CHAPTER VI.
Burning the Capital, Tung Cho Commits an Atrocity:
Hiding the Seal, Sun Chien Breaks Faith.
Chang Fei rode hard up to the Pass but the defenders sent down stones and arrows like rain so that he could not enter and he returned. The eight lords all joined in felicitations to the three heroes for their services and the story of victory was sent to Yüan Shao, who ordered Sun Chien to advance.
Thereupon Sun with two trusty friends went over to the camp of Yüan Shu. Tracing figures on the ground with his staff Sun Chien said, “Tung Cho and I had no personal quarrel. Yet now I have thrown myself into the battle regardless of consequences, exposed my person to the risk of wounds and fought bloody battles to their bitter end. And why? That I might be the means of ridding my country of a rebel and—for the private advantage of your family. Yet you, heeding the slanderous tongues of certain enemies, formerly withheld the supplies absolutely necessary to me, and so I suffered defeat. How can you explain, General?”
Yüan Shu, confused and frightened, had no word to reply. He ordered the death of the slanderers to placate Sun.
Then suddenly they told Sun, “Some officer has come riding down from the Pass to see you, General; he is in the camp.”
Sun Chien therefore took his leave and returned to his own camp where he found the visitor was an officer, much beloved of Tung Cho, named Li Ts‘ui.
“Wherefore come you?” said Chien.
He replied, “You are the one person for whom my master has respect and admiration, and he sends me to arrange a matrimonial alliance between the two families. He wishes that his daughter may become the wife of your son.”
“What! Tung Cho, that rebel and renegade, that subverter of the throne! Would that I could destroy his nine generations as a thank-offering to the Empire! Think you I would be willing to have an alliance with such a family? I will not slay you as I ought, but go, and go quickly! Yield the Pass and I may spare your lives. If you delay I will grind your bones to powder and make mincemeat of your flesh.”
Li Tsʻui threw his arms over his head and ran out. He returned to his master and told him what a rude reception he had met with. Cho asked his adviser Li Ju how to reply to this and he said that as Lü Pu’s late defeat had somewhat blunted the edge of his desire for battle it would be well to
