nst　Cao　Cao。〃

〃You　speak　well；　but　Liu　Biao　has　shown　me　great　kindness；　and　I　could　not　bear　to　serve　him　an　ill　turn。〃

〃If　you　do　not　take　this　opportunity；　you　will　regret　it　ever　after；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃I　would　rather　perish　than　do　what　is　wrong。〃

〃We　will　discuss　it　again；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。

When　Xiahou　Dun　reached　the　capital；　he　presented　himself　to　his　master　in　bonds　and　craved　death。　But　his　master　loosed　him　and　let　him　tell　his　tale。

And　Xiahou　Dun　said；　〃I　was　the　victim　of　Zhuge　Liang's　evil　machinations：　He　attacked　with　fire。〃

〃As　a　soldier　from　your　youth；　you　should　have　remembered　that　fire　was　a　likely　weapon　in　narrow　roads。〃

〃Li　Dian　and　Yu　Jin　reminded　me。　I　am　sorry　enough　now。〃

Cao　Cao　rewarded　Li　Dian　and　Yu　Jin　who　had　warned　their　leader。

〃Liu　Bei　as　strong　as　he　is　now　certainly　is　a　menace　to　our　existence；　and　he　must　be　quickly　destroyed；〃　said　Xiahou　Dun。

〃He　is　one　of　my　anxieties；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。　〃Sun　Quan　is　the　other。　The　rest　do　not　count。　We　must　take　this　chance　to　sweep　the　south　clean。〃

Then　orders　were　issued　to　prepare　an　army　of　five　hundred　thousand　troops；　in　five　divisions　of　ten　legions　each。　Each　division　had　two　leaders：　Cao　Ren　and　Cao　Hong　were　in　mand　of　the　first　division；　Zhang　Liao　and　Zhang　He；　the　second；　Xiahou　Dun　and　Xiahou　Yuan；　the　third；　Yu　Jin　and　Li　Dian；　the　fourth。　The　fifth　body　was　led　by　Cao　Cao　himself。　The　van　was　manded　by　Xu　Chu。　The　〃horse〃　day　of　the　seventh　moon　of　the　thirteenth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　was　fixed　for　the　march　（AD　208）。

The　High　Minister；　Kong　Rong；　offered　a　remonstrance。

He　said；　〃Liu　Bei　and　Liu　Biao　are　both　of　the　Imperial　House　and　should　not　be　attacked　witho