g　back　dejected　and　crestfallen。

They　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　forestalled　us。　He　was　well　prepared；　and　so　we　were　quite　defeated。〃

〃He　is　more　than　human！〃　exclaimed　Sima　Yi。　〃We　must　retreat。〃

So　the　whole　army　retired　into　the　fortified　camps　and　would　not　e　out。

Thus　a　great　victory　fell　to　Shu；　and　their　booty　was　immense：　Weapons　and　horses　innumerable。　Zhuge　Liang　led　his　army　back　to　camp。　Thereafter　he　sent　parties　to　offer　a　challenge　at　the　gate　of　the　Wei　camp　every　day；　but　the　soldiers　remained　obstinately　behind　their　shelters　and　would　not　appear。　When　this　had　continued　half　a　month　Zhuge　Liang　grew　sad。

Then　came　Fei　Yi　from　Capital　Chengdu　with　an　edict　of　the　Emperor。　Fei　Yi　was　received　with　all　respect；　and　incense　was　burnt　as　propriety　demanded。　This　done；　the　mand　was　unsealed；　and　Zhuge　Liang　read：

〃The　failure　at　Jieting　was　really　due　to　the　fault　of　Ma　Su。　However；　you　held　yourself　responsible　and　blamed　yourself　very　severely。　It　would　have　been　a　serious　matter　for　me　to　have　withstood　your　intentions；　and　so　I　did　what　you　insisted　on。

〃However；　that　was　a　glorious　exploit　last　year　when　Wang　Shuang　was　slain。　This　year；　Guo　Huai　has　been　driven　back　and　the　Qiangs　have　been　reduced；　the　two　counties　of　Wudu　and　Yinping　have　been　captured；　you　have　driven　fear　into　the　hearts　of　all　evil　doers　and　thus　rendered　magnificent　services。

〃But　the　world　is　in　confusion；　and　the　original　evil　has　not　been　destroyed。　You　fill　a　great　office；　for　you　direct　the　affairs　of　the　state。　It　is　not　well　for　you　to　remain　under　a　cloud　for　any　length　of　time　and　cloak　your　grand　virtue；　wherefore　I　restore　you　to　the　rank　of　Prime　Minister　and　pray　you　not　to　decline　the　honor。〃

Zhuge　Liang　heard