CHAPTER 113. Ding Feng Makes A Plan To Slay Sun Chen; Jiang Wei Arrays A Battle To Defeat Deng Ai.

Fearing lest reinforcements would strengthen his enemy beyond his own power of resistance, Jiang Wei decided to retreat while he could. He sent all his stores and baggage away first with the footmen, and kept the cavalry to cover the retirement.

The spies reported his movements to Deng Ai, who said, “He has gone because he knew that the main army would soon be upon him. Let him go, and do not follow. If we pursue, he will play us some evil trick.”

Scouts were sent to keep in touch with the retreating army, and when they returned they reported that preparations of dry woods and straws had been made in the Luo Valley to check any pursuit with fire.

The officers praised the prescience of Deng Ai, “General, your calculation is superhuman!”

When Deng Ai reported these matters to the capital, Sima Zhao was very pleased and confer more rewards.

The Prime Minister of Wu, Sun Chen, was greatly angered by the desertion of so many of his soldiers and officers to Wei, and revenged himself by putting their families to death. The Ruler of Wu, Sun Liang, disapproved of these acts of cruelty, but he was powerless.

The young Emperor was of an ingenious turn of mind. One day he went to the West Park to eat of the newly ripened plums. He bade one of the eunuchs bring some honey. It was brought, but there were mouse droppings in it. The Ruler of Wu called the storekeeper and blamed him for carelessness.

The storekeeper said, “We are very careful to keep the stores in good order, and the honey cannot not possibly have been fouled in the storehouse.”

“Has any one asked you for honey lately?” asked the Ruler of Wu.

“One of the eunuchs asked for some a few days ago. I refused him.”

The Ruler of Wu called the named eunuch and said, “You defiled the honey out of spite.”

The man denied it.

“It is very easy to tell,” said the Ruler of Wu. “If the dirt has been lying in the honey for some time it will be wet all through.”

Then the Ruler of Wu ordered them to cut one of the lumps, and it was quite dry inside. The eunuch then confessed.

This shows the Ruler of Wu was quick-witted. But clever as he was, he could not control his Prime Minister, whose relatives were in command of all the garrisons and armies, so that he was unassailable. His

four brothers all had high offices: Sun Jun was General Who Terrifies Distant Regions and Commander of Imperial Guards; Sun En, General Who Shows Prowess; Sun Gan, Imperial Commander; and Sun Kai, Commander of Changshui.

One day the Ruler of Wu, musing over his sorrows and feeling very miserable, began to weep. The officer in charge of the eunuchs, who was an Imperial Brother-in-Law, stood by.

“Sun Chen holds all real power and does as he wishes, while I am despised,” said the Ruler of Wu. “Something must be done.”

Quan Ji said, “I would think no sacrifice too great if Your Majesty would make use of me.”

“If you could muster the Palace Guards and help General Liu Cheng to keep the gates, I would go and murder that ruffian. But you must not let anyone know; for if you tell your noble mother, who is a sister of Sun Chen, she will tell her brother, and that would be very serious for me.”

“Will Your Majesty give me a command that I may have authority to act when the time comes?” said Quan Ji. “At the critical moment I could show the edict and hold back Sun Chen's supporters.”

The command was given, and Quan Ji went home. But he could not keep his secret, and confided the plan to his father, Quan Shang. His father told his wife, “Sun Chen will be got rid of in three days.”

“Oh, he deserves that,” said she.

Although she seemed to approve with her tongue, she sent a secret messenger with a letter to the proposed victim.

That same night Sun Chen called in his four leader brothers, and the Palace was surrounded. The conspirators were seized, with Liu Cheng and Quan Shang and all their families.

About dawn the Ruler of Wu was disturbed by a commotion at the gates, and a servant told him, “Sun Chen with his army has surrounded the Inner Palace.”

Sun Liang knew that he had been betrayed. He turned on Empress Quan, who was of the Quan house, and reproached her.

“Your father and brother have upset all my plans.”

Drawing his sword, he was dashing out when his Consort and her people clung to his clothing and held him back.

After putting to death Liu Cheng's and Quan Shang's parties, Sun Chen assembled the officers in the court and addressed them thus: “The Emperor is vicious and weak, depraved and foolish and unfit for his high office. Wherefore he must be deposed. Any of you who oppose will be punished as for conspiracy.”

Only one of those present dared to say a word of protest.

It was High Minister Huan Yi, who said, “How dare you utter such words? Our Emperor is very intelligent, and I will not support you. I would rather die.”