the　words　of　those　rebels。〃

Ya　Dan　was　released　and　so　were　all　the　soldiers　that　had　been　captured；　and　all　their　stuff　was　given　back　to　them。　They　left　for　their　own　country。

The　Qiangs　being　thus　disposed　of；　Zhuge　Liang　quickly　marched　again　to　Qishan。　He　sent　letters　to　Capital　Chengdu　announcing　his　success。

Meanwhile　Cao　Zhen　anxiously　waited　for　news　of　his　expected　allies。　Then　a　scout　came　in　with　the　news　that　the　army　of　Shu　had　broken　camp　and　were　marching　away。

〃That　is　because　the　Qiangs　have　attacked；〃　said　Guo　Huai　gleefully；　and　the　two　made　ready　to　pursue。

They　saw　ahead　of　them　the　army　of　Shu　seemed　to　be　in　confusion。　The　Van　Leader　Cao　Zun　led　the　pursuit。

Suddenly；　as　he　pressed　on；　there　came　a　roll　of　drums；　followed　by　the　appearance　of　a　cohort　led　by　Wei　Yan；　who　cried；　〃Stop！　You　rebels！〃

But　Cao　Zun　did　not　obey　the　summons。　He　dashed　forward　to　meet　the　attack。　He　was　killed　in　the　third　encounter。　His　colleague　Zhu　Zan　in　similar　fashion　fell　in　with　a　cohort　under　Zhao　Yun；　to　whose　long　spear　he　soon　fell　victim。　The　loss　of　these　two　made　Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　hesitate；　and　they　made　to　retire。

But　before　they　could　face　about；　they　heard　the　drums　of　an　army　in　their　rear；　and　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　came　out　and　surrounded　them。　Cao　Zhen　and　Guo　Huai　made　a　stand　for　a　time；　but　were　soon　worsted　and　fled。　The　army　of　Shu　pursued　the　beaten　enemy　to　the　bank　of　River　Wei；　where　they　took　possession　of　the　Wei　camp。

Cao　Zhen　was　greatly　chagrined　at　his　defeat　and　sad　at　the　loss　of　his　generals。　He　send　a　report　of　his　misfortune　to　his　master　and　asked　for　reinforcements。

At　the　court　of　Wei　one　of　the　ministers　told　the　story；　saying；　〃Cao　Zhen　has　been　defe