He ordered his attendants to retire and asked Yüan-tê to come and sit by him. Yüan-tê came saying, “I am deeply thankful, Illustrious Sir, for your great kindness, for which I can never be sufficiently grateful. Now I desire to send some confidential messenger with a secret letter to my brother to tell him where I am, and I am sure he will come without a moment’s delay. He will help you to destroy Tsʻao Tsʻao to make up for having destroyed your two officers. Do you approve of this?” “If I got Yün-chʻang he would be ten times better than the two men I have lost,” replied Shao. So Yüan-tê prepared a letter. But there was no one to take it. Yüan Shao ordered the army to withdraw to Wu-yang, where they made a large camp. For some time nothing was done. Then Tsʻao Tsʻao sent Hsiahou Tun to defend the strategical point at Kuantu while he led the bulk of the army back to the capital. There he gave many banquets in honour of the services of Kuan Yü and then he told Lü Chʻien that putting the supplies in the front of the army had been meant as a bait to draw the enemy to destruction. “Only Hsün Yu understood that,” said he in conclusion. Every one present praised his ingenuity. Even while the banquet was proceeding there arrived news of a rising of Yellow Turban rebels at Junan. They were very strong and Tsʻao Hung had been defeated in several engagements. Now he begged for help. Kuan Yü, hearing this said, “I should like to have the opportunity of performing some service by destroying these rebels.” “You have already rendered noble services for which you have not been properly requited. I could hardly trouble you again,” said Tsʻao. “I have been idle too long; I shall get ill,” said Kuan Yü. Tsʻao encouraged him to go and gave him five legions with Yü Chin and Yo Chin as captains under him. They were to leave soon. Then Hsün Yü said privily to his master, “He always cherishes the idea of returning to Liu Pei. He will leave you if he hears any news. Do not let him go on this expedition.” “If he does well this time I will not let him go into battle again,” said Tsʻao. In due time the force led by Kuan Yü drew near the rebels and made their camp. One night, just outside his camp, two spies were caught and taken in to Kuan who in one of them recognised Sun Chʻien. The attendants being dismissed Kuan Yü questioned him. “After we lost sight of each other I have heard not a word of you; what are you doing here?” “After I escaped I drifted hither and thither till I had the good fortune to reach Junan and Liu Pʻi took me in. But why are you with Tsʻao Tsʻao, General? And where are your sisters-in-law? Are they well?” Kuan Yü told him all that had happened.