gh　Minister　Liu　Ye　said；　〃The　loss　of　Hanzhong　would　shake　the　whole　Middle　Land。　You；　O　Prince；　must　not　shrink　from　toil　and　hardship；　but　must　yourself　go　to　lead　the　army。〃

〃This　state　of　things　es　of　my　not　heeding　your　words　before；　gentle　Sir；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　then　repentant。

However；　Cao　Cao　hastily　prepared　and　issued　an　edict　to　raise　an　army　of　four　hundred　thousand　troops　which　he　would　lead。

The　army　was　ready　in　the　seventh　month；　the　early　autumn；　in　the　twenty…third　year　（AD　218）；　and　marched　in　three　divisions。　The　leading　division　was　under　Xiahou　Dun；　Cao　Cao　manded　the　center；　and　Cao　Xiu　was　the　rear　guard。

Cao　Cao　rode　a　white　horse；　beautifully　caparisoned。　His　guards　were　clad　in　embroidered　silk。　They　carried　the　huge　red　parasol　woven　of　silk　and　gold　threads。　Beside　him　in　two　lines　were　the　symbols　of　kingly　dignity；　the　golden　melons；　silver　axes；　stirrups；　clubs；　spears；　and　lances；　banderoles　embroidered　with　the　sun　and　moon；　dragon　and　phoenix；　all　were　borne　aloft。　His　imperial　escort　of　twenty…five　thousand　stout　warriors　led　by　bold　officers；　marched　in　five　columns　of　five　thousand　each；　under　banners　of　the　five　colors；　blue；　yellow；　red；　white；　and　black。　The　five　panies　made　a　brave　show　as　they　marched；　each　column　under　its　own　flag　with　soldiers　in　armors　and　horses　in　caparisons　all　of　one　color　and　all　glittering　in　the　sun。

As　they　debouched　through　Tong　Pass；　Cao　Cao　noticed　in　the　distance　a　thick　wood；　very　luxuriant；　and　asked　those　near　him　what　it　was　called。

〃This　place　is　the　Indigo　Field；〃　they　replied。　〃And　in　that　wood　is　the　estate　of　the　late　Minister　Cai　Yong。　His　daughter；　Cai　Yan；　and　her　present　husband；　Dong　Si；　live　there。〃

＇e＇　There　is　a　drawing　by　Zhang　Yu　t