nd　unwilling　deference。

Then　Lu　Xun　addressed　them；　saying；　〃By　order　of　my　superior　I　am　mander…in…Chief；　and　my　mission　is　to　destroy　Shu。　You；　gentlemen；　all　know　the　ordinary　military　rules；　and　you　would　do　well　to　obey　them。　The　law　is　no　respecter　of　persons；　as　those　who　disobey　will　find　out。　Do　not　have　to　regret　when　it　is　too　late。〃

They　nodded　in　sullen　acquiescence。

Then　Zhou　Tai　said；　〃There　is　Sun　Huan；　nephew　of　our　Prince。　He　is　surrounded　at　Yiling　and　is　short　of　food。　I　venture　to　request　you　to　send　relief　to　him　and　get　him　out；　so　that　the　Prince's　heart　may　be　forted。〃

〃I　know　all　about　him。　His　soldiers　are　faithful；　and　he　can　easily　maintain　his　position。　There　is　no　need　to　go　to　his　aid。　When　Shu　is　broken；　he　will　be　free　to　e　out。〃

They　all　sniggered　as　they　left　the　tent；　and　Han　Dang　did　not　fail　to　express　his　contempt　for　the　newly　appointed　mander…in…Chief。

〃This　will　be　the　end　of　Wu；〃　said　he　to　his　colleague。　〃Did　you　note　what　he　said？〃

〃I　tried　him　just　to　see　what　he　would　do；〃　said　Zhou　Tai。　〃You　see　he　had　no　plan　ready。　He　destroys　Shu　indeed！〃

Next　day　general　orders　were　issued　for　defense　and　prohibitions　against　giving　battle；　which　provoked　more　laughter　at　the　incapable　pedant；　as　they　thought　him　in　mand；　and　secret　resolves　to　disobey。　Moreover；　the　officers　showed　their　contempt　by　a　general　disregard　of　orders。

So　once　more　Lu　Xun　assembled　them　and　said；　〃You　know　I　am　in　mand。　Yet　the　recent　orders　for　defense　have　been　disregarded。　Why？〃

Then　Han　Dang　spoke　up；　〃Some　of　us　followed　General　Sun　Ce　when　he　first　subdued　the　South　Land。　Others　won　fame　in　destroying　rebels；　or　in　following　the　present　Prince　in　his　campaigns。　All　of　us　have　donne