the　generals；　and　they　attacked　on　three　sides。　Deng　Zhi　arrived　also；　and　the　city　was　quite　surrounded。

After　vain　efforts　for　ten　days；　they　heard　the　news：　〃The　Prime　Minister　has　stationed　the　rear　army　in　Mianyang；　the　left　army　in　Yangping　Pass；　the　right　army　in　Shicheng。　He　himself　is　leading　the　center　army　toward　Nanan。〃

The　four　generals　went　to　visit　Zhuge　Liang　and　told　him　their　failure　at　the　city。　He　got　into　his　light　chariot　and　rode　out　to　view　the　city；　after　which　he　returned　and　summoned　the　officers　to　his　tent。

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃The　moat　is　deep；　the　walls　are　steep。　Wherefore　the　city　is　well　defended　and　difficult　to　take。　My　present　plan　omits　this　place。　If　you　persist　in　the　attack　and　the　Wei　armies　march　to　try　for　Hanzhong；　our　army　will　be　in　danger。〃

〃Consider　what　the　capture　of　Xiahou　Mao　would　mean；〃　said　Deng　Zhi。　〃He　is　an　Imperial　Son…in…Law；　and　worth　more　than　slaying　a　hundred　ordinary　leaders。　We　have　begun　the　siege；　and　we　should　not　raise　it。〃

Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　have　other　plans。　West　of　this　lies　Tianshui　and　north　Anding。　Does　anyone　know　the　governors　of　these　two　places？〃

〃Ma　Zun　is　the　Governor　of　Tianshui；　Cui　Liang　that　of　Anding；〃　replied　a　scout。

Zhuge　Liang　then　called　to　him　one　by　one………Wei　Yan；　Zhang　Bao；　Guan　Xing；　and　two　trusted　subordinates………and　gave　each　certain　instructions。　They　left　to　carry　out　their　orders。

Next　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　soldiers　to　pile　up　beneath　the　walls　heaps　of　firewood　and　straw；　saying　he　was　going　to　burn　the　city。　The　defenders　on　the　wall　derided　him。

Cui　Liang；　the　Governor　of　Anding；　was　much　frightened　when　he　heard　that　Xiahou　Mao　was　besieged；　and　began　to　see　to　his　own　defenses。　He　mustered　his　four　t