Mi Heng was recommended to Cao Cao when the latter, to expand his influence, needed someone to lobby Liu Biao. But Mi was slighted. Mi took his anger out on almost all of Cao Cao's subordinates.

曹操为了扩大自己的努力，想请人去刘表那里游说，孔融就推荐了他的好朋友祢衡。祢衡被请来后，曹操对他不以礼相待惹得祢衡当面骂遍了曹操手下的谋士和大将。

One day, at a banquet in honor of distinguished¹ guests, Cao bid Mi to work as a drummer, just to insult him for fun. Mi came dressed in rag , and when asked why he simply stripped off what was on him to proudly stand nude² before the public. Guests shut their eyes in embarrassment³. To rebut⁴ the angry blame by Cao Cao. Mi said. "You said I'm shameless? Not me but someone who has misled his majesty⁵. Let people vies my clean conscience." "If you're clean," Cao roared, "Who's dirty?" "You!" Mi sneered⁶."Your eyes are dirty for being unable to tell good men from bad, your mouth is dirty because you do not read, your ears are dirty because you refuse to listen to advice, you know nothing about history because of your dirty body, and you tolerate nobody because of the dirt in your belly⁷."

第二天，曹操大宴宾客，让祢衡击鼓取乐。祢衡身穿破衣上堂，有人责问祢衡为何不更衣，祢衡当场脱衣，光着身子站立，吓的宾客以手捂眼，气得曹操大骂祢衡无耻。祢衡反唇相讥说："什么叫无耻，欺君才叫无耻。我光着身子，是让大家看看我的清白。"曹操怒指祢衡说："你清白，谁肮脏？"祢衡冷笑道："你就是一个肮脏的人。你不分好人坏人，是你的眼太脏；你书也不读，是因为你嘴太脏；你不听人劝，是因为你的耳朵太脏；你不董历史，是因为你的身体太脏；你容不得别人，是因为你的肚子太脏。"

Cao, infuriated , ordered him to the battle front, hoping the enemy's sword would kill him.

曹操一气之下，命他立即出征，借敌人的刀杀了祢衡。