＇e＇　Han　Xin　was　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　Before　serving　Han；　Han　Xin　had　been　an　officer　under　Xiang　Yu。　Disappointed　because　his　plans　were　rejected；　Han　Xin　left　Xiang　Yu　and　joined　Liu　Bang's　camp；　where　he　was　made　mander…in…Chief　by　remendations　of　Xiao　He　and　Zhang　Liang。　Enobled　as　King　of　Qi；　then　King　of　Chu。　。。。。。

〃Small　forces　are　no　match　for　large　armies。　Victory　and　defeat　are　mon　episodes　in　every　campaign。　The　great　Founder　of　the　Hans　suffered　many　defeats　at　the　hands　of　Xiang　Yu；　but　Liu　Bang　finally　conquered　at　Gaixia；　and　that　battle　was　decisive。　Was　not　this　due　to　the　strategy　of　Han　Xin*　who；　though　he　had　long　served　Liu　Bang；　had　never　won　a　victory。　Indeed　real　statesmanship　and　the　restoration　of　stable　government　is　a　master　plan　far　removed　from　the　vapid　discourses　and　debates　of　a　lot　of　bragging　babblers　and　specious　and　deceitful　talkers；　who；　as　they　themselves　say；　are　immeasureably　superior　to　the　rest　of　humankind　but　who；　when　it　es　to　deeds　and　decisions　to　meet　the　infinite　and　constant　vicissitudes　of　affairs；　fail　to　throw　up　a　single　capable　person。　Truly　such　people　are　the　laughing　stock　of　all　the　world。〃

Zhang　Zhao　found　no　reply　to　this　diatribe。

But　another　in　the　assembly　lifted　up　his　voice；　saying；　〃But　what　of　Cao　Cao's　present　position？　There　he　is；　encamped　with　one　hundred　legions　and　a　thousand　leaders。　Whither　he　goes　he　is　invincible　as　wriggling　dragon；　and　whither　he　looks　he　is　as　fearsome　as　roaring　tiger。　He　seems　to　have　taken　Jiangxia　already；　as　we　see。〃

The　speaker　was　Yu　Fan。

And　Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　has　acquired　the　swarms　of　Yuan　Shao　and　stolen　the　crowds　of　Liu　Biao。　Yet　I　care　not　for　all　his　mob　legions。〃

Yu　Fan　smiled　icily；　saying；　〃When　y