“Now Cao Shuang has betrayed the trust placed in him, has disordered the kingdom, usurped power at court, and seized upon power in the regions. He has appointed Zhang Dang, Administer of the City, to control the court and spy upon Your Majesty. He is surely lying in wait to seize the empire. He has sown dissension in the royal family and injured his own flesh and blood. The whole land is in confusion, and people's hearts are full of fear. All this is opposed to the injunctions of His late Majesty and his commands to me.
“Stupid and worthless as I am, yet I dare not forget the words of His late Majesty. My colleagues, Jiang Ji and Sima Fu, agree that Cao Shuang is disloyal at heart, and great military powers should not be entrusted to him or his brothers.
“I have memorialized Her Majesty and obtained her authority to act.
“All military powers have been wrested from the hands of Cao Shuang, Cao Xi, and Cao Xun, leaving them only the simple title of lordships, so that hereafter they may be unable to hinder or control Your Majesty's actions. If there be any obstruction, the matter shall be summarily dealt with.
“Although in ill health, as a precautionary measure I have camped at the Floating Bridge, whence I write this.”
When they had made an end of reading, the Ruler of Wei turned to Cao Shuang and said, “In the face of such words what mean you to do?”
Cao Shuang was at a loss and turned to his younger brother, saying, “What now?”
Cao Xi replied, “I remonstrated with you, but you were obstinate and listened not. So it has come to this. Sima Yi is false and cunning beyond measure. If Zhuge Liang could not get the better of him, could we hope to do so? I see nothing but to yield that haply we may live.”
Just at this moment arrived Xin Chang and Luu Zhi. Cao Shuang asked what tidings they brought.
They replied, “The city is completely and closely surrounded, Sima Yi is camped on the river at the Floating Bridge, and you cannot return. You must decide how to act at once.”
Then galloped up Huan Fan, who said, “This is really rebellion; why not request His Majesty to proceed to Xuchang till regional troops can arrive and deal with Sima Yi?”
Cao Shuang replied, “How can we go to another place when all our families are in the city?”
“Even a fool in this crisis would think only of life. You have the Son of Heaven with you here and command all the forces of the empire. None would dare disobey you, and yet you march quietly to death.”
Cao Shuang could not decide to strike a blow for safety; he did nothing but snivel.
Huan Fan continued, “The stay in Xuchang would be but brief, and there are ample supplies for years. You have forces at your call at the South Pass. You hold the seal of Minister of War, and I have brought it with me. Everything is in your favor. Act! Act at once! Delay is death.”
“Do not hurry me,” said Cao Shuang. “Let me think it over carefully.”
Then came Xu Yun and Chen Tai, the two messengers of Sima Yi, and said, “The Guardian of the Throne desires only to strip the military power of the Regent Marshal. If the Regent Marshal yields, he may return peacefully to the city.”
Still Cao Shuang hesitated.
Next arrived Yin Damu, saying, “The Imperial Guardian had sworn by River Luo to the singleness of his aim. Here is letter of Minister Jiang Ji. The Regent Marshal should relinquish the military power and return to the palace in peace.”
When Cao Shuang seemed disposed to accept the assurance of Sima Yi, Huan Fan inveighed against it, saying, “You are a dead man if you listen to the voice of these people!”
Night found Cao Shuang still vacillating. As twilight faded into darkness he stood, sword in hand, sad, sighing and weeping. And morning found him still trying to make up his mind.
Huan Fan again urged him to decide upon some course.
“You have had a whole day and a whole night for reflection and must decide,” said he.
“I will not fight; I will yield all; being a wealthy man is enough,” said Cao Shuang, throwing down his sword.
Huan Fan left the tent wailing.
“Cao Zhen might boast of his abilities, but his sons are mere cattle,” said he, weeping copiously.
The two messengers, Xu Yun and Chen Tai, bade Cao Shuang offer his seal of office to Sima Yi, and it was brought.
But First Secretary Yang Zong clung to it and would not give it up, saying, “Alas! That you, my lord, should resign your powers and make such a pitiful surrender. For surely you will not escape death in the eastern market place.”
“The Imperial Guardian will surely keep faith with me,” said Cao Shuang.
The seal was borne away, and Cao Shuang's generals and soldiers, thus released from the bonds of discipline, dispersed and the hosts melted away. When the brothers reached the Floating Bridge, they were ordered to go to their dwellings, and they went. Their supporters were imprisoned to await the edicts of the Emperor.
Cao Shuang and his friends, so lately all-powerful, entered the city alone, without even a servant following.
As Huan Fan approached the bridge, Sima Yi, from horseback, pointed his whip disdainfully at him and said, “What brought you to this?”
Huan Fan made no reply, but with head bent followed the others.
It was decided to request the Emperor to declare the hunt at an end and order a return to the city. Cao Shuang, Cao Xi, and Cao Xun were confined in their own house, the gate whereof was fastened with a huge lock, and soldiers were set to guard it round about. They were sad and anxious, not knowing what would be their fate.
Then Cao Xi said, “We have but little food left. Let us write and ask for supplies. If Sima Yi sends us food, we may be sure he does not intend harm.”
They wrote, and a hundred carts of supplies were sent. This cheered them, and Cao Shuang said, “Our lives are safe in the hands of Sima Yi.”
Sima Yi had Zhang Dang arrested and put to the question. Zhang Dang said he was not the only one who had tried to subvert the government, and he named the five friends of Cao Shuang — He Yan, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Ding Mi, and Bi Gui. So they were arrested and, when interrogated, confessed that a revolt had been arranged for the third month. Sima Yi had them locked in one long wooden collar.
The Commander of the Gates, Si Fan, testified that Huan Fan had imposed upon him with a pretended command from Her Majesty and so had escaped out of the city. Beside Huan Fan had said the Imperial Guardian was a rebel.
Then said Sima Yi, “When a person maligns another and is false, the punishment for such a crime as he imputes falls upon his own head.”
Huan Fan and those with him were thrown into prison.
Presently Cao Shuang and his brothers, all persons connected with them, and their clans were put to death in the market place. All the treasures of their houses was sent to the public treasury.
Now there was a certain woman of the Xiahou family who had been wife to Wen Shu, a second cousin of Cao Shuang. Early left a childless widow, her father wished her to marry again. Lady Xiahou refused and cut off her ears as a pledge of constancy. However, when the Caos were all put to death, her father arranged another marriage for her; whereupon she cut off her nose. Her own people were chagrined at her obstinate determination.
“For whom are you keeping your vow?” said they. “Man is but as the light dust upon the tender grass, and what is the good of mutilating your body?”
The woman replied, weeping, “I have heard that honorable persons do not break a vow of chastity for the sake of wealth, and the hearts of righteous persons are constant unto death regardless of all losses. While the house of Cao enjoyed prosperity, I remained faithful; how much more should I be true now that it has fallen