s　leaders；　〃Sima　Zhao　has　suffered　a　defeat　and　retreated　to　the　north。　It　is　time　to　take　the　Middle　Land！〃

So　he　told　his　officers　that　this　was　his　intention；　and　also　sent　away　letters　to　Shu　to　engage　the　aid　of　Jiang　Wei；　promising　that　the　empire　should　be　divided　between　them　when　they　had　taken　it。

An　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops　was　told　off　to　invade　the　Middle　Land。　Just　as　it　was　starting；　a　stream　of　white　vapor　was　seen　emerging　from　the　earth；　and　as　it　spread　it　gradually　enveloped　the　whole　army　so　that　people　could　not　see　each　other。

〃It　is　a　white　rainbow；〃　said　Jiang　Yan；　〃and　it　bodes　ill　to　the　army。　I　advise　you；　O　Imperial　Guardian；　to　return　and　not　march　against　Wei。〃

〃How　dare　you　utter　such　ill…omened　words　and　blunt　the　keenness　of　my　army？〃　cried　Zhuge　Ke；　angrily。

He　bade　the　lictors　take　Jiang　Yan　out　and　put　him　to　death。　But　Jiang　Yan's　colleagues　interceded　for　him；　and　he　was　spared；　but　he　was　stripped　of　all　rank。　Orders　were　issued　to　march　quickly。

Then　Ding　Feng　offered　a　suggestion；　saying；　〃Wei　depends　on　Xincheng　for　the　defense　of　its　passes。　It　would　be　a　severe　blow　to　Sima　Shi　if　Xincheng　falls。〃

Zhuge　Ke　weled　this　suggestion　and　gave　orders　to　march　on　Xincheng。　They　came　up　and　found　the　city　gates　closed；　wherefore　they　began　to　besiege　the　city。　The　mander　in　the　city；　Zhang　Te；　saw　the　legions　of　Wu　at　the　walls；　held　a　strict　defense。

A　hasty　messenger　was　sent　to　Luoyang；　and　Secretary　Yu　Song　told　the　Prime　Minister；　Sima　Shi。

Yu　Song　said；　〃Zhuge　Ke　is　laying　siege　to　Xincheng。　The　city　should　not　try　to　repulse　the　attack；　but　simply　hold　out　as　long　as　possible。　When　the　besiegers　have　exhausted　their　provisions；　they　will　be　pelled　to　reti