astonish　all　the　guests。　Zhang　Wen　had　no　word　to　reply　to　them。

Then　it　became　Qin　Mi's　turn；　〃You　are　a　famous　scholar　in　your　own　land；　Sir；　and　since　you　have　asked　so　many　questions　about　Heaven；　I　take　it　you　are　I　well　up　in　all　celestial　matters。　When　original　chaos　resolved　into　its　two　elements　yin　and　yang；　the　lighter　portion　rose　and　became　sky；　and　the　grosser　sank　and　solidified　into　earth。　When　Gong　Gong's　rebellion　was　crushed；　his　head　struck　the　Imperfect　Mountain；　the　pillar；　which　upholds　heaven；　was　broken　and　the　bonds　of　earth　were　destroyed。　Heaven　fell　over　to　the　northwest；　and　earth　sank　into　the　southeast。　Since　heaven　was　ethereal　and　had　floated　to　the　top；　how　could　it　fall　over？　Another　thing　I　do　not　know　is　what　is　beyond　the　ether。　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　explain；　Master。〃

Zhang　Wen　had　no　reply　ready；　but　he　rose　from　his　place　and　bowed　his　acknowledgment；　saying；　〃I　knew　not　that　there　was　so　much　ability　in　this　land。　I　am　happy　to　have　heard　such　a　discourse。　Now　all　obstructions　have　disappeared；　and　I　see　quite　clearly。〃

But　Zhuge　Liang；　fearing　lest　the　guest　should　feel　mortified；　soothed　him　with　fair　words；　saying；　〃This　is　all　play　upon　words；　the　sort　of　puzzles　one　propounds　at　a　merry　feast。　You；　honored　Sir；　know　that　the　tranquillity　and　safety　of　states　are　no　matters　to　joke　with。〃

The　envoy　bowed。　Then　Deng　Zhi　was　ordered　to　return　to　Wu　and　thank　its　ruler　for　his　courtesy；　and　he　was　to　acpany　Zhang　Wen。　So　both；　having　taken　leave　of　the　Prime　Minister；　set　out　on　their　journey　to　the　east。

In　the　meantime　Sun　Quan　was　beginning　to　feel　perplexed　at　the　long　delay　of　his　envoy。　He　had　summoned　a　council　to　discuss　this　question；　when　the　report　came　that　his　own　envoy　h