the　four　embarked　in　the　same　ship。　They　set　sail；　and　the　fleet　made　for　Xiakou。

About　twenty　miles　from　Three　Gorges　the　fleet　anchored　near　the　shore；　and　Zhou　Yu　built　a　stockade　on　the　bank　near　the　middle　of　their　line　with　the　Western　Hills　as　a　support。　Other　camps　were　made　near　his。　Zhuge　Liang；　however；　took　up　his　quarters　in　a　small　ship。

When　the　camp　dispositions　were　plete；　Zhou　Yu　sent　to　request　Zhuge　Liang　to　e　and　give　him　advice。　Zhuge　Liang　came。

After　the　salutations　were　ended；　Zhou　Yu　said；　〃Cao　Cao；　though　he　had　fewer　troops　than　Yuan　Shao；　nevertheless　overcame　Yuan　Shao　because　he　followed　the　advice　given　by　Xun　You　to　destroy　Yuan　Shao's　supplies　at　Wuchao。　Now　Cao　Cao　has　over　eight　hundred　thousand　troops　while　I　have　but　fifty　or　sixty　thousand。　In　order　to　defeat　him；　his　supplies　must　be　destroyed　first。　I　have　found　out　that　the　main　depot　is　at　the　Iron　Pile　Mountains。　As　you　have　lived　hereabout；　you　know　the　topography　quite　well；　and　I　wish　to　entrust　the　task　of　cutting　off　supplies　to　you　and　your　colleagues　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun。　I　will　assist　you　with　a　thousand　soldiers。　I　wish　you　to　start　without　delay。　In　this　way　we　can　best　serve　our　masters。〃

Zhuge　Liang　saw　through　this　at　once。　He　thought　to　himself；　〃This　is　a　ruse　in　revenge　for　my　not　having　been　persuaded　to　enter　the　service　of　the　South　Land。　If　I　refuse；　I　shall　be　laughed　at。　So　I　will　do　as　he　asks　and　trust　to　find　some　means　of　deliverance　from　the　evil　he　intends。〃

Therefore　Zhuge　Liang　accepted　the　task　with　alacrity；　much　to　the　joy　of　Zhou　Yu。

After　the　leader　of　the　expedition　had　taken　his　leave；　Lu　Su　went　to　Zhou　Yu　secretly　and　said；　〃Why　have　you　set　him　this　task？〃

〃Because　I　wish　to　pa