and　cut　off　water　supplies。　By　luck　it　snowed；　and　our　soldiers　were　partly　relieved。　But　the　situation　was　very　urgent。〃

〃The　delay　is　not　due　to　my　slackness。　The　Qiang　allies　we　depended　upon　have　not　e；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

Jiang　Wei　sent　an　escort　with　the　wounded　Li　Xin　to　conduct　him　to　Chengdu；　where　his　wounds　could　be　treated。

Turning　to　Xiahou　Ba；　Jiang　Wei　asked；　〃The　Qiangs　do　not　e；　and　the　Wei　army　is　besieging　Qushan。　General；　do　you　have　any　plan　to　propose？〃

Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃If　we　wait　for　the　ing　of　the　Qiangs；　it　looks　as　if　we　shall　be　too　late　to　relieve　Qushan。　It　is　very　probable　that　Yongzhou　has　been　left　undefended；　wherefore　I　propose　that　you　go　toward　Ox　Head　Hills　and　work　round　to　the　rear　of　Yongzhou；　which　will　cause　the　Wei　army　to　fall　back　to　relieve　Yongzhou　and　so　relieve　our　for