that　the　building　is　about　to　be　burned。〃

〃Ah　！　If　only　Zhuge　Liang　the　Martial　Lord　was　still　alive………how　different　all　would　be！〃　said　Sun　Xiu；　with　a　sigh。

Letters　were　prepared　saying　that　beyond　doubt　Sima　Zhao　intended　usurpation；　and　when　that　came　about　in　Wei；　both　Wu　and　Shu　would　be　invaded。　Wherefore　both　should　be　ready。

On　the　arrival　of　these　letters；　Jiang　Wei　hastened　to　seek　permission　to　attempt　another　expedition。　Consent　being　given；　a　large　army　marched　into　Hanzhong　in　the　winter　of　the　first　year　of　Wonderful　Sight　（AD　258）。　Liao　Hua　and　Zhang　Yi　were　appointed　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　as　manders　of　the　Left　Army；　and　Jiang　Shu　and　Fu　Qian　as　manders　of　the　Right　Army；　while　Jiang　Wei　and　Xiahou　Ba　led　the　main　column。

Asked　what　he　thought　should　be　the　first　objective；　Xiahou　Ba　replied；　〃There　is　no　better　fighting　ground　than　Qishan；　as　the　tactics　of　the　late　Prime　Minister　made　evident；　and　it　is　the　only　good　exit。〃

So　thither　three　armies　marched；　and　they　made　three　camps　at　the　entrance　to　the　valley。　At　this　time　Deng　Ai　had　a　training　camp　at　Qishan　drilling　the　Longyou　troops。

The　scouts　told　him：　〃The　Shu　army　have　pitched　three　camps　in　the　valley。〃

He　ascended　a　hill　to　see　and　verify　their　reports。　He　seemed　pleased　when　he　saw　the　enemy　camp。

〃They　have　just　done　as　I　foresaw；〃　said　Deng　Ai。

Now　Deng　Ai　had　carefully　considered　the　topography　of　the　countryside；　and　so　had　not　interfered　with　the　Shu　army　when　it　was　on　the　march　or　settling　into　camp。　Moreover；　he　had　excavated　a　subterranean　road　to　the　spot　where　he　had　thought　they　would　halt；　and　their　left　camp　had　been　pitched　just　on　it。　Wang　Han　and　Jiang　Bin　manded　in　that　camp。