e　Zhao　Yun　attacked　the　rear。　Then　Huang　Zhong　came　from　Baozhou　and　pressed　a　slaughter　on　the　flank。　Cao　Cao's　army　lost　many　troops；　and　he　was　severely　defeated　in　this　triple　attack。　His　manders　gathered　about　him　and　took　him　off　toward　the　Xie　Valley。　Here　a　great　cloud　of　dust　was　seen　in　the　distance。

〃If　that　is　an　ambush；　it　is　the　last　of　me；〃　sighed　Cao　Cao。

The　soldiers　came　nearer；　and　then　Cao　Cao　recognized　not　a　enemy　but　his　second　son；　Cao　Zhang。　As　a　lad　Cao　Zhang　was　a　good　horseman　and　an　expert　archer。　He　was　more　powerful　than　most　men　and　could　overe　a　wild　beast　with　his　bare　hands。　Cao　Cao　did　not　approve　of　the　young　man's　bent；　and　often　warned　him　to　study　instead。

〃You　do　not　study；　but　only　love　your　bow　and　your　horse；　this　is　the　courage　of　a　mere　person。　Think　you　that　this　makes　for　an　honorable　career？〃

＇e＇　Wei　Qing　a　grand　general　during　Han　Emperor　Wu。　Wei　Qing　had　made　several　large…scale　campaigns　against　the　Xiongnu　countries。　Though　those　campaigns　were　successful；　he　also　suffered　great　casualties。　Further；　he　was　accused　of　being　extravagant。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Huo　Qubing　（BC　177…140）　a　brave　general　of　Han　Emperor　Wu。　Huo　Qubing　was　a　relative　of　Wei　Qing；　and　he　also　led　expeditions　against　the　Xiongnu　countries。　But　he　died　young；　and　the　emperor　built　him　a　large　tomb　in　his　memory。　。。。。。

But　Cao　Zhang　replied；　〃The　really　noble　person　ought　to　imitate　such　grand　men　as　Wei　Qing*　and　Huo　Qubing*。　They　won　their　reputation　in　the　Gobi　Desert；　where　they　led　a　mighty　host　of　hundred　thousand；　able　to　overrun　the　whole　world　and　go　anywhere。　What　have　I　to　do　with　scholarship？〃

Cao　Cao　used　to　ask　his　sons　what　career　they　found　admirable；　and　Cao　Zhang　always　replied　that　he　would　be