“Everyone knows that Your Majesty lacks the happy attributes of a successful ruler and that is why there is so much confusion in the country. If it was not for the presence of the Prince of Wei in your court, many a man would murder you. Your Majesty has never yet learned how to treat people; is your sole desire to set people against you?”
The Emperor, alarmed at the violence of his language, shook out his sleeves and rose to go away. Then Wang Lang glanced at Hua Xin, who rushed forward and seized the Emperor by the sleeve.
“Is it consent or not?” cried he angrily. “One word!”
The Emperor was dumb with terror.
“Where is the Keeper of the Seal?” shouted Cao Hong and Cao Xiu, drawing their swords. “The Keeper of the Seal is here,” said Zu Bi, stepping calmly to the front.
They tried to force the seal from him, but he cried, “The Seal belongs to the Emperor, and I will not yield it!”
Cao Hong called up the executioners and told them to behead him, which they did. Zu Bi abused the ruffians to the last breath.
Dethroned by wicked traitors was the ruling House of Han,
They falsely claimed as precedent the deeds of Yu and Tang.
The crowd of officers at court were all on Cao Pi's side,
Save one, Zu Bi the Keeper of the Seal, and loyally he died.
The Emperor was in a state of abject terror, and when he saw the whole court filling up with armed guards, all the soldiers of Wei and so enemies, he burst into tears.
“Yes; I will give up the throne to the Prince, if haply I may be spared to live out the few years Heaven has assigned me,” wailed he.
“The Prince will always take care of Your Majesty,” said Jia Xu. “It would be as well to prepare the abdication manifesto quickly so as to preserve tranquillity.”
Such a hint could not be missed, and Chen Qun was directed to draft the document. As soon as it was finished, Hua Xin followed by a host of officers, took it off to the palace and presented it, with the Imperial Hereditary Seal, in the name of the Emperor. Very joyfully, Cao Pi read this writing:
“During the whole of my thirty-two years of reign the land has been in a state of turmoil, but the spirits of my
ancestors have preserved me in the midst of danger. Now from the signs of the heavens and the hearts of the people, I see that the virtue of the Hans is exhausted, and happy fortune has devolved upon the House of Wei, as may be seen from the success in war enjoyed by the late King Cao and the resplendent virtue of the present Prince, which answers to the times.
“By all noble principles the empire is no private possession, but a public trust. Wherefore the great King Yao, to his eternal glory, passed over his own son. How I admire this deed! Now in imitation thereof I have resolved to abdicate in favor of my Chief Minister, the Prince of Wei, who will not, I hope, disappoint my wishes.”
Cao Pi heard this and was going to accept it as final. But Sima Yi said no: “Although the declaration and the seal have been sent, yet decorum demands refusal at first so as to silence people's criticism.”
Then Wang Lang drafted a memorial modestly declining the proposal of succession on the ground of unfitness and asking that some other be sought. When this reached the Emperor, he was much perturbed and asked what was to be done next.
Replied Hua Xin, “When his father was offered a princedom, he declined thrice, but he finally accepted. Wherefore Your Majesty should renew the offer. The Prince will end by acceptance.”
There was no help for it, and so Huan Jie was bidden to draft another declaration of offer, which was sent by the hand of the Officer of the Dynastic Temple, Zhang Yin, together with the emblems and the seal.
This new declaration read thus:
“To the Prince of Wei. You have sent your modest refusal of our offer to abdicate. But I have long since seen that the
virtue of Han is passing, and I could only rely upon the late Prince, your father, who virtuously undertook the great task of removing the evil oppressors and purging the land. Now his son Cao Pi has succeeded. His perfect virtue is resplendent, his fame universal and his benevolence is wafted to all parts. The divine choice rests upon him.
“In the days of old, Yao the Great would abdicate, and did so in favor of Shun, who possessed merit after his twenty accomplishments; and the God-king Shun in the same manner handed the Throne to Yu after he had labored to control the floodwaters. The House of Han succeeded in the course of ages to the work of Yao and now passes on the sacred trust, to promote the repose of the Earth and manifest the command of Heaven.
“By the hand of the Minister Zhang Yin, this is sent with the emblems and the seal.”
Greatly rejoicing, Cao Pi received this. But he said to Jia Xu, “Although I have received two such declarations, yet I fear that I may not escape being branded as a usurper by posterity.”
“That is easily arranged,” replied Jia Xu. “Direct Zhang Yin to take the seal back again, and tell Hua Xin to cause the Emperor to set up a Terrace of Abdication and select an auspicious day for the ceremony. Then assemble all the officers at the terrace, and cause the Emperor to offer the seal with his own hands and surrender the empire to you. Thus can you dissipate all doubts and prevent any caviling.”
So the seal was once more rejected with a memorial to say so. Zhang Yin returned and the Emperor inquired of the courtiers how he was to understand this act.
Then Hua Xin said, “Your Majesty can set up a Terrace of Abdication and assemble nobles, officers, and common people to witness the act of abdication. Thereafter the descendants of your House shall receive favor at the hands of Wei.”
The Emperor consented and sent officials in the Office of Imperial Ceremonies to select a site at Fanyang. And there they built a terrace of three stories, and they chose an auspicious day of the tenth month for the act of abdication. On the appointed day, Emperor Xian requested Cao Pi to ascend the terrace and receive his abdication. At the foot of the terrace stood the officials, more than four hundred, and the Imperial Guards and the Tiger Guards, and soldiers to the number of three hundred thousand. Thereupon the Emperor presented the seal, which Cao Pi received into his hands. Then all those about the terrace knelt to listen to the reading of the manifesto:
“To the Prince of Wei. In days of old, Yao yielded the empire to Shun, and Shun in turn gave it to Yu. The will of
Heaven does not follow the way of mortals, but seeks the virtuous. The rule of Han has lost its virility and the times are out of joint. When my turn came to rule, great disorder arose, and evils stalked abroad till the empire was in danger of subversion. I trusted to the military genius of the late Prince of Wei to restore order and purge away the evil, whereby to ensure tranquillity to my House. What could my single hand do to correct this and ensure peace for my Nine Domains?
“The present Prince has succeeded to his father; he is also resplendent in virtue, capable as Wu the Military King and Wen the Scholar King of the great task, brilliant in the glory of his father. The spirit of the empire is upon him; gods and humans declare his worth. To him be the bright reward, and let him accept this mandate. For all say his capabilities fit him to stand beside Yu.
“As did my great predecessor, I respectfully retire that you may be set up. The revolution of Heaven brings the glory upon your person, and you will accept the high office and comfort all people by reverently obeying. the decree of Heaven.”
The reading finished, the Prince of Wei, Cao Pi, proceeded to the terrace and ascended to the place of the Emperor. Then Jia Xu, at the head of the great concourse of officers, came to the foot of the terrace, and a court was held. The year of reign was changed from Prolonged Wealth, the First Year, to Yellow Dawn, the First Year (AD 220), and the government became that of Great Wei. An edict was then published proclaiming a general amnesty, and the title of “Founder of the Dynasty” was conferred upon the late Prince, Cao Cao.