In their secret hearts they laughed. But then, surely enough, a messenger soon came from Liaotung bringing the heads. Then they were greatly surprised and when the messenger presented his letters Tsʻao cried, “Just as Fêng-hsiao said!”
He amply rewarded the messenger and the Governor of Liaotung was made a marquis and General of the Left Wing; and when the officers asked what had happened, Tsʻao told them what the late adviser had predicted. He read to them the dead officer’s testament, which ran something like this:—“Yüan Shang and his brother are going to Liaotung. Illustrious Sir, you are on no account to attack for Kungsun K‘ang has long lived in fear lest the Yüans should absorb his country. When they arrive Kʻang will hesitate. If you attack, he will save the Yüans to help him; if you wait, they will work against each other. This is evident.”
The officers simply jumped with surprise to see how perfectly events had been foreseen.
Then Tsʻao at the head of all his officers performed a grand sacrifice before the coffin of the wise Kuo Chia. He had died at the age of thirty-eight, after eleven years of meritorious and wonderful service in the wars.
When Heaven permitted Kuo Chia’s birth,
It made him ablest man on earth.
He knew by rote all histories,
From him war kept no mysteries.
Like Fan’s, his plans were quite decisive,
As Chʻên’s, his strokes were most incisive.
Too soon he ran his earthly race,
Too soon the great beam fell from place.
When Tsʻao returned to Ch‘ichou he sent off the coffin of his late adviser to the capital where it was interred.
Then certain of his officers said that as the north had been overcome it was time to settle Chiangnan. Tsʻao was pleased and said that had long occupied his thoughts.
The last night he spent in Chʻichou he went to one of the corner towers and stood there regarding the sky. His only companion was Hsün Yu. Presently Tsʻao said, “That is a very brilliant glow there in the south. It seems too strong for me to do anything there.”
“What is there that can oppose your heaven-high prestige?” said Yu.
Suddenly a beam of golden light shot up out of the earth. “Surely a treasure is buried there,” remarked Yu.
They went down from the city wall, called some men and led them to the point whence the light proceeded. There the men were ordered to dig.
The southern skies with portents glow,
The northern lands their treasures show.
What the diggers found will appear in the next chapter.
