It was night when the commissariat train of many thousands of carts drew near Yüan Shao’s camp. As they passed through a defile Tsʻao’s men came out and stopped the train. Han Mêng galloped up to give battle but was soon overcome. The guard was scattered and soon the whole train was in flames. The escort and their leader got away. The glow of the flames seen from Shao’s camp caused great consternation, which became fear when the escaped soldiers rode in and told their tale. Yüan sent out Chang Ho and Kao Lan to try to intercept the raiders and they came upon Hsü Huang and his company. Just as they were attacking reinforcements came up and the Yüan men were between two fires. They were cut to pieces and the successful captains rode back to Kuantu, where they were richly rewarded. As an additional safeguard Tsʻao made a supporting outpost in front of the main camp to be the apex of a triangle of defence. When Han Mêng returned with his woeful tidings Yüan Shao was angry and threatened to put him to death. His colleagues begged him off. Then said Shên Pʻei, “Food is very important for an army in the field and must be defended with the greatest diligence. Wuchʻao is our main depôt and must be carefully guarded.” “My plans being complete,” said Shao, “you may as well return to Yehtu and undertake the control of the supplies. Let there be no shortage.” So Shên Pʻei left the army. Then a force of two legions under six captains was told off to defend the depôt. One of these captains, Shunyu Chʻiung, was a hard man and a heavy drinker, who in his cups was a terror to the men. Under the idle life of guarding the supply depôt the leaders gave themselves up to indulgence and drank heavily. In Tsʻao’s army also food was getting scarce and a message was sent to the capital to send grain quickly. The messenger with the letter, however, had not gone far when he fell into the hands of Shao’s men, who took him to the adviser Hsü Yu. Seeing from the letter that Tsʻao was short of supplies the adviser went to his master and told him saying, “Tsʻao Tsʻao and we have been at grips here for a long time and the capital must be undefended. A small army sent quickly could take it and at the same moment an attack here would deliver Tsʻao into our hands. Now is the moment to strike, for his supplies are short.” Shao replied, “Tsʻao is full of ruses and this letter is artfully designed to bring about a battle to suit himself.” “If you do not take this chance he will do you some injury by and by.” Just at this juncture in came a despatch from Yehchün in which, after some details regarding the forwarding of grain, Shên Pʻei said he had discovered that Hsü Yu had been in the habit of receiving bribes while in Chʻichou and had winked at his relatives collecting excess taxes. One son and nephew were then in prison.