Romance, Chapter 109

Chapter 109. A Han General’s Clever Scheme Traps Sima; The Deposal of Cao Fang Is the House of Wei’s Retribution

In the autumn of the sixteenth year of Yanxi of Shu Han, General Jiang Wei raised an army of two hundred thousand. He made Liao Hua and Zhang Yi the vanguard of the left and right, Xiahou Ba his adviser and Zhang Ni the officer in charge of grain transport, and led the main army out through Yangping Pass to attack Wei. Jiang Wei consulted Xiahou Ba, saying, “Last time we tried to take Yongzhou, we could not win and came back. If we go out again now, they are sure to be prepared once more. What is your view?” Xiahou Ba said, “Of all the commanderies of Longshang, Nanan alone is richest in money and grain. If we take it first, it will serve well enough as our base.

蜀漢延熙十六年秋，將軍姜維起兵二十萬，令廖化、張翼爲左右先鋒，夏侯霸爲參謀，張嶷爲運糧使，大兵出陽平關伐魏。維與夏侯霸商議曰：“向取雍州，不克而還；今若再出，必又有準備。公有何高見？”霸曰：“隴上諸郡，只有南安錢糧最廣；若先取之，足可爲本。

The last time we failed and came back, it was because the Qiang troops did not arrive. Now we should first send someone to meet the Qiang in Longyou, then advance our army out by Shiying and strike straight at Nanan from Dongting.” Jiang Wei was delighted. “What you say is excellent!” he said. So he sent Xi Zheng as envoy into the Qiang lands with gold, pearls and Shu brocade to win the friendship of the Qiang king. The Qiang king, Midang, accepted the gifts and at once raised fifty thousand troops, and with the Qiang general Ehe Shaoge as chief vanguard he led them toward Nanan.

曏者不克而還，蓋因羌兵不至。今可先遣人會羌人於隴右，然後進兵出石營，從董亭直取南安。”維大喜曰：“公言甚妙！”遂遣郤正爲使，齎金珠蜀錦入羌，結好羌王。羌王迷當，得了禮物，便起兵五萬，令羌將俄何燒戈爲大先鋒，引兵南安來。

When Guo Huai, the Wei General of the Left, heard the report, he sent an urgent memorial to Luoyang. Sima Shi asked his generals, “Who dares go and oppose the Shu army?” Xu Zhi, General Who Supports the State, said, “I wish to go.” Sima Shi had long known that Xu Zhi was brave beyond other men, and he was delighted. He at once made Xu Zhi the vanguard and Sima Zhao Commander-in-Chief, and sent them with an army toward Longxi. When the army reached Dongting, it met Jiang Wei, and the two sides drew up in battle array.

魏左將軍郭淮聞報，飛奏洛陽。司馬師問諸將曰：“誰敢去敵蜀兵？”輔國將軍徐質曰：“某願往。”師素知徐質英勇過人，心中大喜，即令徐質爲先鋒，令司馬昭爲大都督，領兵望隴西進發。軍至董亭，正遇姜維，兩軍列成陣勢。

Xu Zhi, wielding a great mountain-splitting axe, rode out to challenge. From the Shu ranks Liao Hua came out to meet him. After only a few bouts Liao Hua turned and fled back, trailing his sword. Zhang Yi galloped out with his spear levelled to meet him, but after only a few bouts he too was beaten back into the ranks. Xu Zhi drove his troops forward in a sweeping attack; the Shu army was badly defeated and fell back more than thirty li. Sima Zhao also called in his troops, and each side made camp.

徐質使開山大斧，出馬挑戰。蜀陣中廖化出迎。戰不數合，化拖刀敗回。張翼縱馬挺槍而迎，戰不數合，又敗入陣。徐質驅兵掩殺，蜀兵大敗，退三十餘里。司馬昭亦收兵回，各自下寨。

Jiang Wei consulted Xiahou Ba, saying, “Xu Zhi is very brave. What plan should we use to capture him?” Xiahou Ba said, “Tomorrow feign defeat, and beat him with a stratagem of ambush.” Jiang Wei said, “Sima Zhao is the son of Zhongda; how could he not know the art of war? If he sees that the ground offers cover, he will certainly refuse to pursue. I see that the Wei troops have cut our supply lines again and again. If we now use that very thing to lure them, we can behead Xu Zhi.” He then called Liao Hua and gave him certain instructions, and called Zhang Yi and gave him certain instructions, and the two led their troops away.

姜維與夏侯霸商議曰：“徐質勇甚，當以何策擒之？”霸曰：“來日詐敗，以埋伏之計勝之。”維曰：“司馬昭乃仲達之子，豈不知兵法？若見地勢掩映，必不肯追。吾見魏兵累次斷吾糧道，今卻用此計誘之，可斬徐質矣。”遂喚廖化分付如此如此，又喚張翼分付如此如此：二人領兵去了。

At the same time he had his soldiers scatter iron caltrops along the roads and set out many rows of abatis outside the camp, to make it look as though he intended a long stay.

一面令軍士於路撒下鐵蒺藜，寨外多排鹿角，示以久計。

Day after day Xu Zhi led out his troops to challenge, but the Shu army would not come out. Scouts reported to Sima Zhao, “Behind Mount Tielong the Shu troops are carrying grain and fodder with wooden oxen and gliding horses, preparing for a long stay, and are only waiting for the Qiang troops to come to their support.” Sima Zhao summoned Xu Zhi and said, “The reason we beat Shu in the past was that we cut their supply lines. Now the Shu troops are carrying grain behind Mount Tielong. Tonight you will take five thousand men and cut their supply line, and the Shu army will retreat of its own accord.”

徐質連日引兵搦戰，蜀兵不出。哨馬報司馬昭說：“蜀兵在鐵籠山後，用木牛流馬搬運糧草，以爲久計，只待羌兵策應。”昭喚徐質曰：“昔日所以勝蜀者，因斷彼糧道也。今蜀兵在鐵籠山後運糧，汝今夜引兵五千，斷其糧道，蜀兵自退矣。”

Xu Zhi took his orders, and at the first watch he led his troops toward Mount Tielong. Sure enough, he saw some two hundred Shu soldiers driving over a hundred wooden oxen and gliding horses loaded with grain and fodder. The Wei troops raised a shout, and Xu Zhi rode at their head to block the way. The Shu soldiers abandoned all the grain and fodder and fled. Xu Zhi divided his force in two, sending half to escort the grain and fodder back to camp, while he himself led the other half in pursuit. He had gone less than ten li when he found carts drawn across the road in front, barring the way.

徐質領令，初更時分，引兵望鐵籠山來，果見蜀兵二百餘人，驅百餘頭木牛流馬，裝載糧草而行。魏兵一聲喊起，徐質當先攔住。蜀兵盡棄糧草而走。質分兵一半，押送糧草回寨；自引兵一半追來。追不到十里，前面車仗橫截去路。

Xu Zhi ordered his men to dismount and clear the carts away, when suddenly fire broke out on both sides. He hastily reined round and fled back, but behind him, where the mountain path ran narrow and remote, carts had also been drawn across the road, and flames were leaping up. Xu Zhi and his men braved the smoke and dashed through the fire, galloping out. A bombard roared, and troops came charging from two directions: Liao Hua on the left and Zhang Yi on the right. After a fierce slaughter the Wei troops were badly defeated.

質令軍士下馬拆開車仗，只見兩邊忽然火起。質急勒馬回走，後面山僻窄狹處，亦有車仗截路，火光迸起。質等冒煙突火，縱馬而出。一聲炮響，兩路軍殺來：左有廖化，右有張翼，大殺一陣，魏兵大敗。

Xu Zhi fought desperately and fled alone. Man and horse were exhausted. As he was fleeing, a body of troops came charging at him from the front: it was Jiang Wei. Xu Zhi was terrified and did not know what to do. With one thrust of his spear Jiang Wei brought down the horse under him. Xu Zhi tumbled from the saddle, and the soldiers hacked him to death with their swords. The half of Xu Zhi’s force that he had sent off escorting the grain was also captured by Xiahou Ba, and all its men surrendered. Xiahou Ba had the Shu soldiers put on the Wei troops’ clothes and armour and mount their horses, and, flying the Wei army’s banners, he hurried by a side road straight back to the Wei camp.

徐質奮死隻身而走，人困馬乏，正奔走間，前面一枝兵殺到，乃姜維也。質大驚無措，被維一槍刺倒座下馬，徐質跌下馬來，被衆軍亂刀砍死。質所分一半押糧兵，亦被夏侯霸所擒，盡降其衆。霸將魏兵衣甲馬匹，令蜀兵穿了，就令騎坐，打着魏軍旗號，從小路徑奔回魏寨來。

Seeing what they took to be their own troops returning, the Wei soldiers opened the gates and let them in, and the Shu troops began slaughtering inside the camp. Sima Zhao was terrified and hastily mounted to flee, but Liao Hua came charging at him from the front. Unable to go forward, he hurried back, only for Jiang Wei to come charging in with his troops by a side road. With no way out on any side, Sima Zhao had no choice but to lead his men up Mount Tielong and hold it. Now this mountain had only one path; on every other side it was steep and hard to climb. At the top there was only a single spring, enough to water no more than a hundred men. At this time Sima Zhao had six thousand men under him. Jiang Wei cut off the path at its mouth, the spring on the mountain was not enough, and men and horses were parched with thirst.

魏軍見本部兵回，開門放入，蜀兵就寨中殺起。司馬昭大驚，慌忙上馬走時，前面廖化殺來。昭不能前進，急退時，姜維引兵從小路殺到。昭四下無路，只得勒兵上鐵籠山據守。原來此山只有一條路，四下皆險峻難上；其上惟有一泉，止夠百人之飲，——此時昭手下有六千人，被姜維絕其路口，山上泉水不敷，人馬枯渴。

Sima Zhao looked up to heaven and heaved a long sigh. “I shall die in this place!”

昭仰天長嘆曰：“吾死於此地矣！”

A later poet wrote:
Jiang Wei’s clever reckoning was no ordinary thing;
The Wei army was trapped on Mount Tielong,
Like Pang Juan when first he entered the Maling Road,
Like Xiang Yu when first he was surrounded at Mount Jiuli.

後人有詩曰：“妙算姜維不等閒，魏師受困鐵籠間：龐涓始入馬陵道，項羽初圍九里山。
”

The Registrar Wang Tao said, “Long ago, when Geng Gong was besieged, he bowed down to a well and obtained sweet water. Why do you not follow his example, General?” Sima Zhao took his advice. He went up to the spring on the summit, bowed twice and prayed, “I, Zhao, received an edict to come and drive back the Shu army. If I am fated to die, let the sweet spring run dry; I will then cut my own throat and order my troops all to surrender. But if my allotted years are not yet at an end, I pray that blue Heaven will quickly grant sweet water to save the lives of all these men!” When he had finished his prayer, the water came gushing out of the spring and could not be drawn dry, and so men and horses did not die.

主簿王韜曰：“昔日耿恭受困，拜井而得甘泉。將軍何不效之？”昭從其言，遂上山頂泉邊，再拜而祝曰：“昭奉詔來退蜀兵，若昭合死，令甘泉枯竭，昭自當刎頸，教部軍盡降；如壽祿未終，願蒼天早賜甘泉，以活衆命！”祝畢，泉水湧出，取之不竭，因此人馬不死。

Meanwhile Jiang Wei, keeping the Wei troops hemmed in from the foot of the mountain, said to his generals, “I have always deeply regretted that the Chancellor failed to catch Sima Yi at Shangfang Valley. This time Sima Zhao will surely be my captive.”

卻說姜維在山下困住魏兵，謂衆將曰：“昔日丞相在上方谷，不曾捉住司馬懿，吾深爲恨；今司馬昭必被吾擒矣。”

Meanwhile, when Guo Huai learned that Sima Zhao was trapped on Mount Tielong, he wanted to lead troops there. Chen Tai said, “Jiang Wei has joined forces with the Qiang troops and means to take Nanan first. The Qiang troops have now arrived. If you withdraw your army to go to the rescue, General, the Qiang will certainly take advantage of the gap to fall on our rear. It would be better first to send someone to surrender falsely to the Qiang and work from within. Only when this army has been driven off can we relieve the siege of Tielong.” Guo Huai agreed and sent Chen Tai with five thousand troops straight to the Qiang king’s camp. Chen Tai took off his armour, went in, and bowed down weeping. “Guo Huai is arrogant and overbearing,” he said, “and has always wanted to kill me, so I have come to surrender.

卻說郭淮聽知司馬昭困於鐵籠山上，欲提兵來。陳泰曰：“姜維會合羌兵，欲先取南安。今羌兵已到，將軍若撤兵去救，羌兵必乘虛襲我後也。可先令人詐降羌人，於中取事；若退了此兵，方可救鐵籠之圍。”郭淮從之，遂令陳泰引五千兵，徑到羌王寨內，解甲而入，泣拜曰：“郭淮妄自尊大，常有殺泰之心，故來投降。

I know everything about the strengths and weaknesses of Guo Huai’s army. Tonight I ask only to lead a force to raid his camp, and success will be ours. When our troops reach the Wei camp, there will be men inside ready to help.” Midang was delighted and ordered Ehe Shaoge to go with Chen Tai to raid the Wei camp. Ehe Shaoge had Chen Tai’s surrendered troops follow behind and made Chen Tai lead the Qiang troops in the van. At the second watch that night they reached the Wei camp and found its gates wide open.

郭淮軍中虛實，某俱知之。只今夜願引一軍前去劫寨，便可成功。如兵到魏寨，自有內應。”迷當大喜，遂令俄何燒戈同陳泰來劫魏寨。俄何燒戈教泰降兵在後，令泰引羌兵爲前部。是夜二更，竟到魏寨，寨門大開。

Chen Tai rode in first, alone. As Ehe Shaoge galloped into the camp with his spear levelled, he had time for only one cry of dismay before horse and rider together fell into a pit. Chen Tai’s troops came charging from behind and Guo Huai from the left. The Qiang troops fell into utter confusion and trampled one another; the dead were beyond counting, and the living all surrendered. Ehe Shaoge cut his own throat and died. Guo Huai and Chen Tai led their troops straight on into the Qiang camp. King Midang hurried out of his tent, but as he was mounting his horse the Wei troops took him alive and brought him before Guo Huai.

陳泰一騎馬先入。俄何燒戈驟馬挺槍入寨之時，只叫得一聲苦，連人帶馬，跌在陷坑裏。陳泰兵從後面殺來，郭淮從左邊殺來，羌兵大亂，自相踐踏，死者無數，生者盡降。俄何燒戈自刎而死。郭淮、陳泰引兵直殺到羌人寨中，迷當大王急出帳上馬時，被魏兵生擒活捉，來見郭淮。

Guo Huai hastily dismounted, untied his bonds with his own hands and soothed him with kind words. “The court has always regarded you as loyal and righteous,” he said. “Why have you now been helping the men of Shu?” Midang was ashamed and acknowledged his fault. Guo Huai then persuaded him, saying, “If you now lead the van to break the siege of Mount Tielong and drive back the Shu army, I will memorialise the Son of Heaven, and you will be richly rewarded.”

淮慌下馬，親去其縛，用好言撫慰曰：“朝廷素以公爲忠義，今何故助蜀人也？”迷當慚愧伏罪。淮乃說迷當曰：“公今爲前部，去解鐵籠山之圍，退了蜀兵，吾奏準天子，自有厚賜。”

Midang agreed. With the Qiang troops in front and the Wei troops behind, he hurried straight to Mount Tielong. It was the third watch. He first sent word to Jiang Wei, who was delighted and had him invited in to meet him. Most of the Wei troops were mixed in among the Qiang ranks. When they reached the front of the Shu camp, Jiang Wei had the main force all encamp outside, and Midang came with a hundred or so men to the front of the central tent. Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba both came out to welcome him.

迷當從之，遂引羌兵在前，魏兵在後，徑奔鐵籠山。時值三更，先令人報知姜維。維大喜，教請入相見。魏兵多半雜在羌人部內；行到蜀寨前，維令大兵皆在寨外屯紮，迷當引百餘人到中軍帳前。姜維、夏侯霸二人出迎。

Without waiting for Midang to speak, the Wei officers fell on them from behind. Jiang Wei was terrified and hastily mounted and fled. The Qiang and Wei troops charged in together, and the Shu troops scattered in all directions, each running for his life. Jiang Wei had no weapon in his hands, only a bow and arrows at his waist, and in the haste of his flight the arrows had all fallen out, leaving only an empty quiver. He fled toward the mountains, and Guo Huai came after him with troops. Seeing that Jiang Wei had not a scrap of steel in his hands, Guo Huai galloped after him with his spear levelled.

魏將不等迷當開言，就從背後殺將起來。維大驚，急上馬而走。羌、魏之兵，一齊殺入。蜀兵四分五落，各自逃生。維手無器械，腰間止有一副弓箭，走得慌忙，箭皆落了，只有空壺。維望山中而走，背後郭淮引兵趕來；見維手無寸鐵，乃驟馬挺槍追之。

As Guo Huai drew near, Jiang Wei pulled the empty bowstring and twanged it more than ten times in a row. Guo Huai dodged again and again, but no arrow came, and he realised that Jiang Wei had none. So he hung up his steel spear, took his bow, fitted an arrow and shot at him. Jiang Wei quickly swerved aside, caught the arrow in his hand and set it on his own bowstring. Waiting until Guo Huai had come close, he shot it with all his strength straight at his face, and Guo Huai fell from his horse at the twang of the string. Jiang Wei wheeled his horse round to come back and kill Guo Huai, but the Wei army came rushing up.

看看至近，維虛拽弓弦，連響十餘次。淮連躲數番，不見箭到，知維無箭，乃掛住鋼槍，拈弓搭箭射之。維急閃過，順手接了，就扣在弓弦上；待淮追近，望面門上盡力射去，淮應弦落馬。維勒回馬來殺郭淮，魏軍驟至。

Unable to finish him off, Jiang Wei could only snatch up Guo Huai’s spear and ride away. The Wei troops did not dare pursue. They hurried to rescue Guo Huai and took him back to camp, but when they drew out the arrowhead the bleeding would not stop, and he died. Sima Zhao came down from the mountain and led his troops in pursuit, but turned back halfway. Xiahou Ba escaped and came up after Jiang Wei, and they fled together. Jiang Wei had lost many men and horses, and unable to rally and halt his troops anywhere along the way, he went back to Hanzhong. Although his army had been defeated, he had shot Guo Huai dead and killed Xu Zhi, dealing a blow to the might of Wei, so his merit was set against his fault.

維下手不及，只掣得淮槍而去。魏兵不敢追趕，急救淮歸寨，拔出箭頭，血流不止而死。司馬昭下山引兵追趕，半途而回。夏侯霸隨後逃至，與姜維一齊奔走。維折了許多人馬，一路收扎不住，自回漢中。雖然兵敗，卻射死郭淮，殺死徐質，挫動魏國之威，將功補罪。

Meanwhile Sima Zhao rewarded the Qiang troops and sent them home. He then withdrew his army and returned to Luoyang, where he and his elder brother Sima Shi held the power of the court entirely in their own hands, and none of the officials dared refuse to submit. Whenever Cao Fang, the Ruler of Wei, saw Sima Shi come to court, he trembled uncontrollably, as though needles were pricking his back. One day, when Cao Fang was holding court, he saw Sima Shi come up into the hall wearing his sword, and he hastily stepped down from his couch to welcome him. Sima Shi laughed and said, “Whoever heard of a ruler welcoming a subject? Pray be at your ease, Your Majesty.”

卻說司馬昭犒勞羌兵，發遣回國去訖，班師還洛陽，與兄司馬師專制朝權，羣臣莫敢不服。魏主曹芳每見師入朝，戰慄不已，如針刺背。一日，芳設朝，見師帶劍上殿，慌忙下榻迎之。師笑曰：“豈有君迎臣之禮也，請陛下穩便。”

Presently the officials presented their business, and Sima Shi decided everything himself without referring anything to the Ruler of Wei. A little later, when court was over, Sima Shi strode haughtily down from the hall and left the palace in his carriage, screened in front and thronged behind by no fewer than several thousand men and horses.

須臾，羣臣奏事，司馬師俱自剖斷，並不啓奏魏主。少時朝退，師昂然下殿，乘車出內，前遮後擁，不下數千人馬。

Cao Fang withdrew into the rear hall and, looking around, found only three men with him: Xiahou Xuan, the Minister of Ceremonies; Li Feng, the Director of the Secretariat; and Zhang Ji, Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. Zhang Ji was the father of Empress Zhang and so the Emperor’s father-in-law. Cao Fang ordered his attendants out and went with the three men into a private chamber to confer. Taking Zhang Ji by the hand, he wept and said, “Sima Shi looks on me as a little child and on all the officials as so much straw. Sooner or later the state will surely fall to this man!”

芳退入後殿，顧左右止有三人：乃太常夏侯玄，中書令李豐，光祿大夫張緝，緝乃張皇后之父，曹芳之皇丈也。芳叱退近侍，同三人至密室商議。芳執張緝之手而哭曰：“司馬師視朕如小兒，覷百官如草芥，社稷早晚必歸此人矣！”

When he had finished speaking, he wept bitterly. Li Feng said, “Do not grieve, Your Majesty. Untalented as I am, I ask to take Your Majesty’s edict, gather the heroes of the four quarters and destroy this traitor.” Xiahou Xuan said, “My uncle Xiahou Ba surrendered to Shu only because he feared being murdered by the Sima brothers. If this traitor is now destroyed, my uncle will certainly return. I am an old kinsman of the ruling house; how could I sit and watch a wicked traitor throw the state into disorder? I ask to join in receiving the edict and attacking him.”

言訖大哭。李豐奏曰：“陛下勿憂。臣雖不才，願以陛下之明詔，聚四方之英傑，以剿此賊。”夏侯玄奏曰：“臣叔夏侯霸降蜀，因懼司馬兄弟謀害故耳；今若剿除此賊，臣叔必回也。臣乃國家舊戚，安敢坐視奸賊亂國，願同奉詔討之。”

Cao Fang said, “I only fear it cannot be done.” The three men wept and said, “We swear to be of one mind in destroying the traitor, to repay Your Majesty!” Cao Fang took off his undershirt embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, bit open the tip of his finger and wrote an edict in blood. Handing it to Zhang Ji, he charged him, “When my ancestor Emperor Wu put Dong Cheng to death, it was because the matter had not been kept secret. You must be careful and cautious, and let nothing leak out.” Li Feng said, “Why does Your Majesty say such ill-omened things? We are not of Dong Cheng’s sort, and how can Sima Shi be compared with your ancestor Emperor Wu? Do not doubt us, Your Majesty.”

芳曰：“但恐不能耳。”三人哭奏曰：“臣等誓當同心滅賊，以報陛下！”芳脫下龍鳳汗衫，咬破指尖，寫了血詔，授與張緝，乃囑曰：“朕祖武皇帝誅董承，蓋爲機事不密也。卿等須謹細，勿泄於外。”豐曰：“陛下何出此不利之言？臣等非董承之輩，司馬師安比武祖也？陛下勿疑。”

The three took their leave and went out. When they reached the left side of the Donghua Gate, they saw Sima Shi coming toward them wearing his sword, followed by several hundred men, all carrying weapons. The three stood aside by the road. Sima Shi asked, “Why are you three so late leaving court?” Li Feng said, “His Majesty was reading in the inner palace, and the three of us were attending him at his reading.” “What book was he reading?” asked Sima Shi. “The books of the Three Dynasties, Xia, Shang and Zhou,” said Li Feng. Sima Shi said, “And what stories did His Majesty ask about when he read these books?”

三人辭出，至東華門左側，正見司馬師帶劍而來，從者數百人，皆持兵器。三人立於道傍。師問曰：“汝三人退朝何遲？”李豐曰：“聖上在內廷觀書，我三人侍讀故耳。”師曰：“所看何書？”豐曰：“乃夏、商、周三代之書也。”師曰：“上見此書，問何故事？”

Li Feng said, “The Son of Heaven asked how Yi Yin supported the Shang and how the Duke of Zhou acted as regent, and we all replied, ‘The Grand General Sima of today is just such a man as Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou.’” Sima Shi gave a cold laugh. “You would never compare me with Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou! In your hearts you are really pointing to me as a Wang Mang or a Dong Zhuo!” The three all said, “We are all your own followers, General. How would we dare do such a thing?” Sima Shi said in a rage, “You are flatterers with your mouths!

豐曰：“天子所問伊尹扶商、周公攝政之事，我等皆奏曰：今司馬大將軍，即伊尹、周公也。”師冷笑曰：“汝等豈將吾比伊尹、周公！其心實指吾爲王莽、董卓！”三人皆曰：“我等皆將軍門下之人，安敢如此？”師大怒曰：“汝等乃口諛之人！

What were you weeping about with the Son of Heaven in that private chamber just now?” The three said, “There was truly nothing of the kind.” Sima Shi shouted, “Your eyes are still red from weeping. How can you deny it?” Xiahou Xuan, knowing the secret was out, cursed him loudly and fiercely: “We wept because your might overawes your sovereign and you are plotting to usurp the throne!” Sima Shi, in a great rage, shouted to his guards to seize Xiahou Xuan. Xiahou Xuan clenched his fists, bared his arms and went straight for Sima Shi, but the guards overpowered him.

適間與天子在密室中所哭何事？”三人曰：“實無此狀。”師叱曰：“汝三人淚眼尚紅，如何抵賴！”夏侯玄知事已泄，乃厲聲大罵曰：“吾等所哭者，爲汝威震其主，將謀篡逆耳！”師大怒，叱武士捉夏侯玄。玄揎拳裸袖，徑擊司馬師，卻被武士擒住。

Sima Shi had each of them searched, and on Zhang Ji they found an undershirt embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, bearing characters written in blood. His attendants presented it to Sima Shi, who looked at it and saw that it was a secret edict. It read: “Sima Shi and his brother together hold great power and are plotting to usurp the throne. The edicts and decrees that have been issued are none of them my will. Let the officials, officers and soldiers of every command rely together on their loyalty and righteousness to destroy these traitorous ministers and uphold the altars of the state. On the day of success, titles and rewards shall be generously bestowed.”

師令將各人搜檢，於張緝身畔搜出一龍鳳汗衫，上有血字。左右呈與司馬師。師視之，乃密詔也。詔曰：“司馬師弟兄，共持大權，將圖篡逆。所行詔制，皆非朕意。各部官兵將士，可同仗忠義，討滅賊臣，匡扶社稷。功成之日，重加爵賞。”

When Sima Shi had read it, he flew into a violent rage. “So you were plotting to murder us brothers! This cannot be tolerated!” He ordered the three to be cut in two at the waist in the marketplace and their families exterminated to the third degree. The three never stopped cursing. By the time they reached the Eastern Market all their teeth had been knocked out, yet each of them died still mumbling curses.

司馬師看畢，勃然大怒曰：“原來汝等正欲謀害吾兄弟！情理難容！”遂令將三人腰斬於市，滅其三族。三人罵不絕口。比臨東市中，牙齒盡被打落，各人含糊數罵而死。

Sima Shi went straight into the inner palace, where Cao Fang, the Ruler of Wei, was just then discussing the matter with Empress Zhang. The Empress was saying, “There are a great many eyes and ears in the inner palace. If the matter should leak out, I will surely be dragged into it!” At that moment they suddenly saw Sima Shi come in, and the Empress was terrified. Sima Shi, his hand on his sword, said to Cao Fang, “My father set Your Majesty on the throne; in merit and virtue he was no less than the Duke of Zhou. And in serving Your Majesty, how am I any different from Yi Yin? Yet now you repay kindness with enmity and treat merit as a crime, and would plot with two or three petty officials to murder us brothers. Why?”

師直入後宮。魏主曹芳正與張皇后商議此事。皇后曰：“內廷耳目甚多，倘事泄露，必累妾矣！”正言間，忽見師入，皇后大驚。師按劍謂芳曰：“臣父立陛下爲君，功德不在周公之下；臣事陛下，亦與伊尹何別乎？今反以恩爲仇，以功爲過，欲與二三小臣，謀害臣兄弟，何也？”

Cao Fang said, “I have no such intention.” Sima Shi took the undershirt out of his sleeve and flung it on the ground. “Who wrote this?” he said. Cao Fang’s soul flew beyond the heavens and his spirit scattered to the ninth sky. Trembling, he answered, “This was all because others forced me to it. How would I dare conceive such a thing?” Sima Shi said, “Falsely accusing a great minister of rebellion: what punishment should that receive?” Cao Fang knelt and said, “I am guilty. I beg you to pardon me, Grand General!” Sima Shi said, “Pray rise, Your Majesty.

芳曰：“朕無此心。”師袖中取出汗衫，擲之於地曰：“此誰人所作耶！”芳魂飛天外，魄散九霄，戰慄而答曰：“此皆爲他人所逼故也。朕豈敢興此心？”師曰：“妄誣大臣造反，當加何罪？”芳跪告曰：“朕合有罪，望大將軍恕之！”師曰：“陛下請起。

The law of the state cannot be set aside.” Then, pointing at Empress Zhang, he said, “This is Zhang Ji’s daughter. By rights she must be removed!” Cao Fang wept bitterly and begged for her life, but Sima Shi would not listen. He shouted to his attendants to seize the Empress and take her out, and inside the Donghua Gate she was strangled with a length of white silk.

國法未可廢也。”乃指張皇后曰：“此是張緝之女，理當除之！”芳大哭求免，師不從，叱左右將張後捉出，至東華門內，用白練絞死。

A later poet wrote:
In those days Empress Fu went out through the palace gate,
Stamping her feet and wailing as she parted from her lord.
Today the Sima follow that very precedent:
Heaven has made the retribution fall upon the sons and grandsons.

後人有詩曰：“當年伏後出宮門，跌足哀號別至尊。
司馬今朝依此例，天教還報在兒孫。
”

The next day Sima Shi assembled all the officials and said, “Our sovereign is dissolute and without principle. He keeps low company with singing girls and actors, listens to slander and blocks the path of worthy men. His offences are worse than those of the Prince of Changyi in the Han, and he is unfit to rule the empire. I propose respectfully to follow the precedent of Yi Yin and Huo Guang and set up another ruler, so as to preserve the altars of the state and bring peace to the empire. What do you say?” They all answered, “In doing what Yi Yin and Huo Guang did, the Grand General is, as the saying goes, responding to Heaven and following the will of the people. Who would dare disobey?”

次日，司馬師大會羣臣曰：“今主上荒淫無道，褻近娼優，聽信讒言，閉塞賢路：其罪甚於漢之昌邑，不能主天下。吾謹按伊尹、霍光之法，別立新君，以保社稷，以安天下，如何？”衆皆應曰：“大將軍行伊、霍之事，所謂應天順人，誰敢違命？”

Sima Shi then went with many of the officials into the Yongning Palace and reported to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said, “Whom does the Grand General wish to set up as ruler?” Sima Shi said, “As I see it, Cao Ju, Prince of Pengcheng, is intelligent, humane and filial, and fit to be lord of the empire.” The Empress Dowager said, “The Prince of Pengcheng is my uncle. If he were made ruler now, how could I face him? There is Cao Mao, Duke of Gaoguixiang, a grandson of Emperor Wen. He is gentle, courteous and modest, and he may be set up.

師遂同多官入永寧宮，奏聞太后。太后曰：“大將軍欲立何人爲君？”師曰：“臣觀彭城王曹據，聰明仁孝，可以爲天下之主。”太后曰：“彭城王乃老身之叔，今立爲君，我何以當之？今有高貴鄉公曹髦，乃文皇帝之孫；此人溫恭克讓，可以立之。

You great ministers must consider this carefully.” One man spoke up: “What the Empress Dowager says is right. Let him be set up.” They all looked and saw that it was Sima Fu, an uncle of Sima Shi’s clan. Sima Shi then sent envoys to Yuancheng to summon the Duke of Gaoguixiang, and asked the Empress Dowager to take her seat in the Taiji Hall. She summoned Cao Fang and rebuked him: “You are dissolute beyond all measure and keep low company with singing girls and actors. You are unfit to carry on the empire. You must surrender the imperial seal and ribbons and return to your former rank of Prince of Qi. You will set out at once, and you are not to come to court unless summoned.”

卿等大臣，從長計議。”一人奏曰：“太后之言是也。便可立之。”衆視之，乃司馬師宗叔司馬孚也。師遂遣使往元城召高貴鄉公；請太后升太極殿，召芳責之曰：“汝荒淫無度，褻近娼優，不可承天下；當納下璽綬，復齊王之爵，目下起程，非宣召不許入朝。”

Cao Fang wept as he bowed to the Empress Dowager. He handed over the seal of state, mounted a prince’s carriage and went away weeping bitterly. Only a few loyal and righteous ministers saw him off, their eyes full of tears.

芳泣拜太后，納了國寶，乘王車大哭而去。只有數員忠義之臣，含淚而送。

A later poet wrote:
Long ago, when Cao Man was chancellor of Han,
He bullied the widow and the orphan.
Who would have thought that forty years and more later
A widow and an orphan would be bullied in their turn?

後人有詩曰：“昔日曹瞞相漢時，欺他寡婦與孤兒。
誰知四十餘年後，寡婦孤兒亦被欺。
”

Now Cao Mao, Duke of Gaoguixiang, styled Yanshi, was a grandson of Emperor Wen and the son of Cao Lin, Prince Ding of Donghai. That day, when Sima Shi summoned him by command of the Empress Dowager, the civil and military officials prepared the imperial carriage and bowed to welcome him outside the Xiye Gate. Cao Mao hastily returned their bows. The Grand Commandant Wang Su said, “My lord should not return our bows.” Cao Mao said, “I too am a subject. How can I not return a bow?” The officials helped Cao Mao into the imperial carriage to take him into the palace, but he declined, saying, “I do not know why the Empress Dowager has summoned me. How could I dare ride into the palace in the imperial carriage?”

卻說高貴鄉公曹髦，字彥士，乃文帝之孫，東海定王霖之子也。當日，司馬師以太后命宣至，文武官僚備鑾駕於西掖門外拜迎。髦慌忙答禮。太尉王肅曰：“主上不當答禮。”髦曰：“吾亦人臣也，安得不答禮乎？”文武扶髦上輦入宮，髦辭曰：“太后詔命，不知爲何，吾安敢乘輦而入？”

So he walked to the Eastern Hall of the Taiji. Sima Shi came to meet him, and Cao Mao bowed to him first; Sima Shi hastily raised him up. When greetings were over, he was taken to see the Empress Dowager, who said, “When you were a child I saw that you had the look of an emperor. You are now fit to be lord of the empire. You must be respectful and frugal, sparing in expense, spread virtue and practise humanity, and never disgrace the late Emperor.” Cao Mao modestly declined again and again. Sima Shi had the officials escort Cao Mao out to the Taiji Hall, and that same day he was set up as the new ruler. The sixth year of Jiaping was changed to the first year of Zhengyuan, and a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the empire. The Grand General Sima Shi was granted the yellow battle-axe, with the privileges of entering court without hurrying his steps, presenting memorials without giving his name, and going up into the hall wearing his sword. All the civil and military officials received titles and gifts.

遂步行至太極東堂。司馬師迎着，髦先下拜，師急扶起。問候已畢，引見太后。後曰：“吾見汝年幼時，有帝王之相；汝今可爲天下之主：務須恭儉節用，布德施仁，勿辱先帝也。”髦再三謙辭。師令文武請髦出太極殿，是日立爲新君，改嘉平六年爲正元元年，大赦天下，假大將軍司馬師黃鉞，入朝不趨，奏事不名，帶劍上殿。文武百官，各有封賜。

In the first month of spring in the second year of Zhengyuan, spies brought urgent word that Guanqiu Jian, General Who Guards the East, and Wen Qin, Imperial Protector of Yangzhou, had raised troops and were advancing, taking the deposal of the sovereign as their pretext. Sima Shi was greatly alarmed.

正元二年春正月，有細作飛報，說鎮東將軍毌丘儉、揚州刺史文欽，以廢主爲名，起兵前來。司馬師大驚。

Indeed:
A servant of Han once resolved to rescue his sovereign;
Now a general of Wei in turn raises an army against the traitor.
How the enemy was met will be told in the next chapter.

正是：漢臣曾有勤王志，魏將還興討賊師。
未知如何迎敵，且看下文分解。