Chapter 4

The Han Emperor Is Deposed and the Prince of Chenliu Enthroned; Cao Cao Offers a Dagger Against the Traitor Dong Zhuo

Now Dong Zhuo was about to kill Yuan Shao, but Li Ru stopped him. “The situation is not yet settled. You must not kill him recklessly.”

Yuan Shao, his treasured sword in hand, took leave of the assembled officials and departed. He hung his insignia of office at the eastern gate, then fled to Jizhou.

Dong Zhuo said to Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, “Your nephew has shown me no respect. For your sake, I will pardon him for now. What do you say to the deposition and enthronement?”

“What the Grand Commandant proposes is right,” said Yuan Wei.

Dong Zhuo declared, “Anyone who dares obstruct this great resolution will be dealt with under military law.”

The assembled ministers trembled in fear and all said, “We shall obey your honored command in everything.”

When the banquet was over, Dong Zhuo asked Palace Attendant Zhou Bi and Colonel Wu Qiong, “What will come of Yuan Shao’s departure?”

Zhou Bi replied, “Yuan Shao left in bitter anger. If you pursue him too urgently, circumstances will surely drive him to revolt. Moreover, the Yuan family has cultivated favor for four generations, and its former pupils and officials are spread throughout the realm. Should he gather men of prowess and assemble a following, heroes will rise in response, and the lands east of the mountains will no longer be yours. Better to pardon him and appoint him administrator of a commandery. Delighted to escape punishment, Yuan Shao will then pose no danger.”

Wu Qiong said, “Yuan Shao is fond of schemes but incapable of decision and need not be feared. It would indeed be better to grant him the administration of a commandery and thereby win the people’s hearts.”

Dong Zhuo followed their advice and that very day sent a man to appoint Yuan Shao Administrator of Bohai.

On the first day of the ninth month, he invited the emperor to ascend the Hall of Auspicious Virtue and convened a great assembly of civil and military officials. Sword drawn in hand, Dong Zhuo addressed them:

“The Son of Heaven is benighted and weak, unfit to rule the realm. I now have an edict that must be read aloud.”

He ordered Li Ru to read it:

“Emperor Xiaoling departed his ministers and people before his time. The present emperor succeeded to the inheritance, and all within the seas looked to him in hope. Yet by natural disposition he is frivolous and flighty, negligent in sovereign bearing, and indolent in mourning. His want of virtue has become manifest, and he has proved unworthy of the exalted station. The Empress Dowager has shown none of the conduct proper to a mother and has plunged the government into disorder. The Empress Dowager of Yongle died suddenly and violently, leaving public opinion bewildered. Has there not been a breach in the Way of the Three Bonds, the very order of Heaven and Earth?

“Liu Xie, Prince of Chenliu, possesses sage virtue in great abundance and observes every rule with solemn dignity. In mourning he has shown grief and sorrow, and no improper word has passed his lips. His fair name and excellent repute are known throughout the realm. He should inherit the great enterprise and establish the succession for ten thousand generations.

“The emperor is hereby deposed as Prince of Hongnong, and the Empress Dowager shall return the government. We petition that Liu Xie, Prince of Chenliu, be received as emperor, answering Heaven and obeying the people, thereby comforting the hopes of all living souls.”

When Li Ru had finished reading the edict, Dong Zhuo shouted for his attendants to help the emperor down from the hall, remove the imperial seal and cord from him, and make him kneel at length facing north, proclaiming himself a subject and awaiting commands. He then ordered the Empress Dowager to remove her ceremonial robes and await the decree.

The emperor and empress both wailed aloud. Not one of the assembled ministers was untouched by grief.

From beneath the steps, a high official cried out in fury, “Traitorous minister Dong Zhuo! You dare devise a plot that deceives Heaven! I will spatter you with the blood of my neck!”

Brandishing the ivory tablet in his hand, he struck straight at Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo flew into a rage and shouted for the guards to seize him. It was Imperial Secretary Ding Guan.

Dong Zhuo ordered him dragged outside and beheaded. Ding Guan cursed him without cease, and even at death his expression did not change.

A later poet lamented:

The traitor Dong concealed a scheme to dethrone and enthrone; The Han ancestral altars were abandoned to ruin. The whole court’s ministers kept their counsel sealed— Only Lord Ding proved himself a man.

Dong Zhuo invited the Prince of Chenliu to ascend the hall. When the assembled ministers had completed their court homage and congratulations, Dong Zhuo ordered Empress Dowager He, the Prince of Hongnong, and the imperial consort Lady Tang to be escorted to Yong’an Palace and confined there. He sealed the palace gates and forbade all ministers to enter without authorization.

Pitiful indeed was the young emperor: he had ascended the throne in the fourth month and was deposed in the ninth.

Liu Xie, Prince of Chenliu, whom Dong Zhuo enthroned, had the courtesy name Bohe. He was Emperor Ling’s middle son and became Emperor Xian. At the time, he was nine years old. The reign title was changed to Chuping.

Dong Zhuo became Chancellor of State. At court audiences, his name was not announced; when entering court, he need not hasten; and he was permitted to ascend the hall wearing sword and shoes. No one could compare with him in power to bestow fortune or inflict punishment.

Li Ru urged Dong Zhuo to promote men of renown and thereby win public esteem, and so recommended Cai Yong for his talent. Dong Zhuo summoned him, but Cai Yong did not come. Enraged, Dong Zhuo sent a man to tell him, “If you do not come, I will exterminate your clan.”

Cai Yong was afraid and had no choice but to obey the summons. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed to see him. Within a single month, he promoted him three times and appointed him Palace Attendant, treating him with extraordinary intimacy and favor.

Meanwhile, the young emperor, Empress Dowager He, and Consort Tang remained imprisoned in Yong’an Palace, where their clothing, food, and drink gradually began to fail. The young emperor’s tears never dried.

One day, he happened to see a pair of swallows flying through the courtyard, and he composed a poem:

Tender grasses green beneath the gathered mist; A pair of swallows flutters on the wing. The Luo River runs in one long band of blue, Admired by all who walk the country roads. Far off I gaze where azure clouds lie deep: There stand the palace halls that once were mine. Who will rise, upheld by loyalty and honor, And give release to the grievance in my heart?

Dong Zhuo frequently sent men to spy on them. That day, one of them obtained the poem and presented it to him.

Dong Zhuo said, “He has written a poem of resentment. Now there is just cause to kill him.”

He ordered Li Ru to take ten armed guards into the palace and murder the emperor.

The emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the consort were upstairs when a palace maid announced that Li Ru had arrived. The emperor was terrified.

Li Ru presented him with poisoned wine. The emperor asked why.

“The spring day is mild and harmonious,” said Li Ru. “The Chancellor of State has specially sent this wine to wish you long life.”

The Empress Dowager said, “Since you call it wine for long life, you may drink first.”

Li Ru grew angry. “You will not drink?”

He called for his attendants to display a short dagger and a length of white silk before them.

“If you will not drink the wine of longevity, you may receive either of these two things!”

Consort Tang knelt and pleaded, “Let this concubine drink in the emperor’s place. I beg you, preserve the lives of mother and son.”

Li Ru rebuked her. “Who are you, that you may die in the prince’s place?”

He raised the wine and offered it to Empress Dowager He. “You may drink first!”

The Empress Dowager bitterly cursed He Jin for his lack of judgment in bringing the traitor into the capital and thereby causing the calamity of this day.

Li Ru pressed the emperor to drink.

“Allow me to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager,” said the emperor.

Then, weeping in utter anguish, he sang:

Heaven and Earth are overturned; sun and moon exchange their course. Cast from the chariot of ten thousand teams, I withdraw to guard a fief. Driven by a subject, I know my life cannot endure; The great tide has gone from me—vainly my tears fall!

Consort Tang also sang:

High Heaven is about to fall, and the broad earth crumbles; I am the emperor’s bride, yet bitterly cannot follow him. Life and death take separate roads—from this moment we must part; How can I bear such lonely haste? My heart is torn with grief!

When the songs were ended, they embraced one another and wept.

Li Ru rebuked them: “The Chancellor of State is waiting for my report. Whom do you hope will rescue you if you keep delaying?”

The Empress Dowager cursed him bitterly. “The traitor Dong has driven my son and me to death, and High Heaven does not protect us! You who help him in his wickedness will surely see your clans exterminated!”

Li Ru flew into a rage. Seizing the Empress Dowager with both hands, he hurled her straight down from the upper floor. He ordered the guards to strangle Consort Tang and forced the poisoned wine down the young emperor’s throat, killing him. Then he returned and reported to Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo ordered the bodies buried outside the city.

From that time onward, he entered the palace every night, violated the palace women, and slept upon the imperial couch.

Once, he led his troops out of the city and reached the district of Yangcheng. It was then the second month, and the villagers had gathered for a communal festival. Men and women were assembled together. Dong Zhuo ordered his soldiers to surround them and kill them all. They plundered the women and property, loaded them onto carts, and hung more than a thousand severed heads beneath the vehicles. Cart after cart returned to the capital, while Dong Zhuo proclaimed that he had won a great victory over rebels. Beneath the city gates, he burned the heads and distributed the women and plunder among his troops.

Wu Fu, courtesy name Deyu, Colonel of the Yue Cavalry, saw Dong Zhuo’s cruelty and violence and seethed with indignant hatred.

He began wearing light armor beneath his court robes and concealing a short dagger, intending to watch for an opportunity to kill Dong Zhuo.

One day, Dong Zhuo entered court. Wu Fu met him beneath the palace gallery, drew his dagger, and stabbed straight at him. Dong Zhuo was immensely strong and seized him with both hands. Lü Bu rushed in and wrestled Wu Fu to the ground.

Dong Zhuo demanded, “Who taught you to rebel?”

Wu Fu glared at him and shouted, “You are not my sovereign, and I am not your subject. What rebellion can there be? Your crimes and wickedness fill Heaven; every man longs to put you to death! I only regret that I cannot tear you apart between chariots and thereby make amends to the realm!”

Dong Zhuo flew into a rage and ordered him dragged outside, dismembered, and sliced to pieces. Wu Fu cursed him without cease until death.

A later poet praised him:

Among the loyal ministers of the Han’s last days stands Wu Fu; Nowhere beneath Heaven was there courage loftier than his. His name endures for striking at the traitor in the court; Through all the ages he deserves to be called a man!

From that time onward, Dong Zhuo always traveled under the protection of armored guards.

Yuan Shao was then in Bohai. When he learned that Dong Zhuo had usurped power, he sent a messenger with a secret letter to Wang Yun. Its substance was as follows:

“The traitor Dong has deceived Heaven and deposed his sovereign, committing deeds men cannot bear to speak of. Yet you allow him to domineer as he pleases, as though you neither saw nor heard. Is this the conduct of a minister who repays his country with loyal service?

“I am now assembling forces and training troops, intending to cleanse the imperial house, but I dare not move lightly. If you are so resolved, you must seize an opportunity and act against him. Should you have any command for me, I will obey it at once.”

Wang Yun received the letter but, though he pondered it, could devise no plan.

One day, in the chamber where officials waited for court attendance, he saw that all the senior ministers were present.

“Today is this old man’s humble birthday,” said Wang Yun. “This evening, I venture to ask you all to condescend to visit my residence for a little wine.”

The officials all replied, “We shall certainly come to offer our wishes for your longevity.”

That evening, Wang Yun prepared a banquet in the rear hall, and all the dukes and high ministers attended. After the wine had gone several rounds, Wang Yun suddenly covered his face and began to weep.

The officials asked in astonishment, “On the honored anniversary of the Minister over the Masses’ birth, why do you give way to grief?”

Wang Yun replied, “Today is not in fact my humble birthday. I wished to gather you all for a private discussion, but feared that Dong Zhuo would become suspicious, so I used that as a pretext. Dong Zhuo deceives his sovereign and usurps power. The altars of the state may not survive another day. When I think how the High Emperor destroyed Qin, overthrew Chu, and took possession of the realm, who could have imagined that, passed down to this day, it would perish at Dong Zhuo’s hands? That is why I weep.”

At this, all the officials began to weep.

But one man among them clapped his hands and laughed loudly.

“If all the dukes and ministers at court weep from night until dawn, and from dawn until night, can you possibly weep Dong Zhuo to death?”

Wang Yun looked and saw that it was Cao Cao, Colonel of Valiant Cavalry.

He said angrily, “Your ancestors, too, drew stipends from the Han court. Why do you laugh instead of thinking how to repay the state?”

“I am not laughing at anything else,” said Cao Cao. “I laugh because not one of you has a plan to kill Dong Zhuo. Though I lack ability, I am willing at once to cut off his head and hang it above the capital gate, making amends to the realm.”

Wang Yun left his place and asked, “Mengde, what excellent plan do you have?”

Cao Cao replied, “Of late I have humbled myself to serve Dong Zhuo only because I wished to seize an opportunity to act against him. He now trusts me considerably, and so I am often able to approach him. I have heard that the Minister over the Masses possesses a treasured Seven-Star Sword. I beg you to lend it to me so that I may enter the Chancellor’s residence and assassinate him. Even if I die, I will have no regret!”

“If Mengde truly has such a heart,” said Wang Yun, “it is the greatest fortune for the realm!”

He personally poured wine and offered it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao spilled the wine in libation and swore an oath. Wang Yun then fetched the treasured sword and gave it to him.

Cao Cao concealed the sword. When he had finished drinking, he rose, took leave of the officials, and departed. The officials remained seated a while longer, then dispersed.

The next day, Cao Cao put on the treasured sword and came to the Chancellor’s residence. He asked where the Chancellor was.

“In the small pavilion,” his attendants replied.

Cao Cao went straight in to see him. Dong Zhuo sat upon a couch, while Lü Bu stood in attendance at his side.

“Why has Mengde come so late?” Dong Zhuo asked.

“My horse is weak and travels slowly,” said Cao Cao.

Dong Zhuo turned to Lü Bu. “I have an excellent horse sent from Xiliang. Fengxian, go choose one yourself and present it to Mengde.”

Lü Bu accepted the order and departed.

Cao Cao thought to himself, “This traitor is destined to die!”

He was about to draw the sword and stab him, but, fearing Dong Zhuo’s great strength, did not dare move rashly.

Dong Zhuo was so stout that he could not bear sitting for long. He lay down and turned his face toward the wall.

Cao Cao thought again, “This traitor’s end has come!”

He swiftly drew the treasured sword. Just as he was about to strike, Dong Zhuo happened to look up into a standing mirror and saw Cao Cao behind him drawing the blade. He turned at once and demanded, “What are you doing, Mengde?”

By then, Lü Bu had led the horse to the pavilion entrance.

Cao Cao, alarmed and flustered, held up the sword, knelt, and said, “I possess a treasured sword, which I offer to my gracious Chancellor.”

Dong Zhuo took it and examined it. The blade was more than a foot long, ornamented with seven kinds of precious stones, and keen beyond compare. It was indeed a treasured sword. He handed it to Lü Bu for safekeeping.

Cao Cao removed the scabbard and gave that to Lü Bu as well.

Dong Zhuo led Cao Cao out of the pavilion to inspect the horse.

Cao Cao thanked him. “With your leave, I would like to try riding it.”

Dong Zhuo ordered it fitted with saddle and bridle. Cao Cao led the horse out of the Chancellor’s residence, put spurs to it, and rode away toward the southeast.

Lü Bu said to Dong Zhuo, “Just now, Cao Cao appeared to be preparing to assassinate you. When you challenged him and exposed his purpose, he pretended that he meant to present the sword.”

“I suspected as much,” said Dong Zhuo.

While they were still speaking, Li Ru happened to arrive. Dong Zhuo told him what had occurred.

Li Ru said, “Cao Cao has neither wife nor children in the capital and lives alone in his lodgings. Send men to summon him now. If he comes readily and without suspicion, then he truly meant to present the sword. If he makes excuses and refuses to come, then he certainly intended assassination. We may seize and question him.”

Dong Zhuo agreed and immediately sent four jailers to summon Cao Cao.

After a long while, they returned and reported, “Cao Cao never went back to his lodgings. He galloped out through the eastern gate. When the gate officer questioned him, Cao Cao said, ‘The Chancellor has sent me on urgent official business,’ then spurred his horse and rode away.”

“The traitor Cao has fled because of the guilt in his heart,” said Li Ru. “There can be no doubt he intended assassination.”

Dong Zhuo flew into a rage. “I favored and employed him so highly, yet he sought to harm me!”

“He must have accomplices,” said Li Ru. “Once Cao Cao is captured, we will learn who they are.”

Dong Zhuo therefore issued warrants everywhere, complete with Cao Cao’s likeness and description, commanding his arrest. Whoever captured and presented him would be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and enfeoffed as a marquis of ten thousand households. Anyone who harbored him would suffer the same penalty as he.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao fled beyond the city and galloped toward Qiao Commandery.

Passing through Zhongmou County, he was captured by the soldiers guarding the barrier and brought before the county magistrate.

“I am a traveling merchant,” said Cao Cao. “My surname is Huangfu.”

The magistrate scrutinized him closely. After pondering for a long while, he said, “When I was in Luoyang seeking office, I once recognized you as Cao Cao. Why conceal your identity? Take him to the jail. Tomorrow, we will escort him to the capital and claim the reward.”

He gave the soldiers from the barrier food and wine, and they departed.

At midnight, the magistrate ordered a trusted attendant to bring Cao Cao out in secret. He took him directly to the rear courtyard and questioned him.

“I have heard that the Chancellor treated you generously. Why did you bring this disaster upon yourself?”

Cao Cao replied, “How can sparrows understand the aspirations of a great swan? Since you have captured me, escort me to the capital and claim your reward.”

The magistrate dismissed everyone around them and said to Cao Cao, “Do not underestimate me. I am no common petty official. I have simply not yet met the lord I ought to serve.”

Cao Cao said, “My ancestors have received the stipends of the Han for generations. If I gave no thought to repaying the state, how would I differ from the birds and beasts? I humbled myself to serve Dong Zhuo only because I wished to seize an opportunity to act against him and rid the country of a scourge. That the deed failed is Heaven’s will!”

The magistrate asked, “Mengde, where do you intend to go now?”

“I shall return to my native district,” Cao Cao replied, “issue a forged imperial decree, and summon all the lords of the realm to raise armies and join in destroying Dong Zhuo. That is my desire.”

When the magistrate heard this, he personally untied Cao Cao’s bonds, helped him to the seat of honor, and bowed twice before him.

“You truly are a man of loyalty and honor under Heaven!”

Cao Cao returned the bow and asked the magistrate’s name.

“My surname is Chen, my given name Gong, and my courtesy name Gongtai,” said the magistrate. “My aged mother, wife, and children are all in Dong Commandery. Moved by your loyalty and honor, I am willing to abandon my office and flee with you.”

Cao Cao was overjoyed.

That night, Chen Gong gathered money for their journey. He and Cao Cao changed their clothes and disguises, each strapped a sword across his back, and together they mounted horses and set out for Cao Cao’s native district.

After three days’ travel, they reached the region of Chenggao as evening drew near.

Cao Cao pointed with his whip toward the depths of a forest and said to Chen Gong, “A man named Lü Boshe lives here. He and my father are sworn brothers. Why not go to him, ask for news of my family, and seek lodging for the night?”

“Excellent,” said Chen Gong.

They rode to the manor, dismounted before it, and went in to see Lü Boshe.

“I have heard that the court has sent warrants everywhere and is hunting you urgently,” said Lü Boshe. “Your father has already taken refuge in Chenliu. How did you manage to reach this place?”

Cao Cao told him everything that had happened, then said, “If not for Magistrate Chen, my bones would already have been ground to powder.”

Lü Boshe bowed to Chen Gong. “Had it not been for Your Excellency, my young nephew would have perished and the Cao family been wiped out. Set your mind at ease and be seated. Tonight, you may lodge in my humble cottage.”

When he had finished speaking, he rose and went into the inner quarters. A long while later, he came out and said to Chen Gong, “There is no good wine in this old man’s house. Allow me to go to the western village and buy a jar with which to entertain you.”

With that, he hurriedly mounted a donkey and left.

Cao Cao and Chen Gong had been sitting for some time when they suddenly heard the sound of knives being sharpened behind the manor.

Cao Cao said, “Lü Boshe is no close relation of mine. His departure is suspicious. We should listen in secret.”

The two crept behind the thatched hall and heard someone say, “What if we bind them and kill them?”

“That settles it,” said Cao Cao. “If we do not strike first, we will certainly be captured.”

He and Chen Gong drew their swords and rushed straight inside. Without asking whether anyone was man or woman, they killed them all—eight people in succession.

Searching as far as the kitchen, however, they found a pig bound and ready for slaughter.

“Mengde,” said Chen Gong, “your suspicion was too great. We have killed good people by mistake!”

They hurried from the manor, mounted their horses, and rode away.

They had traveled less than two li when they saw Lü Boshe approaching, two bottles of wine hanging from the front of his donkey’s saddle and fruit and vegetables in his hands.

He called out, “Worthy nephew! Your Excellency! Why are you leaving so soon?”

“We are men under sentence,” said Cao Cao. “We cannot remain long in one place.”

“I already instructed my family to slaughter a pig for your entertainment,” said Lü Boshe. “Worthy nephew, Your Excellency, why begrudge me a single night? Turn your horses around at once, I beg you.”

Cao Cao paid no heed and urged his horse onward.

After only a few steps, he suddenly drew his sword and rode back.

“Who is that coming behind you?” he called to Lü Boshe.

As Lü Boshe turned his head to look, Cao Cao swung his sword and cut him down beneath the donkey.

Chen Gong was aghast. “What happened before was a mistake. Why did you do this now?”

Cao Cao replied, “When Lü Boshe reached home and saw so many people dead, how could he possibly let the matter rest? If he gathered men and pursued us, we would surely suffer disaster.”

“To kill deliberately when you know the truth is a great betrayal of righteousness!” said Chen Gong.

“I would rather betray everyone under Heaven than let anyone under Heaven betray me.”

Chen Gong fell silent.

That night, after traveling several li, they knocked open the door of an inn beneath the bright moon and sought lodging.

When the horses had been fed their fill, Cao Cao went to sleep first.

Chen Gong reflected, “I took Cao Cao for a good man and abandoned my office to follow him. But he is nothing more than a ruthless-hearted villain! If I let him live today, he will certainly become a future scourge.”

He was about to draw his sword and kill Cao Cao.

And so it was:

A ruthless and venomous heart marks no good man; Cao and Dong prove travelers on the selfsame road.

But what became of Cao Cao’s life? Listen to the next chapter for the explanation.

The Han Emperor Is Deposed and the Prince of Chenliu Enthroned; Cao Cao Offers a Dagger Against the Traitor Dong Zhuo

Now Dong Zhuo wanted to kill Yuan Shao, but Li Ru stopped him, saying, “The matter is not yet settled. You must not kill him recklessly.” Yuan Shao, holding his precious sword in his hand, took leave of all the officials and departed. He hung his official insignia at the eastern gate and fled to Jizhou. Dong Zhuo said to Grand Tutor Yuan Wei, “Your nephew has been disrespectful. For your sake, I will pardon him for now. What do you think of deposing the emperor and installing another?” Yuan Wei said, “The Grand Commandant’s view is correct.” Dong Zhuo said, “Anyone who dares obstruct this great decision will be dealt with under military law.” All the ministers trembled in fear and said, “We will obey your honored command in everything.” After the banquet ended, Dong Zhuo asked Palace Attendant Zhou Bi and Colonel Wu Qiong, “What will come of Yuan Shao’s departure?” Zhou Bi said, “Yuan Shao left in anger. If you pursue him too urgently, circumstances will certainly drive him to revolt. Moreover, the Yuan family has bestowed favors for four generations, and its former students and subordinate officials are spread throughout the realm. If he gathers bold men and assembles a following, heroes will rise in response to him, and the lands east of the mountains will no longer belong to you. It would be better to pardon him and appoint him governor of a commandery. Yuan Shao will then be glad to have escaped punishment, and there will certainly be no trouble.” Wu Qiong said, “Yuan Shao is fond of making plans but lacks decisiveness, so he is not worth worrying about. It would indeed be better to give him the governorship of a commandery and thereby win the people’s hearts.”

Dong Zhuo followed their advice and that same day sent a man to appoint Yuan Shao Governor of Bohai. On the first day of the ninth month, he asked the emperor to ascend Jiade Hall and summoned a great assembly of civil and military officials. Dong Zhuo drew his sword and held it in his hand, then said before the gathering, “The Son of Heaven is dim-witted and weak, and is not fit to rule the realm. I now have a decree that should be read aloud.” He then ordered Li Ru to read the decree:

“Emperor Xiaoling departed early from his ministers and people. The emperor succeeded to the inheritance, and all within the seas looked up to him with hope. Yet by his natural disposition the emperor is frivolous; he fails to observe the dignity proper to his station and has been negligent and idle during mourning. His lack of virtue is already plain, and he has disgraced his exalted position. The Empress Dowager has shown none of the proper conduct of a mother, and her direction of government has brought disorder and ruin. The Empress Dowager of Yongle died suddenly and violently, leaving public opinion full of doubt. In the Way of the Three Bonds, the great order of Heaven and Earth, can there not have been some grave failure? Prince Xie of Chenliu possesses flourishing sage virtue and solemnly observes all rules and standards. During mourning he has shown grief and sorrow, and his words have never strayed into wickedness. His fine reputation and good name are known throughout the realm. He should inherit the great enterprise and establish the succession for ten thousand generations. We hereby depose the emperor and make him Prince of Hongnong, while the Empress Dowager shall return the government. We ask that Prince Xie of Chenliu be enthroned as emperor, answering Heaven and following the wishes of the people, so as to comfort the hopes of all living beings.”

When Li Ru had finished reading the decree, Dong Zhuo shouted for his attendants to help the emperor down from the hall and remove his imperial seals and cords. The emperor was made to face north, kneel for a long time, call himself a subject, and await orders. Dong Zhuo also ordered the Empress Dowager to remove her ceremonial robes and await the decree. Both emperor and empress wailed aloud. Not one of the ministers was without grief and anguish. From below the steps, a high official shouted furiously, “Traitorous minister Dong Zhuo! You dare carry out a scheme that deceives Heaven! I will splash you with the blood from my neck!” Brandishing the ivory court tablet in his hand, he struck directly at Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo was enraged and shouted for the guards to seize him. The man was Ding Guan, a Director of the Imperial Secretariat. Dong Zhuo ordered him dragged outside and beheaded. Ding Guan cursed without cease, and even at death his expression did not change. A later poet lamented:

The traitor Dong secretly planned deposition and enthronement;The altars of the Han house were abandoned to ruin.Every minister at court closed his mouth and kept silent;Only Lord Ding proved himself a true man.

Dong Zhuo invited the Prince of Chenliu to ascend the hall. When the ministers had finished paying homage and offering congratulations, Dong Zhuo ordered that Empress Dowager He, the Prince of Hongnong, and the emperor’s consort Lady Tang be taken to Yong’an Palace to live in seclusion. He sealed the palace gates and forbade the ministers to enter without authorization. Alas, the Young Emperor had ascended the throne in the fourth month and was deposed in the ninth. The Prince of Chenliu whom Dong Zhuo enthroned was named Xie, with the style name Bohe. He was Emperor Ling’s middle son and became known as Emperor Xian. At the time he was nine years old. The reign title was changed to Chuping. Dong Zhuo became Chancellor of State. When he was formally presented at court, his name was not spoken; when entering court, he did not have to hurry; and he was allowed to ascend the hall wearing his sword and shoes. No one could compare with his power to bestow favor or punishment. Li Ru urged Dong Zhuo to promote famous men in order to win public support, and therefore recommended Cai Yong for his talent. Dong Zhuo summoned him, but Cai Yong did not come. Dong Zhuo was enraged and sent someone to tell him, “If you do not come, I will exterminate your clan.” Cai Yong was afraid and had no choice but to obey the summons. Dong Zhuo was delighted to see him and promoted him three times in a single month, appointing him Palace Attendant and treating him with great intimacy and favor.

Now the Young Emperor, Empress Dowager He, and Consort Tang were confined in Yong’an Palace, where their clothing, food, and drink gradually became scarce. The Young Emperor’s tears never dried. One day he happened to see two swallows flying together in the courtyard, and he composed a poem:

Tender grass grows green beneath the gathering haze;Gracefully, two swallows fly together.The Luo River runs in one blue-green stream;People on the roads admire the sight.Far away I gaze into the deep blue clouds:There stand my former palace halls.Who will uphold loyalty and righteousnessAnd release the grievance within my heart?

Dong Zhuo constantly sent men to spy on them. That day one of them obtained this poem and presented it to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo said, “He has written a poem of bitter resentment. We now have grounds to kill him.” He then ordered Li Ru to take ten armed guards into the palace and murder the emperor. The emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the consort were upstairs when a palace maid reported that Li Ru had arrived. The emperor was greatly alarmed. Li Ru presented poisoned wine to him, and the emperor asked the reason. Li Ru said, “The spring day is mild and pleasant. Chancellor of State Dong has specially offered you wine for long life.” The Empress Dowager said, “Since you call it wine for long life, you may drink first.” Li Ru said angrily, “Will you not drink?” He called for his attendants to place a short knife and a length of white silk before them, saying, “If you will not drink the wine for long life, you may receive these two things!” Consort Tang knelt and pleaded, “I will drink the wine in the emperor’s place. I beg you, sir, to spare the lives of mother and son.” Li Ru shouted, “Who are you, that you may die in the prince’s place?” He then raised the wine and offered it to Empress Dowager He, saying, “You may drink first!” The Empress Dowager bitterly cursed He Jin for lacking judgment, bringing traitors into the capital, and causing the disaster of that day. Li Ru pressed the emperor to drink. The emperor said, “Allow me to take leave of the Empress Dowager.” He then wailed in great sorrow and made a song:

Heaven and Earth shift, the sun and moon overturn;I leave the imperial throne and withdraw to guard a fief.Driven by a minister, my life will not last long;The great tide has turned, and my tears fall in vain!

Consort Tang also made a song:

High Heaven is about to collapse, and the deep Earth gives way;Though I am an imperial consort, I grieve that I cannot follow.Life and death take different roads; from this moment we part.Why am I left alone so soon? My heart is full of sorrow!

When the songs were finished, they embraced one another and wept. Li Ru shouted, “The Chancellor of State is waiting for my report. Why do you delay? Whom do you expect to save you?” The Empress Dowager cursed loudly, “The traitor Dong has oppressed my son and me, and High Heaven does not protect us! You men help him do evil, and your clans will surely be exterminated!” Li Ru flew into a rage, seized the Empress Dowager with both hands, and threw her straight down from the upper floor. He ordered the guards to strangle Consort Tang and forced poisoned wine down the Young Emperor’s throat, killing him. He then returned and reported to Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo ordered them buried outside the city. From then on, he entered the palace every night, violated the palace women, and slept upon the imperial bed. Once he led his army out of the city and reached the district of Yangcheng. It was then the second month, and the villagers were holding a festival in honor of the local gods. Men and women had all gathered there. Dong Zhuo ordered his soldiers to surround them and kill every one of them. They plundered the women and property, loaded them onto carts, and hung more than a thousand heads beneath the carts. The vehicles returned to the capital one after another, while Dong Zhuo proclaimed that he had won a great victory over rebels. Beneath the city gate the soldiers burned the heads and divided the women and property among the troops.

Wu Fu, Colonel of the Swift Cavalry, whose style name was Deyu, saw Dong Zhuo’s cruelty and violence and was filled with anger and resentment. He once put on light armor beneath his court robes and concealed a short knife, intending to wait for a chance to kill Dong Zhuo. One day, Dong Zhuo entered court. Wu Fu met him below the palace apartments, drew his knife, and stabbed directly at him. Dong Zhuo was very strong and seized him with both hands. Lü Bu rushed in and threw Wu Fu to the ground. Dong Zhuo asked, “Who taught you to rebel?” Wu Fu glared at him and shouted, “You are not my sovereign, and I am not your subject. How can this be called rebellion? Your crimes and evils reach to Heaven, and every man wishes to put you to death! I regret only that I cannot have you torn apart by chariots to make amends to the realm!” Dong Zhuo was furious and ordered him dragged outside, cut open, and sliced to pieces. Wu Fu continued cursing until his death. A later poet praised him:

Among loyal ministers at the Han’s end, men speak of Wu Fu;His soaring heroic spirit had no equal in the world.His name endures for striking at the traitor in the court hall;Through all the ages he may be called a true man!

From then on, Dong Zhuo always had armored soldiers guarding him whenever he went out or came in. At that time Yuan Shao was in Bohai. When he heard that Dong Zhuo had seized power, he sent a man carrying a secret letter to Wang Yun. The main part of the letter said:

“The traitor Dong deceives Heaven and deposes the sovereign, committing acts that men cannot bear to speak of. Yet you allow him to act with such arrogance, as though you neither heard nor saw. Can this be how a minister repays the state and shows his loyalty? I am now assembling troops and training soldiers, intending to cleanse the imperial house, but I dare not act lightly. If you have the will, you should seize an opportunity to plan against him. If you have any task for me, I will obey your command.”

After Wang Yun received the letter, he thought the matter over but could devise no plan. One day, in the chamber where the attendants waited for court, he saw that all the veteran ministers were present. Wang Yun said, “Today is the humble anniversary of my birth. This evening I venture to ask all of you to honor my house and share a little wine.” The officials all said, “We will certainly come to wish you long life.” That evening, Wang Yun held a banquet in the rear hall, and all the high ministers and dignitaries attended. After several rounds of wine, Wang Yun suddenly covered his face and wept bitterly. The officials asked in alarm, “This is the Minister over the Masses’ honored birthday. Why have you suddenly become sorrowful?” Wang Yun said, “Today is not really the humble anniversary of my birth. I wished to gather with all of you, but feared that Dong Zhuo would become suspicious, so I used that as an excuse. Dong Zhuo deceives the sovereign and abuses his power. The altars of the state may not survive from one day to the next. I think of how the High Emperor destroyed Qin, defeated Chu, and brought the whole realm under his rule. Who would have imagined that, after being passed down to this day, it would now be lost at Dong Zhuo’s hands? That is why I weep.” At this, all the officials wept. But one man among those seated clapped his hands and laughed loudly, saying, “If all the high ministers at court weep from night until dawn and from dawn until night, can you possibly weep Dong Zhuo to death?” Wang Yun looked at him and saw that it was Cao Cao, Colonel of the Valiant Cavalry. Wang Yun said angrily, “Your ancestors also received stipends from the Han court. Why do you laugh instead of thinking how to repay the state?” Cao Cao said, “I am not laughing at anything else. I laugh only because not one of you has a plan to kill Dong Zhuo. Though I have little talent, I am willing to cut off Dong Zhuo’s head at once and hang it over the capital gate, to make amends to the realm.” Wang Yun left his seat and asked, “What excellent plan does Mengde have?” Cao Cao said, “The reason I have lately humbled myself to serve Dong Zhuo is that I truly wish to find an opportunity to act against him. Dong Zhuo now trusts me greatly, and I can therefore approach him whenever the time is right. I have heard that the Minister over the Masses possesses a precious Seven-Star Dagger. I ask to borrow it, enter the Chancellor’s residence, and assassinate Dong Zhuo. Even if I die, I will have no regret!” Wang Yun said, “If Mengde truly has such a heart, it is a great blessing to the realm!” He personally poured wine and offered it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao poured out the wine and swore an oath, and Wang Yun at once brought out the precious dagger and gave it to him. Cao Cao concealed the dagger, finished drinking, rose, took leave of the officials, and departed. The other officials remained seated for a while longer and then dispersed.

The next day, Cao Cao put on the precious dagger and went to the Chancellor’s residence. He asked where the Chancellor was. An attendant said, “He is in the small private chamber.” Cao Cao went straight in to see him. Dong Zhuo was sitting on a couch, with Lü Bu standing in attendance beside him. Dong Zhuo said, “Mengde, why have you come so late?” Cao Cao said, “My horse is weak and traveled slowly.” Dong Zhuo turned to Lü Bu and said, “I have a fine horse newly arrived from Xiliang. Fengxian, go personally and select one to present to Mengde.” Lü Bu accepted the order and left. Cao Cao thought to himself, “This traitor is fated to die!” He was about to draw the dagger and stab him, but he feared Dong Zhuo’s great strength and did not dare act rashly. Dong Zhuo was very fat and could not bear to sit for long, so he lay down, turning his face toward the inside. Cao Cao thought again, “This traitor’s end has come!” He quickly drew the precious dagger into his hand. Just as he was about to strike, Dong Zhuo happened to look upward into the mirror used for viewing one’s robes and saw Cao Cao behind him drawing the dagger. He turned around quickly and asked, “Mengde, what are you doing?”

At that moment, Lü Bu had already led the horse outside the chamber. Cao Cao, frightened and flustered, held the dagger and knelt, saying, “I have a precious dagger that I offer to my gracious Chancellor.” Dong Zhuo took it and examined it. The blade was more than a foot long, inlaid and decorated with seven kinds of jewels, and exceedingly sharp. It truly was a precious dagger. He handed it to Lü Bu for safekeeping. Cao Cao removed the sheath and gave that to Lü Bu as well. Dong Zhuo led Cao Cao out of the chamber to look at the horse. Cao Cao thanked him and said, “I beg leave to try riding it.” Dong Zhuo ordered the horse fitted with saddle and bridle. Cao Cao led it out of the Chancellor’s residence, applied the whip, and rode away toward the southeast. Lü Bu said to Dong Zhuo, “Just now Cao Cao seemed about to assassinate you. When you called out and exposed him, he pretended that he was presenting the dagger.” Dong Zhuo said, “I suspect the same.”

While they were speaking, Li Ru happened to arrive, and Dong Zhuo told him what had happened. Li Ru said, “Cao Cao has neither wife nor children in the capital and lives alone in his lodging. Send someone to summon him now. If he has no guilty suspicions and comes at once, then he truly meant to present the dagger. If he makes excuses and refuses to come, he must have intended assassination. Then he can be seized and questioned.” Dong Zhuo agreed and immediately sent four prison guards to summon Cao Cao. They were gone a long while before returning to report, “Cao Cao never returned to his lodging. He rode at full speed out of the eastern gate. When the gate officer questioned him, Cao Cao said, ‘The Chancellor has sent me on urgent official business,’ then urged on his horse and left.” Li Ru said, “The traitor Cao has fled with a guilty heart. There is no doubt that he intended assassination.” Dong Zhuo said furiously, “I favored and employed him so highly, yet he wanted to harm me!” Li Ru said, “He must have accomplices. Once Cao Cao is captured, we will learn who they are.” Dong Zhuo therefore ordered official notices circulated everywhere, bearing Cao Cao’s portrait and description and commanding his arrest. Whoever captured and presented him would be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and enfeoffed as Marquis of Ten Thousand Households. Anyone who sheltered him would share his crime.

Now Cao Cao fled beyond the city and raced toward Qiao Commandery. As he passed through Zhongmou County, the soldiers guarding the pass captured him and brought him before the county magistrate. Cao Cao said, “I am a traveling merchant. My surname is Huangfu.” The county magistrate looked closely at Cao Cao and pondered for a long while before saying, “When I was in Luoyang seeking office, I once recognized you as Cao Cao. Why do you conceal your identity? Take him to the jail for now. Tomorrow he will be escorted to the capital so that we may claim the reward.” He gave the soldiers who had guarded the pass wine and food, and they departed.

At midnight, the county magistrate summoned a trusted attendant and secretly had Cao Cao brought out. He took him directly into the rear courtyard for questioning and asked, “I have heard that the Chancellor treated you generously. Why did you bring this disaster upon yourself?” Cao Cao said, “How can sparrows and swallows understand the ambition of a great swan? Since you have captured me, you should send me away and claim your reward.” The county magistrate dismissed everyone around them and said to Cao Cao, “Do not look down on me. I am no common official. I have merely not yet met the lord I should serve.” Cao Cao said, “My ancestors have received Han stipends for generations. If I did not think of repaying the state, how would I differ from a beast? I humbled myself to serve Dong Zhuo because I wished to seize an opportunity to act against him and remove this evil from the state. Now the attempt has failed. It is Heaven’s will!” The county magistrate asked, “Mengde, where do you intend to go on this journey?” Cao Cao said, “I will return to my homeland, issue a forged imperial edict, and summon the lords throughout the realm to raise armies and join together in executing Dong Zhuo. That is my wish.”

When the county magistrate heard this, he personally untied Cao Cao’s bonds, helped him into the seat of honor, and bowed twice, saying, “You, sir, are truly a loyal and righteous man of the realm!” Cao Cao bowed in return and asked the county magistrate’s name. The magistrate said, “My surname is Chen, my given name is Gong, and my style name is Gongtai. My aged mother, wife, and children are all in Dong Commandery. I am now moved by your loyalty and righteousness. I am willing to abandon my office and flee with you.” Cao Cao was delighted. That night, Chen Gong gathered money for the journey. He and Cao Cao changed their clothes and disguises, each carried a sword on his back, and they mounted horses and headed toward Cao Cao’s homeland.

After traveling for three days, they reached the Chenggao district as evening was drawing near. Pointing with his whip toward a place deep in the woods, Cao Cao said to Chen Gong, “A man named Lü Boshe lives here. He is my father’s sworn brother. Why do we not go to ask him for news of my family and seek lodging for the night?” Chen Gong said, “That would be best.” The two dismounted before the farmstead and entered to see Lü Boshe. Lü Boshe said, “I have heard that the court has circulated documents everywhere and is urgently seeking your arrest. Your father has already taken refuge in Chenliu. How did you manage to reach this place?” Cao Cao told him what had happened and said, “If not for Magistrate Chen, my bones would already have been ground to powder and my body smashed to pieces.” Lü Boshe bowed to Chen Gong and said, “Had it not been for Your Honor, my young nephew would have brought the extermination of the Cao family. Please be at ease and sit comfortably. Tonight you may rest in my humble house.” After saying this, he rose and went inside. A long while later, he came out and said to Chen Gong, “There is no good wine in my house. Allow me to go to the western village and buy a jar with which to entertain you.” When he had finished speaking, he hurriedly mounted a donkey and departed.

Cao Cao and Chen Gong had been sitting for a long time when they suddenly heard the sound of a knife being sharpened behind the farmstead. Cao Cao said, “Lü Boshe is not a close relative of mine. His departure is suspicious. We should secretly listen.” The two crept behind the thatched hall and heard someone say, “How would it be to bind him and kill him?” Cao Cao said, “So that is it! If we do not strike first, we will certainly be captured.” He and Chen Gong drew their swords and rushed straight in. Without regard for man or woman, they killed everyone, eight people in all. When they searched as far as the kitchen, however, they saw a pig tied up and ready for slaughter. Chen Gong said, “Mengde, your suspicious mind has caused us to kill good people by mistake!” They hurried out of the farmstead, mounted their horses, and rode away. Before they had traveled two li, they saw Lü Boshe coming toward them. Two bottles of wine hung from the front of his donkey’s saddle, and he carried fruit and vegetables in his hand. He called out, “Worthy nephew and Your Honor, why are you leaving already?” Cao Cao said, “A man charged with a crime cannot stay long in one place.” Lü Boshe said, “I have already instructed my family to slaughter a pig to entertain you. Worthy nephew and Your Honor, why begrudge me a single night? Please turn your horses around at once.”

Cao Cao ignored him and urged his horse onward. After riding only a few steps, he suddenly drew his sword and turned back, calling to Lü Boshe, “Who is that coming this way?” When Lü Boshe turned his head to look, Cao Cao swung his sword and cut him down beneath the donkey. Chen Gong was greatly shocked and said, “What happened just now was a mistake, but why did you do this?” Cao Cao said, “When Lü Boshe reached home and saw so many people killed, how could he possibly let the matter rest? If he led a group in pursuit of us, we would certainly suffer disaster.” Chen Gong said, “To know he was innocent and kill him deliberately is a great act of unrighteousness!” Cao Cao said, “I would rather betray everyone under Heaven than let anyone under Heaven betray me.” Chen Gong fell silent.

That night, after traveling several li, they knocked on the door of an inn in the moonlight and sought lodging. When the horses had been fed their fill, Cao Cao went to sleep first. Chen Gong thought to himself, “I took Cao Cao for a good man and abandoned my office to follow him. It turns out that he is a cruel-hearted man! If I let him live today, he will certainly bring trouble in the future.” He then prepared to draw his sword and kill Cao Cao. Just so:

A cruel and vicious heart belongs to no good man;Cao and Dong Zhuo are travelers on the same road.

What finally became of Cao Cao’s life will be explained in what follows.