efore　the　Ruler　of　Wei　could　decide　what　course　to　take　in　regard　to　this　loss；　the　news　came　of　the　defeat　of　his　another　army：　〃Cao　Zhen　and　Xiahou　Shang　were　besieging　Nanjun　when　Zhuge　Jin　from　within　and　Lu　Xun　from　without　attacked　in　concert。　The　two　generals　suffered　a　great　loss。〃

Immediately；　another　report　came：　〃Cao　Xiu　has　been　defeated　by　Lu　Fan　at　Dongkou。〃

So　all　three　armies　had　failed　and　were　lost。

Cao　Pi　sighed　and　said　sadly；　〃This　has　e　from　my　willfulness　and　neglect　of　the　advice　of　Jia　Xu　and　Liu　Ye。〃

The　summer　of　that　year　was　very　unhealthy；　and　a　pestilence　swept　away　the　soldiers　more　than　half　the　number。　So　they　were　marched　home　to　Capital　Luoyang。　The　two　countries　were　at　enmity　though　they　were　not　fighting。

Meanwhile　the　First　Ruler　was　failing。　He　remained　in　his　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace　at　Baidicheng　and　presently　was　confined　to　his　couch。　Gradually　he　became　worse；　and　in　the　fourth　moon　of　the　third　year　of　Manifest　Might　（AD　222）　his　condition　became　serious。　He　himself　felt　the　end　was　near；　and　he　was　depressed　and　wept　for　his　two　lost　brothers　till　the　sight　of　his　eyes　suffered。　He　was　morose　and　ill…tempered：　He　could　not　bear　any　of　his　court　near　him；　drove　away　his　servants　and　lay　upon　his　couch　sad　and　solitary。

One　evening　as　thus　he　lay；　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　came　into　the　chamber；　almost　extinguishing　the　candles。　As　they　burned　bright　again；　he　saw　two　men　standing　in　the　shade　behind　them。

〃I　told　you　I　was　worried；〃　said　the　First　Ruler；　〃and　bade　you　leave　me。　Why　have　you　e　back？　Go！〃

But　they　remained　and　did　not　go。　Wherefore　the　First　Ruler　rose　and　went　over　to　look　at　them。　As　he　drew　near　he　saw　one　was　Guan　Yu　and　the　other　Zhang　Fei。

〃Are　y