nd　the　son　of　our　leader；　Gongsun　Xiu；　the　Heir　Apparent；　as　hostage　and　all　the　officers　shall　appear　before　you　bound　with　cords。〃

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃There　are　five　possible　operations　for　any　army。　If　you　can　fight；　fight；　if　you　cannot　fight；　defend；　if　you　cannot　defend；　flee；　if　you　cannot　flee；　surrender；　if　you　cannot　surrender；　die。　These　five　courses　are　open　to　you；　and　a　hostage　would　be　useless。　Now　return　and　tell　your　master。〃

Wei　Yin　put　his　hands　over　his　head　and　fled　like　a　rat。　He　went　into　the　city　and　related　what　had　happened　to　him。

The　Gongsuns；　father　and　son；　resolved　to　flee。　They　chose　a　thousand　of　mounted　troops；　and　in　the　dead　of　night　opened　the　south　gate　and　got　out。　They　took　the　road　to　the　east　and　were　rejoiced　to　find　it　clear。

All　went　well　for　a　distance　of　three　miles；　when　a　bomb　exploded。　This　was　followed　by　a　roll　of　drums　and　the　blare　of　trumpets；　and　a　cohort　stood　in　the　way。　The　leader　was　Sima　Yi；　supported　by　his　two　sons………Sima　Shi　and　Sima　Zhao。

〃Stop；　O　rebel！〃　cried　the　sons。

But　Gongsun　Yuan　lashed　his　steed　to　a　gallop。　Then　Hu　Zun；　Xiahou　Ba；　Xiahou　Wei；　Zhang　Hu；　and　Yue　Chen；　with　their　troops；　came　up　and　quickly　surrounded　them　so　that　they　were　helpless。　Gongsun　Yuan　saw　that　escape　was　impossible；　so　he　came　with　his　son；　dismounted；　and　offered　surrender。

Sima　Yi　hardly　looked　at　the　two　men；　but　he　turned　to　his　officers　and　said；　〃That　night　the　star　fell　to　this　land；　and　today；　five　days　later；　the　omen　bees　true。〃

They　all　felicitated　him；　saying；　〃The　mander　is　superhuman！〃

Gongsun　Yuan　and　Gongsun　Xiu　were　slain　where　they　stood。　Then　Sima　Yi　turned　to　resume　the　siege　of　Xiangping；　but　before　he　had　reached　the　walls；　Hu　Zun's　army　h