he　Emperor；　and　you　shall　retain　your　kingship；　and　your　sons　and　grandsons　shall　succeed　as　perpetual　guardians　of　the　Mang　country。　Do　you　not　think　it　would　be　well？〃

Meng　Huo　replied；　〃If　I　did　yield；　the　people　of　my　valleys　would　not　be　content。　If　you　release　me　once　more；　I　will　see　to　it　that　my　own　people　keep　the　peace　and　bring　them　round　to　unanimity　of　feeling；　and　then　they　will　not　oppose　any　more。〃

Zhuge　Liang　was　glad；　and　they　returned　to　the　main　camp　to　feast　until　dusk；　when　Meng　Huo　took　his　leave。　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　a　craft　and　went　to　see　him　across　River　Lu。

But　Meng　Huo's　first　act　on　his　return　to　his　own　camp　was　to　send　one　of　his　people　to　Dongtu　Na's　and　Ahui　Nan's　camps；　and　pretend　to　ask　them　to　e　to　meet　a　messenger　from　Zhuge　Liang。　When　the　two　generals　came；　Meng　Huo　ordered　assassins　who　had　been　placed　hidden　to　do　away　with　the　two　leaders。　Their　corpses　were　thrown　into　a　gully。　Then　he　sent　his　friends　to　guard　the　most　important　strategic　points；　while　he　marched　to　fight　a　battle　with　Ma　Dai。　But　when　he　got　near　the　valley；　he　saw　no　signs　of　the　enemy。

He　questioned　the　inhabitants；　and　they　said；　〃The　Shu　army；　with　all　their　stores；　recrossed　the　river　last　night　and　joined　the　main　body　in　the　northern　bank。〃

Meng　Huo　then　returned　to　his　own　ravine　and　discussed　matters　with　his　brother；　Meng　You；　saying；　〃I　know　all　the　details　of　the　enemy's　force　from　what　I　saw　in　their　camp。〃

And　Meng　Huo　gave　his　brother　certain　instructions；　which　Meng　You　at　once　began　to　carry　out。　Meng　You　loaded　a　hundred　men　with　gold　and　jewels　and　pearls　and　ivory　and　rhinoceros　horn；　crossed　River　Lu；　and　was　on　his　way　to　the　main　camp　of　the　Shu　army；　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　drums　and　a　coh