Huang　Hao　prostrated　himself　and　wept；　saying；　〃I　am　always　in　attendance　upon　the　Sacred　One………that　is　all　I　do。　I　never　meddle　in　state　affairs。　I　pray　you；　General；　pay　no　heed　to　what　people　say。　If　you　desire　my　death；　I　am　in　your　hands；　but　pity　me。〃

And　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。　Jiang　Wei　went　away　in　ill　humor。　Outside　he　sought　his　friend　Xi　Zheng　and　told　him　what　had　happened。

〃General；　you　are　in　grave　danger；〃　said　Xi　Zheng。　〃And　if　you　fall；　the　country　falls　with　you。〃

〃Can　you　advise　me？〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃How　can　I　secure　the　state　and　myself？〃

Xi　Zheng　replied；　〃There　is　a　place　of　refuge　for　you　in　the　West　Valley　Land；　and　that　is　Tazhong。　It　is　a　rich　county；　and　you　can　make　a　cantonment　there　like　the　Martial　Lord　did。　Request　the　Emperor　to　let　you　go　thither。　You　can　gather　in　corn　and　wheat　for　your　armies；　you　can　secure　all　the　west　of　Longyou；　you　can　keep　Wei　from　troubling　Hanzhong；　you　will　retain　your　military　authority；　so　that　no　one　will　dare　intrigue　against　you；　and　you　will　be　safe。　Thus　you　can　ensure　the　safety　of　the　state　and　yourself。　You　should　lose　no　time。〃

〃Your　speech　is　gold　and　jewels！〃　said　Jiang　Wei；　gratefully。

Without　loss　of　time；　Jiang　Wei　memorialized　the　Throne　and　obtained　the　Latter　Ruler's　consent。　Then　he　returned　to　Hanzhong；　assembled　his　officers；　and　told　them　his　plans。

〃Our　many　expeditions　have　failed　to　achieve　success　owing　to　lack　of　supplies。　Now　I　am　about　to　take　eighty　thousand　troops　to　Tazhong　to　form　a　cantonment　and　grow　wheat　and　corn　ready　for　the　next　expedition。　You　are　spent　with　much　fighting　and　may　now　repose　while　collecting　grain　and　guarding　Hanzhong。　The　armies　of　Wei　are　from　home　and　have　to　drag　their　grain　over　the　mounta