ety　of　the　capital；　he　marched　a　large　army　to　Guandu；　the　camp　of　the　year　before；　and　aimed　at　Jizhou。

As　to　Yuan　Shao；　who　had　been　suffering　from　blood…spitting　but　was　now　in　better　health；　he　began　to　think　of　measures　against　Xuchang；　but　Shen　Pei　dissuaded　him；　saying；　〃You　are　not　yet　recovered　from　the　fatigues　of　last　year。　It　would　be　better　to　make　your　position　impregnable　and　set　to　improving　the　army。〃

When　the　news　of　Cao　Cao's　approach　arrived；　Yuan　Shao　said；　〃If　we　allow　the　foe　to　get　close　to　the　city　before　we　march　to　the　river；　we　shall　have　missed　our　opportunity。　I　must　go　out　to　repel　this　army。〃

Here　his　son　Yuan　Shang　interposed；　〃Father；　you　are　not　sufficiently　recovered　for　a　campaign　and　should　not　go　so　far。　Let　me　lead　the　army　against　this　enemy。〃

Yuan　Shao　consented；　and　he　sent　to　Qingzhou　and　Youzhou　and　Bingzhou　to　call　upon　his　other　two　sons　and　his　nephew　to　attack　Cao　Cao　at　the　same　time　as　his　own　army。

Against　Runan　they　beat　the　drum；

And　from　Jizhou　the　armies　e。

To　whom　the　victory　will　be　seen　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　32　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　32

Chapter　32

Jizhou　Taken：　Yuan　Shang　Strives；

River　Zhang　Cut：　Xun　You　Schemes。

Yuan　Shang　was　puffed　up　with　pride　after　his　victory　over　Shi　Huan　and；　without　deigning　to　wait　the　arrival　of　his　brothers；　he　marched　out　with　thirty　thousand　troops　to　Liyang　to　meet　the　army　of　Cao　Cao。　Zhang　Liao　came　out　to　challenge　him；　and　Yuan　Shang；　accepting　the　challenge　rode　out　with　spear　set。　But　he　only　lasted　to　the　third　bout　when　he　had　to　give　way。　Zhang　Liao　smote　with　full　force　and　Yuan　Shang；　quite　broken；　fled　pell…mell　to　Jizhou。