sterday；　and　now　he　is　gone。　Thinking　over　it　I　cannot　refrain　from　tears。〃

His　officers　were　deeply　affected。　Cao　Cao　treated　the　widow　generously；　giving　her　gold　and　silks　and　food　to　her　content。

He　also　issued　a　further　order　that　the　taxes　in　the　North　of　Yellow　River　would　be　remitted　in　consideration　of　the　sufferings　of　the　people　during　the　warlike　operations。　He　sent　up　a　memorial　to　the　Throne　and　formally　became　Imperial　Protector　of　Jizhou。

One　day　Xu　Chu；　riding　in　at　the　east　gate；　met　Xu　You；　who　called　out　to　him；　〃Would　you　fellows　be　riding　through　here　if　it　had　not　been　for　me？〃

Xu　Chu　replied；　〃We　fellows；　those　who　survive　and　those　who　perished；　risked　our　lives　in　bloody　battle　to　get　this　city；　so　do　not　brag　of　your　deeds！〃

〃You　are　a　lot　of　blockheads；　not　worth　talking　about；〃　said　Xu　You。

Xu　Chu　in　his　anger　drew　his　sword　and　ran　Xu　You　through。　Then　he　took　Xu　You's　head　and　went　to　tell　Cao　Cao　the　reason。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃He　and　I　were　old　friends；　and　we　could　joke　together。　Why　did　you　kill　him？〃

Cao　Cao　blamed　Xu　Chu　very　severely　and　gave　orders　that　Xu　You　should　be　buried　honorably。

Cao　Cao　inquired　for　any　wise　and　reputable　people　who　were　known　to　be　living　in　the　region　and　was　told：　〃mander　Cui　Yan；　of　Dongwu；　who　had　on　many　occasions　given　valuable　advice　to　Yuan　Shao。　As　the　advice　was　not　followed；　he　had　pleaded　indisposition　and　remained　at　home。〃

Cao　Cao　sent　for　this　man；　gave　him　an　office　and　said　to　him；　〃According　to　the　former　registers；　there　are　three　hundred　thousand　households　in　the　region　so　that　one　may　well　call　it　a　major　region。〃

Cui　Yan　replied；　〃The　empire　is　rent；　and　the　country　is　torn；　the　Yuan　brothers　are　at　war；　and　the