yip, yip]
 

Wang Jing's whole household were imprisoned. He himself was standing in the courthouse when he saw his mother, Lady Zhao, being brought up a prisoner.

He knocked his head on the ground and wept, saying, "O unfilial son to bring distress upon a gentle mother!"

But his mother laughed.

"Who does not die?" cried she. "The only thing t............