to　him　reproachfully；　〃You　are　the　cause　of　the　evil　that　has　e　upon　the　noble　Wei　Kang。〃

Then　turning　once　more　toward　Yang　Fu；　she　said；　〃But　what　can　now　be　done？　You　have　surrendered　and；　more　than　that；　you　have　accepted　service　under　your　late　enemy。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　replied　Yang　Fu。　〃I　have　surrendered　and　I　have　accepted　service；　but　it　is　with　the　desire　to　preserve　my　miserable　life　till　I　can　avenge　my　master。〃

〃Ma　Chao　is　bold　and　difficult　to　destroy；〃　said　Jiang　Xu。

〃Not　very　difficult；〃　replied　Yang　Fu；　〃for　though　he　is　bold；　yet　he　is　unskillful。　Already　I　have　two　friends　Liang　Kuan　and　Zhao　Qu　by　his　side；　and　they　would　help　against　him　if　you；　my　brother；　would　only　supply　a　force。〃

〃What　is　to　be　gained　by　delay？〃　then　said　the　old　lady。　〃Is　there　anyone　who　will　not　have　to　die？　To　perish　in　the　way　of　loyalty　and　righteousness　is　to　die　in　the　right　path。　Do　not　think　of　me；　for　if　you　do；　and　heed　not　the　call　of　your　cousin；　then　will　I　die　at　once　so　that　you　may　be　free　to　make　up　your　mind。〃

There　was　now　no　excuse　for　delay；　and　Jiang　Xu　had　to　act。　He　summoned　two　of　his　officers；　Yin　Feng　and　Zhao　Ang；　and　took　counsel　with　them。

Now　Zhao　Ang　had　a　son；　Zhao　Yue；　who　was　an　officer　in　the　army　of　Ma　Chao。　When　Zhao　Ang　had　to　consent　to　take　part　against　his　son's　chief；　he　became　very　unhappy　and　went　home　to　talk　over　it　with　his　wife；　Lady　Wang。

He　said；　〃I　have　today　been　led　into　a　scheme　to　destroy　Ma　Chao　and　avenge　Wei　Kang。　But　there　is　our　son　there　in　Ma　Chao's　service；　and　Ma　Chao　will　certainly　put　our　son　to　death　as　soon　as　he　hears　that　we　are　arming　against　him。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

But　his　wife　replied　angrily；　〃Should　anyone　grudge　even　his　life　to　avenge　his