lled；　and　his　speech　ran　thus：　〃Cao　Pi　is　too　firmly　established　in　the　Middle　Land　to　be　upset　now；　and　if　this　offer　of　his　be　refused；　we　shall　provoke　his　enmity。　Neither　Wei　nor　Wu；　so　far　as　I　see；　has　anyone　fit　to　oppose　Zhuge　Liang。　We　must　perforce　consent　and　put　our　army　in　order。　But　we　can　wait　till　we　see　how　the　four　armies　speed。　If　Shu　seems　likely　to　fall　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　outmaneuvered；　then　our　army　can　be　dispatched　and　we　will　take　Capital　Chengdu。　If　the　four　armies　fail；　we　shall　have　to　consider。〃

So　Sun　Quan　said　to　the　envoy　of　Wei；　〃We　are　not　ready　at　the　moment；　so　we　will　choose　a　day　to　start　later。〃

And　with　this　answer　the　envoy　left。

Next　they　made　careful　inquiries　about　the　success　or　failure　of　the　four　armies　against　Shu。

The　spies　reported：　〃The　western　Qiangs　under　King　Kebi　Neng　have　turned　back　when　they　saw　Ma　Chao　in　mand　at　Xiping　Pass。　The　southern　Mangs　led　by　Meng　Huo　have　been　perplexed　at　the　tactics　of　Wei　Yan　and　have　retreated　to　their　territories。　The　Shangyong　leader；　Meng　Da；　have　set　out；　but　half　way　have　fallen　ill　and　gone　back。　And　Cao　Zhen's　army；　while　marching　toward　Yangping　Pass；　have　been　brought　to　a　halt　by　the　defensive　preparations　of　Zhao　Yun；　who　has　garrisoned　every　pass　and　occupied　every　point　of　vantage；　they　have　eventually　retreated；　after　being　camped　in　the　Xie　Valley　for　some　time。〃

Knowing　all　this；　Sun　Quan　said　to　his　officials；　〃Lu　Xun's　words　were　indeed　prophetic；　he　made　most　perfect　deductions。　Any　rash　action　on　my　part　would　place　me　on　bad　terms　with　Shu。〃

Just　then　the　ing　of　an　envoy　from　Shu　was　announced。

Said　Zhang　Zhao；　〃This　mission　is　also　part　of　Zhuge　Liang's　scheme　to　divert　danger　from　Shu。　Deng　Zhi　has　e　as　envoy。〃