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〃I　know　everything　in　heaven　above　and　the　earth　beneath。　I　am　conversant　with　the　Three　Religions　and　the　Nine　Systems　of　Philosophy。　I　could　make　my　prince　the　rival　of　Kings　Yao　and　Shun；　and　I　myself　could　pare　in　virtue　with　Confucius　and　Mencius。*　Can　I　discuss　on　even　terms　with　mon　people？〃
Now　Zhang　Liao　was　present；　and　he　raised　his　sword　to　strike　down　the　impudent　visitor　who　spoke　thus　to　his　master；　but　Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　want　another　drummer　boy　to　play　on　occasions　of　congratulation　in　the　court。　I　will　confer　this　office　upon　him。〃
Instead　of　indignantly　declining　this；　Mi　Heng　accepted　the　position　and　went　out。
〃He　spoke　very　impertinently；〃　said　Zhang　Liao。　〃Why　did　you　not　put　him　to　death？〃
〃He　has　something　of　a　reputation；　empty；　but　people　have　heard　of　him　and　so；　if　I　put　him　to　death；　they　would　say　I　was　intolerant。　As　he　thinks　he　has　ability；　I　have　made　him　a　drummer　to　mortify　him。〃
Soon　after　Cao　Cao　instituted　a　banquet　in　the　capital　at　which　the　guests　were　many。　The　drums　were　to　be　played；　and　the　old　drummers　were　ordered　to　wear　new　clothes。　But　the　new　drummer　Mi　Heng　took　his　place　with　the　other　musicians　clad　in　old　and　worn　garments。　The　piece　chosen　was　the　〃Tolling　of　Yuyang；〃　and　from　the　earliest　taps　on　the　drum　the　effect　was　exquisite；　profound　as　the　notes　from　metal　and　stone。　The　performance　stirred　deeply　the　emotions　of　every　guest；　some　even　shed　tears。
Seeing　all　eyes　turned　on　the　shabby　performer；　the　attendants　said；　〃Why　did　you　not　put　on　your　new　uniform？〃
Mi　Heng　turned　to　them；　slipped　off　his　frayed　and　torn　robe　and　stood　there　in　full　view；　naked　as　he　was　born。　The　assembled　guests　covered　their　faces。　Then　the　drummer　posedly　drew　on　his　nether　garments。
〃Why　do　you　behave　so　rudely　at　court？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃To　flout　one's　prince　and　insult　one's　superiors　is　the　real　rudeness；〃　cried　Mi　Heng。　〃I　bare　my　natural　body　as　an　emblem　of　my　purity。〃
〃So　you　are　pure！　And　who　is　foul？〃
〃You　do　not　distinguish　between　the　wise　and　the　foolish；　which　is　to　have　foul　vision。　You　have　never　read　the　Odes　or　the　Histories；　which　is　to　have　foul　speech。　You　are　deaf　to　honest　words；　which　is　to　have　foul　ears。　You　are　unable　to　reconcile　antiquity　with　today；　which　is　to　be　foul　without。　You　cannot　tolerate　the　nobles；　which　is　to　be　foul　within。　You　harbor　thoughts　of　rebellion；　which　is　to　have　a　foul　heart。　I　am　one　of　the　most　famous　scholars　in　the　empire；　and　you　make　me　a　drummer　boy；　that　is　as　Yang　Huo　belittling　Confucius　or　Zang　Cang　vilifying　Mencius。　You　desire　to　be　chief　and　arbitrator　of　the　great　nobles；　yet　you　treat　me　thus！〃
Now　Kong　Rong　who　had　remended　Mi　Heng　for　employment　was　among　the　guests；　and　he　feared　for　the　life　of　his　friend。　Wherefore　he　tried　to　calm　the　storm。
〃Mi　Heng　is　only　guilty　of　a　misdemeanor；〃　said　Kong　Rong。　〃He　is　not　a　man　likely　to　disturb　your　dreams　like　Fu　Yue；　Illustrious　Sir。〃
Pointing　to　Mi　Heng；　the　Prime　Minister　said；　〃I　will　send　you　to　Jingzhou　as　my　messenger；　and　if　Liu　Biao　surrenders　to　me；　I　will　give　you　a　post　at　court。〃
But　Mi　Heng　was　unwilling　to　go。　So　Cao　Cao　bade　two　of　his　men　prepare　three　horses；　and　they　set　Mi　Heng　on　the　middle　one　and　dragged　him　along　the　road　between　them。
It　is　also　related　that　a　great　number　of　officers　of　all　ranks　assembled　at　the　East　Gate　to　see　the　messenger　start。
Xun　Yu　said；　〃When　Mi　Heng　es；　we　will　not　rise　to　salute　him。〃
So　when　Mi　Heng　came；　dismounted；　and　entered　the　waiting　room；　they　all　sat　stiff　and　silent。　Mi　Heng　uttered　a　loud　cry。
〃What　is　that　for？〃　said　Xun　Yu。
〃Should　not　one　cry　out　when　one　enters　a　coffin？〃　said　Mi　Heng。
〃We　may　be　corpses；〃　shouted　they　altogether；　〃but　you　are　a　wandering　headless　ghost。〃
〃I　am　a　minister　of　Han　and　not　a　partisan　of　Cao　Cao's；〃　cried　Mi　Heng。　〃You　cannot　say　I　have　no　head。〃
They　were　angry　enough　to　kill　him；　but　Xun　Yu　checked　them；　saying；　〃He　is　a　paltry　fellow。　It　is　not　worth　soiling　your　blades　with　his　blood。〃
〃I　am　paltry；　and　yet　I　have　the　soul　of　a　man；　and　you　are　mere　worms；〃　said　Mi　Heng。
They　went　their　ways；　all　very　angry。　Mi　Heng　went　on　his　journey　and　presently　reached　Jingzhou；　where　he　saw　Liu　Biao。　After　that；　under　pretense　of　extolling　Liu　Biao's　virtue；　he　lampooned　Liu　Biao　who　was　annoyed　and　sent　him　to　Jiangxia　to　see　Huang　Zu。
〃Why　did　you　not　put　the　fellow　to　death　for　lampooning　you？〃　said　one　to　Liu　Biao。
〃You　see　he　shamed　Cao　Cao；　but　Cao　Cao　did　not　kill　him　as　Cao　Cao　feared　to　lose　popular　favor。　So　Cao　Cao　sent　him　to　me；　thinking　to　borrow　my　hand　to　slay　him　and　so　suffer　the　loss　of　my　good　name。　I　have　sent　him　on　to　Huang　Zu　to　let　Cao　Cao　see　that　I　understood。〃
Liu　Biao's　clever　caution　met　with　general　praise。　At　that　time　a　messenger　from　Yuan　Shao　was　also　there　with　certain　proposals　for　an　alliance；　and　it　was　necessary　to　decide　which　aide　to　espouse。　All　the　advisers　came　together　to　consider　the　question。
Then　mander　Han　Song　said；　〃As　you　have　now　two　offers；　you　can　please　yourself　and　choose　your　own　way　to　destroy　your　enemies；　for　if　one　refuses；　you　can　follow　the　other。　Now　Cao　Cao　is　an　able　general　and　has　many　capable　officers　in　his　train。　It　looks　as　though　he　may　destroy　Yuan　Shao　and　then　move　his　armies　across　the　river。　I　fear；　my　lord；　you　would　be　unable　then　to　withstand　him。　That　being　so；　it　would　be　wise　to　support　Cao　Cao；　who　will　treat　you　with　respect。〃
Liu　Biao　replied；　〃You　go　to　the　capital　and　see　how　things　tend。　That　will　help　me　to　decide。〃
Han　Song　said；　〃The　positions　of　master　and　servant　are　clearly　defined。　Now　I　am　your　man　prepared　to　go　all　lengths　for　you　and　obey　you　to　the　last；　whether　in　serving　the　Emperor　or　in　following　Cao　Cao。　But　lest　there　should　be　any　doubt　you　must　remember　that　if　the　Emperor　gives　me　any　office；　then　I　shall　bee　his　servant　and　shall　not　be　ready　to　face　death　for　you。〃
〃You　go　and　find　out　what　you　can。　I　have　ideas　in　my　mind。〃
So　Han　Song　took　his　leave　and　went　to　the　capital；　where　he　saw　Cao　Cao。　Cao　Cao　gave　him　rank　and　made　him　Governor　of　Lingling。
Adviser　Xun　Yu　remonstrated；　saying；　〃This　man　came　to　spy　out　how　things　were　moving。　He　has　done　nothing　to　deserve　reward；　and　yet　you　give　him　an　office　like　this。　There　were　no　such　suspicious　rumors　connected　with　poor　Mi　Heng；　and　yet　you　sent　him　off　and　would　never　test　his　power。〃
〃Mi　Heng　shamed　me　too　deeply　before　all　the　world。　I　am　going　to　borrow　Liu　Biao's　hand　to　remove　him。　And　you　need　say　no　more；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Then　Cao　Cao　sent　Han　Song　back　to　his　former　master　to　tell　him　what　had　happened。　Han　Song　came　and　was　full　of　praise　for　the　virtues　of　the　court　and　was　keen　on　persuading　Liu　Biao　to　espouse　that　side。
Then　Liu　Biao　suddenly　turned　angry；　charged　him　with　treachery；　put　him　in　prison；　and　threatened　him　with　death。
〃You　turn　your　back　on　me；〃　cried　Han　Song。　〃I　did　not　betray　you。〃
Kuai　Liang　remarked；　〃Han　Song　had　foretold　this　possibility　before　he　left。　It　is　only　what　he　expected。〃
Liu　Biao；　who　was　just　and　reasonable；　went　no　further。
Presently　came　the　news　that　Mi　Heng　had　been　put　to　death　by　Huang　Zu　on　account　of　a　quarrel　begun　over　the　wine　cups。　Both　being　worse　for　liquor　they　had　begun　to　discuss　the　worth　of　people。
〃You　were　in　Xuchang；〃　said　Huang　Zu。　〃Who　was　there　of　worth？〃
〃The　big　boy　was　Kong　Rong　and　the　little　one　Yang　Xiu。　There　was　no　one　else　to　count。〃
〃What　am　I　like？〃　said　Huang　Zu。
〃You　are　like　a　god　in　a　temple：　You　sit　still　and　receive　sacrifice；　but　the　lack　of　intelligence　is　pitiful。〃
〃Do　you　regard　me　as　a　mere　image？〃　cried　Huang　Zu；　angrily。
So　Huang　Zu　put　the　impudent　speaker　to　death。　Even　at　the　very　point　of　death；　Mi　Heng　never　ceased　his　railing　and　abuse。
〃Alas！〃　sighed　Liu　Biao　when　he　heard　Mi　Heng's　fate。　Then　Liu　Biao　had　the　victim　honorably　interred　near　Yingwu；　on　Parrot　Island。
And　a　later　poet　wrote　of　Mi　Heng：

Huang　Zu　could　brook　no　rival；　at　his　word
Mi　Heng　met　death；　beneath　the　cruel　sword。
His　grave　on　Parrot　Isle　may　yet　be　seen；
The　river　flowing　past　it；　coldly　green。

Cao　Cao　heard　of　the　young　man's　death　with　pleasure。
〃The　putrid　bookworm　has　just　cut　himself　up　with　his　own　sharp　tongue；〃　said　he。
As　there　was　no　sign　of　Liu　Biao　ing　to　join　him；　Cao　Cao　began　to　think　of　coercion。　Xun　Yu　dissuaded　him　from　this　course。
Said　he；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　not　subjugated；　Liu　Bei　is　not　destroyed。　To　attack　Liu　Biao　would　be　to　neglect　the　vital　to　care　for　the　immaterial。　Destroy　the　two　chief　enemies　first；　and　the　Han　River　is　yours　at　one　blow。〃
And　Cao　Cao　took　the　advice。
After　the　departure　of　Liu　Bei；　Dong　Cheng　and　his　fellow　conspirators　did　nothing　else　day　or　night　but　try　to　evolve　plans　for　the　destruction　of　Cao　Cao。　But　they　could　see　no　chance　to　attack。　At　the　new　year　audience　Cao　Cao　was　odiously　arrogant　and　overweening；　and　the　chief　conspirator's　disgust　was　so　intense　that　he　fell　ill。
Hearing　of　the　State　Uncle's　indisposition；　the　Emperor　sent　the　Court　Physician　to　see　him。　The　Court　Physician　at　this　time　was　a　native　of　Luoyang；　named　Ji　Ping。　A　very　famous　physician；　Ji　Ping　devoted　himself　wholly　to　the　treatment　of　his　court　patient。　Living　in　Dong　Cheng's　palace　and　seeing　Dong　Cheng　at　all　times；　Ji　Ping　soon　found　that　some　secret　grief　was　sorely　troubling　him。　But　Ji　Ping　dared　not　ask　questions。
One　evening　of　the　full　moon　festival；　when　the　physician　was　just　taking　his　leave；　Dong　Cheng　kept　him；　and　the　two　men　had　supper　together。　They　eat　talking　for　some　time；　and　Dong　Cheng　by　and　by　dropped　off　to　sleep　dressed　as　he　was。
Presently　Wang　Zifu　and　the　others　were　announced。　As　they　were　ing　in；　Wang　Zifu　cried；　〃Our　business　is　settled！〃
〃I　should　be　glad　to　hear　how；〃　said　Dong　Cheng。
〃Liu　Biao　has　joined　Yuan　Shao；　and　five　hundred　thousand　troops　in　fifty　legions　are　on　their　way　here　by　different　routes。　More　than　this；　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　are　ing　from　the　northwest　with　seven　hundred　thousand　Xiliang　troops。　Cao　Cao　has　moved　every　soldier　outside　Xuchang　to　meet　the　bined　armies。　There　is　a　great　banquet　in　his　palace　tonight。　If　we　get　together　our　young　men　and　servants；　we　can　muster　more　than　a　thousand；　and　we　can　surround　the　palace；　while　Cao　Cao　is　at　the　banquet；　and　finish　him　off。　We　must　not　miss　this。〃
Dong　Cheng　was　more　than　delighted。　He　called　his　servants　and　armed　them；　put　on　his　own　armor　and　mounted　his　horse。　The　conspirators　met；　as　they　had　arranged；　just　at　the　inner　gate　of　the　Prime　Minister's　palace。　It　was　the　first　watch。　The　small　army　marched　straight　in；　Dong　Cheng　leading　with　his　treasured　sword　drawn。　His　intended　victim　was　at　table　in　one　of　the　private　rooms。　Dong　Cheng　rushed　in；　crying；　〃Cao　Cao；　you　rebel；　stay！〃　and　dashed　at　Cao　Cao　who　fell　at　the　first　blow。
And　just　then　he　woke　up　and　found　it　was　all　a　dream；　but　his　mouth　was　still　full　of　curses。
〃Do　you　really　wish　to　destroy　Cao　Cao？〃　said　Ji　Ping；　going　forward　to　his　half　awakened　patient。
This　brought　Dong　Cheng　to　his　senses。　He　stopped；　terror　stricken；　and　made　no　reply。
〃Do　not　be　frightened；　O　Uncle；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Although　I　am　a　physician；　I　am　also　a　man；　and　I　never　forget　my　emperor。　You　have　seemed　sad　for　many　days；　but　I　have　never　ventured　to　ask　the　reason。　Now　you　have　shown　it　in　your　dream；　and　I　know　your　real　feelings。　If　I　can　be　of　any　use；　I　will　help。　Nothing　can　daunt　me。〃
Dong　Cheng　covered　his　face　and　wept。
〃I　fear　you　may　not　be　true　to　me；〃　cried　he。
Ji　Ping　at　once　bit　off　a　finger　as　a　pledge　of　his　faith。　And　then　his　host　and　patient　brought　forth　the　decree　he　had　received　in　the　girdle。
〃I　am　afraid　our　schemes　will　e　to　nought；〃　said　Dong　Cheng。　〃Liu　Bei　and　Ma　Teng　are　gone；　and　there　is　nothing　we　can　do。　That　was　the　real　reason　I　fell　ill。〃
〃It　is　not　worth　troubling　you　gentlemen　with；　for　Cao　Cao's　life　lies　in　these　hands　of　mine；〃　said　Ji　Ping。
〃How　can　that　be？〃
〃Because　he　is　often　ill　with　deep…seated　pain　in　his　head。　When　this　es　on；　he　sends　for　me。　When　next　he　calls　me；　I　only　have　to　give　him　one　dose　and　he　will　certainly　die。　We　do　not　want　any　weapons。〃
〃If　only　you　could　do　it！　You　would　be　the　savior　of　the　dynasty。　It　depends　upon　you。〃
Then　Ji　Pi