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Deng Ai listened, growing more and more sad as the interpretation of his dream was unfolded. Just then came dispatches from Zhong Hui asking him to advance into Hanzhong together. Deng Ai at once sent Zhuge Xu with fifteen thousand troops to cut off Jiang Wei's retreat; and Wang Qi was to lead fifteen thousand troops to attack Tazhong from the left; Qian Hong was to march fifteen thousand troops to attack Tazhong from the right; and Yang Xin with fifteen thousand troops was to block Jiang Wei at Gansong. Deng Ai took command of a force to go to and fro and reinforce whatever body needed help.

Meanwhile in the camp of Zhong Hui, all the officials came out to see him depart. It was a grand sight, the gay banners shutting out the sun, breastplates and helmets glittering. The soldiers were fit and the horses in good condition. They all felicitated the leader.

All save one; for Liu Shi was silent. He smiled grimly.

Then Commander Wang Xiang made his way through the crowd and said, “Do you think these two — Zhong Hui and Deng Ai — will overcome Shu?”

Said Liu Shi, “They will overcome Shu certainly, only I think neither will ever come back.”

“Why do you say that?”

But Liu Shi did not reply; he only smiled. And the question was not repeated.

The armies of Wei were on the march when Jiang Wei heard of the intended attack. He at once sent up a memorial asking that certain defensive arrangements be made. Zhang Yi, Left Commander of the Flying Cavalry, was to guard the Yangping Pass, and Liao Hua, Right Commander of the Flying Cavalry, was to command at the Yinping Bridge in Yinping, which were the two most important points upon which depended the security of Hanzhong. He also sent to engage the help of Wu, and gathered soldiers in Tazhong ready for the march.

That year in Shu the reign-style had been changed from Wonderful Sight, the fifth year, to Joyful Prosperity, the first year (AD 264). When the memorial of Jiang Wei came to the Latter Ruler, it found him as usual amusing himself with his favorite Huang Hao.

He read the document and said to the eunuch, “Here Jiang Wei says that the Wei armies under Deng Ai and Zhong Hui are on the way against us. What shall we do?”

“There is nothing of the sort. Jiang Wei only wants to get a name for himself, and so he says this. Your Majesty need feel no alarm, for we can find out the truth from a certain wise woman I know. She is a real prophetess. May I call her?”

The Latter Ruler consented, and a room was fitted up for the seance. They prepared therein incense, flowers, paper, candles, sacrificial articles and so on, and then Huang Hao went with a chariot to beg the wise woman to attend upon the Latter Ruler.

She came and was seated on the Dragon Couch. After the Latter Ruler had kindled the incense and repeated the prayer, the wise woman suddenly let down her hair, dropped her slippers, and capered about

barefoot. After several rounds of this, she coiled herself up on a table.

Huang Hao then said, “The spirit has now descended. Send everyone away and pray to her.”

So the attendants were dismissed, and the Latter Ruler entreated the wise woman.

Suddenly she cried out, “I am the guardian spirit of the Western Land of Rivers. Your Majesty, rejoices in tranquillity; why do you inquire about other matters? Within a few years the land of Wei shall come under you, wherefore you need not be sorrowful.”

She then fell to the ground as in a swoon, and it was some time before she revived. The Latter Ruler was well satisfied with her prophesy and gave her large presents. Further, he thereafter believed all she told him. The immediate result was that Jiang Wei's memorial remained unanswered; and as the Latter Ruler was wholly given to pleasure, it was easy for Huang Hao to intercept all urgent memorials from the general.

Meanwhile Zhong Hui was hastening toward Hanzhong. The Van-Leader Xu Yi was anxious to perform some startling exploit, and so he led his force to Nanzheng.

He said to his officers, “If we can take this pass, then we can march directly into Hanzhong; the defense is weak.”

A dash was made for the fort, each one vying with the rest to be first. But the commander of Nanzheng was Lu Xun, and he had had early information of the coming of his enemies. So on both sides of the bridge he posted soldiers armed with multiple bows and crossbows. As soon as the attacking force appeared, the signal was given by a clapper and a terrific discharge of arrows and bolts opened. Many troops of Wei fell, and the army of Xu Yi was defeated.

Xu Yi returned and reported his misfortune. Zhong Hui himself went with a hundred armored horsemen to see the conditions. Again the machine bows let fly clouds of missiles, and Zhong Hui turned to flee.