tance　and　use　Cao　Cao's　hand　to　destroy　your　rival。〃

Yuan　Shang　took　his　advice　and　no　help　was　sent。　When　the　messenger　returned　to　Liyang　without　success；　Yuan　Tan　was　very　angry　and　showed　it　by　putting　Peng　Ji　to　death。　He　also　began　to　talk　of　surrendering　to　Cao　Cao。　Soon　spies　brought　news　of　this　to　Yuan　Shang；　and　again　Shen　Pei　was　called　in。

Yuan　Shang　said；　〃If　Yuan　Tan　goes　over　to　Cao　Cao；　they　will　both　attack　Jizhou；　and　we　shall　be　in　great　danger。〃

Finally　Shen　Pei　and　General　Su　You　were　left　to　take　care　of　the　defense　of　the　city；　and　Yuan　Shang　marched　his　army　to　the　rescue　of　his　brother。

〃Who　dares　lead　the　van？〃　said　Yuan　Shang。

Two　brothers　named　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang　volunteered；　and　thirty　thousand　troops　were　given　them。　They　were　the　first　to　reach　Liyang。

Yuan　Tan　was　pleased　that　Yuan　Shang　had　decided　to　play　a　brotherly　part　and　e　to　his　aid；　so　he　at　once　abandoned　all　thought　of　going　over　to　the　enemy。　He　being　in　the　city；　Yuan　Shang　camped　outside；　making　that　an　ox…horn　formation　of　their　strategic　position。

Before　long　Yuan　Xi；　the　second　brother；　and　their　cousin；　Gao　Gan；　arrived　with　their　legions　and　also　camped　outside　the　city。

Engagements　took　place　daily；　and　Yuan　Shang　suffered　many　defeats。　On　the　other　hand　Cao　Cao　was　victorious　and　elated。　In　the　second　month　of　the　eighth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　203）；　Cao　Cao　made　separate　attacks　on　all　four　armies　and　won　the　day　against　each。　Then　the　Yuans　abandoned　Liyang；　and　Cao　Cao　pursued　them　to　Jizhou；　where　Yuan　Tan　and　Yuan　Shang　went　into　the　city　to　defend　it；　while　their　brother　and　cousin　camped　about　ten　miles　away　making　a　show　of　great　force。

When　Cao　Cao　had　made　many　attacks　without　succes