Cao　Ren　was　won　over　to　the　side　of　those　of　action。　He　placed　Man　Chong　in　mand　of　the　defenses　of　Fancheng；　while　he　went　outside　to　beat　off　Guan　Yu。　When　the　two　forces　met；　Guan　Yu　called　to　his　side　Guan　Ping　and　Liao　Hua；　to　whom　he　gave　certain　orders。　These　two　advanced；　settled　their　array；　and　Liao　Hua　then　rode　out　and　offered　a　challenge。　Zhai　Yuan　accepted　it。　But　soon　after　the　bat　began；　Liao　Hua　made　as　if　he　was　defeated　and　turned　to　leave　the　field。　Zhai　Yuan　went　after　him。　The　Jingzhou　troops　retired　seven　miles　or　so。

Soon　the　Jingzhou　soldiers　came　again　and　offered　battle；　when　Xiahou　Cun　and　Zhai　Yuan　both　went　out。　The　maneuver　of　the　preceding　day　was　repeated；　and　the　Jingzhou　army　retreated　another　seven　miles。　But　suddenly　there　was　a　detonation　behind　the　army　of　Cao　Cao；　and　the　rolling　of　drums　as　for　attack。　Cao　Ren　hastily　called　upon　his　troops　to　return。　They　did　so；　but　Guan　Ping　and　Liao　Hua　then　turned　and　followed　on　their　heels　so　that　the　troops　of　Cao　Cao　were　thrown　into　confusion。

Cao　Ren　by　this　time　had　seen　that　a　trap　had　been　laid　and　he　had　fallen　therein；　so　he　hastily　marched　with　one　army　to　Xiangyang。　He　got　to　within　a　short　distance　of　the　city　when　he　saw　before　him　a　handsome　banner　waving　in　the　wind；　and　out　came　Guan　Yu　with　his　green…dragon　saber　ready　to　slay。　Cao　Ren　was　powerless　from　fear；　and；　fighting　being　impossible；　he　turned　off　into　a　bye…road　for　Xiangyang。

Then　Xiahou　Cun　came。　He　fell　into　a　rage　at　the　sight　of　the　old　warrior　and　went　to　fight　him。　But　Xiahou　Cun　was　slain　in　the　first　encounter。　Zhai　Yuan　fled；　but　Guan　Ping　pursued　and　slew　him。　Then　the　pursuit　was　continued；　and　the　loss　of　Cao　Cao's　side　was　very　heavy。　More　than　half　were　drowned　in　River　Xian