and。　The　road　is　long　and　difficult。　If　you　put　this　man　to　death；　perhaps　others　will　not　undertake　transport　duty。〃

Zhuge　Liang　then　bade　the　executioners　loose　the　offender；　give　him　eighty　blows；　and　let　him　go。

This　punishment　filled　Gou　An's　heart　with　bitter　resentment；　and；　in　the　night；　he　deserted　to　the　enemy；　he　and　his　half　dozen　personal　staff。　He　was　taken　before　Sima　Yi　and　told　the　tale　of　his　wrongs。

〃Your　tale　may　be　true；　but　it　is　hard　to　trust　it；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　full　of　guile。　However；　you　may　render　me　a　service；　and　if　you　do；　I　will　ask　the　Ruler　of　Wei　that　you　may　be　allowed　to　serve　him　and　obtain　a　post　for　you。〃

〃Whatever　you　ask；　I　will　do　the　best　I　can；〃　replied　the　deserter。

〃Then　go　to　Chengdu　and　spread　a　lying　report　that　Zhuge　Liang　is　angry　with　the　powers　there　and　means　to　make　himself　emperor。　This　will　get　him　recalled；　and　that　will　be　a　merit　to　you。〃

Gou　An　accepted　the　treacherous　mission。　In　Chengdu　he　got　hold　of　the　eunuchs；　and　told　them　his　lying　tale　that　the　Prime　Minister　was　too　proud　of　his　services　and　was　about　to　use　his　sweeping　powers　to　usurp　the　Throne。

The　eunuchs　became　alarmed　for　their　own　safety　and　told　the　Emperor　all　these　things。

〃In　such　a　case　what　am　I　to　do？〃　asked　the　Latter　Ruler。

〃Recall　him　to　the　capital；〃　said　the　eunuchs；　〃and　take　away　his　military　powers　so　that　he　cannot　rebel。〃

The　Latter　Ruler　issued　an　edict　recalling　the　army。

But　Jiang　Wan　stepped　forward　and　said；　〃The　Prime　Minister　has　rendered　many　great　services　since　he　led　out　the　army。　Wherefore　is　he　recalled？〃

〃I　have　a　private　matter　to　consult　him　about；〃　said　the　Latter　Ruler。　〃I　must　see　him　personally。〃

So　the