Xu Chu Strips For A Fight With Ma Chao;
Cao Cao Writes A Letter To Sow Dissension.

The fight narrated in the last chapter lasted till morn when each side drew off, Ma Chao camping on the River Wei, whence he kept up harassing attacks both day and night. Cao Cao, also camped in the bed of the same river, began to construct three floating bridges out of his rafts and boats so as to facilitate communication with the south bank. Cao Ren established a stockade near the camp, which he barricaded with his carts and wagons.

Ma Chao determined to destroy this stockade, so his troops collected straw and each man marched with a bundle and took fire with him. Han Sui's forces were to fight. While one party attacked, the other party piled up the straw, which they lit, and soon there was a fierce fire all around. The defenders could do nothing against it, so they abandoned the stockade and ran away. All the transport and bridges were destroyed. It was a great victory for the Xiliang army and gave them the command of the River Wei.

Cao Cao was sad at the failure to make good his strong camp and fearful of his defenselessness. Then Xun You proposed a mud wall. So three thousand soldiers were set to build a mud rampart. The enemy seeing this harassed the workmen with perpetual attacks at different points so that the work went slowly. Beside, the soil was very sandy, and the wall would not stand but collapsed as fast as it was built. Cao Cao felt helpless.

It was the ninth month of the sixteenth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 211), and the fierce cold of winter was just coming on. Ominous clouds covered the sky day after day with never a break. One day as Cao Cao sat in his tent, very disheartened, a stranger was announced and was led in. He was an old man who said he had a suggestion to offer. He was tall, as delicate as a crane and as refined as a pine tree. He gave his name as Lou Zibo and said he came from Jingzhao. He was a recluse and a Taoist, his religious name being Plum-Blossom Dreamer.

Cao Cao received him with great courtesy, and presently the venerable one began, saying, "O Prime Minister, you have long been striving to make a camp on the river. Now is your opportunity. Why not begin?"

"The soil is too sandy to stand," said Cao Cao. "But if you have some other plan to propose, pray tell me what it is, O Hermit."

"You are more than human, O Prime Minister, in the art of war, and you surely know the times and seasons. It has been overcast for many days, and these clouds foretell a north wind and intense cold. When the wind begins to blow, you should hurry your army to carry up the earth and sprinkle it with water. By dawn your wall will be complete."

Cao Cao seized upon the suggestion. He offered his aged visitor a reward, but the venerable one would receive nothing.

That night the wind came down in full force. Every man possible was set to earth-carrying and wetting. As they had no other means of carrying water, they made stuff bags which they filled with water and let out the water over the earth. And so as they piled the earth, they froze it solid with water, and by dawn the wall was finished and stood firm.

When his scouts told Ma Chao that the enemy had built a wall, he rode out and saw it. Ma Chao was greatly perplexed and began to suspect help from the gods.

However, very soon after, he got his whole army together and sounded an attack. Cao Cao himself rode out of the camp, with only the redoubtable Xu Chu in attendance, and advanced toward the enemy.

Flourishing his whip he called out, "I, Cao Cao, am here alone, and I beg Ma Chao to come out to parley with me."

Thereupon Ma Chao rode out, his spear set ready to thrust.

"You despised me because I had no wall to my camp, but lo! in one single night, God has made me a wall. Do you not think it time to give in?"

Ma Chao was so enraged that he almost rushed at Cao Cao, but he was not too angry to notice the henchman behind him, glaring in angry fashion, who held a gleaming sword in his grip. Ma Chao thought this man could be no other than Xu Chu, so he determined to find out.

With a flourish of his whip, he said, "Where is the noble 'Marquis Tiger' that I hear you have in your camp?"

At this Xu Chu lifted his sword and roared, "I am Xu Chu of Qiao!"

From Xu Chu's eyes shot gleams of supernatural light and his attitude was so terror-striking that Ma Chao dared not move. He turned his steed and retired.

Cao Cao and his doughty follower returned to their camp. As they two passed between the armies, not a man there but felt a quiver of fear.

"They know our friend Xu Chu over there as Marquis Tiger," said Cao Cao when he returned.

And thereafter the soldiers all called Xu Chu by that name.

"I will capture that fellow Ma Chao tomorrow," said Xu Chu.

"Ma Chao is very bold," said his master. "Be careful!"

"I swear to fight him to the death," said Xu Chu.

Then Xu Chu sent a written challenge to his enemy saying that the Marquis Tiger challenged Ma Chao to a decisive duel on the morrow.

Ma Chao was very angry when he received the letter.

"Dare he insult me so?" cried he. Then he wrote his pledge to slay Tiger Lust on the morrow.

Next day both armies moved out and arrayed in order of battle. Ma Chao gave Pang De and Ma Dai command of the two wings, while Han Sui took the center.

Ma Chao took up his station in front of the center and shouted, "Where is the Tiger Lust?"

Cao Cao, who was on horseback by the standard, turned and said, "Ma Chao is no less bold than Lu Bu!"

As he spoke, Xu Chu rode forth whirling his sword and the duel began. They fought over a hundred bouts, and neither had the advantage. But then, their steeds being spent with galloping to and fro, each retired within his own lines and obtained a fresh mount. The contest was renewed, and a hundred more encounters took place, still without victory to either.

Suddenly Xu Chu galloped back to his own side, stripped off his armor, showing his magnificent muscles and, naked as he was, leaped again into the saddle and rode out to continue the battle.

Again the champions engaged, while both armies stood aghast. Thirty bouts more, and Xu Chu, summoning up all his force, plunged toward Ma Chao with his sword held high to strike. But Ma Chao avoided the stroke and rode in with his spear pointing directly at his opponent's heart. Throwing down his sword, Xu Chu dashed aside the spear, which passed underneath his arm.

Then ensued a struggle for the spear, and Xu Chu by a mighty effort snapped the shaft so that each held one half. Then the duel was continued, each be laboring the other with the pieces of the broken spear.

At this point Cao Cao began to fear for his champion and so ordered two of his generals, Xiahou Yuan and Cao Hong, to go out and take a hand. At this Pang De and Ma Dai gave the signal to their armored horsemen to attack. They rode in, and a melee began in which Cao Cao's troops were worsted, and the great champion Xu Chu received two arrow wounds in the shoulder. So the troops of Cao Cao retreated to their stockade, Ma Chao following them to the river. Cao Cao's army lost more than half their number.

Cao Cao barred his gates and allowed none to go out.

Ma Chao went down to the river. When he saw Han Sui, he said, "I have seen some wicked fighters, but none to match that Xu Chu. He is aptly nicknamed Tiger Lust"

Thinking that by strategy he might get the better of Ma Chao, Cao Cao secretly sent two bodies of troops across the river to the south bank to take up position so that he might attack in front and rear.

One day from his ramparts, Cao Cao saw Ma Chao and a few horsemen ride close up to the walls and then gallop to and fro like the wind.

After gazing at them for a long time, Cao Cao tore off his helmet and dashed it on the ground, saying, "If that Ma Chao is not killed, may I never know my place of burial!"

Xiahou Yuan heard his master, and his heart burned within him. He cried, "May I die here at once if I do not destroy that rebel!"

Without more ado, Xiahou Yuan flung open the gates and rode out with his company. Cao Cao tried to stop this mad rush, but it was no good. So, fearing Xiahou Yuan might come to grief, Cao Cao rode out after him. At sight of the soldiers of Cao Cao, Ma Chao faced his troops about, extended them in line and, as the enemy approached, dashed forward to the attack. Then noticing Cao Cao himself among them, Ma Chao left Xiahou Yuan and rode straight for Cao Cao. Panic seized Cao Cao and he rode for his life, while his troops were thrown into confusion.

It was during the pursuit of this portion of the Cao Cao's army that Ma Chao was told of a force of the enemy on the south of River Wei. Realizing the danger, he abandoned the pursuit, called in his forces, and went to his own camp, there to consult with Han Sui.

"What now? Cao Cao has crossed to the south of the river, and we can be attacked in the rear," said Ma Chao.

Commander Li Kan said, "Then you had better come to an agreement, sacrifice some territory, and make peace. Then both can repose through the winter and await the changes and chances that may come with the spring warmth."

"He is wise," said Han Sui, "and I advise the same."

But Ma Chao hesitated. Others exhorted him to make peace, and at length he agreed. So Yang Qiu and Hou Xuan were sent as messengers of peace to the camp of Cao Cao.

"You may return. I will send my reply," said Cao Cao when they had declared the purport of their mission. And they left.

Then Jia Xu said to Cao Cao, "What is your opinion, O Prime Minister?"

"What is yours?" asked Cao Cao.

"War allows deceit, therefore pretend to agree. Then we can try some means of sowing suspicions between Han Sui and Ma Chao so that we may thereby destroy both."

Cao Cao clapped his hands for very joy, saying, "That is the best idea of all! Most suitable! You and I agree in our ideas. I was just thinking of that."

So an answer was returned:

"Let me gradually withdraw my soldiers, and I will give back the land belonging to you on the west of Yellow River."

And at the same time Cao Cao ordered the construction of a floating bridge to help in the withdrawal to the east side.

When the reply arrived, Ma Chao said to Han Sui, "Although he agrees to peace, yet he is evil and crafty. We must remain prepared against his machinations. Uncle, you and I will take turns in watching Cao Cao and Xu Huang on alternate days. So shall we be safe against his treachery."

They agreed and began the regular alternate watch. Soon Cao Cao got to know what they were doing, and he turned to Jia Xu, saying, "I am succeeding."

"Who keeps the look-out on the north bank tomorrow?" asked Cao Cao.

"Han Sui," replied someone.

Next day Cao Cao at the head of a large party of his generals rode out of the camp, and the officers presently spread out right and left, he himself remaining a solitary rider visible in the center. Han Sui did not know that Cao Cao had come out.

Presently Cao Cao called out, "Do any of you soldiers want to see Cao Cao? Here I am quite alone. I have not four eyes nor a couple of mouths, but I am very knowing."

The soldiers turned pale with fright. Then Cao Cao called up a man and told him to go and see Han Sui and say, "Sir, the Prime Minister humbly asks you to come and confer with him."

Thereupon Han Sui went out, and seeing Cao Cao wore no armor, Han Sui also threw off his and rode out clad in a light robe. Each rode up to the other till their horse's heads nearly touched, and there they stood talking.

Said Cao Cao, "Your father and I were granted filial degrees at the same time, and I used to treat him as an uncle. Moreover, you and I set out to serve the court at the same time, too, and yet we have not met for years. How old may you be now, General?"

"I am forty," replied Han Sui.

"In those old days in the capital, we were both very young and never thought about middle age. If we could only restore tranquillity to the state, that would be a matter of rejoicing."

After that they chatted long about old times, but neither said a word on military matters. They gossiped for a couple of hours before they took leave of each other.

It was not long before someone told Ma Chao of this meeting, and he went over to his ally to ask about it.

"What was it Cao Cao came out to discuss today ?" said Ma Chao.

"He just recalled the old days when we were together in the capital."

"Did he say nothing about military matters?"

"Not a word; and I could not talk about them alone."

Ma Chao went out without a word, but he felt suspicious.

When Cao Cao returned to his camp, he said to Jia Xu, "Do you know why I talked with him thus publicly?"

"It may be an excellent idea," said Jia Xu, "but it is not sufficient simply to estrange two people. I can improve on it, and we will make them quarrel and even kill each other."

"What is your scheme?"

"Ma Chao is brave but not very astute. You write a letter with your own hand to Han Sui himself and put in it some rambling statements about some harm that is going to happen. Then blot it out and write something else. Afterwards you will send it to Han Sui, taking care that Ma Chao shall know all about it. Ma Chao will demand to read the letter, and when he sees that the important part of the letter has been changed, he will think that Han Sui has made the changes lest his secrets should leak out. This will fit into the private talk you had with Han Sui the other day, and the suspicion will grow until it has brought about trouble. I can also secretly corrupt some of Han Sui's subordinates, and get them to widen the breach. Then we can settle Ma Chao."

"The scheme looks excellent," said Cao Cao.

And he wrote the letter as suggested, and then erased and changed it, after which he sealed it securely and sent it across to Han Sui.

Surely enough someone told Ma Chao about the letter, which increased his doubts, and he came to Han Sui's quarters to ask to see it. Han Sui gave it to him, and the erasures and alterations struck Ma Chao at once.

"Why are all these alterations here?" asked he.

"It came like that. I do not know."

"Does anyone send a rough draft like this? It seems to me, Uncle, that you are afraid I shall know something or other too well, and so you have changed the wording."

"It must be that Cao Cao has sealed up the rough draft by mistake."

"I do not think so. He is a careful man and would not make such a mistake. You and I, Uncle, have been allies in trying to slay the rebel. Why are you turning against me now ?"

"If you doubt my word, I will tell you what you can do. Tomorrow, in full view of the army, I will get Cao Cao to come out and talk. You can hide in behind the ranks ready to kill me if I am false."

"That being so, I shall know that you ar............