The assembly praised this perspicacity.

Zhong Hui marched as soon as he received his seal of office. Lest his real object should be known, he gave out that his force was directed against Wu; and to give color to the pretense, he had many large ships built in Qingzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Jingzhou, and Yangzhou. He also sent Tang Zi along the coastal regions of Dengzhou and Laizhou to collect vessels.

Even his chief, Sima Zhao, was deceived and called him to ask why he was collecting ships.

Zhong Hui replied, “If Shu hears that we intend to attack the west, they will ask assistance from Wu. So I pretend to attack Wu, and Wu will not dare to move under a year. When Shu is beaten, the ships will be ready and useful for an expedition into the East.”

Sima Zhao was pleased. The day chosen for the march was the third day of the seventh mouth in the fourth year of Wonderful Beginning, in Wei calendar (AD 264). Sima Zhao escorted his leader out of the city for three miles and then took his leave.

Shao Ti, Minister of the Western Affairs, whispered a word of warning.

“My lord has sent Zhong Hui with a large army against Shu. I think he is too ambitious to be trusted with such powers?”

“Think you I do not know?” said Sima Zhao.

“Then why have you sent him alone and without a colleague?”

Sima Zhao said a few words to Shao Ti which put his doubts at rest.

Zhong Hui went alone, although his master knew,

Occasion serving, he would be untrue.

The next chapter will tell the reader what Shao Ti heard.

CHAPTER 116. On Hanzhong Roads, Zhong Hui Divides The Army; In Dingjun Mountain, The Martial Lord Shows His Apparition.

The words whispered in the ear of Shao Ti proved Sima Zhao's subtlety. Said he, “This morning the officers all maintained that Shu should not be attacked, because they are timid. If I let them lead the army, they would surely be defeated. You saw Zhong Hui was set upon his plan, and he is not afraid. Shu must therefore be beaten, and then the Shu people's hearts will be torn. Beaten leaders cannot boast, and the officers of a broken state are no fit guardians of its welfare. When Zhong Hui turns against us, the people of Shu cannot support him; and our troops being victors, they will wish to return home and will not follow their leader into revolt. Hence there is nothing to be feared. I know this, as you do, but it must remain our secret.”

Shao Ti understood.

In his camp, just prior to his march, Zhong Hui assembled his officers, among them were Military Inspector Wei Guan, Marching General Hu Lie, Generals Tian Xu, Tian Zhang, Yuan Xing, Qiu Jian, Xiahou Xian, Wang Mai, Huangfu Kai, Gou An, and others, some eighty of them.

“Firstly I want a Leader of the Van,” said Zhong Hui. “He must be skilled in making roads and repairing bridges.”

“I will take that post,” said a voice, and the speaker was Xu Yi, son of the Tiger Leader Xu Chu.

“Nobody is fitter!” cried all present.

“You shall have the seal,” said Zhong Hui. “You are lithe and strong and have the renown of your father to maintain. Beside, all your colleagues recommend you. Your force shall be five thousand of cavalry and a thousand of footmen. You are to march into Hanzhong in three divisions, the center you will lead through the Xie Valley, the other two passing through the Luo and Ziwu Valleys. You must level and repair the roads, put the bridges in order, bore tunnels and break away rocks. Use all diligence, for any delay will entail punishment.”

Xu Yi was told to set out immediately, and his chief would follow with one hundred thousand troops.

In Longxi, as soon as Deng Ai received his orders to attack Shu, he sent Sima Wang to keep the Qiangs in check. Next he summoned Zhuge Xu, Imperial Protector of Yongzhou, Wang Qi, Governor of Tianshui, Qian Hong, Governor of Longxi, and Yang Xin, Governor of Jincheng, and soon soldiers gathered in Longxi like clouds.

One night Deng Ai dreamed a dream wherein he was climbing a lofty mountain on the way into Hanzhong. Suddenly a spring of water gushed out at his feet and boiled up with great force so that he was alarmed.

He awoke all in a sweat and did not sleep again, but sat awaiting the dawn. At daybreak he summoned his guard Shao Yuan, who was skilled in the Book of Changes, told him the dream and asked the interpretation.

Shao Yuan replied, “According to the book, 'water on a mountain' signifies the diagram Jian, whereunder we find that the southwest augurs well, but the northeast is unpropitious. Confucius said of Jian that it meant advantage in the southwest, i.e., success, but the northeast spelt failure, i.e., there was no road. In this expedition, General, you will overcome Shu, but you will not have a road to return.”