At this point Sima Yi sent to Luoyang for grain. The Wei ruler Cao Rui held court, and his courtiers said, "The recent autumn rains have continued for one month. Our forces are worn and weary. Sima Yi should be recalled and the campaign suspended." Cao Rui responded, "Grand Commandant Sima Yi is a skilled strategist with a sound plan for every contingency. Word that he has taken Gongsun Yuan should be coming any day. Your anxieties are misplaced, gentlemen." Accordingly, Cao Rui, not heeding the courtiers' protest, sent grain to the front.
Sima Yi was in his base camp. After several more days of rain the weather had cleared. That night Sima Yi went out of his tent and looked up at the sky. Suddenly he saw a meteor the size of a ladle shift its position several dozen spans, from northeast of Crown Mountain down to the southeast of Xiangping. The officers and men in the various camps were terrified. But Sima Yi was delighted and said to his commanders, "In five days I will put Gongsun Yuan to the sword right where the meteor fell. Tomorrow all forces shall join for an attack on the city!" The commanders had their orders.
As dawn approached, Sima Yi's troops surrounded the city and built earthen ramparts, dug tunnels, and erected bombard platforms and scaling towers. Day and night they pressed the attack, sweeping the city with arrows like swift rain. Inside, Gongsun Yuan, out of grain, had to butcher oxen and horses to feed his sorely complaining men. Their general wish was not to defend the city but to take Yuan's head, deliver the city to the enemy, and surrender. Gongsun Yuan knew he was losing support; in growing apprehension he dispatched his prime minister, Wang Jian, and his imperial censor, Liu Fu, to the Wei base camp to ask for terms.
After being let down from the wall, the two officials came to declare their mission to Sima Yi: "If the grand commandant will retire twenty li, our lord and his vassals will surrender on their own." But Sima Yi retorted angrily, "Why didn't Gongsun Yuan come himself? This is outrageous!" He had guards execute the officials and return their heads to their followers, who then reported back to Gongsun Yuan. In great alarm Gongsun Yuan next sent Privy Counselor Wey Yan to the Wei camp.1
Sima Yi was in his tent, flanked by his commanders. Wey Yan entered on his knees. He stopped inside the tent and pleaded: "We beg the grand commandant's majestic anger may be appeased if, on a specified day, we send the heir apparent, Gongsun Xiu, as hostage; after this the king and his vassals will give themselves up in bonds." Sima Yi responded, "There are five inevitables in war. If you can fight, you must fight; if not, you must defend. If you cannot defend, you must flee; if you cannot flee, you must surrender. If you cannot surrender, you must die! We have no need of your hostage." Roughly he commanded Wey Yan to carry his words back to Gongsun Yuan. The humiliated Wey Yan scurried off to report.
In view of the dire situation, Gongsun Yuan secretly worked out a plan with his son, Gongsun Xiu. Then he selected a thousand men and fled through the south gate of the city during the second watch. He headed southeast, relieved to find none of the enemy. But before he had made ten li, a bombard rang out from a hilltop and drums and horns split the air. A contingent of troops—Sima Yi in the center, Sima Shi to his left, Sima Zhao to his right—blocked the fleeing group. Sima Yi's two sons shouted: "Stand and surrender, traitors and rebels!" Gongsun Yuan panicked. Swinging his horse around, he tried to escape. But Hu Zun had already arrived. Ringed by Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei to the left, Zhang Hu and Yue Chen to the right, Gongsun Yuan and his son Xiu had no choice but to dismount and give themselves up.
From horseback Sima Yi said to his commanders, "A few days ago, on the third cyclical day, I saw a star fall here; now, on the night of the ninth, the sign is fulfilled." The commanders voiced their congratulations: "The grand commandant is a true genius!" Sima Yi handed down the order for the execution of Gongsun Yuan and Gongsun Xiu; and father and son, facing each other, submitted to their punishment. Sima Yi then shifted his forces to capture Xiangping. But Hu Zun had already entered the city, whose population welcomed him with burning incense and reverent bows as his soldiers followed behind.
Sima Yi conducted business in the government headquarters. He ordered the execution of Gongsun Yuan's entire clan as well as all officials who had conspired with him. More than seventy were beheaded. Then a writ was widely posted to reassure the people. Someone informed Sima Yi: "Jia Fan and Lun Zhi strenuously protested Yuan's decision to rebel and were executed for their pains." Accordingly, Sima Yi made a fief of the lands where their tombs stood and raised their sons and grandsons to eminence. Finally, Sima Yi used the wealth collected in the city treasury to reward his army before leading them home to Luoyang.
One night when the ruler of Wei was in his palace, a chill gust blew his lamps out during the third watch, and before him he saw Empress Mao and several score of palace maidens pleading for their lives. This vision subsequently caused Cao Rui to fall ill. As his condition worsened, he ordered the privy counselors and palace bureau directors, Liu Fang and Sun Zi, to assume control of all business of the central council.
Cao Rui next summoned a son of Cao Pi, the late Emperor Wen, Cao Yu, king of Yan, to serve as regent for the heir apparent Cao Fang. Cao Yu, a sincere and reserved man with a warm and agreeable manner, expressed unwillingness to undertake so great a responsibility. Cao Rui then summoned Liu Fang and Sun Zi and asked, "Who in my clan can undertake the regency?" These two officials had long received the favor of Cao Zhen while he was alive. "Cao Zhen's son, Cao Shuang, would be suitable," they recommended, and Cao Rui approved. The two officials then made another representation to the sovereign: "If you appoint Cao Shuang, you must send the king of Yan home to his fief." Cao Rui approved this suggestion, and the two officials requested the edict, which they bore to the king of Yan, saying, "We carry an imperial edict in the ruler's hand ordering Your Highness back to your fief. You are to start out no later than today and may return to the capital only by edict." The king shed tears and departed, and Cao Shuang was honored as regent and granted control of court administration.2
Cao Rui's condition was grave. He authorized a special envoy to summon Sima Yi back to court. On receiving the edict, Sima Yi went directly to Xuchang and into the presence of the Wei ruler. Cao Rui said to him, "Our one fear was that we would not live to receive you, but now we may die without regret." Sima Yi touched his head to the ground and addressed his sovereign: "En route I was informed that Your Majesty's health was poor. Alas, had I had wings I would have flown to the gates of the palace. To behold today the dragon visage is a blessing to your servant."
Cao Rui had the heir apparent, Cao Fang, the regent, Cao Shuang, and the privy counselors, Liu Fang and Sun Zi, called to the foot of his bed. Taking Sima Yi's hand, Cao Rui said, "Many years ago, when Liu Xuande lay dying in the city of Baidi, he entrusted his son Liu Shan to Zhuge Kongming, who devoted the rest of his life to the young king. A small kingdom in a corner of the realm thus set an example which a major dynasty must live up to if not surpass. Eight years old, our son, Cao Fang, is too young to govern the dynasty. It will be our good fortune if the grand commandant, the clan elder Cao Shuang, and the veteran vassals who won merit in the founding reign support the boy fully and so fulfill our heartfelt hopes."
Next, Cao Rui called Cao Fang to his side. "Sima Yi and I are as one, in sacred union, and you should show him the utmost respect," he said, and he ordered Sima Yi to take Cao Fang's hand and approach the bed. Cao Fang embraced Sima Yi's neck and would not release him. Cao Rui said, "Grand Commandant, you must never forget the love he bears you." His eyes filled with tears. Sima Yi touched his head to the ground and wept freely. The sovereign began losing consciousness and spoke no more. Feebly he pointed toward the prince, and then, having reigned thirteen years, he died at the age of thirty-six in the third year of Jing Chu.3 It was the last third of the first month of spring.
Directly, Sima Yi and Cao Shuang assisted the heir apparent, Cao Fang, to ascend the imperial throne. Cao Fang, whose style was Lanqing, was really a foster son of Cao Rui. He had been raised in secret in th
e palace; no one knew his origins. After assuming the throne, Cao Fang declared Cao Rui's temple title to be Emperor Ming and had him interred in the Gaoping tombs. He honored Lady Guo as imperial queen mother, and he established a new reign year, Zheng Shi.4 Sima Yi and Cao Shuang jointly guided the administration. Cao Shuang served Sima Yi with great diligence, informing him in advance of all important matters. Cao Shuang's style was Zhaobo; from his youth he had gone freely in and out of the palace. Emperor Ming had always treasured Shuang's caution and diligence.
Cao Shuang had five hundred followers, among whom five had achieved prominence for their superficial elegance. The first was He Yan (Pingshu); the second Deng Yang (Xuan-mao), a descendant of Deng Yu; the third Li Sheng (Gongzhao); the fourth Ding Mi (Yanjing); the fifth Bi Gui (Zhaoxian). Another of his followers was Minister of Agriculture Huan Fan (Yuanze), a man of considerable intelligence and acumen, widely known as "Store of Wisdom." Cao Shuang placed great trust in these few men.
Once He Yan said to Cao Shuang, "No one else should share the authority Your Lord-ship holds lest there be dire consequences." Cao Shuang replied, "The late Emperor mandated both Lord Sima and me to protect the young prince. How can I renege on that agreement?" "Some time ago when your father and Sima Yi were fighting the Riverlands, Sima Yi humiliated your father several times; it finally killed him. This is known to you, of course." With a shock of recognition Cao Shuang saw the wisdom of He Yan's advice.
After gaining the agreement of his officials, Cao Shuang entered the imperial presence and said to Cao Fang, "Sima Yi has the merit and the virtue to be advanced to the position of imperial guardian." Cao Fang approved, and thus all military authority passed into the hands of Cao Shuang. Cao Shuang ordered his younger brother Cao Xi to take command of the central army, Cao Xun to be general for Military Defense, and Cao Yan to be permanent attendant cavalier.5 Each had a command of three thousand royal guards and permission to enter the imperial quarters of the palace at will. In addition, He Yan, Deng Yang, and Ding Mi formed the Secretariat; Bi Gui became commandant of the Capital Districts; and Li Sheng was appointed governor of Henan. Cao Shuang constantly consulted these five. The number of his followers increased daily. Sima Yi stayed out of public business on pretext of illness, and his sons resigned from office and lived privately.
Cao Shuang, He Yan, and their associates spent their days drinking and amusing themselves. Their formal dress and the implements they used were no different from those of the imperial court. For their personal use they preempted the choicest of the rare articles presented as tribute from various localities, sending the remainder on to the palace. Elegant ladies and palace maidens crowded their halls and apartments. Zhang Dang from the Inner Bureau catered to Cao Shuang's every whim and stealthily selected seven or eight of the late Emperor's attending ladies for Cao Shuang's official residence. Cao Shuang also chose thirty or forty singers and dancers, daughters of good families, to serve as his private entertainers. In addition, Cao Shuang built a multistoried painted gallery, had gold- and silverware fashioned for him, and employed several hundred artisans who worked day and night.
At this time He Yan learned that there was a famous mathematician in Pingyuan named Guan Lu, and he desired to study the Book of Changes with him. Deng Yang, attending one of their study sessions, asked Guan Lu, "You claim to know the Changes well, yet you never deal with the meaning of the book's phrases. Why?" Guan Lu responded, "Those who understand the Changes do not speak of the Changes." He Yan smiled and praised the teacher, saying, "A succinct statement, quite to the point." Thereupon he asked Guan Lu, "Would you divine with a hexagram and tell me whether or not I will reach the status of an elder lord?" He Yan also asked, "For several nights I have dreamed that scores of black flies gathered around my nose. What does it signify?"
Guan Lu answered, "The eight talented sons of the house of Gaoxin and the eight talented sons of the house of Gaoyang guided and supported the sage-king Shun during his reign. The Duke of Zhou stood beside the young king of Zhou during his reign. All these men of gentle goodwill, self-restrained and sincere, enjoyed manifold blessings. Today Your Lordship holds an honored position of much influence. But few cherish your virtue while many fear your power, and it could well be that this is not the way safely to seek the blessings that come to those who rule. Now then, the nose is a kind of hill. When it is high and secure, it can maintain its eminence. But flies flock to foul odors. A position perched too high may overturn. Can one be too wary? I would urge Your Lordship to 'seek wider counsel and amend your shortcomings, ' taking care to take no step unless sanctioned by tradition. Only thus can you attain a position as one of the three elder lords and disperse the flies annoying you."6
At this point Deng Yang interjected angrily, "This is pedantic rigamarole!" Guan Lu retorted, "A 'pedant' can detect what is not yet born; 'rigamarole' may reveal what is unspoken." So saying, he departed with a contemptuous flick of his sleeves. The two officials burst out laughing and said, "Crazy old scholar!"
At home Guan Lu discussed the incident with his maternal uncle, who was quite perturbed. "What's the good of offending two such powerful officials as He Yan and Deng Yang?" he said. "I was talking with dead men; there is nothing to fear from them," was Guan Lu's reply. When his uncle pressed him for an explanation, Guan Lu continued, "When Deng Yang walks, his muscles are slack on the bones: his vital sinews have lost control over his flesh. When he stands, he tilts to one side as if he had no limbs: this is 'the agitated look of a haunted man. ' A study of the signs of He Yan shows that his cloud-soul does not keep to its house, his blood does not invigorate his expression, and his germinal essence has vaporized. He has the look of a dead tree, 'the fading look of a haunted man. ' Should I fear two men who will soon die?" The uncle denounced Guan Lu as a madman and left.
Cao Shuang, He Yan, and Deng Yang regularly followed the hunt. Shuang's younger brother Xi criticized him: "Elder brother, you are too important to the government to indulge in the pleasures of outings and hunts. Were someone to plot against your life, it might be too late..." Cao Shuang dismissed this warning saying, "With military power in my hands, there is nothing to fear." A second remonstrance from Minister of Agriculture Huan Fan was also ignored. At this time the Wei ruler, Cao Fang, changed the calendar, and the tenth year of the reign Zheng Shi became the first year of Jia Ping.7
Cao Shuang had monopolized power for ten years, but he had no information about Sima Yi's condition. It so happened that the ruler had just promoted Li Sheng to imperial inspector of Jingzhou, so Cao Shuang ordered him to take formal leave of Sima Yi and at the same time to find out about him whatever he could. Li Sheng proceeded to the official residence of the imperial guardian, where a gate attendant reported his arrival. Sima Yi said to his two sons, "Cao Shuang is trying to find out if I am really sick or not." He removed his cap, loosened his hair, and, wrapped in a bedcover, seated himself on his bed; he had two serving maids prop him up. He then invited Li Sheng into his chambers.
Li Sheng prostrated himself before the bed and said, "It has been too long since I have seen the imperial guardian; I never imagined your condition could be so serious. The Son of Heaven has commanded me to serve as imperial inspector of Jingzhou, and I have come to take formal leave." Feigning misunderstanding, Sima Yi said, "Bingzhou is near the northern border. Take good care!" Li Sheng said, "Not Bingzhou, Jingzhou." Sima Yi smiled and asked, "You've just come from Bingzhou?" "No. Jingzhou on the River Han," Li Sheng responded. Sima Yi burst out laughing and said, "So you've come from Jingzhou!" Li Sheng said, "How could the imperial guardian have become so ill?" An attendant replied, "The imperial guardian is hard of hearing." "Let me have a writing brush and paper," Li Sheng said, and the attendants brought them. Li Sheng wrote a note and handed it up to Sima Yi, who smiled as he read it. "I am so ill, my hearing has failed. Take care of yourself on this mission," he said. He pointed to his mouth, and a serving woman brought him a drink. Sima Yi tried to suck it into his mouth, but it spilled
over his front. Then, as if choking, he said, "I am failing, and my symptoms worsen. Death awaits me. My sons are useless; I look to you to instruct them. If you see the regent, I beg you to have him see after them." With those words he toppled over on the bed, his breathing labored. Li Sheng took leave and went back to inform Cao Shuang of his visit. "If the old one dies, my worries are over," Cao Shuang said with great satisfaction.
Sima Yi watched Li Sheng leave. Then he rose from the bed and said to his sons, "After Li Sheng's report Cao Shuang will never fear me. When he leaves the city on his next hunt, we can make our move!"8
Soon afterward Cao Shuang invited the Wei ruler to visit the Gaoping tombs and perform the sacrificial service to his late father. A grand entourage of major and minor officials accompanied the sovereign. Cao Shuang led his three younger brothers as well as his trusted associate He Yan and others. As the procession advanced under the protection of the Royal Guard, Minister of Agriculture Huan Fan confronted Cao Shuang, seizing his horse's bridle, and remonstrated with him: "Your Lordship controls the whole court guard. It is unwise for all your brothers to come out with you. There might be a revolt in the city. What will you do then?" Cao Shuang pointed the tip of his whip at the man and said harshly, "Who would dare? No more wild talk!"
That day Sima Yi rejoiced to see Cao Shuang leave the city. Losing no time, he rallied the veterans who had campaigned with him in the old days, along with with several dozen commanders of his own household. All followed him and his two sons to arrange Cao Shuang's assassination. Indeed:
Behind the sickroom doors he feels a sudden burst of health;
Three Kingdoms Page 141
