# San Kuo/Volume 2/Chapter 69

CHAPTER LXIX.
Kuan Lu Takes the Sortes by the “book of Changes;” Loyal Subjects Die for Their Country.
The sight of the corpses of his victims rising to their feet in the storm and running toward him was too much for Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, and he swooned. However, the wind quickly fell and the corpses disappeared. His followers assisted Ts‘ao to his palace, but he was very ill.
A poet celebrated the episode of the murdered Taoist:—
He studied his magical books, He was learned in mystical lore, And with magical fleetness of foot He could travel the wide world o‘er. The magical arts that he knew, He employed in an earnest essay To reform the bad heart of Ts‘ao Man, But in vain; Ts‘ao held on his way.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s illness seemed beyond the art of the leech and drugs seemed of no avail. It happened that T‘aishih Ch'êng and Hsü Chih came from the capital to visit the prince, who bade the latter take the sortes from the “Book of Changes.”
“Have you ever heard of Kuan Lu? He is more than human in his skill at divination,” said Hsü.
“I have heard a lot about him, but I do not know how clever he is; you tell me about him,” replied Ts‘ao.
“He is from P‘ingyüan; his other name is Kung-ming. His face is ugly and coarse; he drinks to excess and is rather dissipated. His father was chief of the aborigines of the Langya districts. From a lad Kuan Lu loved to study the stars, staying up all night to watch them, in spite of the prohibition of his father and mother. He used to say that if domestic fowls and wild geese knew the seasons naturally how much more should a man. He often used to play with other boys at drawing pictures of the sky on the ground, putting in the sun, moon and stars. When he grew older he studied the 'Book of Changes' very deeply and observed the winds. He was a marvellous calculator and excellent physiognomist.
“His fame reached the ears of the Prefect Tan Tzu-ch‘un, who called him to his residence for an interview. There were present some hundred or so other guests, every one of whom could be called able of speech.
“ 'I am young and not over-bold,' said Kuan Lu to the Prefect. 'I pray you give me three stoups of wine to loosen my tongue.'
​“The request was astonishing, but the wine was brought in, and when he had drunk it, Kuan Lu, looking contemptuously at the other guests, said, 'Now I am ready; are these the sort of opponents you have got together for me to contend with? Are these gentlemen sitting around me disputants?'
“ 'I myself am anxious for a match with you,' said Tan.
“Then they began upon the meaning of the 'Book of Changes.' Kuan Lu’s words poured forth like a torrent, and his ideas were most recondite. The Prefect replied, stating difficulties; Kuan swept them away in a stream of eloquence. So it went on the whole day without a pause even for refreshment. Neither Tan nor his other guests could help praising him and agreeing with him.
“His fame spread wide after this encounter, and people spoke of him as the 'Supernatural Boy.'
“After this he became famous in another way. There was a certain Kuo En, a man of the people, who had two brothers. All three became lame and they called in Kuan Lu to cast lots and discover the reason. Kuan Lu said, 'By the lots there is a female demon in your family tomb, an aunt, the wife of one of your father’s brothers. Some years ago, in a time of dearth, for the sake of a few measures of grain, she was pushed into a well and a great stone was thrown in on her, crushing her head so that she suffered intensely. She complained to the Most High, and your lameness is the retribution for that crime. No prayers will avert the evil.
“The three brothers wept and acknowledged their guilt.
“The Prefect Wang Chi, of Anping, heard of the diviner’s fame and invited him to come on a visit, and he went. It happened that the wife of the magistrate of Hsintu suffered from headaches and his son from pains in the heart. Kuan Lu was asked to discover the reason. He cast lots and said that at the west corner of the main hall there were buried two corpses, one of a man who held a spear, the other of a man who had a bow and arrows. The wall was built across them. The spearman’s master had gashed his head and so his head pained. The archer’s master had stabbed him in the heart and so his heart suffered anguish. They dug where he indicated and, about eight feet down, found two coffins, one with a spear inside and the other with a strung bow and wooden arrows. All were much decayed. Kuan Lu bade them remove the bones and bury them ten li outside the walls. Thereafter the woman and her son suffered no more.
“A certain Chuko Yüan, magistrate of Kuant‘ao, newly promoted to Prefect, was leaving for his new post, and Kuan Lu went to see him off. One of the guests mentioned that Kuan Lu could divine what was hidden from sight. The Prefect doubted such powers and said he would put a test. He got a swallow’s egg, a wasp’s nest and a spider and con​cealed them in three separate boxes. He asked Kuan to guess the contents. The divination made, he wrote three quatrains:—
'The latent life will declare itself; It will cling to your lordly hall, Or male or female, flung into space, Wide wings will prevent its fall.
'This seems to indicate a swallow’s egg.
‘A many-chambered dwelling Is hanging to your eaves, Each room has a poisonous tenant; Who‘ll be flying when he leaves.
'This answers to a wasp’s nest.
Therein’s a long-shanked, trembling thing, Who spins a thread from his inside And spreads a fine spun net for flies; He profits most at eventide.
‘And this it a spider.'
“The guests were amazed.
“An old woman in his village having lost a cow, came to consult him. After the divination he told her that seven men had taken away the cow and were cooking and eating it on the bank of a certain mountain stream. She had better go there quickly and see who they were. If she went with all speed she would find the skin and the flesh. She went and found the seven men hidden behind a small shanty, boiling beef. Most of the cow’s flesh was still there. She told the Prefect, who arrested the seven men and punished them. Then he asked the old lady how she got to know exactly who the offenders were, and she told him.
“He was dubious, too. He sent for Kuan Lu and put him to the following test. He placed his seal and a pheasant feather in a box and asked what were the contents. The reply was:—
'Square within, without so round, Beauteous colours here abound; The jewel within is held secure And what it witnesses is sure.
‘Is not this a seal in its bag?'
“With regard to the other thing, Kuan Lu said:—
'There’s a bird on the precipice steep, Its body with flame seems aglow, Its wings are barred yellow and black, At sunrise it ne‘er fails to crow.
'And I think this hints at a pheasant feather.'
​“The Prefect Liu treated the marvellous diviner with great honour.
“One day Kuan Lu saw a youth ploughing a field. After watching him for a long time, Kuan Lu suddenly asked his name and age.
“ 'My name is Chao Yen, and I am nineteen,' said the young man. ‘Pray, who may you be, Sir?'
“ ‘I am Kuan Lu; you may have heard of me. I see an air of early death about you, and you will be done with life in three days. It is a pity that one so handsome should die so young.'
“Chao Yen forsook his plough, hurried home and told his father. The father at once set out to find Kuan Lu, and, having found him, threw himself on the ground and besought him to save his son.
“ 'How can I avert the doom? It is fate,' said Kuan Lu.
“ 'Alas! I have but this one son, I pray you to save him.'
“And the son added his tears and prayers to those of his father. Kuan Lu was deeply touched. Then he turned to the lad and said, 'You get ready some good wine and some venison. To-morrow go into the forest on the south there, and underneath a lofty tree you will see two men seated on boulders playing wei-ch‘i. One of them will be dressed in white, and he will be facing the south. He is very evil looking. The other will be seated opposite, dressed in red. He is very handhome. They will be deeply absorbed in their game and will not notice who offers them food and wine, which you will humbly present on your knees. When they have eaten and drunk, you will prostrate yourself and with tears pray them to grant you length of days. You will gain an increased span of life, but, above all things, do not mention that I told you what to do.'
“The father kept Kuan Lu as a guest, and the next day the son followed out his instructions. He entered the forest and soon came upon the two men seated beneath a pine, playing wei-ch‘i. They seemed oblivious to all around them. Chao Yen presented the wine and the food, and the two men ate absent-mindedly, for the game went on.
“But when Chao Yen threw himself on the ground and implored the gift of long life, they seemed startled.
“ 'This must be some of Kuan Lu’s doing,' said Red Robe. 'Still, as we have accepted a gift at his hand we must have pity on him.'
“He who was dressed in white then lifted up a book that hung at his side and looked therein.
“ 'You are nineteen this year,' said he to Chao Yen. 'You ought to die. But we will insert a ‘nine' over the 'ten' and so make it read ninety and nine, and that is the age you will attain. But when you go back, tell Kuan Lu he is not to betray the secrets of fate, or Heaven will surely punish him.'
​“Then Red Robe took out a pen and added the figure gust of wind passed, and the two old men were transformed into two cranes that rose into the sky and flew away.
“Chao Yen came back home and told what he had seen. Kuan Lu told him the red-robed man was the Southern Dipper Constellation, and the white-robed, the Northern Dipper.
“ 'But the Northern Dipper consists of nine stars, and there was only one man,' objected the lad.
" 'Separately they are nine, but they combine to form one. I The Northern Dipper records deaths; the Southern Dipper, births. Now the extra figure has been added you need have no anxiety; you will live long.'
“Father and son both thanked him most sincerely, but thereafter Kuan Lu was very careful how he divined for people lest he should betray celestial secrets.
“Now, this man is at P‘ingyüan, and you, O Prince, can seek your fate of him. Why not call him?”
Kuan Lu was sent for and came. As soon as the salutations were over, Ts‘ao Ts‘ao asked him to cast lots for him.
Kuan Lu at once found that the illness was only due to magical machinations, and said so; at which Ts‘ao Ts‘ao was much relieved in his mind, and his health began to improve.
Next Ts‘ao Ts‘ao wished to know about the conditions in the world’s affairs. After the necessary calculations the prophet said, “Three-eight crosswise; the yellow boar meets the tiger: stop the southern expedition with the loss of one limb.”
Then Ts‘ao Ts‘ao asked him to enquire whether his life should be long or not.
He replied, “Lion in the Palace to preserve the talents of ancestors: the Prince’s way is securely renewed and his son and grandson shall come to high honour.”
Then Ts‘ao Ts‘ao asked concerning himself.
“Divinations concerning the fate of the universe may not be foreknown; wait a time and I will look into it.”
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao was pleased and would like to keep such a man near him, so he offered him the post of historiographer (who was also soothsayer) at his court, but it was declined.
“My destiny is mean, my luck despicable; I am not equal to such an office and dare not undertake it.”
“Why not?” said Ts‘ao Ts‘ao.
“My forehead has no lofty fullness; my eyes no steady expression; my nose no bridge; my feet no round, solid heels; my back lacks the triple armour (of shoulder blades and intervening muscles); and my breast the three marks (like the character jên, which indicates wealth). I can only control evil spirits securely; I cannot rule living men.”
“What think you of my physiognomy?”
“What can a minister of extremely exalted rank like yourself desire further?” said Kuan Lu.
​Ts‘ao Ts‘ao pressed him to say: the soothsayer only laughed. Then Ts‘ao asked him to look at the many officers of all kinds standing around.
“Every one of them is a servant equal to the administration of the world,” said Kuan Lu.
But when Ts‘ao Ts‘ao asked whether good or bad fortune was to be his, the soothsayer would not give a clear and full reply.
A poem says:—
Kuan Lu was a seer of old, Stars to him their secrets told. Mysteries, occult and dim, Were as daylight unto him. His so subtle intellect Could the shade of death detect, But the secrets of his skill Died with him,—are secrets still.
Again Ts‘ao Ts‘ao asked him to divine concerning his rivals Wu and Shu. He said the former had just lost a famous leader and the latter had encroached on his territory. Ts‘ao’s doubts as to the accuracy of one of these events were soon set at rest, for a messenger came from Hofei to say that Lu Su had died. Then Ts‘ao sent hurriedly into Hanchung, and the scout returned to say that Chang Fei and Ma Ch‘ao had taken the Pass at Hsiapien. Ts‘ao Ts‘ao was angry and inclined to march at once against the invaders; but he consulted the great soothsayer, who advised him not to move.
“In the coming spring there will be a conflagration in Hsütu,” said he.
Having been witness of the verification of Kuan Lu’s words, Ts‘ao Ts‘ao was in no mood to neglect the warning. He stayed on in his palace, but he sent Ts‘ao Hung with five legions to assist in the defence of East Ch‘uan,while Hsiahou Tun, with three legions, went to Hsütu to keep careful watch and be ready against any surprises. He placed Chang Shih and Wang Pi in command of the Imperial Guard.
Ssŭma I warned him against this Wang Pi. Said he, “The man is given to wine, and slack. He is not a fit man for such a post.”
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao replied, “He is very fit. He has followed me through all difficulties and dangers. He is loyal and diligent, solid as stone or iron.”
Wang Pi was appointed and led the guard into camp at the capital, outside the Tung-hua Gate of the Imperial Palace.
Now there was a certain Kêng Chi, a Loyang man, who had long been employed in the minister’s palace in a subordinate capacity and afterward had been promoted to a rather better post. He, Ssŭma Chih and Wei Huang were close friends.
These three were greatly distressed at Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s advance to princely rank, and more especially at his use of the imperial ​chariots. In the early months of the twenty-third year Kêng and Wei came to a secret exchange of views on Ts‘ao’s conduct.
Kêng Chi said, “The man is a rebel and wicked, every day behaving worse. He intends to go farther, and how can we, as servants of the dynasty, help him in his wickedness? I have a friend named Chin I, who also is a servant of Han and an enemy of Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s. He is a descendant of Chin Jih-ti, one-time minister. Beside, he is friendly with Wang Pi. If we all tried our best we ought to succeed.”
“But if he is friendly with Wang Pi he will not assist us!” said Kêng.
“Let us go and sound him,” said Wei Huang.
So the two went to see Chin I, who received them in his private rooms. There they talked.
Said Wei Huang, “O virtuous I, we know you are on most friendly terms with Commander Wang Pi, and so have come to beg a favour.”
“What is it you ask?”
“The Prince of Wei will soon receive the abdication of the Emperor and himself ascend to the seat of the mighty. Then you and your friend Wang will advance to places of great honour; and when that day comes, we pray you not to forget us, but to recommend us for employment. We should feel no shallow gratitude for your kindness.”
Chin I flicked down his sleeves and arose looking very angry. At that instant arrived the tea for the visitors. He snatched it away from the serving-man and emptied it on the floor.
Wei Huang started up in feigned alarm.
“How have I offended you, my good old friend?” cried he.
“I have been friends with you because you are descendants of men who have served Han faithfully. Now, if instead of trying to repay the debt of gratitude you ought to feel, you turn aside to assist one who is their enemy, think you that I can regard you as friends? How could I look the world in the face?”
“But if it be destiny, one cannot help it,” said Kêng. “One must accept it.”
Chin grew still more angry, so that the two visitors were convinced that at heart he was still loyal to the dynasty. Then they began to tell him the true state of the case.
“Our real desire is to destroy this rebel, and we have come to ask your help in that. What we said at first was only a test to find out what you thought.”
“Think you, with my ancestry, generation after generation in the confidence and service of the Hans, that I would willingly follow a rebel? If you, Sirs, really think of restoring the dynasty, pray tell me your plans.”
“Though we have the desire to prove our gratitude, yet we lack the means to destroy the enemy,” said Wei.
​Said Chin, “We desire helpers within and supporters without. If we could slay Wang Pi we could use his name and troops to help the Emperor. With the help of Liu, the Imperial Uncle, we should be able to destroy the rebel Ts‘ao.”
Hearing Chin I’s plan, the others clapped their hands in approval.
“And I have two friends who will go with us,” said Chin. “Both of them have the murder of a father to avenge. They are sons of the great physician Chi P‘ing and are called Chi Miao and Chi Mu. Ts‘ao Ts‘ao put their father to death for his connection with the plot organised by Tung Ch'êng when he received the secret edict conveyed in the robe and girdle that was conferred upon him by the Emperor. The two sons escaped that time by flight, but they have since secretly returned to the capital. With their help all will go well.”
The two conspirators rejoiced at the prospect of further help, and a messenger was sent to call in the two Chi. Soon they arrived, and the plot was laid before them. They were deeply affected and shed copious tears. Their wrath rose to the sky and they swore to aid in the destruction of the rebel.
“On the fifteenth day of the first month there will be grand illuminations in the city,” said Chin I, “and felicitations will be going on on every side. Kêng Chi and Wei Huang will each lead out their retainers and make their way quickly to Wang Pi’s camp to wait till they see the fire begin. Then they will dash in, slay Wang Pi and follow me inside the palace. We will then request the Emperor to ascend the Tower of the Five Phoenixes, assemble his officers and issue orders to destroy the rebels. The two brothers Chi will make their way into the city and set fires going. Then all will raise their voices and summon the populace to their aid. They are to hold up any rescue force in the city till the Emperor has issued the edict and disturbance is allayed, when they will rush toward Yehchün and seize Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. Then a messenger will be despatched with a summons for Liu, the Imperial Uncle. We will begin our work this night at the second watch and we will escape the ill success that attended Tung Ch'êng’s attempt.”
All five swore before Heaven to be true, and they smeared their lips with blood in earnest of their oath. After this, each returned to his own home to prepare arms and call up their men.
Both Kêng Chi and Wei Huang had a large number of retainers, whom they armed. The brothers Chi also got together some hundreds of men. They gave out a story of a hunting party to explain the gathering.
When the preparations were complete, and before the time fixed for the rising, Chin I went to see Wang Pi and said, “Everything in the world seems now tranquil, and the power of the Prince of Wei extends over all the land. It is a season ​of joy and felicitation, and everyone is hanging out lanterns and putting up decorations for the occasion.”
The night of full moon was very clear, moon and stars most brilliant. The people of the capital took advantage of the night and thronged the “six streets and the three market places.” The lanterns were hung out in profusion, and all went merrily. No official interfered with the crowd, no one thought of the flight of time; all was simple gaiety.
That night Wang Pi and his officers of the guards had a feast in their camp. Just after the second watch had begun they heard a great shouting in the camp, and someone came in to say that a fire had started in the rear. Wang Pi hurriedly left the table and went outside. He saw flames leaping up and rolling by and heard shouts of “Kill!” rising on every side and echoing to the very sky. He thought the camp had certainly mutinied, and, jumping on his horse, went out at the south gate. Just outside he ran against Kêng Chi, who loosed an arrow which struck him in the shoulder. He nearly fell with the shock, but he got away toward the west gate. He found he was pursued by armed men, so he got flurried, dismounted and went on foot. Presently he came to the house of Chin Wei and hammered at the door.
Now the fire that had created such a scare had been raised by Chin’s own men sent for that purpose, and he had followed them to fight when the time came. Hence there was no one but the women folk left in his house. When the women heard the clamour at the door they thought Chin I had come back, and his wife, from the door of the women’s quarter, called out, “Have you killed Wang Pi?”
This was a shock, but it told Wang Pi that his quondam friend was now an enemy. Wherefore he fled further to the house of Ts‘ao Hsiu and told him that Kêng Chi and Chin I had raised a disturbance. Ts‘ao Hsiu immediately armed himself, got to horse and led a company into the city. He found fires on all sides, and the Tower of the Five Phoenixes was in flames. The Emperor had fled into the recesses of the palace, but Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s friends and partizans were defending the palace gate like grim death.
In the city the crowd was shouting one to another to slay Ts‘ao Ts‘ao and restore the Hans.
When Hsiahou Tun had received the command to keep watch and ward over the capital, he had gone into camp five li from the city. When he saw the conflagration start he set the army in motion and surrounded the city. He also sent reinforcements to Ts‘ao Hsiu within.
Inside the city the fighting went on all night. No one joined the conspirators; the small band were left to their own efforts. Soon it was reported that Chin I and the brothers Chi were slain. Kêng and Wei found their way to one of the gates, but ​there they met Hsiahou Tun’s main force and were made prisoners. The handful of men with them were cut to pieces.
When the fighting subsided, Hsiahou Tun went into the city and set his men to put out the fires. He also laid hands on the whole households of the five conspirators. Then he sent a report to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, who sent back orders to execute the two conspirators and put to death in public all the members of the five families. He was also to arrest every official and send the whole batch to Yehchün.
Hsiahou Tun sent his two chief prisoners to the place of execution. They shouted against Ts‘ao Ts‘ao.
“Living we have failed to slay you, Ts‘ao A-man; dead we will be malicious spirits smiting rebels in all places.”
The executioner smote Kêng on the mouth with his sword, so that the blood gushed out, but he continued to shout as long as he could. Wei Huang, his fellow-conspirator, dashed his temples on the ground crying, “How I hate him!” and ground his teeth till he broke them to fragments. And he died.
Who can with outstretched hands uphold the sky Or thrones maintain by simple loyalty? Han’s day was done; two would avert the doom, But failed, and carried anger to the tomb.
Hsiahou Tun carried out his chief’s orders and sent the officials he had arrested to Yehchün. There Ts‘ao Ts‘ao set up two flags, one red and one white, in the drill ground and sent all the officials thither. Then he addressed them.
“In this late rebellion some of you went out to extinguish the fire, some of you stayed within doors. Let those who went forth to put out the fire take their stand by the red flag and those who remained in their houses go to the white flag.' ”
The officials thought within themselves, “Certainly there can be nothing wrong in trying to put out a fire,” so they nearly all placed themselves under the red flag; only about a third went to the white.
Then the order was given to seize all those by the red flag.
They protested. “We are guiltless!” cried they.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao said, “At that time you intended not to put out the flames but to aid the rebels.”
He sent them all down to the Chang River and had them put to death on the bank. There were more than three hundred victims. He rewarded those who were under the white flag and sent them to their homes in the capital.
Wang Pi died from his wound and was buried with great honour.
Ts‘ao Hsiu was placed over the guards; Chung Yu was dreated Prime Minister, Hua Hsin became a Chief Censor. The occasion was taken to create six grades of the title of “Marquis” with three divisions each, eighteen in all. There were seventeen grades of marquis under the name Kuan-hsi, or ​“West of the Pass.” And all these had golden seals of office with purple ribbons. There were also sixteen ranks of marquis called Kuan-nei, “Interior,” and Kuan-wai, “Exterior". They had silver seals with tortoise ornaments on the back and black ribbons. There were five classes of T‘ai-fu with three grades in each class. These had brass seals, with chain ornaments and ribbons. And with all these various gradations of ranks and nobility reorganised, the Court was entirely transformed. There were new ranks and new men in office.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao then remembered the warning about a conflagration in the capital and wished to reward Kuan Lu for his prescience, but he would receive nothing.
Ts‘ao Hung with an army went into Hanchung. He placed Hsiahou Yüan and Chang Ho in command at points of importance, while he went on to the attack. At that time Chang Fei with Lei T‘ung were holding Pahsi. Ma Ch‘ao marched to Hsiapan and sent Wu Lan out as van leader to reconnoitre. He fell in with Ts‘ao Hung, and Wu Lan was going to retire. But a petty officer, Jên K‘uei, advised against this.
“They are newly arrived, why not fight and take the keen edge off their pride? If we do not fight, how can we look our chief in the face when we return?”
So it was decided to offer battle, and Jên K‘uei rode out and challenged Ts‘ao Hung. The challenge was accepted, and the warriors advanced. Jên K‘uei fell in the third encounter. Ts‘ao Hung pressed the advantage, and Wu Lan was driven off. When he returned and told Ma Ch‘ao, he was blamed.
“Why did you attack without orders and bring about this defeat?”
“It was the fault of Jên K‘uei, who disobeyed orders.”
“Defend most carefully; do not engage,” said Ma Ch‘ao.
Ma Ch‘ao sent a report to Ch'êngtu and awaited orders for a further action. Ts‘ao Hung suspected some ruse when Ma Ch‘ao remained so long inactive, and retired to Nanchün. Here he was visited by Chang Ho, who asked why he had retired after the successful attack and slaughter of one of the enemy leaders.
“Seeing that Ma Ch‘ao declined to come out to fight I suspected some ruse,” replied he. “Beside, when I was at Yehtu that wonderful soothsayer, Kuan Lu, foretold the loss of a leader here. I heeded what he said and so was careful.”
Chang Ho laughed, “You have been a leader of soldiers for half your life and yet you heed the sayings of a soothsayer! I may be of small wit, but I would take Pahsi with my own troop, and the possession of Pahsi would be the key to the whole of Shu.”
“The defender of Pahsi is Chang Fei,” said Ts‘ao Hung. “He is no ordinary man to meet. One must be careful.”
​“All of you fear this Chang Fei, but I do not; I look upon him as a mere nobody. I shall have to capture him this time.”
“But if you fail, what then?”
“Then I shall be content to pay the penalty according to military rules.”
Ts‘ao Hung made him put his undertaking in writing, and then Chang Ho marched to the attack.
The proud are often defeated, Lightsome attacks oft fail.
The following chapter will tell how Chang Ho fared.