d　Guo　Jia。

So　the　soldiers　were　put　into　mourning；　and　the　report　went　everywhere　that　Cao　Cao　was　dead。　And　soon　Lu　Bu　heard　it；　and　he　assembled　his　army　at　once　to　make　a　surprise　attack；　taking　the　road　by　the　Maling　Hills　to　his　enemy's　camp。

As　he　was　passing　the　hills；　he　heard　the　drums　beating　for　an　advance；　and　the　ambushing　soldiers　leapt　out　all　round　him。　Only　by　desperate　fighting　did　he　get　out　of　the　melee　and　with　a　sadly　diminished　force　returned　to　his　camp　at　Puyang。　There　he　strengthened　the　fortifications　and　could　not　be　tempted　forth　to　battle。

This　year　locusts　suddenly　appeared；　and　they　consumed　every　green　blade。　There　was　a　famine；　and　in　the　northeast　grain　rose　to　fifty　〃strings〃　of　cash　a　cart。　People　even　took　to　cannibalism。　Cao　Cao's　army　suffered　from　want；　and　he　marched　them　to　Juancheng。　Lu　Bu　took　his　troops　to　Shanyang。　Perforce　therefore　the　fight