endants　saw　it　and　hastened　to　cover　him　again。　Cao　Cao　suddenly　leaped　from　the　couch；　cut　down　the　intruder　with　his　sword；　and　lay　down　again　to　sleep。　Some　time　after　he　awoke；　simulated　surprise　and　asked　who　had　killed　his　attendant。　When　they　told　him；　Cao　Cao　wept　aloud　for　the　dead　man　and　had　him　buried　in　a　fine　grave。　Most　people　thought　that　Cao　Cao　had　slain　the　man　while　asleep；　but　Yang　Xiu　knew　better。

At　the　funeral　of　the　victim　Yang　Xiu　remarked；　〃The　Prime　Minister　was　in　no　dream；　but　only　you　were　asleep。〃

This　only　increased　the　hatred。

Cao　Cao's　third　son；　Cao　Zhi；　took　great　delight　in　Yang　Xiu's　cleverness　and　often　invited　him；　when　they　would　talk　the　whole　night。

When　Cao　Cao　was　considering　the　nomination　of　his　heir　and　desired　to　name　Cao　Zhi；　Cao　Pi　got　to　hear　of　the　proposal　to　set　him　aside　in　favor　of　his　younger　brother；　so　he　secretly　requested　the　Master　of　the　Court　Singers；　Wu　Zhi；　to　e　and　discuss　this　matter。　Then　fearing　that　someone　might　see　his　visitor；　Cao　Pi　got　a　large　basket　made；　in　which　his　friend　was　smuggled　into　the　Palace。　Cao　Pi　gave　out　that　the　basket　contained　rolls　of　silk。　Yang　Xiu　heard　the　truth　and　informed　Cao　Cao；　who　sent　guards　to　watch　at　the　gates。

Cao　Pi；　in　alarm；　told　Wu　Zhi；　who　said；　〃Be　not　afraid；　but　to　fill　a　basket　actually　with　rolls　of　silk　on　the　morrow　and　have　it　carried　in　as　before。〃

The　searchers　peeped　into　the　basket　and　found　the　rolls　of　silk。　They　told　Cao　Cao　the　result　of　their　search；　and　Cao　Cao　began　to　think　Yang　Xiu　was　plotting　against　his　son。　This　also　added　to　his　hatred。

Another　time　Cao　Cao；　wishing　to　pare　the　abilities　of　his　two　sons　Cao　Pi　and　Cao　Zhi；　told　them　both　to　go　out　of　the　city；　at　the　same　time　or