with　tortoise　ornaments　on　the　back　and　black　ribbons。　There　were　five　classes　of　Minister　with　three　grades　in　each　class。　These　had　brass　seals；　with　chain　ornaments　and　ribbons。　And　with　all　these　various　gradations　of　ranks　and　nobility　reorganized；　the　court　was　entirely　reformed。　There　were　new　ranks　and　new　people　in　office。

Cao　Cao　then　remembered　the　warning　about　a　conflagration　in　the　capital　and　wished　to　reward　Guan　Lu　for　his　prescience；　but　he　would　receive　nothing。

Meanwhile；　in　East　River　Land；　Cao　Hong　with　an　army　of　fifty　thousand　went　into　Hanzhong。　He　placed　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　in　mand　at　points　of　importance；　while　he　went　on　to　the　attack。　At　that　time　Zhang　Fei　and　Lei　Tong　were　holding　Baxi。　Ma　Chao　marched　to　Xiabian　and　sent　Wu　Lan　out　as　Van　Leader　to　reconnoiter。　He　fell　in　with　Cao　Hong；　and　Wu　Lan　was　going　to　retire。　But　General　Ren　Kui　advised　against　this。

Said　Ren　Kui；　〃The　enemy　are　newly　arrived。　Why　not　fight　and　take　the　keen　edge　off　their　pride？　If　we　do　not　fight；　how　can　we　look　our　chief　in　the　face　when　we　return？〃

So　it　was　decided　to　offer　battle；　and　Ren　Kui　rode　out　and　challenged　Cao　Hong。　The　challenge　was　accepted；　and　the　warriors　advanced。　Cao　Hong　cut　Ren　Kui　down　in　the　third　encounter　and　pressed　the　advantage；　and　Wu　Lan　was　beaten　off。　When　Wu　Lan　returned　and　told　Ma　Chao；　he　was　blamed。

〃Why　did　you　attack　without　orders　and　bring　about　this　defeat？〃

〃It　was　the　fault　of　Ren　Kui；　who　disobeyed　orders。〃

〃Defend　the　Pass　most　carefully。　Do　not　engage；〃　said　Ma　Chao。

Ma　Chao　sent　a　report　to　Capital　Chengdu　and　awaited　orders　for　a　further　action。　Cao　Hong　suspected　some　ruse　when　Ma　Chao　remained　so　long　inactive；　and　retired　to　Nanzheng。

Here