He　awoke　in　a　fright　and　began　to　wonder　what　the　dream　portended。　Failing　to　explain　it；　he　told　the　dream　to　his　officers。　One　of　them　ventured　to　say　the　portent　was　evil。　This　was　General　Pang　De。

〃What　is　your　interpretation？〃　asked　Ma　Chao。

〃Meeting　with　tigers　on　a　snowy　plain　is　a　very　inauspicious　subject　to　dream　about。　Assuredly　our　old　General　is　in　trouble　at　the　capital。〃

And　at　that　moment　one　entered　in　hot　haste　and　cast　himself　on　the　earth；　weeping　and　crying；　〃The　Uncle　and　his　sons　are　dead！〃

It　was　Ma　Dai；　the　nephew　of　Ma　Teng。　And　he　told　the　story　of　the　evil：　〃Uncle　Ma　Teng　and　Huang　Kui　had　planned　to　assassinate　Cao　Cao；　but　the　plot　had　miscarried　and　bee　known。　Ma　Tie　fell　in　the　battlefield；　Uncle　Ma　Teng　and　Ma　Xiu　were　put　to　death　in　the　market　place；　and　I　escaped　in　disguise。〃

Ma　Chao　fell　to　the　ground　and　wept　bitterly；　grinding　his　teeth　with　rage　at　his　enemy　Cao　Cao。　They　lifted　him　to　his　feet　and　led　him　away　to　repose。

Soon　after　arrived　a　messenger　with　a　letter　from　Liu　Bei；　which　read　like　this：

〃In　these　latter　days　of　the　hapless　Hans；　when　the　rebellious　and　tyrannical　Cao　Cao　monopolizes　all　power；　to　the　injury　of　the　Emperor　and　the　wretchedness　of　the　people；　I；　Liu　Bei；　recall　that　your　father　and　I　were　recipients　of　an　edict　and　we　swore　to　exterminate　the　recreant。　Now　your　father　has　suffered　death　at　the　hands　of　the　tyrant；　and　you　must　avenge　him。　As　the　holy　books　say；　you　cannot　let　the　same　sky　cover　you　nor　the　same　sunshine　upon　you　and　your　father's　murderer。　If　you　can　lead　your　army　to　attack　Cao　Cao　on　one　side；　I　will　march　my　armies　to　prevent　his　retreat；　and　he　will　be　taken；　and　all　his　evil　crew　can　be　exterminated。　Then　and　thus　will　your　fathe