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Then orders were issued to prepare an army of five hundred thousand troops, in five divisions of ten legions each. Each division had two leaders: Cao Ren and Cao Hong were in command of the first division; Zhang Liao and Zhang He, the second; Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, the third; Yu Jin and Li Dian, the fourth. The fifth body was led by Cao Cao himself. The van was commanded by Xu Chu. The “horse” day of the seventh moon of the thirteenth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity was fixed for the march (AD 208).

The High Minister, Kong Rong, offered a remonstrance.

He said, “Liu Bei and Liu Biao are both of the Imperial House and should not be attacked without grave reasons. Sun Quan in the six territories of the South Land is terrible as a crouching tiger and, with the Great River as his defense, he is very secure. If, Sir Prime Minister, you undertake this unjustifiable expedition, you will forfeit the respect of the world, I fear.” “All three of them are disobedient ministers and rebels, and how can I fail to punish them?” replied Cao Cao.

Cao Cao was angry, and bade the adviser go from his presence. Presently he gave formal orders that he would put to death any one who remonstrated on the subject of his expedition.

Kong Rong went forth from the Palace sadly. Casting his eyes up to heaven, he cried, “Where is the chance of success when the perfectly inhumane attacks the perfectly humane? He must be defeated.”

One of the clients of the Imperial Inspector Chi Lu, whom Kong Rong had always treated contemptuously and disdainfully, happened to hear this apostrophe and told his patron who carried the tale to Cao Cao.

Chi Lu also added to it, saying, “Kong Rong habitually speaks disrespectfully of the Chief Minister and has been very friendly with Mi Heng. In fact the insults that Mi Heng had hurled at you had been deliberately arranged and intrigued by Kong Rong. Kong Rong and Mi Heng seemed to admire each other hugely, and Mi Heng used to say, 'Confucius is not dead, because Kong Rong is he,' and the other used to reply, 'And his treasured disciple, Yan Hui, has risen again, because Mi Heng is he.'“

Chi Lu's tale angered Cao Cao, who ordered the arrest execution of the high minister.

Now Kong Rong had two sons, both young, who were sitting at home playing chess, when one of their servants ran in and said, “Your father has just been carried off for execution; why do you not run away?”

The youths replied, “When the nest is pulled down, are the eggs left unbroken?”

Even at that moment the same executors came and carried off the whole household. The two youths were beheaded. The father's corpse was exposed in the streets.

Minister Zhi Xi wept over the corpse. This public exhibition of sympathy rekindled Cao Cao's anger, and he was going to punish it with death.

However, this additional punishment was prevented by Adviser Xun Yu, who said, “You should not slay a righteous man who came to mourn over his friend's corpse. Zhi Xi had often warned Kong Rong against the danger Kong Rong's severe rectitude might lead him into.”

Zhi Xi took up the remains of father and sons and buried them.

Kong Rong, who dwelt on the north sea shore,

A noble reputation bore;

With him all guests warm welcome found,

And ceaselessly the wine went round.

For skill in letters he was famed,

In speech, he dukes and princes shamed,

Historians his merits tell,

Recorders say that he did well.

After wreaking his wrath on Kong Rong, Cao Cao issued the order to march. Xun Yu was left in command of the capital.

About this time the Imperial Protector of Jingzhou became seriously ill, and he summoned Liu Bei to his chamber. Liu Bei went accompanied by his two brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and Directing Instructor Zhuge Liang. Liu Biao said, “The disease has attacked my very vitals and my time is short. I confide my orphans to your guardianship. My sons is unfit to succeed to my place, and I pray you, my brother, administer the region after my death.”

Liu Bei wept, saying, “I will do my utmost to help my nephews; what else could I do, indeed?”

Even at this moment came the news of the march of Cao Cao's armies, and Liu Bei, taking hasty leave of his kinsman, was forced to hurry to his station. The evil tidings aggravated the sick man's condition, and he began to make his last arrangements. In his testament he appointed Liu Bei the guardian of his son Liu Qi, who was to succeed in the lordship.

This arrangement greatly angered his wife, Lady Cai. She closed the inner doors against all and confided to her own partisans, of whom Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were her confidants, the keeping of the outer gates.

The heir was at Jiangxia, and he came to make filial inquiries as soon as his father's condition became serious.