The whole four vigorously denied that any plot existed. However Cao Cao called up his henchmen, and the four men were put into confinement.
Next day Cao Cao with a large following went to the State Uncle's palace to ask after his health. Dong Cheng came out to receive his visitor, who at once said, “Why did you not come last night?”
“I am not quite well yet and have to be very careful about going out,” replied Dong Cheng.
“One might say you were suffering from national sorrow, eh?” said Cao Cao.
Dong Cheng started. Cao Cao continued, “Have you heard of the Ji Ping affair?”
“No; what is it?”
Cao Cao smiled coldly, saying, “How can it be you do not know?”
He turned to his attendants and told them to bring in the prisoner, while he went on talking to his host about national illness.
Dong Cheng was much put about and knew not what to do. Soon the gaolers led in the physician to the steps of the hall. At once the bound man began to rail at Cao Cao as rebel and traitor. “This man,” said Cao Cao, pointing to Ji Ping, “has implicated Wang Zifu and three others, all of whom are now under arrest. There is one more whom I have not caught yet.”
“Who sent you to poison me?” continued Cao Cao, turning toward the physician. “Quick, tell me!”
“Heaven sent me to slay a traitor!”
Cao Cao angrily ordered them to beat Ji Ping again, but there was no part of his body that could be beaten. Dong Cheng sat looking at him, his heart feeling as if transfixed with a dagger.
“You were born with ten fingers; how is it you have now only nine?”
Ji Ping replied, “I bit off one as a pledge when I swore to slay a traitor.”
Cao Cao told them to bring a knife, and they lopped off his other nine fingers.
“Now they are all off; that will teach you to make pledges.”
“Still I have a mouth that can swallow a traitor and a tongue that can curse him,” said Ji Ping.
Cao Cao told them to cut out his tongue.
Ji Ping said, “Do not. I cannot endure any more punishment, I shall have to speak out. Loosen my bonds.”
“Loose them. There is no reason why not,” said Cao Cao.
They loosed him. As soon as he was free, Ji Ping stood up, turned his face toward the Emperor's palace and bowed, saying, “It is Heaven's will that thy servant has been unable to remove the evil.”
Then he turned and smashed his head into the steps and died.
His body was quartered and exposed. This happened in the first month of the fifth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 200), and a certain historian wrote a poem:
Seeing his victim had passed beyond the realm of punishment, Cao Cao had Quin Quington led in.
“Do you know this man, Uncle?”
“Yes,” cried Dong Cheng. “So the runaway servant is here; he ought to be put to death.”
“He just told me of your treachery; he is my witness,” said Cao Cao. “Who would dare kill him?”
“How can you, the First Minister of State, heed the unsupported tale of an absconding servant?” “But I have Wang Zifu and the others in prison,” said Cao Cao. “And how can you rebut their evidence?”
He then called in the remainder of his followers and ordered them to search Dong Cheng's bedroom. They did so and found the decree that had been given him in the girdle and the pledge signed by the conspirators.
“You mean rat!” cried Cao Cao. “You dared do this?”
He gave orders to arrest the whole household without exception. Then he returned to his palace with the incriminating documents and called all his advisers together to discuss the dethronement of the Emperor and the setting up of a successor.
The reader who wishes to how the fate of the Emperor must read the next chapter.
The last chapter closed with the discovery of the “girdle” decree and the assembly of Cao Cao's advisers to consider the deposition of Emperor Xian. Cheng Yu spoke strongly against this, saying, “Illustrious Sir, the means by which you impress the world and direct the government is the command of the House of Han. In these times of turmoil and rivalry among the nobles, such a step as the deposition of the ruler will certainly bring about civil war and is much to be deprecated.”
