er　in　Hanzhong。　When　the　messenger　arrived；　Cao　Cao　saw　that　his　western　expedition　would　have　to　yield　to　the　urgency　of　home　defense。　However；　he　called　in　his　counselors　and　put　a　direct　question　to　them。

〃Can　we　take　West　River　Land　now；　or　not？〃

〃Shu　is　too　well　prepared；　we　cannot；〃　replied　Liu　Ye。　〃It　is　better　to　go　to　the　succor　of　Hefei；　and　then　go　down　the　river　to　take　the　South　Land。〃

Wherefore；　leaving　Xiahou　Yuan　to　station　at　the　Dingjun　Mountain　to　guard　Hanzhong；　and　Zhang　He　to　keep　Mount　Mengtou　Pass；　Cao　Cao　broke　up　his　camp　and　went　toward　Ruxu　with　all　his　manders。

The　armored　horsemen　had　conquered　Hanzhong；

The　ensigns　toward　the　south　were　turned　again。

The　subsequent　course　of　the　war　will　be　unfolded　in　later　chapters。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　68　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　68

Chapter　68

Gan　Ning's　Hundred　Horsemen　Raid　The　Northern　Camp；

Zuo　Ci's　Flung…Down　Cup　Fools　Cao　Cao。

Sun　Quan　was　occupied　in　ordering　his　army　at　Ruxu　when　he　heard　of　the　ing　of　Cao　Cao　from　Hanzhong　with　four　hundred　thousand　troops　to　the　relief　of　Hefei。　He　told　off　a　fleet　of　fifty　large　ships　to　lie　in　the　port；　while　Chen　Wu　went　up　and　down　the　river　banks　on　the　look…out。

〃It　would　be　well　to　inflict　a　defeat　upon　Cao　Cao's　army　before　they　recover　from　the　long　march。　It　would　dishearten　them；〃　said　Zhang　Zhao。

Looking　around　at　the　officers　in　his　tent；　Sun　Quan　said；　〃Who　is　bold　enough　to　go　forth　and　fight　this　Cao　Cao　and　so　take　the　keen　edge　off　the　spirit　of　his　army？〃

And　Ling　Tong　offered　himself；　saying；　〃I　will　go！〃

〃How　many　soldiers　do　you　require？〃

〃Three　thousand　troops　will　suffice；〃　replied　Ling