This advice angered Wang Jing, and he said, “The prince's sorrow is the minister's shame, and a shamed minister dies. Dare you contemplate treachery?”
Wang Jing would have nothing to do with this visit to Sima Zhao, but the other two went to the Prime Minister's palace to betray their prince.
Shortly after, Cao Mao appeared, called the officer of the guard, Jiao Bo, and bade him muster his force, as many as he could. Jiao Bo got together about three hundred, and this little force marched out to the beating of a drum as escort to a small carriage, in which sat the Ruler of Wei gripping his sword. They proceeded south.
Wang Jing stepped to the front and prayed Cao Mao to stay his steps and not go.
“To go against Sima Zhao with such a force is driving the sheep into the tiger's jaws. To die such a death is a vain sacrifice. You can do nothing,” said Wang Jing.
“Do not hinder me. I have made up my mind,” replied the Ruler of Wei, heading toward the Dragon Gate.
Presently Jia Chong came in sight. He was armed and mounted on a fine horse. Beside him rode two generals, Cheng Zu and Cheng Ji, and behind him followed a body of mail-clad guards, who shouted one to another as they rode.
Then Cao Mao held up his sword and cried, “I am the Son of God. Who are you thus breaking into the forbidden precincts? Are you come to murder your lawful ruler?”
The soldiers suddenly stopped, for they were palace guards.
Then Jia Chong shouted to Cheng Ji, saying, “What did Duke Sima Zhao train you for if not for this day's work?”
Cheng Ji took his halberd and turned to Jia Chong, saying, “Death or capture?”
“Duke Sima Zhao said the man had to die,” replied Jia Chong.
Cheng Ji rushed toward the carriage.
“Fool! How dare you?” cried the Ruler of Wei.
But the shout was cut short by a thrust from the halberd full in the breast; another thrust, and the point came out at the back, so that Cao Mao lay there dead beside his carriage. Jiao Bo coming up to strike a blow in defense was also slain, and the little escort scattered.
Wang Jing, who had followed, upbraided Jia Chong, shouting, “Rebel and traitor! How dare you kill the Emperor?”
Jia Chong got angry and bade his lictors arrest Wang Jing and stop his tongue.
When they told Sima Zhao, he went into the Palace, but the Emperor was dead. He assumed an air of being greatly shocked and beat his head against the carriage, weeping and lamenting the while. He sent to tell all the officials of high rank.
When Imperial Guardian Sima Fu saw the dead body of the Emperor, he threw himself beside it, his head resting thereon, and wept, saying, “It is my fault that they slew Your Majesty!”
Sima Fu had a coffin brought, and the remains were laid therein and borne to the west side hall. Therein Sima Zhao entered and summoned the chief officers to a council. They came, all but Minister Chen Tai. Sima Zhao noticed his absence and sent the Chair of the Secretariat Xun Yi, his uncle, to call him.
Chen Tai wept aloud, saying, “Gossips often class me and my uncle together. Yet today is my uncle less virtuous than I.”
However, Chen Tai obeyed the summons and came, dressed in the coarse white cloth of mourning, and prostrated himself before the bier. Sima Zhao feigned to be grieved also.
“How can this day's work be judged?” said Sima Zhao.
“If only Jia Chong be put to death, that will only be a slight atonement to satisfy the empire,” replied Chen Tai.
Sima Zhao was silent and thought long before he spoke. Then he said, “How about a little less severe?”
“That is only the beginning; I know not other punishments less severe.”
“Cheng Ji is the ungodly rebel and actual criminal; he should suffer the death of shame; and his family, too,” said Sima Zhao.
Thereupon Cheng Ji broke out into abuse of Sima Zhao and reviled him, saying, “It was not my crime; it was Jia Chong who passed on your own orders.”
Sima Zhao bade them cut out his tongue and put him to death. They did so; and Cheng Ji and his brother Cheng Zu were both put to death in the market place, and their families were exterminated.
Wang Jing's whole household were imprisoned. He himself was standing in the courthouse when he saw his mother, Lady Zhao, being brought up a prisoner.
He knocked his head on the ground and wept, saying, “O unfilial son to bring distress upon a gentle mother!”
But his mother laughed.
“Who does not die?” cried she. “The only thing to be feared is not dying the proper death. Who would regret dying like this?”
When next day the family were led out to execution, both mother and son smiled as they went past. But the whole city wept tears of sorrow.
