belonging to Kao Ting would be spared, the others would be put to death. When time had been given for this story to spread among the prisoners, Yung's men were brought up to the commander's tent.

"Whose men were you?" asked he.

"Kao Ting's" cried they all, falsely.

Then they were all pardoned, and, after being given wine and food, they were taken to the frontier and set free.

Next the real Kao Ting's men were brought forward, and the same question was put to them.

"We all really belong to Kao Ting's command," said they.

In like manner they were pardoned and refreshed with wine. and food. Then K'ung-ming addressed them, saying, “Yung K'ai has just sent a messenger to ask that he may surrender, and he offers to bring with him the heads of your commander and of Chu Pao as a proof of merit. But I will not receive him, and you, since you are Kao Ting's men, shall be released and allowed to return to him. But let there be no ingratitude and fighting again, for if there is, I certainly will not pardon you next time."

So they thanked their liberator and went away. As soon as they reached their own camp they told the whole story. Then Kao Ting sent a spy to the camp of his colleague to find out what was doing. There he met the men who had been released, and they were all talking about K'ung-ming's kindness, and many of them were inclined to desert their own camp for the other. Although this seemed very satisfactory, yet Kao Ting did not feel convinced, and he sent another man to K'ung-ming's camp to try to verify what had happened. But this man was captured and taken before the Commanderin-chief, who pretended that he thought the spy belonged to Yung K'ai, and said to him, "Why has your leader failed to send me the heads of Kao and Chu as he promised? are not very clever, and what are you come to spy out?" The soldier muttered and mumbled in confusion. K'ung-ming gave the man wine and food, and then wrote a letter which he handed to the spy, saying, "You give this letter to your commander, Yung K'ai, and tell him to get the job. done quickly."

You lot

But

The spy took the letter and got away. As soon as he reached camp he gave the letter to Kao Ting and also the message. Kao Ting read the missive and became very angry.

"I have ever been true to him, and yet he wants to kill me. It is hard to be either friendly or reasonable."

Then he decided to take O Huan into his confidence, and called him. O Huan was much prejudiced in favour of K'ungming, and said, "K'ung-ming is a most benevolent man, and it would be ill to turn our backs upon him. It is Yung K'ai's

fault that we are now rebels, and our best course would be to slay him and betake ourselves to K'ung-ming."

"How could it be done?" asked Kao Ting.

"Invite him to a banquet. If he refuse, it means he is a traitor, and then you can attack him in front while I will lie in wait behind his camp to capture him as he runs away."

They agreed to try this plan; the banquet was prepared and Yung invited. But as his mind was full of suspicion from what his returned men had said, he would not come. That night, as soon as darkness fell, Kao Ting attacked his camp. Now the men who had been released were imbued with the goodness of Kao Ting and quite ready to help him fight. On the other hand, Yung K'ai's men mutinied against him, and so Yung K'ai mounted his steed and fled. Before he had gone far he found his road blocked by the cohort under O Huan, who galloped out with his halberd and confronted the fugitive. Yung could not defend himself, and was struck down. O Huan decapitated him. As soon as they knew he was dead, his men joined themselves to Kao Ting, who then went and surrendered to K'ung-ming.

K'ung-ming received him sitting in state in his tent, but at once ordered the lictors to decapitate him.

But Kao Ting said, "Influenced by your kindness, Sir, I have brought the head of my colleague as a proof of the sincerity of my surrender: why should I die?"

"You come with false intent; do you think you can hoodwink me?" said K'ung-ming, laughing.

"What proof have you that I am false?"

K'ung-ming drew a letter from his box, and said, "Chu Pao sent this secretly to say he wished to surrender, and he said. you and Yung K'ai were sworn friends to death. How could you suddenly change your feelings and slay him? That is how I know your treachery."

"Chu Pao only tried to make trouble," cried Kao, kneeling. K'ung-ming still refused to believe him, and said, "I cannot believe you without more solid proof. If you would slay Chu I could take that as proving you were sincere in your surrender."

"Do not doubt me. What if I go and capture this man?" "If you did that my doubts would be set at rest."

Thereupon Kao Ting and his subordinate, O Huan, led away their men to the camp of Chu Pao. When they were about ten li from his camp Chu Pao appeared with a cohort. As soon as they recognised each other, Chu Pao hastily came forward to parley. But Kao Ting cried out to him, "Why did you write a letter to the Prime Minister and so intrigue with him to get me killed?"

Chu Pao stared open mouthed and could not reply. Then O Huan rode out from behind his chief and struck Chu with

his halberd so that he fell to the ground. Thereupon Kao Ting shouted to the men that they should either yield or be slain, and they yielded in a body.

Kao Ting then went back to K'ung-ming and offered the head of the man just slain. K'ung-ming laughed again.

"I have made you kill both these as a proof of loyalty." Then he created Kao Prefect of Ichou and chief of three districts, while O Huan was given a junior rank. Thus the three divisions were disposed of and troubled the peace no

more.

The Prefect of Jungch'ang then came out of the city and welcomed K'ung-ming, and, when he had made his entry into that city, he called Wang K'ang and asked who had aided him in the defence.

The Prefect said, "The safety of this city is due entirely to Lü K'ai."

So Lü was called. He came and bowed.

K'ung-ming said, "Long since I heard of you as a remarkable man of this district. We are greatly indebted to you for its safety. Now we wish to conquer the Mans; have you any advice to offer?"

Lü K'ai then produced a map of the country and presented it, saying, "From the time of my appointment I have felt certain that the southern men would rise against you, and so I sent secret agents to map out the country and find the strategical points. From that information I prepared this map, which I call 'An Easy Scheme to Conquer the Mans.' I beg you, Sir, to accept it, as it may be of use."

Then K'ung-ming took Lü K'ai into his service as adviser and guide. With his help he advanced and penetrated deeply into the country.

While the army was advancing, there came a messenger from the Court. When he appeared, K'ung-ming saw it was Ma Su, and he was clothed in white. He was in mourning for his brother, Ma Liang, who had just died. He had come by special command of the Emperor with gifts of wine and silk.

When the ceremonies proper on receipt of a mandate from the Emperor had been performed, and the gifts distributed as instructed, Ma Su was asked to remain to talk over matters.

Kung-ming said, "I have His Majesty's command to conquer these Mans. I hear you have some advice to offer, and I should be pleased if you would instruct me."

"Yes; I have one thing to say that may be worth thinking over. These people refuse to recognise our supremacy because they think their country is distant and difficult. If you should overcome them to-day, to-morrow they would revolt. Wherever your army marches they are overcome and submit, but the day you withdraw the army and attack Ts'ao P'ei they

will renew their attack. In arms even it is best to attack hearts rather than cities; to fight with sentiment is better than to fight with weapons. It will be well if you can win them over."

"You read inmost thoughts," said K'ung-ming.

Then Ma Su was retained with the army as adviser, and the army marched on.

When the King of the Mans, Mênghuo by name, heard how cleverly K'ung-ming had got rid of Yung K'ai, he called together the leaders of the "Three Ravines" to discuss matters.

The chief of the first Ravine was Chinhuansanchieh, of the secord Tung-T'una and of the third Ahuinan. These having come to the king's place, he said to them, "Our country has been invaded, and we must exert our united strength to drive out the invaders. You three must lead your forces, and whoever conquers the enemy shall be chief of chiefs."

Each

It was arranged that Chinhuansanchieh should march in the centre division, with the others on his flanks. division was five legions.

When the scouts made out that the Man armies were coming, they at once told K'ung-ming, who called Chao Yün and Wei Yen to his side, but gave them no orders. Next he sent for Wang P'ing and Ma Chung, and said to them, "I cannot send Chao Yün and Wei Yen against the Mans because they do not know the country. You two are to go, one against each wing, and the two veteran warriors shall support you. Get your men ready and start to-morrow at dawn."

Then the two Changs were sent against the centre army; they were to act with Wang and Ma. And once more K'ungming seemed to taunt the two veterans with ignorance.

The two heroes now began to feel hurt. Noticing this, K'ung-ming said, "I have no wish to pass you over, you two, but I fear that if you get too deeply into the country and should fall victims to the Mans that it will have an ill effect on the others."

"But what if we did know the geography of the country?" said Chao Yün.

"All I say to you is to be careful how you do anything," replied K'ung-ming.

The two old soldiers left and went together to the camp of Chac Yün.

Chao Yün said, "We are greatly ashamed at being put in the background because we do not know the country. We cannot bear this."

"Then let us ride out and survey," said his colleague. "Let us capture a few natives and make them show us the road, and let us defeat these savages.'

They rode off. Before they had gone far they saw a cloud of dust in the distance. Climbing a hill to get a better view,

they saw a small party of mounted Mans coming toward them. The two waited till they were near and then suddenly burst out. The Mans, taken entirely by surprise, ran away all but a few, who yielded themselves prisoners. The two warriors returned to camp.

The prisoners were given wine and food, and when they had satisfied their hunger they were questioned.

Said they, "The camp of the Chief Chinhuansanchieh is just in front, just by the entrance to the mountains. Near the camp, running east and west, is the Ravine of the Five Streams. The camps of the other two chiefs are behind."

It

The two leaders got together five companies, took the captured men as guides and marched out about the second watch. was a clear night, and the moon gave light to march by.

The first camp was reached about the fourth watch. The Man soldiers were already awake and preparing their morning meal, as they intended to attack at daylight. The vigorous and unexpected attack of the two captains threw the camp into confusion; the chief was slain and his head cut off.

Then Wei Yen took half the force and went west to the second camp. By the time he reached it day had dawned. They also had news of his coming, and drew up the camp to oppose. But when they had got clear, there was a great uproar behind them at the stockade gates, and confusion followed. The reason was the arrival of Wang P'ing. Between the two bodies the Mans were beaten. Their chief, Tungt'una, got away. Wei Yen's men followed, but they could not catch him.

When Chao Yün led his men to attack the third camp in the rear, Ma Chung made an attack on the front. They scored a success, but the chief, Ahuinan, escaped.

They returned to headquarters, and K'ung-ming said, "The three parties of Mans have fled; where is the head of the first of the three chiefs?"

Chao Yün produced it. At the same time he reported that the other two chiefs had escaped by abandoning their horses and going over the hill. They could not be followed.

"They are already prisoners," said K'ung-ming with a laugh. The fighting men could not credit it. But soon after the two chiefs were brought in. When some expressed surprise and admiration, K'ung-ming said, "I had studied the map and knew the positions of the camps. I taunted Chao Yün and Wei Yen into making a supreme effort at the same time that I sent other forces, because I knew the first two were the only men for the task. I felt certain the two chiefs would run away along those small roads, and I set men on those roads to wait for them. They also were supported."

They all bowed, saying, "The Prime Minister's calculations are divine and incomprehensible."