the enemy, then open the bag and you will find a plan of escape.

After this he gave secret instructions to four other captains to observe the enemy and, if they seemed confident of victory, to retire, fighting at intervals, till they saw Kuan Hsing and Chang Pao come up, when they could turn and fight their best. Then calling Kuan and Chang, he said to them, "Hide in the valleys with half a legion till you see a red flag flutter out, and then fall on the enemy."

Chang Ho and Tai Ling hurried along like a rain squall till they were suddenly confronted by the men of Shu. Chang dashed toward his enemy, and then they retired, stopping at intervals to fight. The Wei army pursued for about twenty li.

It was the sixth moon and very hot, so that men and horses sweated profusely. When they had gone thirty li farther the men and horses were panting and nearly spent. Then K'ungming, who had watched the fighting from a hill, gave the signal for Kuan Hsing to emerge and join battle. The four other leaders all led on their men. Chang and Tai fought well, but they could not extricate themselves and retire.

Presently, with a roll of drums, Wang P'ing and Chang I came out and made for the rear to cut the retreat. "Why do you not fight?" shouted Chang Ho when he saw their move.

The men of Wei dashed this way and that, but were stayed at every attempt. Then there was heard another roll of drums, and Ssuma came up in the rear. He at once signalled to his captains to surround Wang P'ing and Chang I.

"Our minister is truly wonderful. The battle goes just as he foretold," cried Chang I. "He will surely send help now, and we will fight to the death."

Thereupon the men were divided into parties. Wang P'ing led one army to hold up Chang Ho and Tai Ling; Chang I led the other division to oppose Ssuma. On both sides the fighting was keen and continued all the day.

From their station on a hill, Chiang Wei and Miao Hua watched the battle. They saw that the Wei force was very strong and their side was in danger and slowly giving way. "Now surely is the moment to open the bag," said Chiang Wei.

So the bag was opened, and they read the letter. It said that if Ssuma came and Wang P'ing and Chang I seemed hard pressed, they were to divide forces and go off to attack Ssuma's camp, which would cause him to retire, and then they could attack him. The actual capture of the camp was not of great moment.

So they divided the force and started for the enemy's camp. Now Ssuma had really feared that he would fall victim to some ruse of K'ung-ming, so he had arranged for news to meet him at intervals along the road. He was pressing his men to fight

when a messenger galloped up to say that the men of Shu were making for his camp.

Ssuma was frightened and changed colour. He turned on his captains, saying, "I knew K'ung-ming would plan some trick, but you did not believe me. You forced me to pursue, and now the whole scheme has gone agley."

Thereupon he gathered in his men and turned to retire. The men went hurriedly and got into disorder. Chang I came up behind, and they were routed. Chang Ho and Tai Ling, having but few men left, sought refuge among the hills. The victory was to Shu, and Kuan Hsing came up helping in the rout wherever there appeared a chance to strike.

Ssuma, defeated, hurried to the camp. But when he reached it the men of Shu had already left. He gathered in his broken army and abused his captains as the cause of his failure.

"You are all ignorant of the proper way to wage war, and think it simply a matter of valour and rude strength. This is the result of your unbridled desire to go out and give battle. For the future no one of you will move without definite orders, and I will apply strict military law to any who disobey."

They were all greatly ashamed and retired to their quarters. In this fight the losses of Wei were very heavy, not only in men, but in horses and weapons.

K'ung-ming led his victorious army to their camp. He intended to advance still farther, when a messenger arrived from the capital with the sad news that Chang Pao had died. When they told K'ung-ming he uttered a great cry, blood gushed from his mouth and he fell in a swoon. He was raised and taken to his tent, but he was too ill to march and had to keep his bed. His captains were much grieved.

A later poet sang:

Fierce and valiant was Chang Pao,
Striving hard to make a name;
Sad the gods should interfere

And withhold a hero's fame!

K'ung-ming wept his end untimely,
For he knew a warrior gone,
And he needed every helper;

His own strength was nearly done.

K'ung-ming's illness continued. Ten days later he summoned to his tent Tung Chüeh and Fan Chien, and said, "I feel dizzy and am too ill to carry on, and the best thing for me is to return into Hanchung and get well. You are to keep my absence perfectly secret, for Ssuma will certainly attack if he hears."

He issued orders to break up the camp that night, and the army retired into Hanchung forthwith. Ssuma only heard of it five days later, and he knew that again he had been outwitted.

"The man appears like a god and disappears like a demon; he is too much for me," sighed he.

Ssuma set certain captains over the camp and placed others to guard the commanding positions, and he also marched homeward.

As soon as the Shu army was settled in Hanchung, K'ungming went to Ch'êngtu for treatment. The officials of all ranks came to greet him and escort him to his palace. The king also came to enquire after his condition and sent his own physicians to treat him. So gradually he recovered.

In Chien-Hsing, eighth year and seventh month, Ts'ao Chên, the Commander-in-chief in Wei, had recovered, and he sent a memorial to his master, saying, "Shu has invaded more than once and threatened the capital. If this state be not destroyed it will ultimately be our ruin. The autumn coolth is now here. The army is in good form, and it is the time most favourable for an attack on Shu. I desire to take Ssuma as colleague and march into Hanchung to exterminate this wretched horde and free the borders from trouble."

Personally, King Jui approved, but he consulted Liu Hua, who replied, "The Commander-in-chief speaks well. If that state be not destroyed it will be to our hurt. Your Majesty should give effect to his desire."

When he came out, a crowd of officers flocked to enquire, saying, “We heard the king has consulted you about an expedition against Shu: what think you? 1?"

"No such thing," said Liu. "Shu is too difficult a country to invade; it would be a mere waste of men and weapons."

They left him. Then Yang Chi went into the king and said, "It is said that yesterday Liu Hua advised Your Majesty to fall upon Shu; to-day when we talked with him he said Shu could not be attacked. This is treating Your Majesty with indignity, and you should issue a command to punish him." Wherefore the king called in Liu Hua and asked him to explain.

Liu Hua replied, "I have studied the details; Shu cannot be attacked."

The king laughed. In a short time Yang Chi left, and then Liu Hua said, "Yesterday I advised Your Majesty to attack Shu; that being a matter of state policy should be divulged to no person. The essential of a military move is secrecy."

Then the king understood, and thereafter Liu Hua was held in greater consideration. Ten days later Ssuma came to court, and Ts'ao Chên's memorial was shown him.

Ssuma replied, "The moment is opportune; I do not think there is any danger from Wu."

Ts'ao Chên was created Minister of War and Commanderin-chief of the Western Expedition, and Ssuma I was made General and was second in command. Liu Hua was made

Master of the Army. These three then left the court, and the army marched to Ch'angan, intending to dash to Chienko and attack Hanchung.

The men of Hanchung told K'ung-ming, then quite recovered and engaged in training his army and elaborating the "Eight Arrays." All was in an efficient state and ready for an attack on the capital.

When he heard of the intended attack, he called up Chang I and Wang P'ing and sent them to garrison the old road to Ch'ênts'ang so as to check the Wei army. The two replied, "It is said the Wei army numbers forty legions, though they pretend to have eighty legions. But they are very numerous, and a thousand men is a very small force to meet them."

K'ung-ming replied, "I would give you more, but I fear to make it hard for the soldiers."

The two captains stood looking at each other, not daring to undertake such a task with such a force.

"If there be a failure I shall not hold you responsible," said K'ung-ming. "Do not say any more, but get off quickly."

The two officers pleaded with him, saying that if he desired to kill them he had better do it, but they dared not go.

K'ung-ming laughed. "How silly you are!" said he. "If I send you, you may be sure there is a meaning in it. I observed the stars yesterday, and I see there will be a tremendous rain this month. The army of Wei may consist of any number of legions, but they will be unable to penetrate into a mountainous country. So there is no need to send a large force. You will come to no harm, and I shall lead the main body into Hanchung and rest for a month while the enemy retreats. Then I shall smite them. My army will be able to account for their four times as many."

This satisfied them, and they left, while the main body went out toward Hanchung. Moreover, every station was ordered to lay in a stock of wood and straw and grain enough for a whole month's use, ready against the autumn rains. A month's holiday was given, and food and clothing were issued in advance. The expedition was postponed for the present.

When Ts'ao Chên and Ssuma I approached Ch'ênts'ang and entered the city, they could not find a single house. They questioned some of the people near, who said that K'ung-ming had burned everything before he left. Then Ts'ao proposed to advance along the road, but Ssuma opposed, saying that the stars foretold much rain.

"If we get deep in a difficult country and are always victorious it is all very well. But if we lose, we shall not get out again. Better remain in this city and build what shelter we can against the rain."

Ts'ao Chên followed his advice. In the middle of the month the rain began, and came down in a deluge so that the sur

rounding country was three feet under water. The equipment of the men was soaked, and the men themselves could get no place to sleep. For a whole month the rain continued. The horses could not be fed, and the men grumbled incessantly. They sent to Loyang, and the king himself prayed for fine weather, but with no effect.

An officer, Wang Su, sent up a memorial:-"The histories say that when supplies have to be conveyed a long distance the soldiers are starved; if they have to gather brushwood before they can cook then the army is not full fed. This applies to ordinary expeditions in an ordinary country. If, in addition, the army has to march through a difficult country and roads have to be cut, the labour is doubled. Now this expedition is hindered by rain and steep and slippery hills; movement is cramped and supplies can only be maintained with difficulty. All is most unpropitious to the army.

"Ts'ao Chên has been gone over a month and has only got half through the valley. Road making is monopolising_all energies, and the fighting men have to work on them. The state of affairs is the opposite to ideal, and the fighting men dislike it. I may quote certain parallels. King Wu attacked Chou; he went through the pass, but returned. In recent times your father and grandfather, attacking Sun Ch'üan, reached the river, and went no farther. Did they not recognise limitations and act accordingly? I pray Your Majesty to remember the grave difficulties caused by the rain and put an end to this expedition. By and by another occasion will arise for using men, and in the joy of overcoming difficulties the people will forget death."

The king could not make up his mind, but two other memorials followed, and then he issued the command to return, which was sent to the two generals. They had already discussed the abandonment of the expedition. Ts'ao Chên had said, "We have had rain for a whole month, and the men are downhearted and think only of getting home again. How can we stop them?"

Ssuma replied, "Return is best."

"If K'ung-ming pursue, how shall we repulse him?" "We can leave an ambush."

While they were discussing this matter the king's command arrived. Whereupon they faced about and marched homeward.

Now K'ung-ming had reckoned upon this month of rain and so had had his men camped in a safe place. Then he ordered the main army to assemble at Ch'ihp'i and camp there. He summoned his officers to his tent and said, "In my opinion the enemy must retire, for the king will issue such an order. To pursue needs preparation, and so we will let them retire without molestation. Some other plan must be evolved."