。〃

This　sudden　demand　was　a　shock　to　Mi　Fang。

〃Where　am　I　to　get　the　rice？〃　said　he　despairingly　to　his　friend　and　tempter。　〃Jingzhou　is　now　in　the　hands　of　Wu。〃

〃Do　not　dilly…dally；〃　said　Fu　Shiren。　Thereupon　he　drew　his　sword　and　slew　the　messenger　as　he　stood　in　the　hall。

〃What　have　you　done？〃　cried　Mi　Fang。

〃Guan　Yu　wanted　to　slay　us　two　and　has　forced　me　to　this。　Are　we　to　fold　our　hands　and　await　death？　Either　you　give　in　at　once　and　go　over　to　Wu；　or　you　will　be　put　to　death　by　Guan　Yu。〃

Just　then　they　heard　that　Lu　Meng's　troops　had　actually　reached　the　city　wall。　Mi　Fang　saw　that　nothing　could　save　his　life　but　desertion；　so　he　went　out　with　Fu　Shiren　and　gave　in　his　allegiance　to　Lu　Meng；　by　whom　he　was　led　to　Sun　Quan。　Sun　Quan　gave　both　of　them　presents；　after　which　he　proceeded　to　restore　order　and　to　reward　his　army　for　their　services。

At　the　time　that　great　discussion　about　Jingzhou　was　going　on　in　Xuchang；　a　messenger　arrived　with　a　letter　from　Sun　Quan。　It　told　the　plan　of　attacking　Jingzhou　and　begged　Cao　Cao　to　send　an　army　to　attack　Guan　Yu　in　the　rear；　enjoining　the　utmost　secrecy。

Cao　Cao　summoned　his　advisers　to　a　meeting　for　consultation。

First　Secretary　Dong　Zhao　said；　〃Now　that　Fancheng　is　surrounded；　it　would　be　well　to　shoot　letter　into　the　city　to　let　the　besieged　know；　so　that　they　may　not　yield　to　depression。　Then　we　will　inform　Guan　Yu　of　the　danger　from　the　south。　If　Guan　Yu　hears　that　Jingzhou　is　threatened　by　Wu；　he　will　e　back　to　try　to　defend　it。　Then　let　Xu　Huang　take　the　chance　to　attack；　and　our　victory　will　be　plete。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　that　the　plan　was　good；　and　so　he　sent　a　messenger　to　urge　Xu　Huang　to　attack。　Cao　Cao　himself　led　a　large　force　to　Yangling　Slope