nd　troubles　gather　everywhere。　I　want　your　friend　to　tell　me　how　to　restore　order。〃

〃You；　Sir；　wish　to　arrest　the　present　disorder；　although　you　are　a　kindly　man　and；　from　the　oldest　antiquity；　the　correction　of　disorder　has　demanded　stern　measures。　On　the　day　that　Liu　Bang　first　put　his　hand　to　the　work　and　slew　the　wicked　ruler　of　Qin；　order　began　to　replace　disorder。　Good　government　began　with　the　Supreme　Ancestor　（BC　206）；　and　endured　two　hundred　years………two　centuries　of　tranquillity。　Then　came　Wang　Mang's　rebellion；　and　disorder　took　the　place　of　order。　Anon；　arose　Liu　Xiu；　who　restored　the　Han　Dynasty；　and　order　once　more　prevailed。　We　have　had　two　centuries　of　order　and　tranquillity；　and　the　time　of　trouble　and　battles　is　due。　The　restoration　of　peace　will　take　time。　It　cannot　be　quickly　acplished。　You；　Sir；　wish　to　get　Zhuge　Liang　to　regulate　times　and　seasons；　to　repair　the　cosmos；　but　I　fear　the　task　is　indeed　difficult；　and　to　attempt　it　would　be　a　vain　expenditure　of　mental　energy。　You　know　well　that　he　who　goes　with　the　favor　of　Heaven　travels　an　easy　road；　he　who　goes　contrary　meets　difficulties。　One　cannot　escape　one's　lot；　one　cannot　evade　fate。〃

〃Master；〃　replied　Liu　Bei；　〃your　insight　is　indeed　deep；　and　your　words　of　wide　meaning。　But　I　am　a　scion　of　the　House　of　Han　and　must　help　it。　Dare　I　talk　of　the　inevitable　and　trust　to　fate？〃

Cui　Zhouping　replied；　〃A　simple　denizen　of　the　mountain　wilds　is　unfitted　to　discuss　the　affairs　of　empire。　But　you　bade　me　speak　and　I　have　spoken………perhaps　somewhat　madly。〃

〃Master；　I　am　grateful　for　your　instruction。　But　know　you　whither　Zhuge　Liang　has　gone？〃

〃I　also　came　to　see　him；　and　I　know　not　where　he　is；〃　said　Cui　Zhouping。

〃If　I　asked　you；　Master；　to　acpany　me　to　my　po