“Does Your Majesty know that Tung Ch‘êng conspired against me?” said he.
“Tung Cho died long ago,” replied the Emperor.
“Not Tung Cho; Tung Ch‘êng,” roared Ts‘ao.
The Emperor’s heart trembled but he gasped out, “Really I did not know.”
“So the cut finger and the blood written decree are all forgotten, eh?”
The Emperor was silent. Ts‘ao bade his lictors seize the Kuei-fei. The Emperor interposed asking pity for her condition.
“If Heaven had not interposed and defeated the plot I should be a dead man. How could I leave this woman to work evil to me by and by?”
Said the Emperor, “Immure her in one of the palaces till her confinement. Do not harm her now.”
“Do you wish me to spare her offspring to avenge the mother?” said Ts‘ao.
“I pray that my body may be spared mutilation and not put to shame,” said Tung Kuei-fei.
Ts‘ao bade his men show her the white silk cord. The Emperor wept bitterly.
“Do not hate me in the realms below the Nine Springs,” said the Emperor to her.
His tears fell like rain. The Empress Fu also joined in the lament, but Ts‘ao said, “You are behaving like a lot of children,” and told the lictors to take her away and strangle her in the courtyard.
In vain had the fair girl found favour in the sight of her lord,
She died, and the fruit of her womb perished.
Stern and calm her lord sat, powerless to save,
Hiding his face while tears gushed forth.
When leaving the palace Ts‘ao gave strict orders to the keepers saying, “Any one of the Imperial relatives by marriage who enter the Palace will be put to death, and the guards will share the same punishment for lack of zeal.”
To make more sure he appointed three companies of Imperial Guards from his own men and appointed Ts‘ao Hung to the command.
Then said Ts‘ao to his counsellor, Ch‘êng Yü, “The conspirators in the capital have been removed, it is true, but there are yet two others, Ma T‘êng and Liu Pei. These must not be left.”
Ch‘êng Yü replied, “Ma T‘êng is strong in the west and would not be easily captured. He might be enticed to the capital by suave words and kindly praises, when he would be at your mercy. The other is at Hsüchou, strongly posted, and not to be lightly attacked. More than this, Yüan Shao is at Kuantu and his one desire is to attack you. Any attempt on
