get　some　very　solid　help　in　exchange。〃

〃How　do　you　know；　O　Prime　Minister？〃　said　his　officers。

〃Because　Sima　Yi　will　certainly　copy　them；　and　when　he　has　done　that；　I　have　another　plan　ready　to　play　on　him。〃

Some　days　later　Zhuge　Liang　received　a　report　that　the　enemy　were　using　the　same　sort　of　wooden　bullocks　and　horses　to　bring　up　supplies　from　Xizhou。

〃Exactly　as　I　thought；〃　said　be。

Calling　Wang　Ping；　he　said；　〃Dress　up　a　thousand　soldiers　as　those　of　Wei；　and　find　your　way　quickly　and　secretly　to　Beiyuan。　Tell　them　that　you　are　escort　for　the　convoy；　and　mingle　with　the　real　escort。　Then　suddenly　turn　on　them　so　that　they　scatter。　Next　you　will　turn　the　herd　this　way。　By　and　by　you　will　be　pursued。　When　that　occurs；　you　will　give　a　turn　to　the　tongues　of　the　wooden　animals；　and　they　will　be　locked　from　movement。　Leave　them　where　they　are　and　run　away。　When　the　soldiers　of　Wei　e　up；　they　will　be　unable　to　drag　the　creatures　and　equally　unable　to　carry　them。　I　shall　have　soldiers　ready；　and　you　will　go　back　with　them；　give　the　tongues　a　backward　turn　and　bring　the　convoy　here；　The　enemy　will　be　greatly　astonished。〃

Next　he　called　Zhang　Ni　and　said；　〃Dress　up　five　hundred　soldiers　in　the　costume　of　the　Deities　of　the　Six　Layers　so　that　they　appear　supernatural。　Fit　them　with　demon　heads　and　wild　beast　shapes；　and　let　them　stain　their　faces　various　colors　so　as　to　look　as　strange　as　possible。　Give　them　flags　and　swords　and　bottle…gourds　with　smoke　issuing　from　bustibles　inside。　Let　these　soldiers　hide　among　the　hills　till　the　convoy　approaches；　when　they　will　start　the　smoke；　rush　out　suddenly　and　drive　off　the　wooden　animals。　No　one　will　dare　pursue　such　uncanny　pany。〃

When　Zhang　Ni　had　left；　Wei　Yan　and　Jiang　Wei　were