s　insulting　the　army　and　reminding　them　that　he　had　the　helmet　of　their　leader。　And　he　was　challenging　them。　The　generals　were　greatly　incensed　and　desired　to　accept　the　challenge；　but　the　mander…in…Chief　was　immovable　in　his　decision　to　obey　his　orders。

〃The　Holy　One　says：　'If　one　cannot　suffer　small　things；　great　matters　are　imperiled。'　Our　plan　is　to　defend。〃

So　the　challenge　was　not　accepted；　and　there　was　no　battle。　After　reviling　them　for　some　time；　Wei　Yan　went　away。

Seeing　that　his　enemy　was　not　to　be　provoked　into　fighting；　Zhuge　Liang　gave　orders　to　Ma　Dai　to　build　a　strong　stockade　in　the　Gourd　Valley　and　therein　to　excavate　pits　and　to　collect　large　quantities　of　inflammables。　So　on　the　hill　they　piled　wood　and　straw　in　the　shape　of　sheds；　and　all　about　they　dug　pits　and　buried　mines。　When　these　preparations　were　plete；　Ma　Dai　received　instructions　to　block　the　road　in　rear　of　Gourd　Valley　and　to　lay　an　ambush　at　the　entrance。

〃If　Sima　Yi　es；　let　him　enter　the　valley；　and　then　explode　the　mines　and　set　fire　to　the　straw　and　the　wood；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Also；　set　up　seven　star　flags　at　the　mouth　of　the　valley　and　arrange　a　night　signal　of　seven　lamps　on　the　hill。〃

After　Ma　Dai　had　gone；　Wei　Yan　was　called　in；　and　Zhuge　Liang　said　to　him；　〃Go　to　the　camp　of　Wei　with　five　hundred　troops　and　provoke　them　to　battle。　The　important　matter　is　to　entice　Sima　Yi　out　of　his　stronghold。　You　will　be　unable　to　obtain　a　victory；　so　retreat　that　he　may　pursue。　You　are　to　make　for　the　signal；　the　seven　star　flags　by　day　or　the　seven　lamps　at　night。　Thus　you　will　lead　him　into　the　Gourd　Valley；　where　I　have　a　plan　prepared　for　him。〃

When　Wei　Yan　had　gone；　Gao　Xiang　was　summoned。

〃Take　small　herds；　forty　or　fifty　at　a　time；　of