gs；　called　a　halt　and　drew　off。

〃Why　did　you　call　us　off；　O　Prince；　just　as　we　were　on　the　point　of　success？〃　said　his　manders。

〃Because　I　saw　the　enemy　had　encamped　with　the　river　in　their　rear；　which　was　very　suspicious。　They　also　abandoned　their　steeds　and　weapons；　which　made　me　doubt。　Wherefore　I　could　only　retire。　But　retain　your　armor。　Let　not　a　person　take　off　his　harness　on　pain　of　death。　Now　retire　as　quickly　as　you　can　march。〃

As　Cao　Cao　turned　about　to　retire；　Zhuge　Liang　hoisted　the　signal　to　attack；　and　the　retreating　soldiers　were　harassed　on　every　side　both　night　and　day　till　they　were　all　disordered。　Cao　Cao　ordered　his　army　to　retire　to　Nanzheng。

Presently　they　saw　flames　rising　all　around；　and　soon　it　was　known　that　their　city　of　refuge　was　in　the　hands　Zhang　Fei　and　Wei　Yan；　who；　after　Yan　Yan　had　taken　the　mand　of　Langzhong；　had　launched　a　double　attack　and　captured　Nanzheng。　Disappointed　and　saddened；　Cao　Cao　bade　them　march　to　Yangping　Pass。　Liu　Bei　with　the　main　army　followed　them　to　Baozhou　and　Nanzheng　and　there　pacified　the　people　and　restored　confidence。

〃Cao　Cao　was　exceedingly　quickly　overe　this　time；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃How　was　that？〃

〃He　has　always　been　of　a　suspicious　nature；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃and　that　has　led　to　many　failures　although　he　is　a　good　leader　of　armies。　I　have　defeated　him　by　playing　upon　his　doubts。〃

〃He　is　rather　weakened　now；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Can　you　not　devise　a　plan　to　drive　him　away　finally？〃

〃That　is　all　thought　out。〃

Next　Zhang　Fei　and　Wei　Yan　were　sent　along　two　different　roads　to　cut　off　Cao　Cao's　supplies。　Two　other　cohorts　led　by　Huang　Zhong　and　Zhao　Yun　were　bidden　to　go　and　fire　the　hills　and　forests。　All　these　four　armies　had　natives　of　the　place　to　ac