s　and　give　him　secret　instructions；　and　I　will　dispose　the　others。〃

And　Liu　Bei　was　glad。

Let　Zhou　Yu　lay　what　plans　he　will；

Zhuge　Liang　anticipates　his　skill；

That　land　of　rivers　fair　bait　did　look；

But　he　forgot　the　hidden　hook。

Lu　Su　hastened　back　to　Zhou　Yu　to　tell　him　that　all　was　going　as　he　desired　and　Liu　Bei　would　e　out　to　wele　the　army。

Zhou　Yu　laughed　with　glee；　saying；　〃At　last！　Now　they　will　fall　into　my　trap。〃

Zhou　Yu　bade　Lu　Su　prepare　a　petition　for　the　information　of　the　Marquis；　and　he　ordered　Cheng　Pu　to　bring　up　reinforcements。　He　himself　had　nearly　recovered　from　the　arrow　wound　and　felt　well。　He　made　his　dispositions　for　the　advance；　appointing　Gan　Ning　Van　Leader；　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　the　manders　of　the　body；　and　Ling　Tong　and　Lu　Meng　Rear　Guards。　The　army　numbered　fifty　thousand　troops；　and　Zhou　Yu　marched　with　the　second　division。　While　voyaging　in　his　ship；　he　was　always　smiling　to　think　how　he　was　to　have　Zhuge　Liang　at　last。

At　Xiakou　he　inquired；　〃Is　there　anyone　to　wele　the　brave　army？〃

They　told　him；　〃The　Imperial　Uncle　has　sent　Mi　Zhu　to　greet　us。〃

And　Mi　Zhu　was　called。

〃What　of　the　preparations　for　the　army？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu　as　soon　as　Mi　Zhu　came。

〃My　master　has　seen　to　that。　All　is　prepared；〃　said　Mi　Zhu。

〃Where　is　the　Imperial　Uncle？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃He　is　at　the　city　of　Jingzhou；　waiting　outside　the　walls　to　offer　you　the　cup　of　greeting。〃

〃This　expedition　is　on　your　account；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃When　one　undertakes　so　long　a　march　and　such　a　task；　the　rewards　for　the　army　must　be　very　substantial。〃

Having　got　this　idea　of　what　Zhou　Yu　expected；　Mi　Zhu　returned　to　his　own　city；　while　the　southern　battle　ships　in　close　o