if　the　enemy　came。

〃There　is　no　danger　here；〃　said　they。　〃The　camp　is　defended　by　a　tenfold　line　of　thorny　barriers。　Even　a　bird　could　not　get　in。〃

Guan　Ping　and　Liao　Hua　mustered　all　the　veterans　they　had　and　went　away　to　the　first　stockade。

Seeing　the　Wei　soldiers　camped　on　a　low　hill；　Guan　Ping　said　to　his　colleague；　〃Those　soldiers　are　stationed　in　an　unsafe　place。　Let　us　raid　their　camp　tonight。〃

〃You　take　half　the　force；　General；　and　I　will　remain　to　keep　the　camp；〃　said　Liao　Hua。

When　night　fell；　the　attacking　force　went　out。　But　on　reaching　the　camp　not　a　man　opposed　them。　The　camp　was　empty。　Then　Guan　Ping　knew　he　had　been　deceived；　and　turned　to　retreat。　He　was　at　once　attacked　on　two　sides　by　Xu　Shang　and　Lu　Qian　from　left　and　right。　Unable　to　stand；　his　troops　ran　for　the　camp。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　followed；　and　presently　the　camp　was　surrounded。　They　were　pelled　to　abandon　the　position　and　set　off　for　Sizhong。　As　they　drew　near　they　saw　torches；　and　presently　knew　by　the　ensigns　displayed　that　the　camp　had　also　fallen　to　the　enemy。　Retiring；　they　hastened　along　the　high　road　toward　Fancheng；　but　presently　their　way　was　barred　by　a　force　under　Xu　Huang　himself。　By　dint　of　hard　fighting　they　got　away　and　returned　to　their　main　camp；　and　Guan　Ping　went　to　his　father。

Said　he；　〃Xu　Huang　has　got　possession　of　Yencheng。　Cao　Cao's　main　army　is　on　the　way　in　three　divisions。　And　many　say　that　Jingzhou　is　in　the　enemy's　hands。〃

Guan　Yu　bade　him　be　silent。

〃This　is　a　fabrication　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　〃but　it　may　dishearten　the　soldiers。　We　know　Lu　Meng　is　ill；　and　they　have　appointed　that　impractical　fellow　Lu　Xun　to　succeed　him　at　Lukou。　There　is　nothing　to　fear。〃

Then　news　came　that　Xu　Huang　h