ng of Wei。 Moreover； I will send Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin to camp at Miankou and Jiangxia； and take Xiangyang。 I will also send another army under Sun Shao and Zhang Cheng into Guangling to capture Huaiyang。 The total number will be three hundred thousand troops； and they shall start at once。〃
Fei Yi thanked him and said； 〃In such a case the Middle Land will fall forthwith。〃
A banquet was prepared。 At this； Sun Quan said； 〃Whom did the Prime Minister send to lead the battle？〃
Fei Yi replied； 〃Wei Yan was the chief leader。〃
〃A man brave enough； but crooked。 One day he will work a mischief unless Zhuge Liang is present。 But surely Zhuge Liang knows。〃
〃Your Majesty's words are to the point；〃 said the envoy。 〃I will return at once and lay them before Zhuge Liang。〃
Fei Yi quickly took leave and hastened to Qishan with his news of the intended expedition of Wu against Wei with three hundred thousand troops in three directions。
〃Did the Ruler of Wu say nothing else？〃 asked Zhuge Liang。
Then Fei Yi told him what had been said about Wei Yan。
〃Truly a prehending ruler；〃 said Zhuge Liang； appreciatively。 〃But I could not be ignorant of this。 However； I value Wei Yan because he is very bold。〃
〃Then Sir； you ought to decide soon what to do with him。〃
〃I have a scheme of my own。〃
Fei Yi returned to Chengdu； and Zhuge Liang resumed the ordinary camp duties of a leader。
When Zhuge Liang was in a council with his manders； suddenly a certain Wei leader came and begged to be allowed to surrender。 Zhuge Liang had the man brought in and questioned him。
〃I am a leader； Zheng Wen by name。 General Qin Lang and I are old colleagues。 Recently Sima Yi transferred us and； showing great partiality for my colleague； appointed him Leader of the Van and threw me out like a weed。 I was disgusted and left； and I wish to join your ranks if you will accept my service。〃
Just at that moment a soldier came in to say that Qin Lang with a pany had appeared in front of the tents and was challenging Zheng Wen。
Said Zhuge Liang； 〃How does this man stand with you in fighting skill？〃
〃I should just kill him；〃 said Zheng Wen。
〃If you were to slay him； that would remove my doubts。〃
Zheng Wen accepted the proposer with alacrity； mounted his horse； and away he went。 Zhuge Liang went out to see the fight。 There was the challenger shaking his spear and reviling his late friend as rebel and brigand and horse…thief。
〃Traitor！ Give me back my horse you stole！〃 cried Qin Lang； galloping toward Zheng Wen as soon as he appeared。
Zheng Wen whipped up his horse； waved his sword； and went to meet the attack。 In the first bout he cut down Qin Lang。 The Wei soldiers then ran away。 The victor hacked off the head of his victim and returned to lay it at Zhuge Liang's feet。
Seated in his tent； Zhuge Liang summoned Zheng Wen and burst out： 〃Take him away and behead him！〃
〃I have done nothing wrong！〃 cried Zheng Wen。
〃As if I do not know Qin Lang！ The man you have just killed was not Qin Lang。 How dare？ you try to deceive me？〃
Zheng Wen said； 〃I will own up。 But this was his brother Qin Ming。〃
Zhuge Liang smiled。
〃Sima Yi sent you to try this on for some reason of his own； but he could not throw dust in my eyes。 If you do not tell the truth； I will put you to death。〃
Thus caught； the false deserter confessed and begged his life。
Zhuge Liang said； 〃You can save your life by writing a letter to Sima Yi telling him to e to raid our camp。 I will spare you on this condition。 And if I capture Sima Yi； I will give you all the credit and reward you handsomely。〃
There was nothing for it but to agree； and the letter was written。 Then Zheng Wen was placed in confinement。
But Fan Jian asked； 〃How did you know this was only a pretended desertion？〃
〃Sima Yi looks to his people；〃 replied Zhuge Liang。 〃If he made Qin Lang a leading general； Qin Lang was certainly a man of great military skill and not the sort of man to be overe by this fellow Zheng Wen in the first encounter。 So Zheng Wen's opponent certainly was not Qin Lang。 That is how I knew。〃
They congratulated him on his perspicacity。 Then Zhuge Liang selected a certain persuasive speaker from among his officers and whispered certain instructions in his ear。 The officer at once left and carried the letter just written to the Wei camp； where he asked to see the mander…in…Chief。 He was admitted； and the letter was read。
〃Who are you？〃 said Sima Yi。
〃I am a man from the Middle Land； a poor fellow stranded in Shu。 Zheng Wen and I are fellow villagers。 Zhuge Liang has given Zheng Wen a Van Leadership as a reward for what he has done； and Zheng Wen got me to bring this letter to you and to say that he will show a light tomorrow evening as a signal； and he hopes you will lead the attack yourself。 Zheng Wen will work from the inside in your favor。〃
Sima Yi took great pains to test the reliability of these statements； and he examined the letter minutely to see if it bore any signs of fabrication； but he found it was Zheng Wen's writing。
Presently he ordered in refreshments for the bearer of the letter； and then he said； 〃We will fix today at the second watch for the raid； and I will lead in person。 If it succeeds； I will give you a good appointment as a reward。〃
Taking leave； the soldier retraced his steps to his own camp and reported the whole interview to Zhuge Liang。
Zhuge Liang held his sword aloft toward the North Star； took the proper paces for an incantation； and prayed。
This done； he summoned Wang Ping； Zhang Ni； Wei Yan； Ma Dai； Ma Zheng； and Jiang Wei； to whom he gave certain instructions。 When they had gone to carry them out； he ascended a hill； taking with him a few score guards only。
Sima Yi had been taken in by Zheng Wen's letter and intended to lead the night raid。 But the elder of his sons； Sima Shi； expostulated with his father。
〃Father； you are going on a dangerous expedition on the faith of a mere scrap of paper；〃 said his son。 〃I think it imprudent。 What if something goes unexpectedly wrong？ Let some general go in your place； and you e up in rear as a reserve。〃
Sima Yi saw there was reason in this proposal； and he finally decided to send Qin Lang； with ten thousand troops； and Sima Yi himself would mand the reserve。
The night was fine with a bright moon。 But about the middle of the second watch the sky clouded over； and it became very black； so that a man could not see his next neighbor。
〃This is providential；〃 chuckled Sima Yi。
The expedition duly started； soldiers with gags； and horses with cords round their muzzles。 They moved swiftly and silently； and Qin Lang made straight for the camp of Shu。
But when he reached it and entered； and saw not a soldier； he knew he had been tricked。 He yelled to his troops to retire； but lights sprang up all round； and attacks began from four sides。 Fight as he would； Qin Lang could not free himself。
From behind the battle area Sima Yi saw flames rising from the camp of Shu and heard continuous shouting； but he knew not whether it meant victory for his own army or to his enemy。 He pressed forward toward the fire。 Suddenly； a shout； a roll of drums； and a blare of trumpets close at hand； a bomb that seemed to rend the earth； and Wei Yan and Jiang Wei bore down upon Sima Yi； one on each flank。 This was the final blow to him。 Of every ten soldiers of Wei； eight or nine were killed or wounded； and the few others scattered to the four winds。
Meanwhile Qin Lang's ten thousand troops were falling under arrows that came in locust…flights； and their leader was killed。 Sima Yi and the remnant of his army ran away to their own camp。
After the third watch the sky cleared。 Zhuge Liang from the hill…top sounded the gong of retreat。 This obscurity in the third watch was due to an incantation called Concealing Method。 The sky became clear； because Zhuge Liang performed another incantation to have the Deities of Six Layers sweep away the few floating clouds that still persisted。
The victory was plete。 The first order on Zhuge Liang's return to camp was to put Zheng Wen to death。
Next he considered new plans for capturing the south bank。 Every day be sent a party to offer a challenge before the camps of the enemy； but no one accepted。
One day Zhuge Liang rode in his small chariot to the front of the Qishan Mountains； keenly scanned the course of River Wei and carefully surveyed the lie of the land。 Presently he came to a valley shaped like a bottle…gourd； large enough to form a hiding place for a whole thousand soldiers in the inner recess； while half as many more could hide in the outer。 In rear the mountains were so close that they left passage only for a single horseman。 The discovery pleased the general mightily； and he asked the guides what the place was called。
They replied； 〃It is called Shangfang Valley； and nicknamed Gourd Valley。〃
Returning to his camp； he called up two leaders named Du Rui and Hu Zhong and whispered into their ears certain secret orders。 Next he called up a thousand craftspeople and sent them into the Gourd Valley to construct 〃wooden oxen and running horses〃 for the use of the troops。 Finally he set Ma Dai with five hundred troops to guard the mouth of the Gourd Valley and prevent all entrance and exit。
Zhuge Liang said； 〃People from outside cannot enter； from inside cannot exit。 I will visit the valley at irregular intervals to inspect the work。 A plan for the defeat of Sima Yi is being prepared here and must be kept a profound secret。〃
Ma Dai left to take up the position。 The two generals； Du Rui and Hu Zhong； were superintendents of the work in the Gourd Valley。 Zhuge Liang came every day to give instructions。
One day Yang Yi went to Zhuge Liang and said； 〃The stores of grain are all at Saber Pass； and the labor of transport is very heavy。 What can be done？〃
Zhuge Liang replied； smiling； 〃I have had a scheme ready for a long time。 The timber that I collected and bought in the River Lands was for the construction of wooden transport animals to convey grain。 It will be very advantageous； as they will require neither food nor water and they can keep on the move day and night without resting。〃
All those within hearing said； 〃From old days till now no one has ever heard of such a device。 What excellent plan have you； O Prime Minister； to make such marvelous cr