o　take　Yang　Xiu　away　and　behead　him　and　hang　his　head　at　the　camp　gate。

Yang　Xiu　was　a　man　of　acute　and　ingenious　mind；　but　inclined　to　show　off。　His　lack　of　restraint　over　his　tongue　had　often　wounded　Cao　Cao's　susceptibilities。　Once　Cao　Cao　was　having　a　pleasance　laid　out；　and　when　it　was　pleted；　he　went　to　inspect　the　work。　He　uttered　no　word　of　praise　or　blame；　he　just　wrote　the　word　〃Alive〃　on　the　gate　and　left。　Nobody　could　guess　what　he　meant　till　Yang　Xiu　heard　of　it。

〃'Gate'　with　'Alive'　inside　it　makes　the　word　for　'wide'；〃　said　he。　〃The　Prime　Minister　thinks　the　gates　are　too　wide。〃

Thereupon　they　rebuilt　the　outer　walls　on　an　altered　plan。　When　plete；　Cao　Cao　was　asked　to　go　and　see　it。　And　he　was　then　delighted。

〃But　who　guessed　what　I　meant？〃　said　he。

〃Yang　Xiu；〃　replied　his　people。

Cao　Cao　thereafter　lauded　Yang　Xiu's　ingenuity；　but　in　his　heart　he　feared。

Another　time　Cao　Cao　received　a　box　of　cream　cheese　from　Mongolia。　Cao　Cao　just　scribbled　three　words　〃One　Cream　Box〃　on　the　top　and　left　it　on　the　table。　The　words　seemed　to　have　no　meaning。　But　Yang　Xiu　happened　to　e　in；　saw　the　box；　and　at　once　handed　a　spoonful　of　the　contents　to　each　guest　in　the　room。　When　Cao　Cao　asked　why　he　did　this；　he　explained　that　that　was　the　interpretation　of　the　words　on　the　box；　which；　resolved　into　primary　symbols；　read；　〃Each　person　a　mouthful。〃

〃Could　I　possibly　disobey　your　orders？〃　said　he。

Cao　Cao　laughed　with　the　others；　but　hatred　was　in　his　heart。

Cao　Cao　lived　in　constant　fear　of　assassination；　and　said　to　his　attendants；　〃Let　none　of　you　e　near　me　when　I　am　sleeping；　for　I　am　likely　to　slay　people　in　my　dreams。〃

One　day　he　was　enjoying　a　siesta；　and　his　quilt　fell　off。　One　of　the　att