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you had crooked the knee to Cao Cao, which was ignoring the enmity between him and your father, rejecting the duties of brotherhood, and leaving behind you the shame of an alliance with the enemy. If your brother, the successor to Jizhou, has acted unfraternally, your duty was to bend your inclination to follow him and wait till the state of affairs had settled. Would it not have been very noble to bring about the redress of wrongs?”

And to Yuan Shang, Liu Biao wrote:

“Your brother, the ruler of Qingzhou, is of an impulsive temperament and confuses right with wrong. You ought first

to have destroyed Cao Cao in order to put an end to the hatred which your father bore him and, when the situation had become settled, to have endeavored to redress the wrongs. Would not that have been well? If you persist in following this mistaken course, remember the hound and the hare, both so wearied that the peasant got them all.”

From this letter Yuan Tan saw that Liu Biao had no intention of helping him, and feeling he alone could not withstand Cao Cao; he abandoned Pingyuan and fled to Nanpi, whither Cao Cao pursued him.

The weather was very cold and the river was frozen, so that the grain boats could not move. Wherefore Cao Cao ordered the inhabitants to break the ice and tow the boats. When the peasants heard the order they ran away. Cao Cao angrily wished to arrest and behead them. When they heard this they went to his camp in a body and offered their heads to the sword.

“If I do not kill you, my order will not be obeyed,” said Cao Cao. “Yet supposing I cut off your heads, but I cannot bear to do that severity. Quickly flee to the hills and hide so that my soldiers do not capture you.”

The peasants left weeping. Then Yuan Tan led out his army against Cao Cao. When both sides were arrayed, Cao Cao rode to the front, pointed with his whip at his opponent and railed at him, saying, “I treated you well; why then have you turned against me?”

Yuan Tan replied, “You have invaded my land, captured my cities, and broken off my marriage; yet you accuse me of turning against you.”

Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang to go out and give battle. Yuan Tan bade Peng An accept the challenge. After a few bouts Peng An was slain; and Yuan Tan, having lost, fled and went into Nanpi, where he was besieged. Yuan Tan, panic-stricken, sent Xin Ping to see Cao Cao and arrange surrender.

“He is nothing but a tickle-minded child,” said Cao Cao. “He is never of the same mind two days running, and I cannot depend upon what he says. Now your brother Xin Pi is in my employ and has a post of importance, you would better remain here also.”

“Sir Prime Minister, you are in error,” said Xin Ping. “It is said that the lord's honor is the servant's glory; the lord's sadness is the servant's shame. How can I turn my back on the family I have so long served?” Cao Cao felt he could not be persuaded and sent him back. Xin Ping returned and told Yuan Tan the surrender could not be arranged, and Yuan Tan turned on him angrily, saying, “Your brother is with Cao Cao, and you want to betray me also!”

At this unmerited reproach such a huge wave of anger welled up in Xin Ping's breast that he was overcome and fell in a swoon. They carried him out, but the shock had been too severe, and soon after he died. Yuan Tan regretted his conduct when it was too late.

Then Guo Tu said, “Tomorrow when we go out to battle, we will drive the people out in front as a screen for the soldiers, and we must fight a winning battle.”

That night they assembled all the common people of the place and forced into their hands swords and spears. At daylight they opened the four gates, and a huge party with much shouting came out at each, peasantry carrying arms in front, and soldiers behind them. They pushed on toward Cao Cao's camps, and a melee began lasted till near midday. But this was quite indecisive, although heaps of dead lay everywhere.