The task was given him and he rode forth. Li Fêng with his halberd advanced to meet Hsü Chʻu. The combat was brief as Li fell in the second bout. His colleague retired with his men. He found the drawbridge had been seized so that he could not get shelter within the city. He led his men toward Chüyeh. He was followed and slain. His soldiers scattered to the four winds. And thus Yenchou was recaptured. Next an expedition was prepared to take Puyang. The army moved out in perfect order with van leaders, commanders of the flanks and rear guard. Tsʻao Tsʻao led the centre; Tien Wei and Hsü Chʻu were van leaders. When they approached Puyang, Lü Pu wished to go out in person and alone to attack but his adviser protested, begging him to await the arrival of his officers. “Whom do I fear?” said Lü. So he threw caution to the winds and went. He met his foes and he began to revile them. The redoubtable Hsü Chʻu went to fight with him, but after a score of bouts neither combatant was any the worse. “He is not the sort that one man can overcome,” said Tsʻao Tsʻao, and he sent Tien Wei to assist. Lü Pu stood the double onslaught. Soon after the flank commanders joined in and Lü Pu had six opponents. These proved really too many for him so he turned his horse and rode back to the city. But when the members of the Tʻien family saw him coming back beaten they raised the drawbridge. Pu shouted to open the gates, but the Tʻiens said, “We have gone over to Tsʻao Tsʻao.” This was hard to hear and the beaten man abused them roundly before he left. The faithful Chʻên Kung got away through the east gate taking with him the general’s family. Thus Puyang came into Tsʻao Tsʻao’s hands and for their present services the Tʻien family were pardoned their previous fault. However, Liu Hua said that savage Lü Pu left alive was a great danger and he should be hunted down. Wherefore Tsʻao Tsʻao determined to follow Lü Pu to Tingtʻao whither he had gone for refuge. Lü Pu and many of his captains were assembled in the city, but certain of them were out foraging. Tsʻao Tsʻao’s army arrived but did not attack for many days and presently he withdrew a long way and made a stockade. It was the time of harvest and he set his men to cut the wheat for food. The spies having reported this to Lü Pu he came over to see, but when he saw that Tsʻao Tsʻao’s stockade lay near a thick wood he feared an ambush and retired. Tsʻao Tsʻao heard that he had come and gone and guessed the reason. “He fears an ambush in the wood,” said he. “We will set up flags there and deceive him. There is a long embankment near the camp but behind it there is no water. There we will lay an ambush to fall upon Lü Pu when he comes to burn the wood.” So he hid all his soldiers behind the embankment except half a hundred drummers, and he got together many peasants to loiter within the stockade as though it was empty.