at the murderer of his relatives and then struck the prisoner over the head with his whip and abused him as a murderer. Shên retorted by calling him traitor and saying how sorry he was not to have slain him before.
When the captive was taken into Ts‘ao’s presence Ts‘ao said, “Do you know who opened the gate to let me in?”
“No; I know not.”
“It was your nephew Shên Yung who gave up the gate,” said Ts‘ao.
“He was always unprincipled; and it has come to this!” said Shên.
“The other day when I approached the city why did you shoot so hard at me?”
“I am sorry we shot too little.”
“As a faithful adherent of the Yüans you could do no otherwise. Now will you come over to me?”
“Never; I will never surrender.”
Hsin P‘i threw himself on the ground with lamentations, saying, “Eighty of my people murdered by this ruffian; I pray you slay him, O Minister!”
“Alive, I have served the Yüans,” said Shên, “dead, I will be their ghost. I am no flattering time-server as you are. Kill me!”
Ts‘ao gave the order; they led him away to put him to death. On the execution ground he said to the executioners, “My lord is in the north, I pray you not to make me face the south.” So he knelt facing the north and extended his neck for the fatal stroke.
Who of all th’ official throng
In Hopei was true like Shên?
Sad his fate! he served a fool,
But faithful, as the ancient men.
Straight and true was every word,
Never from the road he swerved.
Faithful unto death, he died
Gazing toward the lord he’d served.
Thus died Shên P‘ei and from respect for his character Ts‘ao ordered that he be buried honourably on the north of the city.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao then entered the city. As he was starting he saw the executioners hurrying forward a prisoner who proved to be Ch‘ên Lin.
“You wrote that manifesto for Yüan Shao. If you had only directed your diatribe against me, it would not have mattered. But why did you shame my forefathers?” said Ts‘ao.
“When the arrow is on the string, it must fly,” replied Lin.
Those about Ts‘ao urged him to put Ch‘ên Lin to death, but he was spared on account of his genius and given a small civil post.
