reinforcements。〃

They　went。　Surely　enough　the　capture　of　San　Pass　was　easy　as　the　Wei　soldiers　scattered。　But　when　they　went　up　to　look　around；　they　saw　a　great　cloud　of　dust　moving　toward　them。　The　Wei　reinforcements　were　already　near。

They　remarked　to　each　other；　〃The　Prime　Minister's　foresight　was　superhuman。〃

When　they　had　looked　a　little　longer；　they　saw　the　leader　of　the　Wei　army　then　approaching　was　Zhang　He。

They　then　divided　their　soldiers　to　hold　the　approaches。　When　Zhang　He　saw　that　all　was　prepared；　he　retired。　Wei　Yan　followed　and　fought　a　battle；　defeating　Zhang　He　heavily。

Wei　Yan　sent　to　report　his　success；　but　Zhuge　Liang　had　already　left　Chencang　and　had　gone　into　the　Xie　Valley　to　capture　the　county　of　Jianwei。　Other　armies　from　Shu　followed。　Moreover；　the　Latter　Ruler　sent　Chen　Shi　to　assist　in　the　campaign。　Zhuge　Liang　then　marched　his　main　force　to　Qishan　and　there　made　a　camp。　Then　he　called　an　assembly　of　officers。

〃Twice　have　I　gone　out　by　Qishan　without　success；　but　at　last　I　am　here。　I　think　Wei　will　resume　the　former　battle　ground　and　oppose　us。　If　so；　they　will　assume　that　I　shall　attack　Yongcheng　and　Meicheng　and　send　armies　to　defend　them。　But　I　see　Yinping　and　Wudu　are　connected　with　Hanzhong。　If　I　can　win　these；　I　can　drive　a　wedge　into　the　Wei　force。　Who　will　go　to　take　these　places？〃

Jiang　Wei　and　Wang　Ping　offered　themselves。　The　former　was　sent　with　ten　thousand　troops　to　capture　Wudu；　the　latter；　with　an　equal　force；　went　to　Yinping。

Zhang　He　went　back　to　Changan　and　saw　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li；　to　whom　he　said；　〃Chencang　is　lost；　Hao　Zhao　is　dead；　and　San　Pass　is　taken。　Zhuge　Liang　is　again　at　Qishan；　and　thence　has　sent　out　two　armies。〃

Guo　Huai　was　frightened；　saying；　〃