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.
“I am very weak and ill,” said he, “and may die at any moment. My sons are but poor things, but you will instruct them; and when you see the Regent Marshal, you will ask him to take care of them for me, will you not?”
At this point Sima Yi fell back on the couch, panting, and Li Sheng took his leave. He told Cao Shuang what he had seen, and Cao Shuang rejoiced, thinking his rival could not last long.
“If the old man died, I should not be the one to grieve,” said Cao Shuang.
But no sooner had Cao Shuang gone than Sima Yi rose from his couch and said to his sons, “Li Sheng will take a full account of this to Cao Shuang, who will not fear me any more. But wait till Cao Shuang goes on his next hunting trip, and we will see what can be done.”
Soon after this, Cao Shuang proposed to the Ruler of Wei, Cao Fang, to visit the Gaoping Tombs where his father lay and perform the filial sacrifices in person. So they went, a goodly company of officers in the train of the imperial chariot, and Cao Shuang with all his brothers and his friends went with the guards.
Huan Fan, Minister of Agriculture, entreated him to remain in the city for fear of plots and risings.
“Your Lordship are in charge of the capital security, and you and your brothers should not leave the city together. Suppose there were a revolt, what then?”
But Cao Shuang asked angrily and rudely, “Who would dare make trouble? Hold your wild tongue.”
And he went with the Emperor.
His departure rejoiced the heart of Sima Yi, who at once began quietly to muster his trusty friends and henchmen and put the finishing touches to the plot for the overthrow of his rival.
Cao Shuang's fate will appear in the next chapter.
Sima Yi was very pleased to hear that Cao Shuang and his party were to follow the Ruler of Wei on a visit to the tombs combined with a hunt, for it meant that the whole enemy faction left the city.
As soon as they left, Sima Yi entered with his authority as Guardian of the Throne, gave Gao Rou, Minister of the Interior, provisional command of the army and sent him to seize the camp of Cao Shuang. A similar command was given to Wang Guan, Supervisor of the Palace, to occupy the camp of Cao Xi.
Having secured his position thus, Sima Yi and his supporters went to the palace of the Empress Dowager and said to her, “Cao Shuang has betrayed the trust placed in him by the late Emperor and has ruined the government. His fault must be expiated.”
Empress Guo replied, “What can be done in the absence of His Majesty?”
“I have prepared plans for the destruction of these base ministers and will see to it that no trouble happens to yourself.”
The Empress was much alarmed, but could only act as she was directed and agree. So two of Sima Yi's supporters, Commander Jiang Ji and High Minister Sima Fu, copied out the memorial he had prepared, and it was sent to the Ruler of Wei by the hand of an eunuch. Then the arsenals were seized.
Soon the news of the rising came to the knowledge of the family of Cao Shuang, and his wife, Lady Liu, came out from the inner apartments and summoned Pan Ju, Commander of the Gates, and inquired, “The Master is outside, and Sima Yi is revolting: what does it mean?”
“Your Ladyship need feel no alarm. Let me go and find out the truth,” said Pan Ju.
Thereupon Pan Ju, at the head of a several bowmen, went up on the wall and looked around. At that moment Sima Yi was crossing the court, and Pan Ju bade his men shoot. Sima Yi could not pass.
But Sun Qian, one of his generals, said, “You must not shoot at the Guardian of the Throne; he is on public service.”
Thrice Sun Qian urged his chief not to let the men shoot, and so Pan Ju desisted. Sima Yi went across guarded by his son Sima Zhao. Then he went out of the city and camped on River Luo at the Floating Bridge.
When the revolution began, one of Cao Shuang's officers, Luu Zhi by name, took counsel with Military Adviser Xin Chang.
“Now that this revolt has begun, what should we do?”
“Let us go to the Emperor with what troops we have,” replied Xin Chang.
“Perhaps the best course,” replied Luu Zhi.
And Xin Chang went into the inner chamber to get ready to start. There he met his sister, Xin Xianying, who asked the meaning of all this haste.
“His Majesty is out on a hunt, and Sima Yi has closed the gates of the city. This is rebellion.”
“I do not think so. He only means to slay Cao Shuang, his rival,” replied she.
“What will be the outcome of this?” asked her brother.
“Cao Shuang is no match for Sima Yi,” replied she.
