Ts‘ao laughed, “They have the literary gift; they had better have the military too to back it up. This fellow may be a very elegant writer, but what if Yüan Shao’s fighting capacity falls short?”
He called his advisers together to consider the next move. K‘ung Jung heard of the summons and went to his master saying, “You should not fight with Yüan Shao; he is too strong. Make peace.”
Hsün Yü said, “He is despicable: do not make peace.”
Jung replied, “His land is wide and his people strong. He has many skilful strategists and he has loyal and able captains. You cannot say he is despicable.”
Yü laughed saying, “His army is a rabble. One captain, T‘ien Fêng, is bold but treacherous; another, Hsü Yu, is greedy and ignorant; Shen P‘ei is devoted but stupid; Fêng Chi is steady but useless. And these four of such different temperaments, mutually incompatible, will make for confusion rather than efficiency. Yen Liang and Wen Ch‘ou are worthless and can be disposed of in the first battle and the others are poor, rough stuff. What is the use even of their legions?”
K‘ung Jung was silent and Ts‘ao smiled. “They are even as Hsün Wen-jo describes,” said he.
Then Ts‘ao issued orders. Generals Liu Tai and Wang Chung were to lead an army of five legions, displaying the minister’s banners, and march against Hsüchou to attack Liu Pei.
This Liu Tai had been governor of Yenchou but had surrendered and entered Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s service after the fall of the city. Ts‘ao had given him a rank as supernumerary leader and now was disposed to make use of him.
Ts‘ao Ts‘ao himself took command of a large army of twenty legions for a simultaneous attack on Yüan Shao at Liyang.
A certain adviser said he thought the two captains sent against Liu Pei were unequal to their task.
“I know,” said Ts‘ao. “They are not meant to fight Liu Pei; it is merely a feint. They have orders not to make any real attack till I have overcome Yüan Shao. Then Liu Pei will be next.”
Liu Tai and Wang Chung went their way and Ts‘ao Ts‘ao marched out his grand army, which came into touch with the enemy, then eighty li distant, at Liyang. Both sides made fortified camps and waited watching each other. This went on for two months.
There was dissension in Yüan Shao’s camp. Hsü Yu was at enmity with his colleague, Shen P‘ei, and the strategist Chu Shou resented the rejection of his plan. So they would not attack. Yüan Shao also could not make up his mind. Tired of this state of inaction Ts‘ao Ts‘ao then gave certain commanders definite points to hold and marched back to Hsütu.
