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〃Will you suggest a theme？〃 asked Cao Zhi。
Now there was hanging in the hall a black and white sketch of two bulls that had been fighting at the foot of a wall； and one of them had just fallen dead into a well。 Cao Pi pointed to the sketch and said； 〃Take that as the subject。 But you are forbidden to use the words 'two bulls； one bull； fighting； wall's foot； falling； well； and dead'。〃
Cao Zhi took seven paces and then recited this poem：
〃Two butcher's victims lowing walked along；
Each head bore curving bones； a sturdy pair；
They met just by a hillock； both were strong；
Each would avoid a pit newly dug there。
They fought unequal battle； for at length
One lay below a gory mass； inert。
It was not that they were of unequal strength
Though wrathful both； one did not strength exert。〃
This exhibition of skill amazed the Prince and the whole court。 Cao Pi thought he would use another test； so he bade his brother improvise on the theme of their fraternal relationship； the words 〃brotherhood〃 or 〃brother〃 being barred。 Without seeming to reflect； Cao Zhi rattled off this rhyme：
〃They were boiling beans on a beanstalk fire；
Came a plaintive voice from the pot；
'O why； since we sprang from the selfsame root；
Should you kill me with anger hot？'〃
The allusion in these verses to the cruel treatment of one member of a family by another was not lost upon Cao Pi； and he dropped a few silent tears。
The mother of both men came out at this moment from her abiding place and said； 〃Should the elder brother thus oppress the younger？〃
The Prince jumped from his seat； saying； 〃My mother； the laws of the state cannot be nullified。〃
Cao Zhi was degraded to the rank of Lord of Anxiang。 He accepted the decision without a murmur and at once left his brother's court by horse。
Cao Pi's accession was the signal for a set of new laws and new mands。 His behavior toward Emperor Xian was more intemperate than his father's had ever been。
The stories of his harshness reached Chengdu and almost frightened Liu Bei； who summoned his counselors to discuss what he should do。
Said he； 〃Since the death of Cao Cao and the accession of his son； the position of the Emperor has changed for the worse。 Sun Quan acknowledges the lordship of Wei； and its influence is being too great。 I am disposed to destroy Sun Quan in revenge for the death of my brother。 That done。 I will proceed to the Capital District and purge the whole land of rebellion。 What think you？〃
Then Liao Hua stood out from the ranks of officers and threw himself upon the earth； saying with tears； 〃Liu Feng and Meng Da were the true cause of the death of your brother and his adopted son。 Both these renegades deserve death。〃
Liu Bei was of the same opinion and was going to send and arrest them forthwith； but here Zhuge Liang intervened and gave wiser advice。
〃That is not the way。 Go slowly or you may stir up strife。 Promote these two and separate them。 After that you may arrest。〃
The Prince of Hanzhong saw the prudence of this procedure and stayed his hand。 He raised Liu Feng to the Governorship of Mianzhu； and so separated the two delinquents。
Now Peng Yang and Meng Da were old friends。 Hearing what was afoot； the former hastened home and wrote warning his friend。 The letter was confided to a trusty messenger to bear to Meng Da。 The messenger was caught as he went out of the city and carried before Ma Chao； who thus got wind of the business。 He then went to Peng Yang's house； where； nothing being suspected； he was received kindly and wine was brought in。 The two drank for some time。
When Ma Chao thought his host sufficiently off his guard； he said； 〃The Prince of Hanzhong used to look on you with great favor。 Why does he do so no longer？〃
The host began to rave against his master。
〃The obstinate old leather…belly！ But I will find some way to pay him out。〃
In order to see to what lengths he would go； Ma Chao led him on； saying； 〃Truth to tell； I have long hated the man too。〃
〃Then you join Meng Da and attack； while I will win over the people of East and West River Lands。 That will make it easy enough；〃 said Peng Yang。
〃What you propose is very feasible； but we will talk it over again tomorrow；〃 said Ma Chao； and took leave。
Taking with him the captured man and the letter he carried； Ma Chao then proceeded to see the Prince； to whom he related the whole story。 Liu Bei was very angry and at once had the intended traitor arrested and put in prison； where he was examined under torture to get at full details。
While Peng Yang lay in prison； bitterly but vainly repentant； Liu Bei consulted his adviser。
〃That fellow Peng Yang meant to turn traitor。 What shall I do with him？〃
〃The fellow is something of a scholar； but irresponsible；〃 replied Zhuge Liang。 〃He is too dangerous to be left alive。〃
Thereupon orders were given that he should be allowed to mit suicide in gaol。 The news that Peng Yang had been made away frightened his sympathizer and friend； Meng Da； and put him in a quandary。 Further； Liu Feng's promotion and transfer to Mianzhu arrived； and it frightened him still more。 So he sought advice from two friends and manders； the brothers Shen Dan and Shen Yi； who lived in Shangyong。
〃My friend Peng Yang and I did much for the Prince of Hanzhong。 But now Peng Yang is dead； and I am forgotten。 More than that； the Prince wishes to put me to death。 What can I do？〃 said Meng Da。
Shen Dan replied； 〃I think I can find a plan that will secure your safety。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Meng Da； feeling happier。
〃Desertion。 My brother Shen Yi and I have long desired to go over to Wei。 You just write the Prince of Hanzhong a memorial resigning your service and betake yourself to the Prince of Wei； who will certainly employ you in some honorable way。 Then we two will follow。〃
Meng Da saw that this was his best course； so he wrote a memorandum； which he gave to the messenger who had brought the recent dispatches to take back with him。 That night Meng Da left his post and went to Wei。
The messenger returned to Chengdu； handed in Meng Da's memorial； and told the story of his desertion。 The Prince was angry。 He tore open the letter and read：
＇e＇ Yi Yin was was helper and prime minister of King Tang； the founder of Shang Dynasty。 After King Tang's death； Yi Yin served his sons and grandson。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Lu Wang was a master strategist； founding minister of Zhou Dynasty； counselor to King Wen。 Before joining King Wen； Lu Wang had been a fisher； who mediated on the river bank on political events。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Duke Wen of Jin （reigned 636…628 BC） was ruler of the western state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period。 He and his successors made Jin a dominant state for nearly 200 years。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Duke Huan of Qi （reigned BC 685…643）； in the name of serving the Zhou emperor； became the leader of a league of small states in northeast China during the Spring and Autumn period。 His prime minister was the famed Guan Zhong。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Wu was the South Land； while Chu was the area of Jingzhou。
＇e＇ Fan Li was adviser of Gou Jian； the king of Yue。 Fan Li helped Gou Jian plot the 〃Beauty Ruse〃 in order to destroy Fu Zha； the king of Wu。 After Yue triumphed over Wu； Fan Li resigned from politics。 His collegue Wen Zhong stayed to serve Gou Jian； but Wen Zhong got executed due to slanders。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Zi Fan was uncle to Duke Wen of Jin。 In his early days； Duke Wen spent nineteen years in exile； and Zi Fan acpanied him。 When Duke Wen set to return to Jin； Zi Fan took leave； believing that Duke Wen would remember only Zi Fan's faults。
＇e＇ Shen Sheng was the eldest son of Duke Xiao of Jin in the Spring and Autumn period。 But Duke Xiao wanted the son of his favorite concubine； Li Ji； to succeed him as the ruler of Jin。 So Duke Xiao falsely accused Shen Sheng of trying to murder him。 Shen Sheng mitted suidcide rather than flee。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Wu Zixu was a native of Chu but sought refuge in Wu； and achieved great acplishments for Wu。 However； the younger king of Wu later believed rumors spread by some people； and ordered Wu Zixu to be put to death。 。。。。。
＇e＇ Meng Tian a mander of the First Emperor； engineer of the Great Wall； inventor of the brush。 He was executed； together with the First Emperor's eldest son； by Zhao Gao；