ly　the　distorted　opinion　of　a　perverted　pedant。　Having　made　this　league；　Shu　and　Wu　may　fall　upon　us　at　any　moment。　This　matter　cannot　be　postponed　for　ten　years；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

An　edict　appeared　manding　the　enlistment　of　soldiers　and　the　formation　of　an　army　to　subdue　Wu。

Sima　Yi　then　said；　〃Battleships　are　necessary；　as　Wu　is　protected　by　the　Great　River。　Your　Majesty　must　lead　small　and　big　vessels。　The　navy　can　advance　by　way　of　River　Huai；　taking　Shouchun。　When　you　reach　Guangling；　the　river　is　to　be　crossed　and　Nanxu　is　to　be　captured。　Then　Wu　will　be　subdued。〃

This　plan　was　accepted；　and　the　construction　of　dragon　ships　was　put　in　hand　and　went　on　day　and　night。　Ten　were　built　two　hundred　spans　long　to　carry　two　thousand　marines　each。　They　also　collected　three　thousand　fighting　ships。

In　the　autumn　of　the　fifth　year　of　Yellow　Dawn　（AD　224）　the　various　generals　assembled；　and　Cao　Zhen　was　appointed　leader　of　the　first　corps。　Zhang　Liao；　Zhang　He；　Wen　Ping；　and　Xu　Huang　were　Chief　manders；　Xu　Chu　and　Lu　Qian　were　guards　of　the　Center　Army；　and　Cao　Xiu　manded　the　rear　guard；　the　strategists　were　Liu　Ye　and　Jiang　Ji。　In　all；　land　and　marine　forces　numbered　over　three　hundred　thousand　troops。　When　the　starting　day　was　decided　upon；　Sima　Yi　was　made　Chair　of　the　Secretariat　and　left　in　the　capital　with　the　powers　of　Regent　Marshal。

The　spies　told　the　Prince　of　Wu's　attendants　of　the　dangers；　and　the　latter　hastened　to　inform　the　Prince。

They　said；　〃Cao　Pi　is　leading　the　dragon　fleet　and　manding　three　hundred　thousand　marines　and　ground　forces　against　the　South　Land；　and　the　danger　is　very　great。〃

When　Sun　Quan　met　his　council；　Gu　Yong　said；　〃My　lord；　you　can　call　upon　Shu　for　help　according　to　the　treaty。　Write