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They replied, “The city is completely and closely surrounded, Sima Yi is camped on the river at the Floating Bridge, and you cannot return. You must decide how to act at once.”

Then galloped up Huan Fan, who said, “This is really rebellion; why not request His Majesty to proceed to Xuchang till regional troops can arrive and deal with Sima Yi?”

Cao Shuang replied, “How can we go to another place when all our families are in the city?”

“Even a fool in this crisis would think only of life. You have the Son of Heaven with you here and command all the forces of the empire. None would dare disobey you, and yet you march quietly to death.”

Cao Shuang could not decide to strike a blow for safety; he did nothing but snivel.

Huan Fan continued, “The stay in Xuchang would be but brief, and there are ample supplies for years. You have forces at your call at the South Pass. You hold the seal of Minister of War, and I have brought it with me. Everything is in your favor. Act! Act at once! Delay is death.”

“Do not hurry me,” said Cao Shuang. “Let me think it over carefully.”

Then came Xu Yun and Chen Tai, the two messengers of Sima Yi, and said, “The Guardian of the Throne desires only to strip the military power of the Regent Marshal. If the Regent Marshal yields, he may return peacefully to the city.”

Still Cao Shuang hesitated.

Next arrived Yin Damu, saying, “The Imperial Guardian had sworn by River Luo to the singleness of his aim. Here is letter of Minister Jiang Ji. The Regent Marshal should relinquish the military power and return to the palace in peace.”

When Cao Shuang seemed disposed to accept the assurance of Sima Yi, Huan Fan inveighed against it, saying, “You are a dead man if you listen to the voice of these people!”

Night found Cao Shuang still vacillating. As twilight faded into darkness he stood, sword in hand, sad, sighing and weeping. And morning found him still trying to make up his mind.

Huan Fan again urged him to decide upon some course.

“You have had a whole day and a whole night for reflection and must decide,” said he.

“I will not fight; I will yield all; being a wealthy man is enough,” said Cao Shuang, throwing down his sword.

Huan Fan left the tent wailing.

“Cao Zhen might boast of his abilities, but his sons are mere cattle,” said he, weeping copiously.

The two messengers, Xu Yun and Chen Tai, bade Cao Shuang offer his seal of office to Sima Yi, and it was brought.

But First Secretary Yang Zong clung to it and would not give it up, saying, “Alas! That you, my lord, should resign your powers and make such a pitiful surrender. For surely you will not escape death in the eastern market place.”

“The Imperial Guardian will surely keep faith with me,” said Cao Shuang.

The seal was borne away, and Cao Shuang's generals and soldiers, thus released from the bonds of discipline, dispersed and the hosts melted away. When the brothers reached the Floating Bridge, they were ordered to go to their dwellings, and they went. Their supporters were imprisoned to await the edicts of the Emperor.

Cao Shuang and his friends, so lately all-powerful, entered the city alone, without even a servant following.

As Huan Fan approached the bridge, Sima Yi, from horseback, pointed his whip disdainfully at him and said, “What brought you to this?”

Huan Fan made no reply, but with head bent followed the others.

It was decided to request the Emperor to declare the hunt at an end and order a return to the city. Cao Shuang, Cao Xi, and Cao Xun were confined in their own house, the gate whereof was fastened with a huge lock, and soldiers were set to guard it round about. They were sad and anxious, not knowing what would be their fate.

Then Cao Xi said, “We have but little food left. Let us write and ask for supplies. If Sima Yi sends us food, we may be sure he does not intend harm.”

They wrote, and a hundred carts of supplies were sent. This cheered them, and Cao Shuang said, “Our lives are safe in the hands of Sima Yi.”

Sima Yi had Zhang Dang arrested and put to the question. Zhang Dang said he was not the only one who had tried to subvert the government, and he named the five friends of Cao Shuang — He Yan, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Ding Mi, and Bi Gui. So they were arrested and, when interrogated, confessed that a revolt had been arranged for the third month. Sima Yi had them locked in one long wooden collar.

The Commander of the Gates, Si Fan, testified that Huan Fan had imposed upon him with a pretended command from Her Majesty and so had escaped out of the city. Beside Huan Fan had said the Imperial Guardian was a rebel.

Then said Sima Yi, “When a person maligns another and is false, the punishment for such a crime as he imputes falls upon his own head.”

Huan Fan and those with him were thrown into prison.

Presently Cao Shuang and his brothers, all persons connected with them, and their clans were put to death in the market place. All the treasures of their houses was sent to the public treasury.