y　having　gone；　he　turned　to　Jiang　Wei；　saying；　〃My　friend；　do　you　know　how　to　overe　them？〃

〃The　enemy　only　depend　upon　force　and　courage。　They　shall　not　expect　this　fine　strategy；〃　was　the　reply。

〃You　know；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　smiling。　〃Those　dark　clouds　and　the　strong　north　wind　mean　snow。　Then　I　can　do　what　I　wish。〃

The　two　leaders；　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　were　sent　into　ambush；　and　Jiang　Wei　went　out　to　offer　battle。　But　he　was　to　retire　before　the　iron　chariots。　At　the　entrance　to　the　camp　were　displayed　many　flags；　but　the　soldiers　that　should　serve　under　them　were　not　there。

It　was　now　full　winter；　the　twelfth　month；　and　the　snow　had　e。　The　army　of　Shu　went　out　to　offer　battle。　When　the　iron　chariots　came　forward；　they　retired　and　thus　led　the　Qiangs　to　the　gate　of　the　camp；　Jiang　Wei　going　to　its　rear。　The　Qiangs　came　to　the　gate　and　stopped　to　look。　They　heard　the　strumming　of　a　lute；　but　there　were　no　soldiers　there；　the　flags　meant　nothing。　They　told　Yue　Ji；　and　he　suspected　some　ruse。　Instead　of　entering；　he　went　back　to　Prime　Minister　Ya　Dan　and　told　him。

〃It　is　a　ruse；〃　said　Ya　Dan。　〃Zhuge　Liang's　base　trick　is　the　pretense　of　a　pretense；　and　you　had　better　attack。〃

So　Yue　Ji　led　his　troops　again　to　the　camp　gate；　and　there　he　saw　Zhuge　Liang　with　a　lute　just　getting　into　his　chariot。　With　a　small　escort；　he　went　toward　the　back　of　the　camp。　The　tribesmen　rushed　into　the　camp　and　caught　sight　of　the　light　chariot　again　just　as　it　disappeared　into　a　wood。

Then　said　Ya　Dan；　〃There　may　be　an　ambush；　but　I　think　we　need　not　be　afraid　of　these　soldiers。〃

Hence　they　decided　to　pursue。　Ahead　of　them　they　saw　the　division　under　Jiang　Wei　hastening　off　through　the　snow。　Yue　Ji's　rage　boiled　up　at　this　sight；　an