“If Xu You is willing to come, then have I indeed a helper,” said Cao Cao. “I desire you to give me a scheme for the destruction of Yuan Shao.” “I counseled him to send a light force to take Capital Xuchang and at the same time attack here in full scale so that head and tail be both attacked.”
Cao Cao was alarmed, saying, “If he does so, I am lost!”
“How much grain have you in store?” said the new adviser.
“Enough for a year.”
“I think not quite,” said Xu You, smiling.
“Well, half a year.”
The visitor shook out his sleeves, rose and hurried toward the door of the tent, saying, “I offer him good counsel and he repays me with deceit. Could I have expected it?”
Cao Cao held him back.
“Do not be angry,” said he. “I will tell you the truth. Really I have here only enough for three months.”
“Everybody says you are a marvel of wickedness, and indeed it is true,” said Xu You.
“But who does not know that in war there is no objection to deceit?” replied Cao Cao.
Then whispering in Xu You's ear, he said, “Actually here I have only supplies for this month's use.”
“O do not throw dust in my eyes any more. Your grain is exhausted and I know it.”
Cao Cao was startled, for he thought no one knew of the straits he was in.
“How did you find that out?” said Cao Cao.
Xu You produced the captured letter, saying, “Who wrote that?”
“Where did you get it?”
Whereupon Xu You told Cao Cao the story of the captured messenger.
Cao Cao seized him by the hand, saying, “Since our old friendship has brought you to me, I hope you have some plan to suggest to me.”
Xu You said, “To oppose a great army with a small one is to walk in the way of destruction, unless you inflict quick defeat. I can propose a plan which will defeat the innumerable hordes of Yuan Shao without fighting a battle. But will you follow my advice?”
“I very much desire to know your plan,” said Cao Cao.
“Your enemy's stores of all kinds are at Wuchao, where the commander of the guard is that drunkard Chunyu Qiong. You can send some of your trusty veterans to pretend they belong to one of Yuan Shao's generals, Jiang Qi, sent to help guard the depot. These soldiers can find an opportunity to fire the grain and stores of all kinds, which will upset all Yuan Shao's calculations. In three days Yuan Shao is no more.” Cao Cao greatly approved. He treated Xu You very liberally and kept him in his camp. Forthwith he chose five thousand of horse and foot ready for the expedition.
Zhang Liao protested, saying, “The enterprise will be futile as the grain depot will certainly be well guarded. Without caution, we may be victims of the treachery on the part of the newly arrived Xu You.”
“Xu You is no traitor,” said Cao Cao. “He has come sent by Heaven to defeat Yuan Shao. If we do not get grain, it will be hard to hold out; and I have either to follow his advice or sit still and be hemmed in. If he were a traitor, he would hardly remain in my camp. Moreover this raid has been my desire for a long time. Have no doubts; the raid will certainly succeed.”
“Well, then, you must look out for an attack here while the camp is undefended.”
“That is already well provided for,” said Cao Cao gleefully.
The arrangements for the raid on the grain depot were made with extreme care to ensure success. Cao Cao assigned Xun You, Jia Xu, and Cao Hong to guard the main camp, together with Xu You; Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan to guard the left camp; Cao Ren and Li Dian to guard the right camp. When all was ready they set out, Cao Cao himself in the center, with Zhang Liao and Xu Chu as van leaders and Xu Huang and Yu Jin as rear guard. The army showed the ensigns of their opponents. The troops carried bundles of grass and faggots to make a blaze. The soldiers were gagged and the horses tied round the muzzles so as to prevent any noise. They set out at dusk.
The night was fine and the stars shone brightly.
Ju Shou, still a prisoner in Yuan Shao's camp, saw the stars were very brilliant and told his gaolers to conduct him out to the central pavilion whence he could study them. While watching he saw the planet Venus invade the quarter of the Bear and Lyra, which startled him very greatly.
“Some misfortune is near,” said Ju Shou.
So although it was still night, he went to see his master. But Yuan Shao was sleeping after indulgence in too much wine and was in bad humor. However, when they had roused him saying that the prisoner had a secret message to deliver, he got up.
“While I happened to be studying the aspect of the heavens,” said the night visitor, “I saw Venus, then between Hydra and Cancer, suddenly shoot into the neighborhood of the Bear and Lyra. There is danger of a robber raid, and special precautions must be taken at the grain depot. Lose no time in sending good soldiers and vigorous leaders thither, and keep a lookout on the byways among the hills that you may escape the wiles of Cao Cao.”
“You are a criminal,” said Yuan Shao. “How dare you come with such wild nonsense to upset my armies.”
