s　conduct　seemed　strange　to　Zhang　Wen；　who　asked；　〃Who　is　the　new　er；　Sir　Prime　Minister？〃

〃He　is　a　man　named　Qin　Mi；　a　Doctorate　Academician　of　Yizhou；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。

〃He　may　be　that；〃　said　Zhang　Wen　with　a　laugh；　〃but　I　wonder　if　he　has　any　learning　at　all　inside　him。〃

Qin　Mi　listened　without　changing　countenance；　and　said；　〃Since　our　children　are　all　learned；　of　course　I　am　more　so。〃

〃What　may　have　been　your　special　studies；　Sir？〃　said　Zhang　Wen。

〃Many　things：　Astronomy　on　one　hand；　geography　on　the　other；　the　three　teachings　and　the　nine　systems；　many　philosophers；　history　all　through；　and　many　sacred　books　and　traditions。〃

〃Since　you　talk　so　big；〃　said　Zhang　Wen；　〃I　should　like　to　ask　you　a　few　questions　on　celestial　matters。　Now　has　the　sky　a　head？〃

〃Yes；　it　has　a　head。〃

〃Where　is　it？〃

〃In　the　western　quarter。　The　Odes　say；　'God　turns　his　head　kindly　toward　the　west；'　and　further　it　follows　from　this　that　the　head　is　in　the　west。〃

〃Well；　has　the　sky　ears？〃

〃Oh；　yes。　The　sky　is　above　and　listens　to　all　things　below。　The　Odes　say；　'The　crane　calls　from　the　midst　of　the　marsh；　its　cry　is　heard　by　the　sky。'　How　could　the　sky　hear　without　ears？〃

〃Has　the　sky　feet？〃

〃It　has。　The　Odes　say；　'Heaven　treads　down　difficulties。'　If　there　were　no　feet；　how　could　it　tread？〃

〃Has　heaven　a　name？〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Then　what　is　it？〃

〃Liu。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃Because　the　Emperor's　family　name　is　Liu；　and　he　is　the　Son　of　Heaven。　That　is　how　I　know。〃

〃Does　the　sun　spring　from　the　east？〃

〃Though　it　does；　yet　it　sets　in　the　west。〃

All　this　time　Qin　Mi's　repartees　had　flashed　back　clear　and　perfect。　They　came　so　naturally　as　to