o　not　get　away；　and　you　will　be　irresistible。〃

〃Your　words　are　good；〃　said　Sima　Shi。　〃However；　I　cannot　go　out　to　war　till　I　have　recovered。　Yet；　to　send　another　is　to　take　great　risks；　and　I　shall　feel　insecure。〃

＇e＇　Chu　was　one　of　the　most　important　of　states　contending　for　power　in　both　Spring　and　Autumn　and　Warring　States　periods。　If　other　states　wanted　to　be　dominant；　they　had　to　fight　and　defeat　Chu。　Located　in　the　fertile　valley　of　the　Great　River　（Yangtze）　in　the　south；　corresponding　to　the　surrounding　territory　of　Jingzhou。

There　was　also　present　Secretary　Zhong　Hui；　who　here　interposed；　saying；　〃The　forces　of　the　South　of　River　Huai　and　Chu*　are　very　formidable。　If　you　send　another；　there　is　danger　whatever　happens；　and　if　your　leader　makes　a　serious　mistake；　your　whole　policy　will　fail。〃

〃No　one　but　myself　can　succeed；〃　cried　Sima　Shi；　starting　from　his　couch。　〃I　must　go。〃

So；　in　spite　of　illness；　he　resolved