ander；　meet　this　pressing　danger？〃

Lu　Xun　replied；　〃My　messenger　to　the　Emperor　was　captured；　and　thus　my　plans　were　discovered。　Now　it　is　useless　to　prepare　to　fight；　and　so　we　had　better　retreat。　I　have　sent　in　a　memorial　to　engage　the　Emperor　to　retire　gradually。〃

Zhuge　Jin　replied；　〃Why　delay？　If　you　think　it　best　to　retire；　it　had　better　be　done　quickly。〃

〃My　army　must　retreat　slowly；　or　the　enemy　will　e　in　pursuit；　which　will　mean　defeat　and　loss。　Now　you　must　first　prepare　your　ships　as　if　you　meant　to　resist；　while　I　make　a　semblance　of　an　attack　toward　Xiangyang。　Under　cover　of　these　operations　we　shall　withdraw　into　the　South　Land；　and　the　enemy　will　not　dare　to　follow。〃

So　Zhuge　Jin　returned　to　his　own　camp　and　began　to　fit　out　his　ships　as　if　for　an　immediate　expedition；　while　Lu　Xun　made　all　preparations　to　march；　giving　out　that　he　intended　to　advance　upon　Xiangyang。

The　news　of　these　movements　were　duly　reported　in　the　Wei　camps。　When　the　leaders　heard　it；　they　wished　to　go　out　and　fight。　But　the　Ruler　of　Wei　knew　his　opponent　better　than　they　and　would　not　bring　about　a　battle。

So　he　called　his　officers　together　and　said　to　them；　〃This　Lu　Xun　is　very　crafty。　Keep　careful　guard；　but　do　not　risk　a　battle。〃

The　officers　obeyed。

A　few　days　later　the　scouts　brought　in　news：　〃The　three　armies　of　Wu　have　retired！〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　doubted　and　sent　out　some　of　his　own　spies；　who　confirmed　the　report。

＇e＇　Sun　Zi　（aka　Sun　Wu；　Sunzi；　Suntzu；　Sun…tzu；　Sun　tzu）　the　author　of　the　famed　treatise　The　Art　of　War。　A　general　of　Wu　in　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　Sun　Zi　made　her　the　mightiest　state　during　his　lifetime　by　defeating　Chu　and　conquering　Yue。　His　treatise　the　Art　of　War　is　still　avidly　read　t