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he　field；　but　he　is　no　match　for　Zhuge　Liang。　Still　there　is　such　a　match；　and　I　will　pledge　my　whole　family　that　he　will　succeed。　But　Your　Majesty　may　be　unwilling　to　listen　to　me。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　replied；　〃You　are　a　minister　of　high　rank　and　old。　If　you　know　any　wise　person　able　to　repel　these　soldiers　of　Shu；　call　him　without　delay　and　ease　my　mind。〃

Then　said　Zhong　Yao；　〃When　Zhuge　Liang　decided　to　invade　us；　he　was　afraid　of　the　one　man　I　will　name。　Wherefore　he　spread　calumnies　concerning　him；　raising　suspicion　in　Your　Majestys　mind　that　you　might　dismiss　him。　That　done；　Zhuge　Liang　invaded。　Now　employ　this　man　again；　and　the　enemy　will　retire。〃

〃Who　is　it？〃　asked　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

〃I　mean　the　Imperial　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　Sima　Yi。〃

〃I　have　long　regretted　my　action；〃　said　Cao　Rui。　〃Where　now　is　friend　Sima　Yi？〃

〃He　is　at　the　city　of　Wancheng；　idle。〃

An　edict　was　prepared　recalling　Sima　Yi　and　restoring　him　to　his　rank　and　titles；　and　conferring　upon　him　the　new　title　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Western　Forces　and　General　Who　Pacifies　the　West。　All　troops　of　Nanyang　were　set　in　motion；　and　Cao　Rui　led　them　to　Changan。　At　the　same　time　Cao　Rui　ordered　Sima　Yi　to　be　there　to　meet　him　on　a　certain　day。　And　the　orders　were　sent　by　a　swift　messenger　to　the　city　of　Wancheng。

At　this　time　Zhuge　Liang　greatly　rejoiced　at　the　success　he　had　had。　He　was　at　Qishan；　busy　with　plans　for　other　victories；　when　Li　Yan；　who　was　in　mand　at　the　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace；　sent　his　son　Li　Teng　to　the　camp。　Zhuge　Liang　concluded　that　such　a　visit　could　only　mean　that　Wu　had　invaded　them；　and　he　was　in　consequence　cast　down。　However；　he　summoned　Li　Teng　to　his　tent；　and　when　asked　the　object　of　his　mission；　Li　Teng　replied　that　he　had　joyful　news　to　impart。

〃What　is　your　joyful　news？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Formerly　Meng　Da　deserted　to　Wei；　but　only　because　he　could　do　nothing　else。　Cao　Pi　thought　much　of　his　capabilities；　treated　him　most　generously；　kept　him　at　his　side；　gave　him　titles　of　General　Who　Establishes　Strong　Arms　and　Lord　of　Pingyang；　and　appointed　him　to　the　posts　of　Governor　of　Xincheng　and　mander　of　Shangyong　and　Jincheng；　and　so　on。　But　when　Cao　Pi　died；　all　was　changed。　In　Cao　Ruis　court　were　many　who　were　jealous　of　Meng　Das　influence　and　power；　so　that　he　enjoyed　no　peace。

〃He　used　to　talk　about　being　originally　one　of　the　Shu　leaders；　and　he　was　forced　to　do　so…and…so。　Lately　he　has　sent　several　confidants　with　letters　to　my　father　asking　that　he　would　state　his　case　to　you　as　to　the　happenings。　When　the　five　armies　came　upon　Shu；　he　wanted　to　rejoin　the　River　Lands。　Now　he　is　at　Xincheng；　and；　hearing　you　are　attacking　Wei；　he　proposes　to　lead　the　army　of　the　three　counties　about　Xincheng；　Jincheng；　and　Shangyong　to　attack　Luoyang　while　you　attack　Changan；　whereby　both　capitals　will　be　taken。　I　have　brought　with　me　his　messenger　and　his　letters。〃

This　was　good　news；　and　the　bearer　was　fittingly　rewarded。　But　at　that　moment　came　the　news　that　Cao　Rui　was　leading　an　army　to　Changan　and　had　recalled　the　banished　Sima　Yi　to　office。　This　piece　of　bad　news　saddened　Zhuge　Liang　not　a　little。

He　told　Ma　Su；　who　said；　〃Cao　Rui　should　not　be　your　worry。　If　he　goes　to　Changan；　we　will　march　there　and　capture　him　on　the　road；　and　there　will　be　an　end　of　him。〃

〃Do　you　think　I　fear　him？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　bitterly。　〃But　the　recall　of　Sima　Yi　is　another　matter；　that　troubles　me。　And　Meng　Das　proposal　will　avail　nothing　if　he　es　across　this　man。　Meng　Da　is　no　match　for　him。　He　will　he　captured；　and；　if　he　should　be；　the　Middle　Land　will　be　hard　to　conquer。〃

〃Why　not　put　Meng　Da　on　his　guard　then？〃　said　Ma　Su。

Zhuge　Liang　decided　to　write；　and　the　letter　was　dispatched　immediately。

Meng　Da　was　then　at　Xincheng；　anxiously　expecting　the　return　of　his　last　confidential　messenger；　when；　one　day；　the　man　returned　and　gave　him　this　letter　from　Zhuge　Liang　himself：

〃Your　last　letter　has　convinced　me　of　your　loyal　rectitude；　and　I　still　remember　with　joy　our　old　friendship。　If　your　plan　succeeds；　you　will　certainly　stand　in　the　first　rank　of　most　worthy　ministers。　But　I　scarcely　need　impress　upon　you　the　extreme　necessity　for　most　perfect　secrecy。　Be　very　careful　whom　you　trust。　Fear　everyone；　guard　against　everyone。　This　news　of　the　recall　of　Sima　Yi　and　the　proposed　junction　of　armies　at　Changan　is　very　serious。　If　a　word　reaches　Sima　Yi；　he　will　e　to　you　first。　Therefore　take　every　precaution　and　do　not　regard　this　as　a　matter　of　unimportance。〃

〃They　say　Zhuge　Liang　leaves　nothing　to　chance；〃　said　Meng　Da；　smiling　as　he　read。　〃This　proves　it。〃

He　lost　no　time　in　preparing　a　reply；　which　he　sent　also　by　a　trusty　messenger。　This　letter　was　like　this：

〃I　acknowledge　your　most　valuable　advice；　but　is　it　possible　that　I　should　be　remiss？　For　my　part　I　do　not　think　the　Sima　Yis　affair　need　cause　anxiety；　for　Wancheng　is　three　hundred　miles　from　Luoyang　and　four　hundred　miles　from　Xincheng。　Should　he　hear　anything；　it　would　take　a　month　to　send　a　memorial　to　the　capital　and　get　a　reply。　My　ramparts　here　are　strong　and　my　forces　posted　in　the　best　positions。　Let　him　e！　I　am　not　afraid　of　the　result；　so　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　need　feel　no　anxiety。　You　have　only　to　wait　for　the　good　news　of　success。〃

Zhuge　Liang　read　the　letter　and　threw　it　on　the　ground；　stamping　his　foot　with　rage。

〃Meng　Da　is　a　dead　man！〃　said　he；　〃A　victim　of　Sima　Yi。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　said　Ma　Su。

〃What　does　the　Art　of　War　say？　Attack　before　the　enemy　is　prepared；　do　what　he　does　not　expect。　What　is　the　use　of　reckoning　upon　a　months　delay　for　sending　up　a　memorial？　Cao　Ruis　mission　has　already　gone；　and　Sima　Yi　may　strike　whom　he　will。　He　will　not　have　to　wait　to　memorialize　the　Throne。　Ten　days　after　he　hears　of　Meng　Das　defection；　he　will　be　upon　Meng　Da　with　an　army；　and　Meng　Da　will　be　helpless。〃

The　others　agreed。　However；　Zhuge　Liang　sent　the　messenger　back　again　with　a　message：

〃If　the　matter　has　not　yet　actually　started；　no　other　person　is　to　be　told　of　it；　for　if　anyone　knows；　it　shall　certainly　e　to　nothing。〃

And　the　messenger　left　for　Xincheng。

In　his　idle　retreat　in　Wancheng；　Sima　Yi　had　heard　of　his　masters　ill…success　against　the　armies　of　Shu；　and　the　news　made　him　very　sad。　He　lifted　up　his　eyes　and　sighed。