And Qiu Jian allowed to enter into the place of confinement a trusty confidant of Hu Lie； who gave him a letter to his son Hu Yuan。
When Hu Yuan knew the whole story； he was astonished and told his subordinates； and they were greatly enraged。
They came to their mander's tent to say： 〃We would rather die than follow a rebel！〃
So Hu Yuan fixed upon the eighteenth day of the month to attempt the rescue。 He enlisted the sympathy of Wei Guan and got his army ready。 He bade Qiu Jian tell his father what was afoot。 Hu Lie then told his fellow…captives。
One day Zhong Hui said to Jiang Wei； 〃Last night I dreamed a dream； that I was bitten by many serpents。 Can you expound the vision？〃
Jiang Wei replied； 〃Dreams of dragons and snakes and scaly creatures are exceedingly auspicious。〃
Zhong Hui was only too ready to accept this interpretation。 Then he told Jiang Wei that all was ready and they would put the crucial question to each captive。
〃I know they are opposed to us； and you would do well to slay them all； and that right quickly；〃 replied Jiang Wei。
〃Good；〃 replied Zhong Hui。
He bade Jiang Wei with several ruffians kill the Wei leaders among the captives。 But just as Jiang Wei was starting to carry out these instructions； he was seized with a sudden spasm of the heart； so severe that he fainted。 He was raised from the earth and in time revived。 Just as he came to； a tremendous hubbub arose outside the Palace。 Zhong Hui at once sent to inquire what was afoot； but the noise waxed louder and louder； sounding like the rush of a multitude。
〃The officers must be raging；〃 said Zhong Hui。 〃We would best slay them at once！〃
But they told him： 〃The outside soldiers are in the Palace！〃
Zhong Hui bade them close the doors of the Hall of Audience； and he sent his own troops upon the roof to pelt the ining soldiers with tiles。 Many were slain on either side in the melee。 Then a fire broke out。 The assailants broke open the doors。 Zhong Hui faced them and slew a few； but others shot at him with flights of arrows； and he fell and died。 They hacked off his head。
Jiang Wei ran to and fro slaying all he met till another heart spasm seized him。
〃Failed！〃 he shrieked； 〃But it is the will of Heaven！〃
He put an end to his own life。 He was fifty…nine。
Many hundreds were slain within the Forbidden City。 Wei Guan presently ordered that the soldiers were to be led back to their various camps to await the orders of the Duke of Jin。
The soldiers of Wei； burning for revenge of his many invasions； hacked the dead body of Jiang Wei to pieces。 They found his gall bladder extraordinarily large； as large as a hen's egg。 They also seized and slew all the family of the dead leader。
Seeing that Deng Ai's two enemies on the spot were both dead； his old soldiers bethought themselves of trying to rescue him。 When Wei Guan； who had actually arrested Deng Ai； heard this； he feared for his life。
〃If Deng Ai lives； I will die in his hand！〃 said Wei Guan。
Furthermore； General Tian Xu said； 〃When Deng Ai took Jiangyou； he wished to put me to death。 It was only at the prayer of my friends that he let me off。 May I not have my revenge now？〃
So Wei Guan gave order。 At the head of five hundred cavalry； Tian Xu went in pursuit of the cage…carts。 He came up with them at Mianzhu and found that the two prisoners had just been released from the carts in which they were being carried to Luoyang。 When Deng Ai saw that those ing up were soldiers of his own late mand； he took no thought for defense。 Nor did Tian Xu waste time in preliminaries。 He went up to where Deng Ai was standing and cut him down。 His soldiers fell upon the son； Deng Zhong； and slew him also； and thus father and son met death in the same place。
A poem； pitying Deng Ai； was written：
While yet a boy； Deng Ai loved to sketch and plan；
He was an able leader as a man。
The earth could hide no secrets from his eye；
With equal skill he read the starry sky。
Past every obstacle his way he won；
And onward pressed until his task was done。
But foulest murder closed a great career；
His spirit ranges now a larger sphere。
A poem was also posed in pity for Zhong Hui：
Of mother wit Zhong Hui had no scanty share；
And in due time at court did office bear。
His subtle plans shook Sima Zhao's hold on power；
He was well named the Zhang Liang of the hour。
Shouchun and Saber Pass ramparts straight fell down；
When he attacked； and he won great renown。
Ambition beckoned； he would forward press
His spirit homeward wandered； bodiless。
Another poem； in pity of Jiang Wei； runs：
Tianshui boasts of a hero；
Talent came forth from Xizhou；
Lu Wang fathered his spirit；
Zhuge Liang tutored his mind；
Valiant he ever pressed forward；
Nor had a thought of returning；
Grieved were the soldiers of Han
When death rapt his soul from his body。
And thus died all three leaders。 Many other generals also perished in the fighting； and with them died Zhang Yi and other officers。 Liu Rui； the heir…apparent； and Guan Yi； Lord of Hanshou and grandson of Guan Yu； were also killed by the Wei soldiers。 Then followed a time of great confusion and bloodshed； which endured till Jia Chong arrived and restored confidence and order。
＇e＇ Matt； a reader： 〃Shu's Demise………I Am Pissed： I found it disheartening that the Shu Kingdom was overturned by Deng Ai。 In all； all the three kingdoms were united by the Jins。 Man； Shu Kingdom were the most righteous； honorable kingdom which actually tried to upheld the Han Dynasty。 In the end； Cao Cao's decendants and Sima Yi's heirs managed to destroy Shu and Wu。 This is not right！！ The Emperor was never avenged； and the kingdom which was actually trying to restore the Hans were destroyed。 If they were so righteous； why were they defeated by the rebel！！ Man； where there is a great warrior like Zhou Yu； there is Zhuge Liang that defeated him。 Where there is great Prime Minister Zhuge Liang； there is great strategist Sima Yi that out…witted him。 Where there is Jiang Wei； there is Deng Ai。 Rebels remains victor and the righteous are defeated。〃 。。。。。
＇e＇ Sephiroth； a reader： 〃I tend to agree with you。 The ones who actually tried to restore the Hans were defeated and the rebels remains victorous。 This sucks but this is based on facts。 So； can't we argue with it any more。 What does it tell ya； man？ The good guys don't always win。。。in fact； in life； the bad guys often have a winning hand。 For example； look at ＇modern politics and how bullies have their way。＇ So； relax。。。life is like that。。。〃 。。。。。
＇e＇ Justin； a reader： 〃Yea； the ending is very sad； but you got to rememember that this is true histroy； so they can't alter the storyline of the story。 If you follow the story carefully； some scenes foreshadow the ending。 For example； Ma Su's disobedience is one of them。 Zhuge Liang mented after the defeat that there would be no more golden opportunity to capture Changan。 Another scene is when Zhuge Liang ingeniously lured Sima Yi into a small valley to burn him。 Sima Yi would have perished but luckily he was saved by a sudden rainstorm。 Zhuge Liang knew at that moment that Heaven had destined Sima Yi to reunite the land； not Shu…Han。 To me； Shu had the most talents but it was pre…destined to lose to Jins。 Others can be blamed for the downfall of Shu。 Shu kingdom was really small pared to the vast kingdom of Wei。 Of all the people I hate the most； it would be Liu Chan。 His lack of knowledge and his apathy for the kingdom was one of the causes of the downfall。 Beside this； If some generals would listen and heed Zhuge Liang's advice； major strategic locations wouldn't be lost。 This is another factor that caused the demise。 It is sad for me to read the ending of Zhuge Liang' life。 The man worked his butt off for his land； but Heaven had to betray him。 This can be seen clearly in the scene when he invokes the stars。〃 。。。。。
＇e＇ # 44； a reader： 〃Zhuge Liang was never effectively outmanuvered by Sima Yi。 If he had been allowed to live ten more years； he might have been able to make it。 But good doesn't always win over evil in the real world。 And virtue is rarely a guarantee of anything but being virtuous。 The world should follow good and honorable humans； but more often they follow power out of fear or opulence out of desire。 At least Shu was there to make sure Cao Cao never saw a plete empire in his lifetime。 The most cathartic part； to me at least； was that the Sima family had their empire taken away for the most part by ＇northern＇ tribespeople； and where did they run to to hide？ Shu。〃 。。。。。
＇e＇ Sai； a reader： 〃I also sympathized with the Han dynasty。 But like the other Latter Han empeperors。。。 Liu Chan was just too typical。 They were weak。。。 and they sold out to the enunches。 I'm not familiar enough with ancient Chinese culture to understand whats so great about these enunches。 They never seemed very cool to me just from reading the novel。 Wei just knew how to play the game better than Shu。 After Guan Yu and Zhang Fei went。。。 I could tell Shu was in for it。。。 I knew Liu Bei didn't have much longer to live。 After Zhunge Liang went。。。 I knew Shu had died with him。 But no matter who wins or loses。。。 only the heroes live on forever。〃 。。。。。
＇e＇ Khang； the coordinator： 〃Eunuchs are your servants； and they are closer to you than any other officials。 In a court where officials are greedy and ambitious； you can always rely on the eunuchs for their loyalty。 But some eunuchs are foolish and corrupt； and relying on them would ruin your kingdom。 I guess a kingdom should rely on able officials………mandarins or eunuchs………and at the same time must be able to check their power。 Zhuge Liang； as an official； never gives us anxiety； because he checks himself。 The First Emperor of Qin； Cao Cao of Wei； and many other men built huge tombs for themselves； where they hid treasures for their next lives。 Zhuge Liang missioned a simple grave among wild hills； where he could continue guarding Shu。〃
Jia Chong set Wei Guan over the city of Chengdu and sent the captive Latter Ruler to Luoyang。 A few officers………Fan Jian； Zhang Shao； Qiao Zhou； and Xi Zheng………acpanied the deposed emperor on this degrading journey。 Liao Hua and Dong Jue made illness an excuse not to go。 They died of grief soon after。*
At this time the year…style of Wei was changed from W