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t　we　can　deal　with　Wei。　If　Wei　is　reduced；　Wu　will　not　last　long；　and　the　whole　empire　will　again　be　under　one　ruler。〃

Presently　the　report　reached　the　capital　that　Deng　Zhi　and　Zhang　Wen；　as　envoy　of　Wu；　would　soon　arrive。　The　Latter　Ruler　assembled　the　courtiers　to　receive　them　honorably。　The　envoy　of　Wu　carried　himself　as　one　who　had　attained　his　desires；　and　advanced　boldly。　Having　made　his　salute；　the　Latter　Ruler　gave　him　to　sit　on　a　brocaded　stool　on　his　left　hand。　A　banquet　followed　at　which　Zhang　Wen　was　treated　with　much　honor。　At　the　end　of　the　banquet；　the　whole　court　escorted　the　envoy　to　the　guest…house　where　he　was　to　lodge。

On　the　second　day　there　was　a　banquet　at　the　Prime　Ministers　palace；　and　Zhuge　Liang　broached　the　real　business。

He　said；　〃Our　First　Ruler　was　not　on　friendly　terms　with　Wu。　But　that　is　all　changed；　as　is　demonstrated　by　these　banquets；　and　our　present　Emperor　is　disposed　to　be　very　friendly。　It　is　hoped　that　the　former　enmity　may　be　entirely　forgotten　and　the　two　countries　swear　eternal　friendship　and　alliance　in　their　mon　end………the　destruction　of　Wei。　I　look　to　you；　Sir；　to　speak　in　favor　of　this　league。〃

Zhang　Wen　said　that　he　would　support　the　plan。　The　wine　went　merrily　round；　and　as　the　envoy　became　mellow；　he　laughed　freely　and　swaggered　and　put　on　a　proud　demeanor。

Next　day　the　Latter　Ruler　gave　Zhang　Wen　rich　presents　of　gold　and　studs　and　prepared　a　parting　banquet　for　him　in　the　south　guest…chamber；　and　all　the　court　assembled　to　take　leave　of　him。　The　Prime　Minister　paid　him　assiduous　attention　and　pressed　him　to　drink。　While　this　banquet　was　in　progress；　a　man　suddenly　came　in　as　if　he　were　already　drunk；　made　a　proud　sort　of　salutation　to　the　pany　and　at　once　took　a　seat。

His　conduct　seemed　strange　to　Zhang　Wen；　who　asked；　〃Who　is　the　new　er；　Sir　Prime　Minister？〃

〃He　is　a　man　named　Qin　Mi；　a　Doctorate　Academician　of　Yizhou；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。

〃He　may　be　that；〃　said　Zhang　Wen　with　a　laugh；　〃but　I　wonder　if　he　has　any　learning　at　all　inside　him。〃

Qin　Mi　listened　without　changing　countenance；　and　said；　〃Since　our　children　are　all　learned；　of　course　I　am　more　so。〃

〃What　may　have　been　your　special　studies；　Sir？〃　said　Zhang　Wen。

〃Many　things：　Astronomy　on　one　hand；　geography　on　the　other；　the　three　teachings　and　the　nine　systems；　many　philosophers；　history　all　through；　and　many　sacred　books　and　traditions。〃

〃Since　you　talk　so　big；〃　said　Zhang　Wen；　〃I　should　like　to　ask　you　a　few　questions　on　celestial　matters。　Now　has　the　sky　a　head？〃

〃Yes；　it　has　a　head。〃

〃Where　is　it？〃

〃In　the　western　quarter。　The　Odes　say；　God　turns　his　head　kindly　toward　the　west；　and　further　it　follows　from　this　that　the　head　is　in　the　west。〃

〃Well；　has　the　sky　ears？〃

〃Oh；　yes。　The　sky　is　above　and　listens　to　all　things　below。　The　Odes　say；　The　crane　calls　from　the　midst　of　the　marsh；　its　cry　is　heard　by　the　sky。　How　could　the　sky　hear　without　ears？〃

〃Has　the　sky　feet？〃

〃It　has。　The　Odes　say；　Heaven　treads　down　difficulties。　If　there　were　no　feet；　how　could　it　tread？〃

〃Has　heaven　a　name？〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Then　what　is　it？〃

〃Liu。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃Because　the　Emperors　family　name　is　Liu；　and　he　is　the　Son　of　Heaven。　That　is　how　I　know。〃

〃Does　the　sun　spring　from　the　east？〃

〃Though　it　does；　yet　it　sets　in　the　west。〃

All　this　time　Qin　Mis　repartees　had　flashed　back　clear　and　perfect。　They　came　so　naturally　as　to　astonish　all　the　guests。　Zhang　Wen　had　no　word　to　reply　to　them。

Then　it　became　Qin　Mis　turn；　〃You　are　a　famous　scholar　in　your　own　land；　Sir；　and　since　you　have　asked　so　many　questions　about　Heaven；　I　take　it　you　are　I　well　up　in　all　celestial　matters。　When　original　chaos　resolved　into　its　two　elements　yin　and　yang；　the　lighter　portion　rose　and　became　sky；　and　the　grosser　sank　and　solidified　into　earth。　When　Gong　Gongs　rebellion　was　crushed；　his　head　struck　the　Imperfect　Mountain；　the　pillar；　which　upholds　heaven；　was　broken　and　the　bonds　of　earth　were　destroyed。　Heaven　fell　over　to　the　northwest；　and　earth　sank　into　the　southeast。　Since　heaven　was　ethereal　and　had　floated　to　the　top；　how　could　it　fall　over？　Another　thing　I　do　not　know　is　what　is　beyond　the　ether。　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　explain；　Master。〃

Zhang　Wen　had　no　reply　ready；　but　he　rose　from　his　place　and　bowed　his　acknowledgment；　saying；　〃I　knew　not　that　there　was　so　much　ability　in　this　land。　I　am　happy　to　have　heard　such　a　discourse。　Now　all　obstructions　have　disappeared；　and　I　see　quite　clearly。〃

But　Zhuge　Liang；　fearing　lest　the　guest　should　feel　mortified；　soothed　him　with　fair　words；　saying；　〃This　is　all　play　upon　words；　the　sort　of　puzzles　one　propounds　at　a　merry　feast。　You；　honored　Sir；　know　that　the　tranquillity　and　safety　of　states　are　no　matters　to　joke　with。〃