ed　far　into　the　Sea　of　Sand。　If　we　pursue　them　thither；　it　may　bring　down　Liu　Biao　and　Liu　Bei　upon　the　capital。　Should　we　be　unable　to　rescue　it；　the　misfortune　would　be　immense。　Wherefore　we　beg　you　to　return　to　Xuchang。〃

But　Guo　Jia　was　of　different　advice。

〃You　are　wrong；〃　said　he。　〃Though　the　prestige　of　our　lord　fills　the　empire；　yet　the　peoples　of　the　desert；　relying　upon　their　inaccessibility；　will　not　be　prepared　against　us。　Wherefore　I　say　attack；　and　we　shall　conquer　them。　Beside　Yuan　Shao　was　kind　to　the　nomads；　and　the　two　brothers　have　been　more　so。　They　must　be　destroyed。　As　for　Liu　Biao　he　is　a　mere　gossip；　who　needs　not　cause　the　least　anxiety。　And　Liu　Bei　is　unfit　for　any　heavy　responsibility　and　will　take　no　trouble　over　a　light　one。　You　may　leave　the　base　with　perfect　safety　and　make　as　long　an　expedition　as　you　choose。　Nothing　will　happen。〃

〃You　speak　well；　O　Guo　Jia；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

He　led　his　legions；　heavy　and　light；　to　the　edge　of　the　desert；　with　many　wagons。　The　expedition　marched　into　the　Gobi　Desert。　The　rolling　ocean　of　yellow　sand　spread　its　waves　before　them；　and　they　saw　far　and　near　the　eddying　sand　pillars；　and　felt　the　fierce　winds　that　drove　them　forward。　The　road　became　precipitous　and　progress　difficult。　Cao　Cao　began　to　think　of　returning　and　spoke　thereof　to　Guo　Jia；　who　had　advised　the　journey。

Guo　Jia　had　speedily　fallen　victim　to　the　effects　of　the　climate；　and　at　this　time　he　lay　in　his　cart　very　ill。

Cao　Cao's　tears　fell　as　he　said；　〃My　friend；　you　are　suffering　for　my　ambition　to　subdue　the　Gobi　Desert。　I　cannot　bear　to　think　you　should　be　ill。〃

〃You　have　always　been　very　good　to　me；〃　said　the　sick　man；　〃and　I　can　never　repay　what　I　owe　you。〃

〃The　country　is　exceedingly