But　when　the　messenger　had　gone　out　of　the　city；　Liu　Ye　went　to　remonstrate；　saying；　〃Sun　Quan　has　done　this　for　fear　of　the　armies　of　Shu。　In　my　opinion；　if　Shu　and　Wu　fight；　heaven　will　make　an　end　of　one　country。　If　you　will　send　an　army　across　the　Great　River　to　attack；　and　Shu　attack　at　the　same　time　from　the　west；　Wu　as　a　state　will　disappear。　If　Wu　goes；　then　Shu　will　be　left　alone　and　can　be　dealt　with　when　you　will。〃

〃But　I　cannot　attack　Sun　Quan　now　that　he　has　e　over　to　my　side。　It　would　prevent　anyone　else　from　doing　so。　No；　I　will　really　accept　his　submission。　It　is　the　best　course。〃

Liu　Ye　said；　〃After　all；　though　talented；　he　is　but　a　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　Lord　of　Nanzhang　of　the　decadent　days　of　Han。　His　rank　is　low　and　his　influence　small；　yet　he　still　wants　to　contest　the　Middle　Land。　If　you　promote　him　to　kingly　rank；　he　is　only　one　step　below　yourself。　While　doubting　the　reality　of　his　submission；　you　give　him　an　exalted　rank　and　increase　his　influence。　Surely　this　is　only　giving　wings　to　a　tiger。〃

〃Not　at　all；　I　am　helping　neither　Wu　nor　Shu。　I　am　waiting　till　they　are　at　grips；　and　if　one　goes　under；　there　will　be　only　one　left　to　destroy。　That　will　be　easy。　However；　say　no　more；　for　I　have　decided。〃

Whereupon　Xing　Zhen　was　bidden　to　take　the　mandate　and　the　Nine　Dignities　and　acpany　Zhao　Zi　to　Wu。

Sun　Quan　assembled　his　officers　to　discuss　how　the　armies　of　Shu　could　be　driven　off。　Then　came　the　news　of　princely　rank　conferred　by　Wei。　By　the　rules　of　courtesy；　the　messenger　bearing　the　edict　should　be　met　at　a　great　distance　from　the　capital；　but　Gu　Yong　was　opposed　to　accepting　the　rank。

〃My　lord；　you　should　style　yourself　'Supreme　Ruler'　and　'Lord'　of　the　nine　territories。　You　should　not