宫曰：“濮阳城中有富户田氏，家僮千百，为一郡之巨室。
+Then Chen Gong proposed a new stratagem.
He said, "In Puyang there is a rich, leading family, Tian by name, who number thousands, enough to populate a whole county in themselves.
可令彼密使人往操寨中下书，言：‘吕温侯残暴不仁，民心大怨。
Make one of these people go to Cao Cao's camp with a pretended secret letter about Lu Bu's ferocity, and the hatred of the people, +and their desire to be rid of him.
今欲移兵黎阳，止有高顺在城内。
-And by saying that only Gao Shun is left to guard the city,
可连夜进兵，我为内应。’
-and they would help anyone who would come to save them.
操若来，诱之入城，四门放火，外设伏兵。
Thus our enemy Cao Cao will be inveigled into the city, and we will destroy him either by fire or ambush.
曹操虽有经天纬地之才，到此安能得脱也？”
His skill may be equal to encompassing the universe, but he will not escape."
吕布从其计，密谕田氏使人径到操寨。
Lu Bu thought this trick might be tried, and they arranged for the Tian family letter to be sent.
操因新败，正在踌躇，忽报田氏人到，呈上密书云：“吕布已往黎阳，城中空虚。
Coming soon after the defeat, when Cao Cao felt uncertain what step to take next, -the secret letter was read with joy. -
城上插白旗，大书‘义’字，便是暗号。”
and said the sign should be a white flag with the word Rectitude written thereon.
重赏来人，一面收拾起兵。
So he rewarded the messenger very liberally and began to prepare for the expedition.
刘晔曰：“布虽无谋，陈宫多计。
Then came Liu Ye, saying, "Lu Bu is no strategist, but Chen Gong is full of guile.
明公欲去，当分三军为三队：两队伏城外接应，一队入城，方可。”
If you will go, -then enter with only one third your army, leaving the others outside the city as a reserve."
操先往观之，见城上遍竖旗旛，西门角上，有一“义”字白旗，心中暗喜。
which he found gay with fluttering flags.
Looking carefully he saw among them, at the west gate, the white flag with the looked-for inscription.
His heart rejoiced.
是日午牌，城门开处，两员将引军出战：前军侯成，后军高顺。
That day, just about noon, the city gates opened, and two bodies of soldiers appeared as if to fight.
Gao Shun was the front commander, and Hou Cheng the rear commander.
操即使典韦出马，直取侯成。
Cao Cao told off his general, Dian Wei, to oppose them.
侯成抵敌不过，回马望城中走。
Neither body, however, came on to full engagement but fell back into the city.
韦赶到吊桥边，高顺亦拦挡不住，都退入城中去了。
By this move Dian Wei and his troops had been drawn close up to the drawbridge. -
数内有军人乘势混过阵来见操，说是田氏之使，呈上密书。
From within the city several soldiers were seen taking any chance of confusion to escape and come outside.To Cao Cao they said, "We are clients of the Tian family," and they gave him secret letters
约云：“今夜初更时分，城上鸣锣为号，便可进兵。
stating:"The signal will be given about the first watch setting by beating a gong.
That will be the time to attack.
某当献门。”
The gates will be opened."
操拨夏侯惇引军在左，曹洪引军在右，自己引夏侯渊、李典、乐进、典韦四将，率兵入城。
So Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun to march to the left and Cao Hong to the right.
Cao Cao led the main army---together with Xiahou Yuan, Li Dian, and Yue Jing---into the city.
李典曰：“主公且在城外，容某等先入城去。”
+Li Dian pressed upon his master the precaution, saying, "My lord should stay outside the city.
Let us go in first."
遂当先领兵直入。
And so at the first watch Cao Cao led the way.
时约初更，月光未上。
-The moon had not yet arisen.