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so much so that Ts'ao Ts'ao relies upon him as his defence against Hsiliang. He it was who was set to defend the capital when threatened by Ma Ch'ao. Now he is in Hanchung and Ts'ao Ts'ao puts his whole confidence in him and his skill as a leader. You have overcome Chang Ho, but it is not certain you will conquer this man. I think I must send down to

Chingchou for Kuan Yü for this task."

Huang hotly replied, "Old Lien P'o was four score and yet he ate a measure of rice and ten catties of flesh, so that his vigour frightened the nobles and not one dared encroach upon the borders of Chao. I am not yet seventy. You call me old, O Commander; then I will not take any helper, but go out simply with my own three companies and we will lay Hsiahou Yüan's head at your feet."

K'ung-ming refused to allow him to go; Huang Chung insisted. At last K'ung-ming consented, but said he would send

an overseer.

They put upon his mettle the man who was to go,

Youth's vigour may be lesser worth than age's powers, we know. The next chapter will tell who the overseer was.

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CHAPTER LXXI.

AT THE CAPTURE OF TUI HILL HUANG CHUNG

SCORES A SUCCESS;

ON THE HAN WATERS CHAO YUN CONQUERS A HOST.

"If you are really determined to undertake this expedition, I shall send Fa Chêng with you," said K'ung-ming to the veteran leader. "You will have to discuss everything with him. I shall also despatch supports and reinforcements."

The expedition set out. Then K'ung-ming explained to Yüan-tê that he had purposely tried to spur on the old captain that he should really exert himself, else he feared he would not do much. After this, he ordered Chao Yün to march after the first army and help, if help was needed. So long as the old man was victorious, Chao Yün was to do nothing; if he was in difficulties then he was to be rescued. Three companies also were sent out among the hills to take position at strategical points and set up many banners and make a brave show in order to spread the impression of huge forces, and so frighten and perplex the enemy. In addition, he sent to Hsiapan to tell Ma Ch'ao what part to play in the campaign; Yen Yen was to hold Langchung in place of Chang Fei.

The refugees, Chang Ho and Hsiahou Shang, reached Hsiahou Yüan's camp and told their doleful tale of the loss of T'ientang Mountain and the death of their colleague and the threatened attack. The news was sent to Ts'ao Hung, who bore it quickly to the capital.

Ts'ao Ts'ao lost no time in calling a council. Then the Historian Liu Hua said, "The loss of Hanchung would shake the whole country. You, O Prince, must not shrink from toil and hardship, but must yourself go to lead the army."

"This state of things comes of my not heeding your words before, gentle Sir," said Ts'ao Ts'ao, then repentant.

However, he hastily prepared and issued an edict to raise an army of forty legions which he would lead. The army was ready in the seventh month, the early autumn, and marched in three divisions. The leading division was under Hsiahou Tun, Ts'ao Ts'ao commanded the centre and Ts'ao Hsiu was the rear guard.

Ts'ao Ts'ao rode a white horse, beautifully caparisoned. His guards were clad in embroidered silk. They carried the huge red parasol woven of silk and gold threads. Beside him in two lines were the symbols of princely dignity, the golden

melons, silver axes, stirrups, clubs, spears and lances; bannerols embroidered with the sun and moon, dragon and phoenix, were borne aloft. His escort of twenty-five thousand stout warriors led by bold officers, marched in five columns of five thousand each, under banners of the five colours, blue, yellow, red, white and black. The five companies made a brave show as they marched, each column under its own flag with men in armour and horses in caparisons all of one colour and all glittering in the sun.

As they debouched through Chang Pass, Ts'ao Ts'ao noticed in the distance a thick wood, very luxuriant, and asked those near him what it was called.

"This place is Lant'ien, the Indigo Fields," they replied. "And in that wood is the estate of the late Ts'ai Yung. His daughter, Ts'ai Yen, and her present husband, Tung Chi, live there."

Now Ts'ao Ts'ao and Ts'ai Yung had been excellent friends at one time. His daughter had been first married to Wei Taochieh. Then she was abducted and taken away to the north, where she had borne two sons. She had composed & ballad called, "Eighteen Stanzas for the Mongol Flageolet,' which is well known. Ts'ao Ts'ao had been moved by pity for her sorrows and sent a messenger with a thousand tales to ransom her. The Prince of Tsohsien, overawed by Ts'ao Ts'au's strength, had restored her to Ts'ai Yung.

Ordering his escort to march on, Ts'ao went up to the gate with only a few attendants, dismounted and enquired after the lady of the house. At this time Tung Chi was absent at his post and the lady was alone. As soon as she heard who her visitor was she hastened to welcome him and led him into the reception room. When he was seated and she had performed the proper salutations, she stood respectfully at his side. Glancing round the room, he saw a rubbing of a tablet hanging on the wall. So he got up to read it, and asked his hostess about it.

"It is a tablet of Ts'ao Ê, or the fair lady Ts'ao. In the time of the Emperor Ho (circ. 100 A.D.), in Shangyü there was a certain magician named Ts'ao Hsü, who could dance and sing like the very Spirit of Music. On the fifth of the fifth month he was out in a boat, and being intoxicated, fell overboard and was drowned. He had a daughter then fourteen years of age. She was greatly distressed and sought the body of her father for seven days and nights, weeping all the while. Then she threw herself into the waves, and five days later she floated to the surface with her father's body in her arms. The villagers buried them on the bank, and the magistrate reported the occurrence to the Emperor as a worthy instance of daughterly affection and remarkable piety. A later magistrate had the story inscribed by Hantan Shun

in memory of the event. At that time Hantan Shun was only thirteen, but the composition of the inscription was so perfect that neither jot nor tittle could be added, and yet he had written it currente calamo. The stone was set up beside the grave, and both inscription and story were the admiration of all the men of that day. My father went to see it. It was evening, but in the obscurity he felt out the inscription with his fingers. He got hold of a pencil and wrote eight large characters on the reverse of the stone and, later, some person recutting the stone engraved these eight words as well.

Ts'ao Ts'ao then read the eight words; they formed an enigma. Literally they read, "yellow silk, young wife, a daughter's child, pestle and mortar."

"Can you explain?" asked Ts'ao Ts'ao of his hostess.

"No; although it is a writing of my father's, thy handmaid cannot interpret it," she replied.

Turning to the strategists of his staff, Ts'ao Ts'ao said, "Can any one of you explain it?”

All but one made no reply. The man who said he had fathomed the meaning was a Recorder named Yang Hsiu.

"Do not tell me yet; let me think it out," said Ts'ao Ts'ao. Soon after they took leave of the lady, went out of the farm and rode on. About three li from the farm the meaning suddenly dawned upon Ts'ao Ts'ao, and he laughingly turned to Yang Hsiu saying, "Now, you may try."

"This is the solution of the enigma," said Yang. "Yellow silk" is silk threads of natural colour, and the character for silk" placed beside that for "colour" forms a word meaning "finally, decidedly"; the "young wife" is a "little female," and the character for "female" with "little," or "few," placed beside it forms a word meaning "admirable, fine,"; the "daughter's child" is "daughter" and "child," which side by side make the word "good;" and a "pestle and mortar" suggest pounding together the five bitter herbs in a receptacle: the character for "receptacle" and "bitter" form a word meaning "to tell." So the four words are "Decidedly fine and well told."

Ts'ao Ts'ao was astonished at his cleverness, and said, "Just what I made it."

Those around greatly wondered at Yang's ingenuity and knowledge.

In less than a day they reached Nanchün, where Ts'ao Hung welcomed them. He told the tale of Chang Ho's misfortunes.

"To suffer defeat is no crime;" said Ts'ao Ts'ao, "that and victory are things that happen constantly in war.'

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"Liu Pei has sent Huang Chung to take Tingchün Mount," said Ts'ao Hung. "Hsiahou Yüan, hearing you were coming, O Prince, has been defending the position and not going out to give battle."

"But standing always on the defensive is showing weakness," said Ts'ao Ts'ao.

Thereupon he bade a man carry a chieh, simple authority to act, to the mountain commander and so order him to attack the enemy.

"Hsiahou Yüan is very stern and inflexible, and he may be carried too far and fall victim to some vile ruse," said Liu Hua.

Wherefore the prince wrote a letter to him to accompany the chieh. And when the messenger arrived and the letter was opened it read: "Every leader must exercise a combination of inflexibility and yielding. Boldness is not the only thing that counts; if he make it so, then is he a mere creature to fight. Now I am camped at Nanchün ready to watch the deeds of your admirable prowess and capacity, and all I have to say is, 'Do not disgrace your previous reputation.'

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The letter pleased the commander mightily. Having sent away the bearer, he called in Chang Ho to consult.

"The prince has a great army at Nanchün ready to destroy Liu Pei. We have been on the defence here long enough, and it is time we rendered some solid service. To-morrow I am going out to battle, and hope to capture Huang Chung."

"Your opponent combines ready resource with boldness and prevision," said Chang Ho. "Beside, he has Fa Chêng to aid him; and you must be cautious, for the country is very difficult and dangerous. You had better keep on the defensive."

"How shall we be able to look our prince in the face when other men render good service? However, you just keep the hill, and I will go out to battle."

Then an order was issued asking who would go out to reconnoitre and provoke a battle. His brother Hsiahou Shang volunteered. He was told that he was not to make a real stand, but merely to begin the fight. He was to lose and not win, for a grand ruse was ready for the enemy. He explained his plans, and Hsiahou Shang went away with a small column.

Now Huang Chung and his helper, Fa Chêng, were camped quite close to the Tingchün Mountain. They had endeavoured to entice Hsiahou Yüan out into the field to fight, but failed; to attack him as he stood in that country was very difficult. So thus far no advance had been made. But as soon as Ts'ao's men appeared and seemed to offer battle, Huang Chung was ready to march out to meet them at once. But a certain minor captain named Ch'ên Shih offered his services.

"Do not trouble yourself to move, O General," said Ch'ên Shih, "for I will go out to fight them."

Huang Chung consented, and placed three companies under Ch'ên Shih, who went out of the valley and set his army in array. And when Hsiahou Shang came up and, as arranged,

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