却说曹操统领众将入冀州城，将入城门，许攸纵马近前，以鞭指城门而呼操曰：“阿瞒，汝不得我，安得入此门？”
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! "
操至绍府门下，问曰：“谁曾入此门来？”
When Cao Cao reached the residence, he stopped at the gate and asked, "Has anyone had gone in?”
守将对曰：“世子在内。”
The guard at the gate said, "Your son is within."
刘氏出拜曰：“非世子不能保全妾家，愿就甄氏为世子执箕帚。”
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."
操教唤出甄氏拜于前。
Cao Cao bade them bring out the girl and she bowed before him.
操视之曰：“真吾儿妇也？”
After looking at her intently, he said, "Just the wife for him!"
操既定冀州，亲往袁绍墓下设祭，再拜而哭甚哀，顾谓众官曰：“昔日吾与本初共起兵时，本初问吾曰：‘若事不辑，方面何所可据？’
After the conquest of Jizhou had been made quite sure, Cao Cao made a ceremonial visit to the Yuan family cemetery, +where he sacrificed at the tomb of his late rival, bowed his head, and lamented bitterly.
Turning to his generals, he said, "Not long ago when Yuan Shao and I worked together in military matters, he asked me, saying, ‘If this disturbance does not cease, what fronts should be held?”‘
本初曰：‘吾南据河，北阻燕代，兼沙漠之众，南向以争天下，庶可以济乎？’
He said, ‘In the North of Yellow River, to the south I would hold the Yellow River; on the north, guard against Yan and Dai and absorb the hordes from the Gobi Desert.
Thence southward I would try for the empire, and do you not think I might succeed?”‘
吾答曰：‘吾任天下之智力，以道御之，无所不可。’
I replied saying, ‘I depend upon the wisdom and force of the world directed by scholars; then every thing would be possible.”
此言如昨，而今本初已丧，吾不能不为流涕也！”
These words seem as if spoken only yesterday, and now he is gone.
Thinking over it I cannot refrain from tears."
操以金帛粮米赐绍妻刘氏。
Cao Cao treated the widow generously, giving her gold and silks and food to her content.
乃下令曰：“河北居民遭兵革之难，尽免今年租赋。”
He also issued a further order that the taxes in the North of Yellow River would be remitted in consideration of the sufferings of the people during the warlike operations.
一面写表申朝；操自领冀州牧。
He sent up a memorial to the Throne and formally became Imperial Protector of Jizhou.
一日，许褚走马入东门，正迎许攸，饮唤褚曰：“汝等无我，安能出入此门乎？”
One day Xu Chu, riding in at the east gate, met Xu You, who called out to him, "Would you fellows be riding through here if it had not been for me?”
褚大怒，拔剑杀攸，提头来见曹操，说“许攸如此无礼，某杀之矣。”
Xu Chu in his anger drew his sword and ran Xu You through.
Then he took Xu You's head and went to tell Cao Cao the reason.
操曰：“子远与吾旧交，故相戏耳，何故杀之！”
Said Cao Cao, "He and I were old friends, and we could joke together.
Why did you kill him?”
乃令人遍访冀州贤士。
Cao Cao inquired for any wise and reputable people who were known to be living in the region
数曾献计于袁绍，绍不从，因此托疾在家。”
who had on many occasions given valuable advice to Yuan Shao.As the advice was not followed, he had pleaded indisposition and remained at home."
操即召琰为本州别驾从事，因谓曰：“昨按本州户籍，共计三十万众，可谓大州。”
Cao Cao sent for this man, gave him an office and said to him, "According to the former registers, there are three hundred thousand households in the region so that one may well call it a major region."
琰曰：“今天下分崩，九州幅裂，二袁兄弟相争，冀民暴骨原野，丞相不急存问风俗，救其涂炭，而先计校户籍，岂本州士女所望于明公哉？”
Cui Yan replied, "The empire is rent, and the country is torn; the Yuan brothers are at war, and the people have been stripped naked.
Yet, Sir, you do not hasten to inquire after local conditions and how to rescue the people from misery, but first compute the possibilities of taxation.
Can you expect to gain the support of our people by such means?”
操闻言，改容谢之，待为上宾。
Cao Cao accepted the rebuke, changed the policy, thanked him, and treated him all the better for it.
操已定冀州，使人探袁谭消息。
As soon as Jizhou was settled, Cao Cao sent to find out the movements of Yuan Tan.
时谭引兵劫掠甘陵、安平、渤海、河间等处，闻袁尚败走中山，乃统军攻之。
He heard Yuan Tan was ravaging Ganling, Anping, Bohai, and Hejian.
Moreover, the scouts brought the news that Yuan Shang had fled to Zhongshan, and Yuan Tan led an expedition against him,
尚无心战斗，径奔幽州投袁熙。
but Yuan Shang would not face a battle.
He had gone away to Youzhou to his brother Yuan Xi.