rathful　both；　one　did　not　strength　exert。〃

This　exhibition　of　skill　amazed　the　Prince　and　the　whole　court。　Cao　Pi　thought　he　would　use　another　test；　so　he　bade　his　brother　improvise　on　the　theme　of　their　fraternal　relationship；　the　words　〃brotherhood〃　or　〃brother〃　being　barred。　Without　seeming　to　reflect；　Cao　Zhi　rattled　off　this　rhyme：

〃They　were　boiling　beans　on　a　beanstalk　fire；

Came　a　plaintive　voice　from　the　pot；

'O　why；　since　we　sprang　from　the　selfsame　root；

Should　you　kill　me　with　anger　hot？'〃

The　allusion　in　these　verses　to　the　cruel　treatment　of　one　member　of　a　family　by　another　was　not　lost　upon　Cao　Pi；　and　he　dropped　a　few　silent　tears。

The　mother　of　both　men　came　out　at　this　moment　from　her　abiding　place　and　said；　〃Should　the　elder　brother　thus　oppress　the　younger？〃

The　Prince　jumped　from　his　seat；　saying；　〃My　mother；　the　laws　of　the　state　cannot　be　nullified。〃

Cao　Zhi　was　degraded　to　the　rank　of　Lord　of　Anxiang。　He　accepted　the　decision　without　a　murmur　and　at　once　left　his　brother's　court　by　horse。

Cao　Pi's　accession　was　the　signal　for　a　set　of　new　laws　and　new　mands。　His　behavior　toward　Emperor　Xian　was　more　intemperate　than　his　father's　had　ever　been。

The　stories　of　his　harshness　reached　Chengdu　and　almost　frightened　Liu　Bei；　who　summoned　his　counselors　to　discuss　what　he　should　do。

Said　he；　〃Since　the　death　of　Cao　Cao　and　the　accession　of　his　son；　the　position　of　the　Emperor　has　changed　for　the　worse。　Sun　Quan　acknowledges　the　lordship　of　Wei；　and　its　influence　is　being　too　great。　I　am　disposed　to　destroy　Sun　Quan　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　my　brother。　That　done。　I　will　proceed　to　the　Capital　District　and　purge　the　whole　land　of　rebellion。　What　think　you？〃

Then