One day He Yan said, “My lord, you should not let your great powers slip into the hands of any other, or you will repent it.”
Cao Shuang replied, “Sima Yi as well as I received the late Emperor's sacred trust, and I mean to be true.”
He Yan said, “When your father and this Sima Yi were winning their victories in the west, your father suffered much from this man's temper, which ultimately brought about his death. Why do you not look into that?”
Cao Shuang seemed suddenly to wake up.
Having entered into an intrigue with the majority of the officers about the court, then one day he presented to the Ruler of Wei a memorial, saying, “Sima Yi should be promoted to the rank of Guardian of the Throne for his great merits and services.”
The promotion was made, and consequently Sima Yi, now a civil officer, let the whole military authority fall into the hands of Cao Shuang.
Having thus far succeeded, Cao Shuang next appointed his brothers to high military posts: Cao Xi as Commander of the Center Army; Cao Xun, Commander of the Imperial Guard; Cao Yan, Commander of the Cavalry. Each commanded three thousand of the palace guards, with right to go in and out of the palace at will. Moreover, three of his friends — He Yan, Deng Yang, and Ding Mi — were created Chairs of three Boards; Bi Gui, Commander of Capital District; and Li Sheng, Governor of Henan. These five and their patron were close associates in all concerns of state.
Cao Shuang gathered about him larger and still larger numbers of supporters, till Sima Yi gave out that he was ill and remained in seclusion. His two sons also resigned their offices.
Cao Shuang and his friends now gave themselves up to dissipation, spending days and nights in drinking and music. In their dress and the furniture of their table they copied the palace patterns. Tribute in the shape of jewels and curios went to the residence of Cao Shuang before it entered the Emperor Palace, and his courts swarmed with beautiful damsels.
Minister Zhang Dang of the Palace Bureau toadied to Cao Shuang so far as to select eighteen of the late Emperor's handmaids and send them to the now powerful minister. Cao Shuang also chose for him a chorus of two score well-born ladies who were skilled in music and dancing. Cao Shuang also built for himself beautiful towers and pavilions and made to himself vessels of gold and silver, the work of the most expert craftspeople, whom he kept constantly employed.
Now He Yan heard of Guan Lu's great skill in divination and sent to Pingyuan to invite him to discuss about the Book of Changes. When the soothsayer arrived, Deng Yang was of the company to meet him, and he said to Guan Lu, “You call yourself a skillful diviner, but your speech does not resemble the language of the Book of Changes. How is that?”
Guan Lu replied, “An interpreter does not use the language of the original.”
He Yan laughed, saying, “Certainly good words are not wearisome. But cast a lot for me, and tell me whether I shall ever arrive at the highest office or not, for I have dreamed repeatedly that many blue flies settled on my nose.”
Guan Lu replied, “Gao Kai and Gao Yuan aided King Shun; Duke Zhou assisted the young Emperor Cheng of Zhou Dynasty; all these were kindly and modest and enjoyed great happiness. You, Sir, have come to high honors and wield great powers, but those who esteem you are few and those who fear you, many. You are not careful to walk in the way of good fortune. Now the nose is an eminence. If an eminence retains its characteristic, thereby it remains in honor; But is it not that blue flies gather to foul objects and the lofty fears a fall? I would wish you to give of your abundance for the good of the poor and avoid walking in the wrong road. Then indeed may you reach the highest dignity, and the blue flies will disperse.”
“This is mere senile gossip,” said Deng Yang.
“The gift of age is to see that which is yet to come; the gift of gossip is to perceive what is not said,” replied Guan Lu. Thereupon he shook out his sleeves and went away.
“He is very mad, really,” said his two hosts.
Guan Lu went home. When he saw his uncle, Guan Lu gave him an account of the interview. His uncle was alarmed at the probable consequences, and said, “Why did you anger them? They are too powerful for you to offend.”
“What is there to fear? I have keen talking to two dead men.”
“What do you mean?”
“Deng Yang's gait is that of one whose sinews are loosed from his bones, and his pulse is unsteady. When he would stand, he totters as a man without limbs. This is the aspect of a disembodied soul. He Yan looks as if his soul was about to quit its habitation. He is bloodless, and what should be solid in him is mere vapor. He looks like rotten wood. This is the aspect of a soul even now in the dark valley. Both these men will certainly soon die a violent death, and none need fear them.”
His uncle left, cursing him for a madman.
Cao Shuang and his five friends were devoted to hunting and were often out of the city. Cao Xi, a brother of Cao Shuang, remonstrated with him about this and pointed out the dangers of such frequent absence on these excursions.
“You are in an exalted position and yet you are constantly being out hunting. If anyone took advantage of this to work you evil, you might have to be exceedingly regretful.”
Cao Shuang only showed anger and replied, “The whole military authority is in my hands and what is there to fear?”
Huan Fan, Minister of Agriculture, also reasoned with him, but Cao Shuang would not listen.
About this time the style of the reign was changed from Right Beginning, the tenth year, to Domestic Calm, the first year (AD 249).
Now ever since Cao Shuang had enjoyed the monopoly of military authority, he had never heard the truth about the state of health of the man he had maneuvered out of power. But when the Ruler of Wei appointed Li Sheng to the governorship of Qingzhou, Cao Shuang bade Li Sheng go to take leave of Sima Yi, at the same time to find out the true state of his health.
So Li Sheng proceeded to the residence of the High Minister and was announced.
Sima Yi saw through the device at once and told his sons, saying, “This is Cao Shuang's wish to find out my real condition.”
And he bade them play their parts in the scene he arranged, before the visitor was admitted.
Sima Yi threw aside his head-dress, so letting his hair fall in disorder, stretched himself upon his couch, tumbled the bed ding into confusion, got a couple of servant girls to support him, and then told his servants to lead in the visitor.
Li Sheng came in and went up to the sick man, saying, “It is a long time since I have seen you, and I did not know you were so seriously ill. His Majesty is sending me to Qingzhou, and I have come to pay my respects to you and bid you farewell.”
“Ah; Bingzhou is in the north; you will have to be very careful there,” said Sima Yi feigning that he had not heard.
“I am going as Governor of Qingzhou, not Bingzhou,” said Li Sheng.
“Oh, you have just come from Bingzhou.”
“Qingzhou, in Huashang Mountains.”
“Just back from Qingzhou, eh?” said Sima Yi, smiling.
“How very ill the Imperial Guardian is!” said Li Sheng to the servants.
“The Minister is deaf,” said they.
“Give me paper and a pen,” said Li Sheng.
Writing materials were brought, when Li Sheng wrote what he wished to say and put it before his host.
“My illness has made me very deaf; take care of yourself on the way,” said Sima Yi.
Looking up, he pointed to his mouth. One of the girls brought some broth and held the cup for him to drink. He put his lips to the cup, but spilled the broth all over his dress.