cked　with　the　news；　Jiang　Wei　bade　Xiahou　Ba　march　away　first；　and　he　covered　the　retreat。　Chen　Tai　pursued　in　five　divisions　along　five　different　roads；　but　Jiang　Wei　got　possession　of　the　meeting　point　and　held　them　all　in　check；　finally　forcing　them　back　on　the　hills。　But　from　this　position　Chen　Tai　ordered　his　troops　to　shoot　heavy　discharges　of　arrows　and　stones　so　that　Jiang　Wei　was　forced　to　abandon　his　position。　He　went　to　River　Yao；　where　Guo　Huai　led　his　force　out　to　attack。　Jiang　Wei　went　to　and　fro　smiting　where　he　could；　but　he　was　surrounded　and　only　got　out　by　a　desperate　effort　and　after　suffering　more　than　half　of　his　force。

Jiang　Wei　hastened　toward　Yangping　Pass；　but　fell　in　with　another　body　of　the　enemy；　at　the　head　of　which　he　saw　a　fierce；　youthful　leader；　who　at　once　rode　out　furiously　to　attack。　This　leader　had　a　round　face；　long　ears；　and　a　square　mouth　with　thick　lips。　Below　his　left　eye　was　a　large　hairy　mole。　It　was　the　elder　son　of　Sima　Yi。　He　was　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　Sima　Shi。

〃Simpleton！　How　dare　you　stand　in　my　way？〃　yelled　Jiang　Wei；　as　he　rode　forward　with　his　spear　set。

Sima　Shi　met　the　attack；　and　a　few　bouts　were　fought　before　Sima　Shi　fled。　Jiang　Wei　came　off　victor　and　so　was　free　to　continue　his　way。　Presently　he　reached　the　pass　and　was　weled　within　its　sheltering　walls。　Sima　Shi　soon　followed　and　attacked　the　Pass　after　his　arrival；　but　those　within　the　ramparts　replied　with　the　multiple　crossbows　which　threw　ten　bolts　at　each　discharge。　For　the　army　of　Shu　had　made　these　engines　of　war　after　the　design　left　by　Zhuge　Liang。

Owing　to　superior　weapons；　Shu　defeated　Wei；

Wei　would　never　recover　what　was　lost　that　day。

What　befell　Sima　Shi　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。