ke　a　huge　serpent。

Zhuge　Liang　bade　Guan　Xing　find　out　what　this　meant；　and　Guan　Xing　report：　〃These　are　Jiang　Wei's　troops。〃

Zhuge　Liang　remarked；　〃An　army　owes　more　to　its　leading　than　to　its　numbers。　This　Jiang　Wei　is　a　true　genius。〃

Zhuge　Liang　led　the　army　back　to　camp；　and　then　he　thought　for　a　long　time。　Suddenly　he　called　up　one　of　the　Anding　men　and　said；　〃Where　is　the　mother　of　this　Jiang　Wei？〃

〃She　lives　in　Jicheng；〃　replied　he。

Zhuge　Liang　called　Wei　Yan　and　said　to　him；　〃March　off　with　a　body　of　troops；　giving　out　that　you　are　going　to　take　Jicheng。　If　Jiang　Wei　es　up；　let　him　enter　the　city。〃

Then　Zhuge　Liang　asked；　〃What　is　the　most　important　place　in　connection　with　this　place？〃

The　man　from　Anding　replied；　〃The　storehouse　of　Tianshui　is　at　Shanggui。　If　that　is　taken；　the　supplies　are　cut　off。〃

This　was　good　news；　so　Zhao　Yun　was　sent　to　attack　Shanggui；　while　Zhuge　Liang　made　a　camp　ten　miles　south　of　the　city。

The　spies　took　the　news　of　the　movements　of　these　three　forces　into　Tianshui。

When　Jiang　Wei　heard　that　one　army　was　to　attack　his　own　place；　he　pleaded　with　Ma　Zun；　saying；　〃My　mother　is　in　Jicheng；　and　I　am　worried　about　the　attacking　force。　Let　me　go　to　its　defense；　that　I　may　keep　the　city　and　do　my　duty　by　my　mother　at　the　same　time。〃

So　Jiang　Wei　received　mand　of　three　thousand　troops　and　marched　toward　his　home。

When　Jiang　Wei　came　near　the　walls；　he　saw　a　cohort　under　Wei　Yan。　He　attacked。　After　a　show　of　defense　Wei　Yan　retreated；　and　Jiang　Wei　entered　the　city。　He　closed　the　gates　and　prepared　to　defend　the　wall。　Then　he　went　home　to　see　his　mother。

In　the　same　way　Liang　Qian　was　allowed　to　enter　Shanggui。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　sent　for　his　pris