the　pursuers　were　beaten　off　and　went　home　disfited。

Zhang　Xiu　said　to　Jia　Xu；　〃This　defeat　es　from　my　not　following　your　advice。〃

〃Now　set　your　army　in　order　and　pursue；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

〃But　we　have　just　suffered　defeat！〃　cried　both　leaders。　〃Do　you　now　counsel　pursuit？〃

〃Yes；　and　the　result　will　be　a　great　victory　if　you　go　now。　I　will　venture　my　head　on　that；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

Zhang　Xiu　had　confidence；　but　Liu　Biao　was　afraid　and　would　not　acpany　him。　So　one　army　only　started　in　pursuit。

However；　this　was　enough。　Cao　Cao's　rear…guard　was　thoroughly　routed　and　abandoned　their　wagons　and　their　baggage　in　their　hasty　flight。　Zhang　Xiu　pursued；　but　suddenly　a　troop　came　out　from　the　shelter　of　some　hills　and　checked　him。　Fearful　to　try　further；　he　hastened　back　to　Anzhong。

The　other　general；　Liu　Biao；　asked　the　adviser　to　explain　his　apparent　inconsistency；　saying；　〃When　our　veteran　and　brave　soldiers　were　going　to　pursue　those　who　retreated；　you　said　our　men　would　lose　the　day；　and　when　defeated　men　pursued　the　victors；　you　foretold　victory。　You　were　right　in　both　cases；　but　we　wish　you　would　enlighten　us。〃

〃It　is　easy　to　explain。　You；　Generals；　although　skilled　leaders；　are　not　a　match　for　our　enemy。　Though　Cao　Cao　had　lost　a　battle；　he　had　able　generals　to　keep　the　rear　and　guard　against　pursuit。　Our　soldiers　are　good；　but　not　a　match　for　them。　That　is　how　I　knew。　For　as　much　as　Cao　Cao's　hurried　retreat　was　due　to　trouble　in　the　capital；　and　he　had　beaten　off　our　attack；　I　knew　he　would　retire　at　his　utmost　speed　and　not　take　his　usual　precautions。　I　ventured　to　take　advantage　of　his　laxity。〃

Liu　Biao　and　Zhang　Xiu　could　not　but　affirm　his　plete　understanding　of　the　conditions。　On　the　advice　of　Jia　Xu　then　Liu