ou　Ba；　Jiang　Wei　said；　〃Our　former　attack　on　Yongzhou　failed；　so　this　time　they　will　doubtless　be　even　better　prepared　to　resist。　What　do　you　suggest？〃

Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃Nanan　is　the　only　well…provided　place　in　all　Longshang。　If　we　take　that；　it　will　serve　as　an　excellent　base。　Our　former　ill…success　was　due　to　the　non…arrival　of　the　Qiangs。　Let　us　therefore　send　early　to　tell　them　to　assemble　at　Longyou；　after　which　we　will　move　out　at　Shiying　and　march　to　Nanan　by　way　of　Dongting。〃

〃You　spoke　well；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。

He　at　once　sent　Xi　Zheng　as　his　envoy；　bearing　gifts　of　gold　and　pearls　and　silk　to　win　the　help　of　the　King　of　the　Qiangs；　whose　name　was　Mi　Dang。　The　mission　was　successful：　King　Mi　Dang　accepted　the　presents　and　sent　fifty　thousand　troops　to　Nanan　under　the　Qiang　General　Ehe　Shaoge。

When　Guo　Huai　heard　of　the　threatened　attack；　he　sent　a　hasty　memorial　to　Capital　Luoyang。

Sima　Shi　at　once　asked　his　leaders；　〃Who　will　go　out　to　meet　the　army　from　the　west？〃

Xu　Zi　volunteered；　and　as　Sima　Shi　had　a　high　opinion　of　his　capacity；　he　appointed　Xu　Zi　as　Leader　of　the　Van。　The　brother　of　the　Prime　Minister；　Sima　Zhao；　went　as　mander…in…Chief。

The　Wei　army　set　out　for　West　Valley　Land；　reached　Dongting；　and　there　fell　in　with　Jiang　Wei。　When　both　sides　were　arrayed　Xu　Zi；　who　wielded　a　mighty　splitter…of…mountains　ax　as　his　weapon；　rode　out　and　challenged。　Liao　Hua　went　forth　to　accept；　but　after　a　few　bouts　he　took　advantage　of　a　feint　and　fled。

Then　Zhang　Yi　set　his　spear　and　rode　forth　to　continue　the　fight。　He　also　soon　fled　and　returned　within　his　own　ranks。　Thereupon　Xu　Zi　gave　the　signal　to　fall　on　in　force；　and　the　army　of　Shu　lost　the　day。　They　retired　ten　miles；　Sima　Zhao　also　drew　off　his　troop