s　Sir；　the　means　by　which　you　impress　the　world　and　direct　the　government　is　the　mand　of　the　House　of　Han。　In　these　times　of　turmoil　and　rivalry　among　the　nobles；　such　a　step　as　the　deposition　of　the　ruler　will　certainly　bring　about　civil　war　and　is　much　to　be　deprecated。〃

After　reflection　Cao　Cao　abandoned　the　project。　But　Dong　Cheng's　plot　was　not　to　go　unpunished。　All　five　of　the　conspirators　with　every　member　of　their　households；　seven　hundred　at　least；　were　taken　and　put　to　death　at　one　or　another　of　the　gates　of　the　city。　The　people　wept　at　such　merciless　and　wholesale　slaughter。

A　secret　decree　in　a　girdle　sewn；

In　red　blood　written；　the　Emperor's　own；

To　the　staunch　and　faithful　Dong　Cheng　addressed；

Who　had　saved　him　once　when　enemies　pressed。

And　who；　sore　grieved　at　his　Sovereign's　fate；

Expressed　in　dreams　his　ceaseless　hate；

Carried　misfortune　and　death　in　its　train；

But　glory　to　him　who　died　in　vain。

Another　poet　wrote　of　the　sad　fate　of　Wang　Zifu　and　his　friends：

Greatheartedly　these　signed　the　silken　roll；

And　pledged　themsel