sued　orders　for　the　morning　meal　to　be　ready　very　early；　and　for　everyone　to　be　in　marching　order　by　daybreak。　When　the　time　arrived；　his　army　set　out；　taking　the　road　through　a　gully　to　the　left　of　the　hills。

But　early　as　Huang　Zhong　started；　his　rival　had　stolen　a　march　on　him。　Wei　Yan　had　sent　over　the　night　before　to　find　out　the　hour　fixed　for　Huang　Zhong's　start　and　had　arranged　his　own　departure　a　watch　earlier；　by　which　he　would　be　able　to　reach　his　objective　at　dawn。　After　Wei　Yan's　troops　had　taken　their　early　meal；　they　removed　the　bells　from　the　horses　end　put　gags　in　their　own　mouths　to　prevent　talking；　and　all…silently　the　army　stole　out　of　the　camp　just　as　the　other　party　were　eating　their　breakfast。　The　ensigns　were　furled　and　weapons　covered　lest　the　glint　of　steel　should　betray　their　movement。

Thus　far　successful　in　getting　the　start　of　his　rival；　Wei　Yan　thought　as　he　rode　along　what　a　fine　score　he　would　make　if　he　anticipated　Huang　Zhong　also　in　his　attack　and　captured　the　camp　of　Ling　Bao　before　Huang　Zhong　could　get　there。　Wei　Yan　at　once　deviated　from　his　own　line　and　marched　toward　the　camp　defended　by　Ling　Bao；　of　which　the　capture　had　been　assigned　to　Huang　Zhong。

Just　before　arrival；　Wei　Yan　halted　his　troops　and　bade　them　prepare　the　drums　and　ensigns　and　their　weapons。

Early　as　it　was；　yet　the　camp　mander　was　on　the　alert；　for　the　advancing　force　had　been　observed　by　his　scouts。　At　the　first　sign　of　attack；　the　defenders　poured　out　in　full　force。　Wei　Yan　galloped　up　and　made　straight　for　Ling　Bao。　These　two　fought　twenty　or　so　of　bouts；　and　then　the　troops　of　West　River　Land　came　up　and　joined　in　the　battle。　The　troops　of　Jingzhou　under　Wei　Yan　having　marched　a　long　distance；　were　fatigued　and　could　not　withstand