11.郤說張飛飲了數盃悶酒，乘馬從館驛前過，見五六十個老人，皆在門前痛哭。飛問其故。眾老人答曰：「督郵逼勒縣吏，欲害劉公；我等皆來苦告，不得放入，反遭把門人趕打！」張飛大怒，睜圓環眼，咬碎鋼牙，滾鞍下馬，逕入館驛，把門人那裏阻擋得住。直奔後堂，見督郵正坐廳上，將縣吏綁倒在地。飛大喝：「害民賊！認得我麼？」督郵未及開言，早被張飛揪住頭髮，扯出館驛，直到縣前馬樁上縛住；扳下柳條，去督郵兩腿上著力鞭打，一連打折柳條十數枝。

Now Zhang Fei had been all day drowning his sorrow in wine and had drunk far too much. Calling for his horse he rode out past the lodging of the inspector, and at the gate saw a small crowd of white-haired people weeping bitterly. He asked why.

They said, "The inspector has compelled the underlings to bear false witness against our magistrate, with the desire to injure the virtuous Liu Bei. We came to beg mercy for him but are not permitted to enter. Moreover, we have been beaten by the doorkeepers."

This provoked the irascible and half intoxicated Zhang Fei to fury. His eyes opened wide until they became circles; he ground his teeth; in a moment he was off his steed, had forced his way past the scared doorkeepers into the building, and was in the rear apartments. There he saw Imperial Inspector Du Biao sitting on high with the official underlings in bonds at his feet.

"Oppressor of the people, robber!" cried Zhang Fei. "Do you know me?"

But before the inspector could reply, Zhang Fei had had him by the hair and had dragged him down. Another moment he was outside and firmly lashed to the hitching post in front of the building. Then breaking off a switch from a willow tree, Zhang Fei gave his victim a severe thrashing, only staying his hand when the tenth switch was too short to strike with.

12.玄德正納悶間，聽得縣前喧鬧，問左右，答曰：「張將軍綁一人在縣前痛打。」玄德忙去觀之，見綁縛者乃督郵也。玄德驚問其故。飛曰：「此等害民賊，不打死等甚！」督郵告曰：「玄德公救我性命！」玄德終是仁慈的人，急喝張飛住手。傍邊轉過關公來，曰：「兄長建許多大功，僅得縣尉，今反被督郵侮辱。吾思枳棘叢中，非棲鸞鳳之所；不如殺督郵，棄官歸鄉，別圖遠大之計。」玄德乃取印綬，掛於督郵之頸，責之曰：「據汝害民，本當殺卻；今姑饒汝命。吾繳還印綬，從此去矣！」督郵歸告定州太守，太守申文省府，差人捕捉。玄德、關、張三人往代州投劉恢。恢見玄德乃漢室宗親，留匿在家不題。

Liu Bei was sitting alone, communing with his sorrow, when he heard a shouting before his door. He asked what the matter was.

They told him, "General Zhang Fei had bound somebody to a post and was thrashing him!"

Hastily going outside, Liu Bei saw who the unhappy victim was and asked Zhang Fei the reason.

"If we do not beat this sort of wretch to death, what may we expect?" said Zhang Fei.

"Noble Sir, save me!" cried the inspector.

Now Liu Bei had always been kindly and gracious, wherefore he bade his brother release the officer and go his way.

Then Guan Yu came up, saying, "Brother, after your magnificent services you only got this petty post, and even here you have been insulted by this fellow. A thorn bush is no place for a phoenix. Let us slay this fellow, leave here, and go home till we can evolve a bigger scheme."

Liu Bei contented himself with hanging the official seal about the inspector's neck, saying, "If I hear that you injure the people, I will assuredly kill you. I now spare your life, and I return to you the seal. We are going."

The inspector went to the Governor of Dingzhou and complained, and orders were issued for the arrest of the brothers, but they got away to Daizhou and sought refuge with Liu Hu, who sheltered them because of Liu Bei's noble birth.

13.卻說十常侍既握重權，互相商議：但有不從己者，誅之。趙忠，張讓，差人問破黃巾將士索金帛，不從者奏罷職。皇甫嵩、朱雋皆不肯與，趙忠等俱奏罷其官。帝又封趙忠等為車騎將軍，張讓等十三人皆封列侯。朝政愈壞，人民嗟怨。於是長沙賊區星作亂；漁陽張舉、張純反：舉稱天子，純稱大將軍。表章雪片告急，十常侍皆藏匿不奏。

By this time the Ten Regular Attendants had everything in their hands, and they put to death all who did not stand in with them. From every officer who had helped to put down the rebels they demanded presents; and if these were not forthcoming, he was removed from office. Imperial Commanders Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun both fell victims to these intrigues and were deprived from offices, while on the other hand the eunuchs received the highest honors and rewards. Thirteen eunuchs were ennobled, including Zhao Zhong who was added to the rank of General of the Flying Cavalry. The government grew worse and worse, and everyone was irritated.

Rebellions broke out in Changsha led by Ou Xing, and in Yuyang led by Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun. Memorials were sent up in number as snow flakes in winter, but the Ten suppressed them all.

14.一日，帝在後園與十常侍飲宴，諫議大夫劉陶，逕到帝前大慟。帝問其故。陶曰：「天下危在旦夕，陛下尚自與閹官共飲耶！」帝曰：「國家承平，有何危急？」陶曰：「四方盜賊並起，侵掠州郡。其禍皆由十常侍賣官害民，欺君罔上。朝廷正人皆去，禍在目前矣！」十常侍皆免冠跪伏於帝前曰：「大臣不相容，臣等不能活矣！願乞性命歸田里，盡將家產以助軍資。」言罷痛哭。帝怒謂陶曰：「汝亦有近侍之人，何獨不容朕耶？」呼武士推出斬之。劉陶大呼：「臣死不惜！可憐漢室天下，四百餘年，到此一旦休矣！」

One day the Emperor was at a feast in one of the gardens with the Ten, when Court Counselor Liu Tao suddenly appeared showing very great distress. The Emperor asked what the matter was.

"Sire, how can you be feasting with these when the empire is at the last gasp?" said Liu Tao.

"All is well," said the Emperor. "Where is anything wrong?"

Said Liu Tao, "Robbers swarm on all sides and plunder the cities. And all is the fault of the Ten Eunuchs who sell offices and injure the people, oppress loyal officials and deceive their superiors. All virtuous ones have left the services and returned to their places. Misfortune is before our very eyes!"

At this the eunuchs pulled off their hats and threw themselves at their master's feet.

"If Minister Liu Tao disapproves of us," they said, "we are in danger. We pray that our lives be spared and we may go to our farms. We yield our property to help defray military expenses."

And they wept bitterly.

The Emperor turned angrily to Liu Tao, saying, "You also have servants: Why can't you bear with mine?"

And thereupon the Emperor called to the guards to eject Liu Tao and put him to death.

Liu Tao cried aloud, "My death matters nothing. The pity is that Han Dynasty, after four centuries of reign, is falling fast!"

15.武士擁陶出，方欲行刑，一大臣喝住曰：「勿得下手，待我諫去。」眾視之，乃司徒陳耽。逕入室中來諫帝曰：「劉諫議得何罪而受誅？」帝曰：「毀謗近臣，冒朕躬。」耽曰：「天下人民，欲食十常侍之肉，陛下敬之如父母，身無寸功，皆封列侯；況封諝等結連黃巾，欲為內亂：陛下今不自省，社稷立見崩摧矣！」帝曰：「封諝作亂，其事不明。十常侍中，豈無一二忠臣？」陳耽以頭撞階而諫。帝怒，命牽出，與劉陶皆下獄。是夜，十常侍即於獄中謀殺之；假帝韶以孫堅為長沙太守，討區星。

The guards hustled him away and were just about to carry out the Emperor's order when a minister stopped them, shouting, "Strike not! Wait till I have spoken with His Majesty."

It was the Minister of the Interior, Chen Dan. He went in to the Emperor, to whom he said, "For what fault is Counselor Liu Tao to be put to death?"

"He has vilified my servants and has insulted me," said the Emperor.

"All the empire would eat the flesh of the eunuchs if they could, and yet, Sire, you respect them as if they were your parents. They have no merit, but they are created nobles. Moreover, Feng Xu was in league with the Yellow Scarves. Unless Your Majesty looks to it, the state will crumble!"

"There was no proof against Feng Xu," replied the Emperor. "About the Ten Eunuchs, are there none faithful among them?"

Chen Dan beat his forehead on the steps of the throne and did not desist from remonstrance. Then the Emperor grew angry and commanded his removal and imprisonment with Liu Tao. That night Liu Tao and Chen Dan were murdered.

Then the eunuchs sent a forged edict to Sun Jian making him Governor of Changsha, with orders to suppress the rebellion of Ou Xing.