g　Chong；　and　Li　Qiu；　the　defenders；　however；　held　the　city　desperately；　but　to　no　avail　for　their　numbers　being　small；　and　the　three　leaders　were　slain。　This　was　the　end　of　the　defense；　and　Deng　Ai　then　entered　as　conqueror。　Having　rewarded　his　army；　he　set　out　for　Chengdu。

The　closing　days　of　the　Latter　Ruler　were

As　had　been　those　of　Liu　Zhang。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　of　the　defense　of　Chengdu。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　118　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　118

Chapter　118

Weeping　At　The　Ancestral　Temple；　A　Filial　Prince　Dies；

Marching　To　The　West　River　Land；　Two　Leaders　petes。

The　news　of　the　fall　of　Mianzhu　and　the　deaths　in　battle　of　Zhuge　Zhan　and　Zhuge　Shang；　father　and　son；　brought　home　to　the　Latter　Ruler　that　danger　was　very　near；　and　he　summoned　a　council。

Then　the　officials　said；　〃Panic　has　seized　upon　the　people；　and　they　are　leaving　the　city　in　crowds。　Their　cries　shake　the　very　sky！〃

Sorely　he　felt　his　helplessness。　Soon　they　reported　the　enemy　were　actually　near　the　city；　and　many　courtiers　advised　flight。

〃We　do　not　have　enough　troops　to　protect　the　capital。　Leave　the　city　and　flee　south　to　the　seven　counties　of　Nanzhong；〃　said　they。　〃The　country　is　difficult　and　easily　defended。　We　can　get　the　Mangs　to　e　and　help　us。〃

But　Minister　Qiao　Zhou　opposed；　saying；　〃No；　no；　that　will　not　do。　The　Mangs　are　old　rebels。　To　go　to　them　would　be　a　calamity。〃

Then　some　proposed　seeking　refuge　in　Wu：　〃The　people　of　Wu　are　our　sworn　allies；　and　this　is　a　moment　of　extreme　danger。　Let　us　go　thither。〃

But　Qiao　Zhou　also　opposed　this；　saying；　〃In　the　whole　course　of　past　ages　no　emperor　has　ever　gone　to　another　state。　So　far　as　I　can　see；　Wei　will