e　would　not　have　let　me　suffer　this　loss。〃

He　beat　his　breast　and　wept；　saying；　〃Alas　for　Guo　Jia！　I　grieve　for　Guo　Jia！　I　sorrow　for　Guo　Jia！〃

The　reproach　shamed　the　advisers；　who　were　silent。

Next　day　Cao　Cao　called　Cao　Ren　and　said；　〃I　am　going　to　the　capital　to　prepare　another　army　for　revenge。　You　are　to　guard　this　region　and；　in　case　of　necessity；　I　leave　with　you　a　sealed　plan。　You　are　only　to　open　the　cover　when　hard…pressed；　and　then　you　are　to　act　as　directed。　The　South　Land　will　not　dare　to　look　this　way。〃

〃Who　is　to　guard　Hefei　and　Xiangyang？〃

〃Jingzhou　is　particularly　your　care；　and　Xiahou　Dun　is　to　hold　Xiangyang。　As　Hefei　is　most　important；　I　am　sending　Zhang　Liao　thither　with　good　aids　of　Li　Dian　and　Yue　Jing。　If　you　get　into　difficulties；　send　at　once　to　tell　me。〃

Having　made　these　dispositions；　Cao　Cao　set　off　at　once　with　a　few　followers。　He　took　with　him　the　officers　who　had　e　over　to　his　side　when　Jingzhou　fell　into　his　hands。

Cao　Ren　placed　Cao　Hong　in　charge　of　Yiling　and　Jiangling。

After　having　allowed　the　escape　of　Cao　Cao；　Guan　Yu　found　his　way　back　to　headquarters。　By　this　time　the　other　detachments　had　returned　bringing　spoil　of　horses　and　weapons　and　supplies　of　all　kinds。　Only　Guan　Yu　came　back　empty…handed。　When　he　arrived；　Zhuge　Liang　was　with　his　brother　congratulating　him　on　his　success。　When　Guan　Yu　was　announced；　Zhuge　Liang　got　up　and　went　to　wele　him；　bearing　a　cup　of　wine。

〃Joy！　O　General；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃You　have　done　a　deed　that　overtops　the　world。　You　have　removed　the　empire's　worst　foe　and　ought　to　have　been　met　at　a　distance　and　felicitated。〃

Guan　Yu　muttered　inaudibly；　and　Zhuge　Liang　continued；　〃I　hope　it　is　not　because　we　have　omitted　to　wele　you　on