ine　weather；　but　with　no　effect。

Minister　Wang　Su　sent　up　a　memorial：

〃The　histories　say　that　when　supplies　have　to　be　conveyed　a　long　distance；　the　soldiers　are　starved；　if　they　have　to　gather　brushwood　before　they　can　cook；　then　the　army　is　not　full　fed。　This　applies　to　ordinary　expeditions　in　an　ordinary　country。　If；　in　addition；　the　army　has　to　march　through　a　difficult　country　and　roads　have　to　be　cut；　the　labor　is　doubled。　Now　this　expedition　is　hindered　by　rain　and　steep　and　slippery　hills；　movement　is　cramped　and　supplies　can　only　be　maintained　with　difficulty。　All　is　most　unpropitious　to　the　army。

〃Cao　Zhen　has　been　gone　over　a　month　and　has　only　got　half　through　the　valley。　Road　making　is　monopolizing　all　energies；　and　the　fighting　soldiers　have　to　work　on　them。　The　state　of　affairs　is　the　opposite　to　ideal；　and　the　fighting　soldiers　dislike　it。

＇e＇　King　Wu；　aka　the　Martial　King；　founded　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　with　the　help　of　the　Duke　of　Zhou；　who　was　his　brother。　。。。。。

〃I　may　quote　certain　parallels。　King　Wu　of　Zhou　attacked　the　last　king　of　Shang　Dynasty；　he　went　through　the　pass；　but　returned。　In　recent　times　Emperors　Cao　and　Pi；　attacking　Sun　Quan；　reached　the　river；　and　went　no　farther。　Did　they　not　recognize　limitations　and　act　accordingly？　I　pray　Your　Majesty　remember　the　grave　difficulties　caused　by　the　rain　and　put　an　end　to　this　expedition。　By　and　by　another　occasion　will　arise　for　using　force；　and　in　the　joy　of　overing　difficulties　the　people　will　forget　death。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　could　not　make　up　his　mind；　but　two　other　memorials　by　Yang　Fu　and　Hua　Xin　followed；　and　then　he　issued　the　mand　to　return；　which　was　sent　to　Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi。

Cao　Zhen　and　Sima　Yi　had　already　discussed　the　abandonment　of