Then he advanced against the rebels and fell in with Li Tsʻui’s force. Without giving them time to form in battle array, he attacked. Horses curvetting and spears set, the men dashed in irresistibly and Li Tsʻui, making no stand, fell back a long way. He took up a position under a hill and thence sent to call his fellows to council. Li Tsʻui said, “Lü Pu though brave in battle is no strategist and so not really formidable. I will lead my men to hold the mouth of the gorge and every day I will incite him to attack and, when he comes toward me, Commander Kuo can smite his rear, after the manner of Pʻêng Yüeh when he fought against Chʻu. While thus I am alternating attack and retreat you other two will march off in different directions toward Chʻangan. Such an attack at two points must end in his defeat.” They set themselves to carry out this scheme. As soon as Lü Pu reached the hills a force came out to attack him. Pu made an angry dash toward the enemy, who retired up the hill, whence they shot arrows and hurled stones like rain. Lü Pu’s men halted. At this moment the report came that the rear was being attacked and there appeared Kuo Ssŭ. At once Lü Pu wheeled toward the new enemy, but immediately the rolling drums gave the signal to retire and Lü Pu could not come to blows with them. As he called in his men the gongs clanged on the other side and his former opponent came as if to smite him. But before he could join battle his rear was again threatened by Kuo, who in his turn drew off without striking a blow. Thus Lü Pu was baited till his bosom was near bursting with rage. The same tactics continued for several days. He could neither strike his enemies nor escape them; his men had no rest. In the midst of these distracting manœuvres a messenger rode up in hot haste to say that the capital was in imminent danger from a double attack. He at once ordered a march to save the capital, which became a rout when both his opponents came in pursuit. His loss was heavy. He soon reached Chʻangan and found the rebels there in enormous numbers and the city quite surrounded. Lü Pu’s attack had but little effect and as his temper became more savage under defeat many of his men went over to the rebels. He fell into deep melancholy. Then a remnant of Tung Cho’s adherents still in the city, led by Li Mêng and Wang Fang, began to lend aid to the attackers and by and by they secretly opened the city gate and the besiegers poured in. Lü Pu exerted himself to the utmost but could not stem the tide. At the head of a few horse he dashed over to the Chingso Gate, or “Gate of the Black Lock,” and called out to Wang Yün, who was on the other side, that the case was desperate and bade him mount and ride to a place of safety.