per　Wang　Mang　and　the　rebel　Dong　Zhuo。　What　are　these　slanderous　words　about　rebellion　that　dare　you　address　to　me？〃

〃I　have　a　mand　to　make　you　prisoner！〃

〃I　have　the　Girdle　Decree　to　arrest　rebels！〃　replied　Yuan　Shao。

Then　Cao　Cao　became　wrathful　and　bade　Zhang　Liao　ride　forth　as　his　champion。　From　the　other　side　rode　Zhang　He　on　a　curvetting　steed。　The　two　champions　fought　forty　or　fifty　bouts　with　no　advantage　to　either。　In　his　heart　Cao　Cao　thought　the　contest　amazing。　Then　Xu　Chu　whirled　up　his　sword　and　went　to　help。　From　the　other　side；　to　match　him　rode　out　Gao　Lan　with　his　spear　set；　and　the　contestants　were　now　four；　battling　two　and　two。　Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　three　thousand　troops　under　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Hong　to　attack　the　opponents'　array。　Thereupon　on　Yuan　Shao's　side；　Shen　Pei　gave　the　signal　for　attack；　and　the　legion　of　crossbowmen　on　the　wings　shot　and　the　center　archers　let　fly　all　together。　The　arrows　flew　all　over　the　field　in　front；　and　Cao　Cao's　troops　could　not　advance。　They　hastened　away　toward　the　south。　Yuan　Shao　threw　his　soldiers　on　their　rear；　and　they　were　broken。　They　fled　away　toward　Guandu；　and　Yuan　Shao　advanced　another　stage。　He　camped　near　them。

Then　Shen　Pei　said；　〃Now　send　one　hundred　thousand　soldiers　to　guard　Guandu；　and　get　near　Cao　Cao's　camp。　Then　build　up　observation　mounds　to　get　a　clear　view　of　the　enemy；　and　choose　vantage　points　whence　to　shoot　arrows　into　the　midst　of　their　host。　If　we　can　force　him　to　evacuate　this　place；　we　shall　have　gained　a　strategic　point　whence　Capital　Xuchang　can　be　attacked。〃

Yuan　Shao　adopted　this　suggestion。　From　each　of　the　camps；　they　sought　out　the　strongest　veterans　who　dug　with　iron　spades　and　carried　earth　to　raise　mounds　near　Cao　Cao's　camp。

Cao