As was said, Cao Pi, having made his way into the Yuans' palace, saw two women there whom he was about to kill. Suddenly a red light shone in his eyes, and he paused.

Lowering his sword he said, "Who are you?"
"Thy handmaid is the widow of the late Yuan Shao, Lady Liu," said the elder of the two, " and this is the wife of Yuan Xi, his second son. She was of the Zhen family.When Yuan Xi was sent to command in Youzhou, her family objected to her going so far from home and she stayed behind."

Cao Pi drew Lady Zhen toward him and looked at her closely.Her hair hung disordered, her face was dusty and tear-stained, but when, with the sleeve of his inner garment, he had wiped sway these disfigurements, he saw a woman of exquisite loveliness, with a complexion clear as jade touched with the tender bloom of a flower petal, a woman indeed beautiful enough to ruin a kingdom*.

"I am the son of the Prime Minister," said he turning to the elder woman. "I will guarantee your safety, so you need fear nothing."

He then put by his sword and sat down at the upper end of the room.

As Cao Cao was entering the gate of the conquered city of Yejun, Xu You rode up very quickly, passed him, and pointed with his whip at the gate, saying, "Sir Prime Minister, you would not have been here but for my plans!*"

Cao Cao laughed, but his generals were very annoyed.

When Cao Cao reached the residence, he stopped at the gate and asked, "Has anyone had gone in?"The guard at the gate said, "Your son is within."Cao Cao called him out and chided him, but the wife of the late Imperial Protector interposed, saying, "But not for your son we had not been saved. I desire to present to you a lady, of the Zhen family, as a handmaid to your son."

Cao Cao bade them bring out the girl and she bowed before him.After looking at her intently, he said, "Just the wife for him!"

And he told Cao Pi to take Lady Zhen to wife.