was　now　reduced　to　the　two　generals　and　about　five　or　six　of　horsemen；　and　these　few　were　left　to　go　their　way。

Cao　Cao's　general；　Xiahou　Yuan；　set　himself　to　restore　order　and　tranquillity　in　the　region　of　Xizhou；　after　which　he　apportioned　its　defense　among　Jiang　Xu　and　other　trustworthy　manders。　The　wounded　leader　Yang　Fu　was　sent　to　the　capital　in　a　carriage。　When　he　arrived　Xuchang；　he　saw　Cao　Cao　who　offered　him　the　title　of　Lordship。

But　Yang　Fu　declined　the　honor；　saying；　〃I　have　neither　the　credit　of　a　successful　defense　nor　the　merit　of　death　with　my　master。　Death　should　be　my　portion　rather　than　honors。　How　could　I　accept　the　offer？〃

Cao　Cao　praised　him　and　insisted　on　granting　the　lordship。

Having　escaped　from　their　pursuers；　Ma　Chao　and　his　few　followers　decided　to　make　for　Hanzhong　and　offer　their　services　to　Governor　Zhang　Lu。　Zhang　Lu　received　them　gladly；　for　he　thought　with　such　help　he　could　certainly　get　possession　of　Yizhou　on　the　west　as　well　as　repel　Cao　Cao　on　the　east。　More　than　this；　he　thought　to　cement　the　friendship　by　giving　Ma　Chao　a　daughter　to　wife。　But　this　displeased　one　of　Zhang　Lu's　generals；　Yang　Bo。

〃The　misfortune　that　befell　Ma　Chao's　wife　and　family　was　entirely　the　fault　of　his　own　misconduct。　Would　you　give　your　daughter　to　such　as　he　to　wife？〃　said　Yang　Bo。

Zhang　Lu　again　considered　the　matter　and　abandoned　his　intention。　But　a　certain　busybody　told　Ma　Chao　what　had　been　proposed　and　that　Yang　Bo　had　defeated　the　scheme。　Whereupon　Ma　Chao　was　very　annoyed　and　sought　to　pass　the　death　of　Yang　Bo。　Yang　Bo　and　his　brother；　Yang　Song；　on　the　other　side　conspired　to　destroy　Ma　Chao。

At　this　time　a　messenger　from　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou　arrived　in　Hanzhong　begging　for　assistance　against