“The enemy is in great force and we cannot be too careful,” said Kung. “We are holding the pass and you should persuade our master to take steps to guard Pʻeichʻêng.” Chʻên Têng muttered to himself and said no more. That evening he went up to the heights from which he could see Tsʻao’s army, which was quite close to the pass. Then he wrote three notes, tied them to arrows and shot them into Tsʻao’s camp. Next day he left and hastened back to Lü Pu. “Those bandits are about to give up the pass to the enemy, but I have left Chʻên Kung to hold it. You had better make an attack to-night and hold him.” “Had it not been for you the pass would have been lost,” said Lü. Then he sent Chʻên Têng back to arrange a signal with Chʻên Kung for simultaneous action. So Têng returned to Kung to whom he said, “Tsʻao’s men have found a secret way through the pass and I fear Hsüchou is already lost. You ought to go back at once.” At this the pass was abandoned and Kung began to retreat. Then the prearranged signal was given. Lü Pu advanced in the darkness to the relief of the pass. Presently he met Chʻên Kun’s men, and as neither recognised the other in the darkness a fierce battle ensued. Nor was the trick discovered till daylight came. While these things were going on Tsʻao Tsʻao had noted the signal and advanced as fast as possible. The bandits, who alone remained to hold the pass, were easily driven out and scattered in all directions. When daylight came and the trick was discovered Lü Pu and Chʻên Kung set off together for Hsüchou. But when they arrived and summoned the gate, instead of opening the doors the men on the wall saluted them with a thick flight of arrows. At the same time Mi Chu appeared on the defence tower and shouted, “You stole our master’s city and now we are going to give it back to him. You will not enter here again.” “Where is Chʻên Kuei?” cried Lü Pu, angrily. “We have slain him,” was the reply. “Where is that son of his?” said Pu turning to Chʻên Kung. “Do you still hold to your delusion, General, that you ask where this specious rogue is?” Lü Pu bade them search through all the ranks, but he was not to be found. Then they decided to go to Hsiaopʻei. But ere they had got half way there suddenly appeared the troops under the command of Kao Shun and Chang Liao. They said Chʻên Têng had come to them saying their lord was surrounded and wanted help so they had come at once. “Another trick of that false rogue!” said Lü Pu. “Surely he shall die for this.” They went with all speed to the city, only to see as they drew near the ensigns of the enemy displayed all along the walls, for the city had been taken by Tsʻao Jên. While Lü Pu stood at the foot of the rampart reviling the traitor Chʻên Têng, Têng himself appeared on the wall and pointing to Lü Pu cried, “Did you think that I, a Minister of the Dynasty, would serve a rebel like you?”