re。　As　they　retreat；　we　can　smite　them。　However；　it　is　necessary　to　provide　against　any　invasion　from　Shu。〃

Accordingly　Sima　Zhao　was　sent　to　reinforce　Guo　Huai　so　as　to　keep　off　Jiang　Wei；　while　Guanqiu　Jian　and　Hu　Zun　kept　the　army　of　Wu　at　bay。

For　months　the　army　of　Zhuge　Ke　battered　at　Xincheng　without　success。　He　urged　his　generals　to　strenuous　efforts；　threatening　to　put　to　death　anyone　who　was　dilatory。　At　last　his　attacks　looked　like　succeeding；　for　the　northeast　corner　of　the　wall　seemed　shaken。

Then　Zhang　Te；　the　mander　of　Xincheng；　thought　of　a　device。　He　sent　a　persuasive　messenger　with　all　the　register　documents　to　Zhuge　Ke。

And　the　messenger　said；　〃It　is　a　rule　in　Wei　that　if　a　city　holds　out　against　attack　for　a　hundred　days　and　reinforcement　has　not　arrived；　then　its　mander　may　surrender　without　penalty　to　his　family。　Now　Xincheng　has　held　out　for　over　ninety　days；　and　my　master　hopes　you　will　allow　him　to　withstand　the　few　days　necessary　to　plete　the　hundred；　when　he　will　yield。　Here　are　all　register　documents　that　he　desires　to　tender　first。〃

Zhuge　Ke　had　no　doubts　that　the　story　was　genuine。　He　ordered　the　army　to　retreat　temporarily；　and　the　defenders　enjoyed　a　rest。　But　all　Zhang　Te　really　desired　was　time　wherein　to　strengthen　the　weak　angle　of　the　wall。　As　soon　as　the　attacks　ceased；　the　defenders　pulled　down　the　houses　near　the　corner　and　repaired　the　wall　with　the　material。

As　soon　as　the　repairs　were　plete；　Zhang　Te　threw　off　all　pretense　and　cried　from　the　wall；　〃I　have　half　a　year's　provisions　yet　and　will　not　surrender　to　any　curs　of　Wu！〃

The　defense　became　as　vigorous　as　before　the　truce。　Zhuge　Ke　was　enraged　at　being　so　tricked；　and　urged　on　the　attack。　But　one　day　one　of　the　thousands　of　a