erpent　Valley。　Half　a　month　is　the　deadline；　and　all　of　these　must　be　performed　with　the　most　perfect　secrecy　under　military　law　and　punishment。〃

Next　Zhao　Yun　was　sent　to　a　point　on　the　Three　Rivers　road；　Wei　Yan　to　camp　at　the　Peach　Flowers　Ford。

Zhuge　Liang　told　Wei　Yan；　〃If　the　Mangs　e　over　the　river；　you　are　to　abandon　the　camp　and　march　toward　a　certain　white　flag　you　will　see。　Further；　in　half　a　month　you　would　have　to　acknowledge　defeat　some　fifteen　times　and　abandon　seven　camps。　On　no　account　are　you　to　e　to　interview　me　even　after　fourteen　defeats。〃

Wei　Yan　went　off；　not　a　little　hipped　at　the　prospect；　but　prepared　to　obey。　Next；　Zhang　Yi　was　sent　to　make　a　stockade　at　a　certain　indicated　point；　and　Zhang　Ni　and　Ma　Zheng　was　told　to　lead　the　Mang　soldiers　who　had　surrendered；　and　other　orders　were　given。

Meng　Huo　had　begun　to　have　a　real　terror　of　Zhuge　Liang；　and　he　warned　King　Wutu　Gu　of　Wuguo；　saying；　〃This　Zhuge　Liang　is　exceedingly　crafty。　Ambush　is　one　of　his　favorite　ruses；　so　you　should　warn　your　soldiers　that　on　no　account　should　they　enter　a　valley　where　the　trees　are　thick。〃

〃Great　King；　you　speak　with　reason；〃　said　Wutu　Gu。　〃I　have　always　heard　that　the　people　of　the　Middle　Kingdom　are　full　of　wiles；　and　I　will　see　that　your　advice　is　followed。　I　will　go　in　front　to　fight；　and　you　may　remain　in　the　rear　to　give　orders。〃

Presently　the　scouts　told　them　of　the　arrival　of　the　troops　of　Shu　on　the　bank　of　the　Peach　Flowers　River。　Wutu　Gu　sent　his　two　generals………Xi　Ni　and　Tu　An………to　cross　the　river　and　engage　them。　The　two　sides　met；　but　Wei　Yan　soon　suffered　a　defeat　and　left　the　field。　The　Mangs　were　afraid　to　pursue　as　they　dreaded　an　ambush。

In　the　meantime；　Wei　Yan　laid　out　another　camp。　The　Mangs　cr