rch。

The　season　was　winter；　cold　and　dry。　For　seventy　miles　there　was　no　water；　and　grain　also　was　scanty。　The　troops　fed　on　horse　flesh。　They　had　to　dig　very　deep；　three　or　four　hundred　spans　to　find　water。

When　Cao　Cao　reached　Yezhou；　he　rewarded　those　who　had　remonstrated　with　him　against　the　expedition。

He　said；　〃I　took　some　risk　in　going　so　far；　but　by　good　fortune　I　have　succeeded。　With　the　aid　of　Heaven　I　have　secured　victory。　I　could　not　be　guided　by　your　advice；　but　still　they　were　counsels　of　safety；　and　therefore　I　reward　you　to　prove　my　appreciation　of　advice　and　that　hereafter　you　may　not　fear　to　speak　your　minds。〃

Adviser　Guo　Jia　did　not　live　to　see　the　return　of　his　lord。　His　coffin　was　placed　on　the　bier　in　a　hall　of　the　government　offices；　and　Cao　Cao　went　thither　to　sacrifice　to　his　manes。

Cao　Cao　mourned　for　him；　crying；　〃Alas！　Heaven　has　smitten　me：　Guo　Jia　is　dead！〃

Then　turning　to　his　officers　he　said；　〃You；　gentlemen；　are　of　the　same　age　as　myself；　but　he　was　very　young　to　die。　I　needed　him　for　the　future　generation；　and　unhappily　he　has　been　torn　from　me　in　the　flower　of　his　age。　My　heart　and　my　bowels　are　torn　with　grief。〃

The　servants　of　the　late　adviser　presented　his　last　testament；　which　they　said　his　dying　hand　had　written；　and　he　had　told　them　to　say；　〃If　the　Prime　Minister　shall　follow　the　advice　given　herein；　then　Liaodong　will　be　secure。〃

Cao　Cao　opened　the　cover　and　read；　nodding　his　head　in　agreement　and　uttering　deep　sighs。　But　no　other　person　knew　what　was　written　therein。

Shortly　after；　Xiahou　Dun　at　the　head　of　a　delegation　presented　a　petition；　saying；　〃For　a　long　time　the　Governor　of　Liaodong；　Gongsun　Kang；　has　been　contumacious；　and　it　bodes　ill　for　peace　that　th