man　on　his　staff。　Deng　Ai　had　an　impediment　in　his　speech；　so　that　he　called　himself　'Deng…eng…eng…Ai'；　and　Sima　Yi　used　to　make　fun　of　him　and　asked　him　one　day　how　many　there　were　of　him　since　he　called　himself　'Deng…eng…eng…Ai'。　Deng　Ai　at　once　replied；　'There　is　only　one　phoenix　when　they　say　'O　Phoenix！　O　Phoenix！''　This　ready　repartee　shows　the　quickness　of　his　intellect；　and　you　may　well　be　on　your　guard　against　him　and　the　other；　for　they　are　to　be　feared。〃

〃I　do　not　think　them　worth　even　talking　about；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。

Jiang　Wei　took　Xiahou　Ba　to　Chengdu　and　presented　him　to　the　Latter　Ruler。

Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Sima　Yi　had　slain　Cao　Shuang；　and　he　wanted　to　bait　Xiahou　Ba；　who　yielded　to　Shu。　Now　the　Simas；　father　and　sons；　are　holding　the　supreme　power；　the　young　Ruler　Cao　Fang　is　a　weakling；　and　Wei's　fortune　is　near　its　end。　For　many　years　in　Hanzhong；　our　troops　have　been　well　trained；　and　our　stores　and　depots　filled　with　ample　supplies。　Now　I　wish　to　lead　an　expedition；　using　Xiahou　Ba　as　guide；　to　conquer　the　Middle　Land　and　to　reestablish　the　House　of　Han　in　its　old　capital。　This　is　how　I　could　show　my　gratitude　to　Your　Majesty　and　fulfill　the　desire　of　the　late　Prime　Minister。〃

But　Fei　Yi；　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　opposed　any　expedition；　saying；　〃We　have　lately　lost　by　death　two　trusty　ministers；　Jiang　Wan　and　Dong　Yun；　and　there　is　no　one　left　fit　to　take　care　of　the　government。　The　attempt　should　be　postponed；　no　hasty　move　should　be　made。〃

〃Not　so；〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。　〃Life　is　short。　Our　days　flash　by　as　the　glint　of　a　white　horse　across　a　chink　in　the　door。　We　are　waiting　and　waiting。　Are　we　never　to　try　to　restore　Han　to　its　old　glory？〃

〃Remember　the　saying　of　the　wise　Sun　Zi：　'Know　thyself　and　know　thi