CHAPTER XIV.
Ts‘ao Mêng-tê Moves the Court:
Lü Feng-hsien Raids Hsüchun.
The last chapter closed with the arrival of Li Yüeh who shouted out falsely that the army was that of the two arch rebels Li and Kuo come to capture the imperial cavalcade. But Yang Fêng recognised the voice of Li Yüeh and bade Hsü Huang go out to fight him. He went and in the first bout the traitor fell. His men scattered and the travellers got safely through Chikuan. Here the Prefect, Chang Yang, supplied them plentifully with food and other necessaries and escorted the Emperor to Chihtao. For his timely help the Emperor conferred upon Chang Yang the rank of a Ta-ssü-ma, or President, and he went and camped at Yehwang.
Loyang was presently entered. Within the walls all was destruction. The palaces and halls had been burned, the streets were overgrown with grass and brambles and obstructed by heaps of ruins. The palaces and courts were represented by broken roofs and toppling walls. A small “palace” however was soon built and therein the officers of court presented their congratulations, standing in the open air among thorn bushes and brambles. The reign style was changed from Hsing-P‘ing to Chien-An (firm tranquillity).
The year was a year of grievous famine. The Loyang people, even reduced in numbers as they were to a few hundreds, had not enough to eat and they prowled about stripping the bark off trees and grubbing up the roots of plants to satisfy their starving hunger. Officers of the Government of all but the highest ranks went out into the country to gather fuel. Many people lay down and died quietly behind the ruined walls of their houses. At no time during the decadence of Han did misery press harder than at this period.
A poem written in pity for the sufferings of that time says:—
Mortally wounded, the serpent poured forth his life blood at Mantang;
Blood-red pennons of war waved then in every quarter,
Chieftain with chieftain strove and raided each other’s borders,
’Midst the turmoil and strife the Kingship even was threatened.
Wickedness stalks in a country when the King is a weakling,
Brigandage always is rife, when a dynasty’s failing,
Had one a heart of iron, wholly devoid of feeling,
Yet would one surely grieve at the sight of such desolation.
The Tai-yü Yang Piao memorialised the Throne saying, “The decree issued to me some time ago has never been acted upon.
