re　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