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Consequently the pursuit was hot as every one was anxious to win renown and reward. Meanwhile careless of all but flight, Ma Chao galloped on, and one by one his followers dropped by the way. The footmen who were unable to keep up were captured till very few remained, and only some scores of riders were left. They traveled toward Lintao, a city in Longxi.

Cao Cao in person joined the pursuit and got to Anding, but there Ma Chao was still far in advance, so he gave up and returned. Gradually the generals did the same, all coming back to Changan. Poor Han Sui, with the loss of his left hand, was an invalid, but he was rewarded with the Lordship of Xiliang. Yang Qiu and Hou Xuan were given noble ranks and offices in Weikou.

Then orders were given to lead the whole army back to the capital. Yang Fu, a military adviser from Liangzhou, came to Changan to point out the danger of withdrawal.

“Ma Chao has the boldness of Lu Bu and the heart of a barbarian. Unless you destroy him this time, he will come again and he will be both bolder and stronger, and the whole west will be lost. Wherefore you should not with draw your army.”

Cao Cao said, “I would be quite willing to finish the subjugation, but there is much to do in the capital and the south is still to conquer. So I cannot remain. But you, Sir, might secure this country for me. Do you consents”

Yang Fu did consent. And he brought to Cao Cao's notice Wei Kang, who was made Imperial Protector of Liangzhou, with joint military powers. Just before Yang Fu left, he said to Cao Cao, “A strong force ought to be left in Changan, as a reserve in case they be required.”

“That has been already dealt with,” replied Cao Cao.

Contentedly enough Yang Fu took leave and went away.

Cao Cao's generals asked him to explain his recent policy, saying, “Since the first outbreak at Tong Pass, O Prime Minister, the north bank of River Wei was undefended. Why did you not cross to the north bank from the east of the river? But instead you engaged in the attack of the Pass for many days before crossing to the north bank.”

And he replied, “The rebels first held the Pass. Had I forthwith taken the east of the river, the rebels would have defended the camps one by one and mustered at all the ferries, and I should never have got across the river to the north bank. So I massed troops against Tong Pass and made the rebels guard the south bank so that the west of the river was left open. Thus Xu Huang and Zhu Ling could move there, and I was able later to cross over to the north. Then I made the raised road and the mud rampart to deceive the enemy and cause them to think I was weak and thus embolden them up to the point of attacking without proper preparation. Then I used the clever device of causing dissension in their ranks and was able in one day to destroy the stored up energy of all their forces. 'It was a thunder clap before you could cover your ears.' Yes indeed; the mutations of the art of war can be called infinite.”

“But one thing more puzzled us,” said the officers, “and we ask you to explain it. When you heard the enemy was reinforced, you seemed to grow happier. Why was that?”

“Because Tong Pass is distant from Xuchang; and if the rebels had taken advantage of all defensible points and held them, they could not have been quelled in less than a couple of years. When they came on altogether, they made a multitude but they were not unanimous. They easily quarreled and, disunited, were easily overcome. So I had reason to rejoice that they came on altogether.”

“Indeed no one can equal you in strategy,” said his officers, bowing low before him. “Still, remember that I rely on you,” said Cao Cao.

Then he issued substantial rewards to the army and appointed Xiahou Yuan to the command at Changan. The soldiers who had surrendered were distributed among the various troops. Xiahou Yuan recommended Zhang Ji of Gaoling, as his aids.

So the army returned to Capital Xuchang where it was welcomed by the Emperor in state chariot. As a reward for his service, Cao Cao was given the court privileges of omitting his distinctive name when he was received in audience and of proceeding toward the court without assuming the appearance of frantic haste. Further he might go to court armed and booted, as did the Han Founding Minister Xiao He of old. Whence his prestige and importance waxed mightily.

The fame of these doings penetrated west into Hanzhong, and one of the first to be moved to indignation was Zhang Lu, Governor of Hanning. This Zhang Lu was a native of Pei ((an ancient state)). He was a grandson of Zhang Ling who retired to Mount Humming, in the Eastern Land of Rivers, where he had composed a work on Taoism for the purpose of deluding the multitude.

Yet all the people respected Zhang Ling, and when he died his son, Zhang Heng, carried on his work, and taught the same doctrines. Disciples had to pay a fee in rice, five carts. The people of his day called him the Rice Thief.