the　troops　of　Cao　Ren　dashed　out　of　the　city　and　wrought　confusion　among　the　troops　of　the　South　Land；　who　trampled　each　other　down　and　many　more　fell　into　the　trenches。　Cheng　Pu　tried　to　draw　off；　but　Cao　Ren　and　Cao　Hong　came　toward　him　from　different　directions；　and　the　battle　went　hardly　against　the　soldiers　of　Zhou　Yu；　till　help　came　from　Ling　Tong；　who　bore　back　their　assailants。　Satisfied　with　their　success；　Cao　Ren　led　his　forces　into　the　city；　while　the　losers　marched　back　to　their　own　camp。

Zhou　Yu；　sorely　wounded；　was　taken　to　his　own　tent　and　the　army　physician　called　in。　With　iron　forceps；　he　extracted　the　sharp　bolt　and　dressed　the　wound　with　a　lotion　designed　to　counteract　the　poison　of　the　metal。　But　the　pain　was　intense；　and　the　patient　rejected　all　nourishment。

The　physician　said；　〃The　missile　had　been　poisoned；　and　the　wound　will　require　a　long　time　to　heal。　You；　General；　must　be　kept　quiet　and　especially　free　from　any　irritation；　which　will　cause　the　wound　to　reopen。〃

Thereupon　Cheng　Pu　gave　orders　that　each　division　was　to　remain　in　camp。　Three　days　later；　Niu　Jin　came　within　sight　and　challenged　the　men　of　the　South　Land　to　battle；　but　they　did　not　stir。　The　enemy　hurled　at　them　taunts　and　insults　till　the　sun　had　fallen　low　in　the　sky；　but　it　was　of　no　avail　and　Niu　Jin　withdrew。

Next　day　Niu　Jin　returned　and　repeated　his　insulting　abuse。　Cheng　Pu　dared　not　tell　the　wounded　general。　The　third　day；　waxing　bolder；　the　enemy　came　to　the　very　gates　of　the　stockade；　the　leader　shouting　that　he　had　e　for　the　purpose　of　capturing　Zhou　Yu。

Then　Cheng　Pu　called　together　his　officers；　and　they　discussed　the　feasibility　of　retirement　into　the　South　Land　that　they　might　seek　the　opinion　of　Sun　Quan。

Ill　as　he　was；　Zho