ords　were　meant　to　provoke　me。　I　did　despise　him　for　a　moment；　and　it　has　very　nearly　lost　me。〃

So　Sun　Quan　returned　to　the　audience　chamber　where　the　guest　was　still　seated　and　begged　Zhuge　Liang　to　continue　his　speech。

Sun　Quan　spoke　courteously；　saying；　〃I　offended　you　just　now。　I　hope　you　are　not　implacable。〃

〃And　I　also　was　rude；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃I　entreat　pardon。〃

Host　and　guest　retired　to　the　inner　room　where　wine　was　served。

After　it　had　gone　round　several　times；　Sun　Quan　said；　〃The　enemies　of　Cao　Cao　were　Lu　Bu；　Liu　Biao；　Yuan　Shao；　Yuan　Shu；　Liu　Bei；　and　my　poor　self。　Now　most　of　these　are　gone；　and　only　Liu　Bei　and　I　remain。　I　will　never　allow　the　land　of　Wu　to　be　dictated　to　by　another。　The　only　one　who　could　have　withstood　Cao　Cao　was　Liu　Bei；　but　he　has　been　defeated　lately　and　what　can　he　do　now　against　such　force？〃

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Although　defeated；　Liu　Bei　still　has　Guan　Yu　with　ten　thousand　veterans。　And　Liu　Qi　still　leads　the　troops　of　Jiangxia；　another　ten　thousand。　Cao　Cao's　army　is　far　from　home；　and　the　soldiers　are　worn　out。　They　made　a　frantic　effort　to　e　up　with　my　master；　and　the　light　horse　marched　one　hundred　miles　in　a　day　and　a　night。　This　was　the　final　kick　of　the　crossbow　spring；　and　the　bolt　was　not　swift　enough　to　penetrate　even　the　thin　silken　vesture　of　Lu。　The　army　can　do　no　more。　They　are　northern　people；　unskilled　in　water　warfare；　and　the　people　of　Jingzhou　are　unwilling　supporters。　They　have　no　desire　to　help　Cao　Cao。　Now　if　you；　General；　will　assist　Liu　Bei；　Cao　Cao　will　certainly　be　broken；　and　he　must　retire　northwards。　Then　your　country　and　Jingzhou　will　be　strong；　and　the　tripod　will　be　firmly　established。　But　the　scheme　must　be　carried　out　without　delay；　and　only　you　ca