out　of　good　feeling　for　me。〃

〃Why　does　Your　Majesty　talk　thus？〃　said　they。　〃We　will　do　our　utmost　to　serve　you　for　a　thousand　autumns　and　a　myriad　years。〃

〃No；　I　know　that　I　am　about　to　die；〃　said　the　Emperor。　〃The　sudden　fall　of　the　gates　of　Xuchang　this　year　was　the　omen；　as　I　well　knew。〃

Just　then　the　attendants　said　that　General　Who　Conquers　the　East　Cao　Xiu　had　e　to　ask　after　the　Emperor's　health。　They　were　told　to　call　Cao　Xiu　into　the　chamber。

When　he　had　entered；　Cao　Pi　said　to　him；　〃You　and　these　three　are　the　pillars　and　cornerstones　of　the　state。　If　you　will　only　uphold　my　son；　I　can　close　my　eyes　in　peace。〃

These　were　his　last　words。　A　flood　of　tears　gushed　forth；　and　Cao　Pi　sank　back　on　the　couch　dead。　He　was　forty　years　of　age　and　had　reigned　seven　years　（AD　229）。

The　four　ministers　raised　the　wailing　for　the　dead　and　forthwith　busied　themselves　with　setting　up　Cao　Rui　as　the　Emperor　of　Great　Wei。　The　late　Emperor　received　the　posthumous　style　of　〃Emperor　Pi〃。　The　late　Empress；　the　consort　who　had　suffered　death；　was　styled　〃Empress　Zhen〃。

Honors　were　distributed　freely　in　celebration　of　the　new　reign。　Zhong　Yao　was　made　Imperial　Guardian；　Cao　Zhen；　Regent　Marshal；　Cao　Xiu；　Minister　of　War；　Hua　Xin；　Grand　mander；　Wang　Lang；　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Chen　Qun；　Minister　of　Works；　Sima　Yi；　Imperial　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　and　many　others；　conspicuous　and　obscure；　were　promoted。　A　general　amnesty　was　declared　throughout　all　the　land。

About　this　time　a　vacancy　existed　in　the　mandership　of　Yongzhou　and　Liangzhou。　Sima　Yi　asked　for　the　post　and　got　it。　He　left　for　his　new　office　as　soon　as　he　had　received　the　appointment。　All　military　affairs　of　the　west　were　now　under　his　mand。

In　due　time　the