es　going　in　every　direction　and　thus　destroyed　all　the　ships　together　with　much　grain　and　many　weapons。

Zhuge　Jin；　who　was　in　mand；　led　his　beaten　troops　to　Miankou；　and　the　attackers　returned　to　their　camp　much　elated。

When　the　report　came　to　Lu　Xun；　he　called　together　his　officers　and　said；　〃I　must　write　to　the　Emperor　to　abandon　the　siege　of　Xincheng；　that　the　army　may　be　employed　to　cut　off　the　retreat　of　the　Wei　army　while　I　will　attack　them　in　front。　They　will　be　harassed　by　the　double　danger；　and　we　shall　break　them。〃

All　agreed　that　this　was　a　good　plan；　and　the　memorial　was　drafted。　It　was　sent　by　the　hand　of　a　junior　officer；　who　was　told　to　convey　it　secretly。　But　this　messenger　was　captured　at　the　ferry　and　taken　before　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

Cao　Rui　read　the　dispatch；　then　said　with　a　sigh；　〃This　Lu　Xun　of　Wu　is　really　very　resourceful。〃

The　captive　was　put　into　prison；　and　Liu　Shao　was　told　off　to　defend　the　rear　and　keep　off　Sun　Quan's　army。

Now　Zhuge　Jin's　defeated　soldiers　were　suffering　from　hot　weather　illnesses；　and　at　length　he　was　pelled　to　write　and　tell　Lu　Xun；　and　ask　that　his　army　be　relieved　and　sent　home。

Having　read　this　dispatch；　Lu　Xun　said　to　the　messenger；　〃Make　my　obeisance　to　the　General；　and　say　that　I　will　decide。〃

When　the　messenger　returned　with　this　reply；　Zhuge　Jin　asked　what　was　doing　in　the　mander…in…Chief's　camp。

The　messenger　replied；　〃The　soldiers　were　all　outside　planting　beans；　and　the　officers　were　amusing　themselves　at　the　gates。　They　were　playing　a　game　of　skill；　throwing　arrows　into　narrow…necked　vases。〃

Alarmed；　Zhuge　Jin　himself　went　to　his　chief's　camp。

Said　he；　〃Cao　Rui　himself　leads　the　expedition；　and　the　enemy　is　very　strong。　How　do　you；　O　m