rones　maintain　by　simple　loyalty？

Han's　day　was　done；　two　would　avert　the　doom；

But　failed；　and　carried　anger　to　the　tomb。

Xiahou　Dun　carried　out　his　chief's　orders　and　sent　the　officials　he　had　arrested　to　Yejun。　There　Cao　Cao　set　up　two　flags；　one　red　and　one　white；　in　the　drill　ground　and　sent　all　the　officials　thither。　Then　he　addressed　them。

〃In　this　late　rebellion　some　of　you　went　out　to　extinguish　the　fire；　some　of　you　stayed　within　doors。　Let　those　who　went　forth　to　put　out　the　fire　take　their　stand　by　the　red　flag；　and　those　who　remained　in　their　houses　go　to　the　white　flag。〃

The　officials　thought　within　themselves；　〃Certainly　there　can　be　nothing　wrong　in　trying　to　put　out　a　fire；〃　so　they　nearly　all　placed　themselves　under　the　red　flag。　Only　about　a　third　went　to　the　white。

Then　the　order　was　given　to　seize　all　those　by　the　red　flag。

They　protested。　〃We　are　guiltless！〃　cried　they。

Cao　Cao　said；　〃At　that　time　you　intended　not　to　put　out　the　flames　but　to　aid　the　rebels。〃

He　sent　them　all　down　to　River　Zhang　and　had　them　put　to　death　on　the　bank。　There　were　more　than　three　hundred　victims。　He　rewarded　those　who　were　under　the　white　flag　and　sent　them　to　their　homes　in　the　capital。

Wang　Bi　died　from　his　wound　and　was　buried　with　great　honor。

Cao　Xiu　was　placed　over　the　guards；　Zhong　Yao　was　created　Prime　Minister　of　the　princedom　of　Wei；　Hua　Xin　became　High　Minister。　The　occasion　was　taken　to　create　six　grades　of　the　title　of　Lordship　with　three　divisions　each；　eighteen　in　all。　There　were　seventeen　grades　of　Marquis　West　of　the　Pass。　And　all　these　had　golden　seals　of　office　with　purple　ribbons。　There　were　also　sixteen　ranks　of　Interior　Marquis　and　Exterior　Marquis。　They　had　silver　seals