pose　a　plan？〃

Then　rose　Xu　Huang　and　said；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　you　have　a　large　force　here；　and　the　enemy　also　accumulate　their　strength　on　the　Pass。　This　means　that　on　the　west　side　of　Yellow　River；　behind　their　back；　they　are　unprepared。　If　you　can　get　an　army　secretly　across　the　river　and　cross　the　Cattail　Ferry；　you　will　cut　off　their　retreat。　Then　if　you　can　march　down　and　smite　them　on　the　banks　of　River　Wei；　they　can　get　no　reinforcements　and　must　fail。〃

〃What　you　propose　is　just　what　I　think；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

So　Xu　Huang　was　placed　over　four　thousand　troops；　and　with　Zhu　Ling；　marched　to　the　west　of　Yellow　River　and　hid　in　the　gullies。　They　were　to　wait　till　Cao　Cao　crossed　the　Yellow　River　so　that　both　could　strike　together。

Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　Cao　Hong　to　prepare　boats　and　rafts。　Cao　Ren　was　left　in　mand　of　the　camps。　Cao　Cao　himself　marched　to　the　east　bank　of　Yellow　R