st　lots　who　should　go。　Peng　Ji　drew　the　lot　and　was　appointed；　receiving　a　seal　of　office。　Then　he　acpanied　Guo　Tu　to　the　camp。　But　when　he　arrived　and　found　Yuan　Tan　in　perfect　health；　he　grew　suspicious　and　resigned。

Yuan　Tan　angrily　refused　to　accept　his　resignation　and　was　disposed　to　put　him　to　death；　but　Guo　Tu　privately　dissuaded　him；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　is　on　the　borders；　and　Peng　Ji　must　be　kept　here　to　allay　your　brother's　suspicions。　After　we　have　beaten　Cao　Cao；　we　can　at　once　make　an　attempt　on　Jizhou。〃

Yuan　Tan　agreed　and　forthwith　broke　up　his　camp　to　march　against　the　enemy。　He　reached　Liyang　and　lost　no　time　in　offering　battle。　He　chose　for　his　champion　Wang　Zhao　and；　when　Wang　Zhao　rode　out；　Cao　Cao　sent　Xu　Huang　to　meet　him。　These　two　had　fought　but　a　few　bouts　when　Wang　Zhao　was　slain。　At　once　Cao　Cao's　army　pressed　forward；　and　Yuan　Tan　suffered　a　severe　defeat。　Yuan　Tan　drew　off　his　army　and　retired　into　Liyang；　whence　he　sent　to　his　brother　for　reinforcements。

Yuan　Shang　and　his　adviser　Shen　Pei　discussed　the　matter　and　only　five　thousand　troops　were　sent。　Cao　Cao　hearing　of　the　dispatch　of　this　meager　force　sent　Li　Dian　and　Yue　Jing　to　waylay　them；　and　the　half　legion　was　destroyed。　When　Yuan　Tan　heard　of　the　inadequate　force　sent　and　their　destruction；　he　was　very　wrath　and　roundly　abused　Peng　Ji。

Peng　Ji　replied；　〃Let　me　write　to　my　lord　and　pray　him　to　e　himself。〃

So　Peng　Ji　wrote　and　the　letter　was　sent。　When　it　arrived；　Yuan　Shang　again　consulted　Shen　Pei。

The　Counselor　said；　〃Guo　Tu；　your　elder　brother's　adviser；　is　very　guileful。　Formerly　he　left　without　discussion　because　Cao　Cao　was　on　the　border。　If　Cao　Cao　be　defeated；　there　will　certainly　be　an　attempt　on　you。　The　better　plan　is　to　withhold　assis