nce；　for　if　not　the　enemy　will　do　so。〃

Sima　Shi　sent　Wang　Ji　to　carry　out　his　own　plan。

Reports　of　these　movements　of　the　enemy　came　to　Guanqiu　Jian　in　Xiangcheng；　and　an　assembly　of　officers　was　called。

The　Leader　of　the　Van；　Ge　Yong；　said；　〃Nandun　is　an　excellent　site　for　a　camp；　with　a　river　beside　it　and　hills　at　the　rear。　If　the　Wei　armies　camp　there；　we　shall　be　unable　to　dislodge　them。　Let　us　occupy　it。〃

So　the　army　set　out。　But　before　they　drew　near；　the　scouts　reported　a　camp　already　there。　It　was　incredible；　and　Guanqiu　Jian　rode　to　the　front　to　reconnoiter。　He　was　convinced　by　the　sight　of　flags　and　banners　over　all　the　plain；　fluttering　above　an　orderly　array　of　tents　and　huts。　The　sight　disconcerted　him；　and　he　rode　back　to　the　main　body　not　knowing　what　to　do。

Just　then　a　scout　came　in　to　say：　〃Sun　Jun　of　Wu　has　crossed　the　river　to　attack　Shouchun。〃

〃If　we　lose　that　city；　we　shall　have　no　base；〃　cried　Guanqiu　Jian。

That　same　night　he　retreated　upon　Xiangcheng。

Seeing　the　enemy　retreat；　Sima　Shi　called　together　his　officers　to　talk　it　over。

Chair　of　the　Secretariat　Fu　Gu；　who　was　of　the　expedition；　said；　〃The　retirement　to　Xiangcheng　was　obviously　due　to　Wu's　threatened　attack　upon　Shouchun。　General；　you　should　send　three　armies　to　attack　upon　Xiangcheng；　Lojia；　and　Shouchun。　The　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou；　Deng　Ai；　is　a　man　of　tactics；　he　should　be　sent　against　Lojia。　Our　main　army　will　reinforce　them。〃

His　plan　was　acceptable　to　Sima　Shi；　who　sent　letters　to　Yanzhou　telling　Deng　Ai　to　march　against　Lojia；　where　Sima　Shi　himself　would　soon　meet　him。

Camped　at　Xiangcheng；　Guanqiu　Jian　sent　spies　to　Lojia　to　see　what　might　be　happening　there；　for　he　feared　it　would　be　attacked。