the　one。〃

Jiang　Wei　bowed　and　thanked　him；　and　they　two　returned　to　camp。

Soon　after　their　arrival；　the　new　recruit　and　Zhuge　Liang　consulted　how　to　capture　Tianshui　and　Shanggui。　Jiang　Wei　had　a　scheme。

〃The　two　civil　officers　in　charge　of　the　city；　Yin　Shang　and　Liang　Xu；　are　excellent　friends　of　mine；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　will　write　a　letter　to　each；　shoot　it　over　the　wall　tied　to　an　arrow；　and　ask　them　to　help　by　raising　a　revolt　within　the　city。〃

They　decided　upon　this；　and　two　secret　letters　were　duly　written　and　sent　flying　over　the　ramparts；　where　they　were　found　and　taken　to　the　Governor。　Ma　Zun　was　doubtful　what　action　to　take　and　consulted　with　Xiahou　Mao；　asking　him　to　decide。

Said　Ma　Zun；　〃Yin　Shang　and　Liang　Xu　are　in　league　with　Jiang　Wei；　and　they　plot　to　aid　the　enemy　from　within。　What　should　be　done？〃

〃Put　both　the　men　to　death；〃　Xiahou　Mao　replied。

But　Yin　Shang　heard　what　was　toward　and　said　to　Liang　Xu；　〃The　best　course　for　us　is　to　yield　the　city　to　Shu　and　trust　to　them　to　treat　us　well　as　our　repense。〃

That　evening　Xiahou　Mao　sent　many　times　to　summon　the　two　officers　to　him；　but　they　thought　it　too　great　a　risk　to　answer　the　call。　Instead；　they　armed　themselves　and　rode　at　the　head　of　their　own　soldiers　to　the　gates；　opened　them　and　let　in　the　troops　of　Shu。　Ma　Zun　and　Xiahou　Mao　fled　by　the　west　gate　with　a　hundred　faithful　followers　and　sought　refuge　with　the　Qiang　tribespeople。

Liang　Xu　and　Yin　Shang　weled　Zhuge　Liang；　who　entered　the　city；　restored　order；　and　calmed　the　people。

This　done；　Zhuge　Liang　asked　how　he　might　capture　Shanggui。

Liang　Xu　said；　〃My　brother；　Liang　Qian；　holds　that　city；　and　I　will　call　upon　him　to　yield　it。〃

Thereupon　Liang　Xu　rode　over　to