upy　Qishan。〃

Cao　Zhen　was　not　convinced。

〃Why　do　you　doubt？〃　asked　Sima　Yi。　〃I　think　Zhuge　Liang　will　certainly　advance　by　way　of　the　two　valleys；　and　you　and　I　should　guard　the　entrances。　I　give　them　ten　days；　and　if　they　do　not　appear；　I　will　e　to　your　camp　painted　in　the　face　to　own　my　mistake。〃

〃If　the　army　of　Shu　do　appear；　I　will　give　you　the　girdle　and　the　steed　that　the　Emperor　gave　me；〃　replied　Cao　Zhen。

And　they　split　their　force；　Cao　Zhen　taking　up　his　station　on　the　west　of　Qishan　in　the　Xie　Valley；　and　Sima　Yi　going　to　the　east　in　the　Gu　Valley。

As　soon　as　the　camp　was　settled；　Sima　Yi　led　a　cohort　into　hiding　in　the　valley。　The　remainder　of　the　force　was　placed　in　detachments　on　the　chief　roads。

Sima　Yi　disguised　himself　as　a　soldier　and　went　among　the　soldiers　to　get　a　private　survey　of　all　the　camps。

In　one　of　them　he　happened　upon　a　junior　officer　who　was　plaining；　saying；　〃The　rain　has　drenched　us　for　days；　and　they　would　not　retire。　Now　they　have　camped　here　for　a　wager。　They　have　no　pity　for　us　soldiers。〃

Sima　Yi　returned　to　his　tent　and　assembled　his　officers。

Hauling　out　the　grumbler；　Sima　Yi　said　to　him；　angrily；　〃The　state　feeds　and　trains　soldiers　a　thousand　days　for　one　hour's　service。　How　dare　you　give　vent　to　your　spleen　to　the　detriment　of　discipline？〃

The　man　would　not　confess；　so　his　rades　were　called　to　bear　witness。　Still　he　would　not　own　up。

〃I　am　not　here　for　a　wager；　but　to　overe　Shu；〃　said　Sima　Yi。　〃Now　you　all　have　done　well　and　are　going　home；　but　only　this　fellow　plains　and　is　guilty　of　mutinous　conduct。〃

Sima　Yi　ordered　the　lictors　to　put　him　to　death；　and　in　a　short　time　they　produced　his　head。

The　others　were　terrified；　but　Sima　Yi　said；