〃If　we　do　not　rid　the　world　of　him　today；　a　worse　evil　will　e　of　it；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃But　be　discreet；　my　brother。　Such　matters　cannot　be　lightly　discussed。〃

The　Emperor　sadly　returned　to　his　palace。　With　tears　in　his　eyes；　he　related　what　had　occurred　in　the　hunt　to　his　consort；　Empress　Fu。

〃Alas　for　me！〃　said　he。　〃From　the　first　days　of　my　accession；　one　vicious　minister　has　succeeded　another。　I　was　the　victim　of　Dong　Zhuo's　evil　machinations。　Then　followed　the　rebellion　of　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si。　You　and　I　had　to　bear　sorrows　such　as　no　others　have　borne。　Then　came　this　Cao　Cao　as　one　who　would　maintain　the　imperial　dignity；　but　he　has　seized　upon　all　real　authority　and　does　as　he　wishes。　He　works　continually　for　his　own　glorification；　and　I　never　see　him　but　my　back　pricks。　These　last　few　days　in　the　hunting　field；　he　went　in　front　of　me　and　acknowledged　the　cheers　of　the　crowd。　He　is　so　extremely　rude　that　I　feel　sure　he　has　sinister　designs　against　me。　Alas；　my　wife；　we　know　not　when　our　end　may　e！〃

〃In　a　whole　court　full　of　nobles；　who　have　eaten　the　bread　of　Han；　is　there　not　one　who　will　save　his　country？〃　said　she。

Thus　spoke　the　Empress；　and　at　the　same　moment　there　stepped　in　a　man　who　said；　〃Grieve　not；　O　Imperial　Pair！　I　can　find　a　savior　for　the　country。〃

It　was　none　other　than　the　father　of　the　Empress；　Fu　Wan。

〃Have　you　heard　of　Cao　Cao's　wanton　and　perverse　behavior？〃　said　the　Emperor；　drying　his　eyes。

〃You　mean　the　deer　shooting？　Who　did　not　see　that；　indeed？　But　the　whole　court　is　full　of　his　clan　or　his　creatures。　With　the　exception　of　the　relatives　of　your　Consort；　there　is　not　one　loyal　enough　to　deal　with　a　rebel。　I　have　no　authority　and　can　do　nothing；　but　there　is　General　Dong　Cheng；　the　Sta