〃Who sent you to poison me？〃 continued Cao Cao； turning toward the physician。 〃Quick； tell me！〃
〃Heaven sent me to slay a traitor！〃
Cao Cao angrily ordered them to beat Ji Ping again； but there was no part of his body that could be beaten。 Dong Cheng sat looking at him； his heart feeling as if transfixed with a dagger。
〃You were born with ten fingers。 How is it you have now only nine？〃
Ji Ping replied； 〃I bit off one as a pledge when I swore to slay a traitor。〃
Cao Cao told them to bring a knife； and they lopped off his other nine fingers。
〃Now they are all off。 That will teach you to make pledges。〃
〃Still I have a mouth that can swallow a traitor and a tongue that can curse him；〃 said Ji Ping。
Cao Cao told them to cut out his tongue。
Ji Ping said； 〃Do not。 I cannot endure any more punishment； I shall have to speak out。 Loosen my bonds。〃
〃Loose them。 There is no reason why not；〃 said Cao Cao。
They loosed him。 As soon as he was free； Ji Ping stood up； turned his face toward the Emperor's palace and bowed； saying； 〃It is Heaven's will that thy servant has been unable to remove the evil。〃
Then he turned and smashed his head into the steps and died。
His body was quartered and exposed。 This happened in the first month of the fifth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity （AD 200）； and a certain historian wrote a poem：
There lived in Han a simple physician。
No warrior； yet brave
Enough to risk his very life
His Emperor to save。
Alas！ He failed； but lasting fame
Is his； he feared not death；
He cursed the traitorous Prime Minister
Unto his latest breath。
Seeing his victim had passed beyond the realm of punishment； Cao Cao had Quin Quington led in。
〃Do you know this man； Uncle？〃
〃Yes；〃 cried Dong Cheng。 〃So the runaway servant is here。 He ought to be put to death！〃
〃He just told me of your treachery。 He is my witness；〃 said Cao Cao。 〃Who would dare kill him？〃
〃How can you； the First Minister of State； heed the unsupported tale of an absconding servant？〃
〃But I have Wang Zifu and the others in prison；〃 said Cao Cao。 〃And how can you rebut their evidence？〃
He then called in the remainder of his followers and ordered them to search Dong Cheng's bedroom。 They did so and found the decree that had been given him in the girdle and the pledge signed by the conspirators。
〃You mean rat！〃 cried Cao Cao。 〃You dared do this？〃
He gave orders to arrest the whole household without exception。 Then he returned to his palace with the incriminating documents and called all his advisers together to discuss the dethronement of the Emperor and the setting up of a successor。
Many decrees； blood written； have issued； acplishing nothing；
One inscribed pledge was fraught with mountains of sorrow。
The reader who wishes to how the fate of the Emperor must read the next chapter。
Main Next to Chapter 24 》》
Romance of Three Kingdoms … by Luo Guanzhong … Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Cao Cao Murdered The Consort Dong；
Liu Bei Flees To Yuan Shao。
The last chapter closed with the discovery of the 〃girdle〃 decree and the assembly of Cao Cao's advisers to consider the deposition of Emperor Xian。
Cheng Yu spoke strongly against this； saying； 〃Illustrious Sir； the means by which you impress the world and direct the government is the mand of the House of Han。 In these times of turmoil and rivalry among the nobles； such a step as the deposition of the ruler will certainly bring about civil war and is much to be deprecated。〃
After reflection Cao Cao abandoned the project。 But Dong Cheng's plot was not to go unpunished。 All five of the conspirators with every member of their households； seven hundred at least； were taken and put to death at one or another of the gates of the city。 The people wept at such merciless and wholesale slaughter。
A secret decree in a girdle sewn；
In red blood written； the Emperor's own；
To the staunch and faithful Dong Cheng addressed；
Who had saved him once when enemies pressed。
And who； sore grieved at his Sovereign's fate；
Expressed in dreams his ceaseless hate；
Carried misfortune and death in its train；
But glory to him who died in vain。
Another poet wrote of the sad fate of Wang Zifu and his friends：
Greatheartedly these signed the silken roll；
And pledged themselves to save their king from shame。
Alas！ Black death of them took heavy toll；
To write their names upon the roll of fame。
But the slaughter of the conspirators and their whole households did not appease the wrath of the Prime Minister。 The Emperor's consort was a sister of Dong Cheng； and； sword in hand； Cao Cao went into the Forbidden City determined to slay her also。 The Emperor cherished her tenderly； the more so as she was then in the fifth month of pregnancy。 That day； as they often did； the Emperor； Consort Dong； and Empress Fu were sitting in their private apartment secretly talking of the decree entrusted to Dong Cheng and asking each other why nothing seemed to have been done。 The sudden appearance of the angry Prime Minister； armed as he was； frightened them greatly。
〃Does Your Majesty know that Dong Cheng conspired against me？〃 said he。
〃Dong Zhuo died long ago；〃 replied the Emperor。
〃Not Dong Zhuo………Dong Cheng！〃 roared Cao Cao。
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。 Cao Cao bade his lictors seize Consort Dong。 The Emperor interposed asking pity for her condition。
But Cao Cao said； 〃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 Cao Cao。
〃I pray that my body may be spared mutilation and not put to shame；〃 said Consort Dong。
Cao Cao bade his men show her the white silk cord。 The Emperor wept bitterly。
〃Do not hate me in the below realms of the Nine Golden Springs；〃 said the Emperor to her。
His tears fell like rain。 Empress Fu also joined in the lament； but Cao Cao said； 〃You are behaving like a lot of children。〃
And he told the lictors to take Consort Dong away and strangle her in the courtyard。
In vain had the fair girl found favor 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； Cao Cao gave strict orders to the keepers； saying 〃Anyone 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 thousand Imperial Guards from his own troops and appointed Cao Hong to the mand。
Then said Cao Cao to his counselor Cheng Yu； 〃The conspirators in the capital have been removed； it is true； but there are yet two others； Ma Teng and Liu Bei。 These must not be left。〃
Cheng Yu replied； 〃Ma Teng 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。 Liu Bei is at Xuzhou； strongly posted in an ox…horn formation； and not to be lightly attacked。 More than this； Yuan Shao is at Guandu； and his one desire is to attack you。 Any attempt on the east will send Liu Bei to Yuan Shao for help； and Yuan Shao will e here at once。 Then what will you do？〃
〃You are at fault；〃 replied Cao Cao。 〃Liu Bei is a bold warrior。 If we wait till he is fully fledged and winged； he will be more difficult to deal with。 Yuan Shao may be strong； but he is not to be feared。 He is too undeciding to act。〃
As they were discussing these things； Guo Jia came in； and Cao Cao suddenly referred the matter to him。
〃If I attack Liu Bei； then Yuan Shao is to be feared。 What do you think of it？〃
Guo Jia said； 〃Yuan Shao by nature is dilatory and hesitating； and his various advisers are jealous of each other。 He is not to be feared。 Liu Bei is getting together a new army and has not yet won their hearts。 You could settle the east in one battle。〃
〃This advice is in harmony with my thinking；〃 said Cao Cao。
And he prepared an