y　to　guess　your　plans。　How　could　I　let　them　know　anything？　When　I　heard　that　Kebi　Neng；　the　king　of　Qiangs；　might　invade；　I　remembered　that　Ma　Chao's　forefathers　were　friendly　with　those　tribespeople　and　they　had　a　high　opinion　of　Ma　Chao；　calling　him　General　Who　Possesses　Heavenly　Prestige。　So　I　sent　orders　by　dispatch　to　Ma　Chao　to　hold　the　Xiping　Pass；　and　to　prepare　ambushes　in　certain　places　and　change　them　daily　so　as　to　keep　the　Qiangs　off。　That　settled　them。

〃I　sent　hastily　to　the　south　to　order　Wei　Yan　to　move　certain　bodies　of　troops　about　through　the　southwest　territories；　to　be　seen　and　then　to　disappear；　to　go　in　and　e　out；　and　to　march　to　and　fro；　so　that　the　Mangs　should　be　perplexed。　The　Mangs　are　brave；　but　prone　to　doubts　and　hesitations；　and　they　would　not　advance　in　the　face　of　the　unknown。　Hence　there　is　nothing　to　fear　in　that　quarter。

〃I　also　knew　that　Meng　Da　and　our　Li　Yan　were　sworn　friends。　I　had　left　Li　Yan　in　charge　of　the　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace。　I　sent　Li　Yan　a　letter　and　urged　him　to　write　to　Meng　Da；　so　that　Meng　Da　would　feign　illness　and　not　move　his　army。

〃I　sent　Zhao　Yun　to　occupy　Yangping　Pass　and　all　the　strategic　positions　on　the　way　by　which　Cao　Zhen　would　march；　and　bade　him　defend　only　and　not　go　to　the　battle。　If　our　troops　refuse　to　e　out；　Cao　Zhen　will　certainly　have　to　retire。　So　all　those　four　are　settled。　But　for　greater　security　I　have　sent　Zhang　Bao　and　Guan　Xing　each　with　thirty　thousand　troops　to　camp　at　points　whence　they　can　quickly　help　any　of　the　others　who　may　need　it。　And　none　of　these　arrangements　are　known　here。

〃Now　there　is　only　Wu　left　to　deal　with。　Had　the　other　four　armies　succeeded　and　Shu　been　in　danger；　Sun　Quan　would　have　e　to　the　attack。　If　the　others　fail；　I　know　he　will