Chapter 9 Shihu (Stone Tiger) 2(26)

Shi Hu ordered Shi Tao to follow Shi Xuan and travel from Beizhou to Qinzhou and Yongzhou. The situation was similar to Shi Xuan. Shi Xuan became angry with Shi Tao for being equal to him and became even more jealous of him. The eunuch, Zhao Sheng, who was favored by Shi Xuan but not favored by Shi Tao, secretly persuaded Shi Xuan to get rid of Shi Tao, and from then on began his plan to kill Shi Tao.
In April of the fourth year of Yonghe (348), Shi Tao, Duke of Qin of the later Zhao, was favored by Shi Hu. Shi Hu wanted to make him crown prince, but hesitated because he had already made Shi Xuan crown prince. Shi Xuan had once disobeyed the instructions of the later king of Zhao. Shi Hu said angrily, "I really regret that I did not make Shi Tao the crown prince!" Because of this, Shi Tao became even more arrogant. He built a hall in Taiwei Palace, called Xuanguang Hall, with a beam nine feet long. When Shi Xuan saw this, he thought his name was offended. He flew into a rage. He killed the craftsman, cut off the beam, and left in a huff. Shi Tao was also furious at this and lengthened the beam to ten Zhangs. When Shi Xuan heard this, he said to his close aides Yang Cup, Mou Cheng and Zhao Sheng, "How dare this boy be so arrogant and headstrong! If you can kill him, I will give you all the states, counties and towns he now occupies when I am in the western palace. When Shi Tao dies, the Lord will come to mourn him, and I will take the opportunity to kill him too. There is only success. "Yang Cup and others agreed.