return to the capital and remove the Emperor to Ch‘angan, as the street boys had been lately singing:—
“A Han on the west, a Han on the east.
The deer will be safe in Ch‘angan, poor beast.”
Li continued “If you think out this couplet it applies to the present juncture. Half the first line refers to the founder of the dynasty, who became ruler in the western city, which was the capital during twelve reigns. The other half corresponds to Kuang-Wu who ruled from Loyang, the capital during twelve later reigns. The revolution of the heavens brings us to this moment and if the minister remove to Ch‘angan there will be no need for anxiety.”
Tung Cho was exceedingly pleased and said, “Had you not spoken thus I should not have understood.”
Then taking Lü Pu with him he started at once for the capital. Here he called all the officials to a great council in the palace and addressed them thus:—
“After two centuries of rule here the royal fortune has been exhausted and I perceive that the aura of rule has migrated to Ch‘angan, whither I now desire to move the court. All you had better pack up for the journey.”
The minister Yang Piao said, “I pray you reflect. Within that city all is destruction. There is no reason to renounce the ancestral temples and abandon the imperial tombs here. I fear the people will be alarmed. It is easy to alarm them but difficult to pacify them.”
“Do you oppose the State plans?” said Cho angrily.
Another official, Huang Yüan, supported his colleague, “In the rebellion of Wang Mang, in the days of Kêng Shih and Fan Ch‘ung of the Red Eyebrows, the city was burned and became a place of broken tiles. The inhabitants scattered all but a few. It is wrong to abandon these palaces for a desert.”
Tung Cho replied, “East of the Pass is full of sedition and all the Empire is in rebellion. The city of Ch‘angan is protected by Yaohan and very near Shênsi, whence can be easily brought building material. In a month or so palaces can be erected. So an end to your wild words!”
Yet another raised a protest against disturbing the people but the tyrant overbore him also.
“How can I stop to consider a few common people when my scheme affects the Empire?”
That day the three objectors were degraded to the rank of ordinary people.
As Cho went out to get into his coach he met two other officers who made obeisance. They were the President, Chou Pi, and the Captain of the City Gate, Wu Ch‘ing. Cho stopped and asked them what they wanted. Said the former, “We venture to try to dissuade you from moving the capital to Ch‘angan.”
