s　treatment　of　his　messenger　annoyed　Cao　Pi　greatly；　and　he　dispatched　a　force　of　three　thousand　Imperial　Tiger　Guards　under　Xu　Chu　to　arrest　his　brother　and　all　his　immediate　surroundings。　When　Xu　Chu　arrived　Linzi；　the　gate　mander　stopped　him。　Xu　Chu　slew　that　general　and　entered　the　city；　unchallenged。　He　went　to　the　residence　and　found　Cao　Zhi　and　all　his　panions　dead　drunk。　So　he　bound　them；　put　them　into　carts；　and　sent　them　to　court　in　Yejun。　He　also　arrested　all　the　officers　of　the　palace。

Cao　Pi's　first　order　was　to　put　to　death　Ding　Yi　and　Ding　Yin。　The　two　brothers　were　not　wholly　base；　they　had　a　reputation　for　learning；　and　many　were　sorry　for　them。

Cao　Pi's　mother；　Lady　Bian；　was　alarmed　at　the　severity　of　the　new　rule；　and　the　suicide　of　her　youngest　son　wounded　her　deeply。　When　she　heard　that　Cao　Zhi　had　been　arrested　and　his　rades　put　to　death；　she　left　her　palace　and　went　to　see　her　eldest　son。　As　soon　as　he　saw　her；　the　Prince　hastened　to　meet　her。　She　began　to　weep。

〃Your　brother　has　always　had　that　weakness　for　wine；　but　we　let　him　go　his　way　out　of　consideration　for　his　undoubted　ability。　I　hope　you　will　not　forget　he　is　your　brother　and　that　I　bore　you　both。　Spare　his　life　that　I　may　close　my　eyes　in　peace　when　I　set　out　for　the　deep　springs。〃

〃I　also　admire　his　ability；　Mother；　and　have　no　intention　to　hurt　him。　But　I　would　reform　him。　Have　no　anxiety　as　to　his　fate；〃　said　Cao　Pi。

So　the　mother　was　forted　and　withdrew。　The　Prince　then　went　to　a　private　room　and　bade　them　call　his　brother。

Said　Hua　Xin；　〃Surely　the　Princess…Mother　has　just　been　interceding　for　your　brother。　Is　it　not　so？〃

〃It　is　so；〃　replied　the　Prince。

〃Then　let　me　say　that　Cao　Zhi　is　too　clever　to　be　content　to　remain　in　a