e　mutually　protective。　They　may　swallow　up　the　rest　of　the　empire；　or　they　may　stand　secure　alone。　If　you　send　tribute　to　Wei　and　acknowledge　yourself　one　of　its　ministers；　you　will　be　expected　to　attend　at　court；　and　your　heir…apparent　will　bee　a　servant　in　that　court；　and　if　you　disobey；　an　army　of　Wei　will　be　sent　to　attack　you。　Shu　also　will　e　down　the　river　and　invade　your　country。　Then　the　South　Land　will　be　yours　no　longer。　And　if　you　listen　not　to　these　words　of　mine；　and　refuse　my　offer；　I　shall　mit　suicide　before　your　face　and　so　justify　the　post　I　have　as　an　envoy。〃

As　Deng　Zhi　spoke　these　last　words；　he　gathered　up　his　robes　and　marched　down　the　hall　as　though　he　was　just　going　to　jump　into　the　cauldron。

〃Stop　him！〃　cried　Sun　Quan；　and　they　did　so。

Then　he　requested　Deng　Zhi　to　go　into　an　inner　apartment；　where　he　treated　the　envoy　as　a　guest　of　the　highest　honor。

〃O　Master；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃your　words　exactly　express　my　thoughts；　and　I　desire　to　make　a　league　of　peace　with　your　country。　Are　you　willing　to　be　the　intermediary？〃

〃Just　now　it　was　you；　O　Prince；　who　wished　to　boil　this　poor　servant。　Now　it　is　also　you　who　wishes　to　use　him。　How　can　such　a　doubtful　person　be　trusted？〃

〃My　mind　is　made　up；〃　replied　Sun　Quan。　〃Do　not　doubt　me；　Master。〃

Deng　Zhi　was　detained；　and　a　conclave　of　officers　gathered。

Said　Sun　Quan　to　the　assembly；　〃Under　my　hand　are　all　eighty…one　counties　of　the　southeast；　and　I　have　the　lands　of　Jingzhou　to　boot；　yet　I　am　not　so　well　off　as　that　little　country　of　Shu；　for　Shu　has　Deng　Zhi　for　an　envoy；　and　he　glorifies　his　lord。　I　have　no　one　to　send　to　declare　my　wishes　to　Shu。〃

Then　one　stepped　forth　and　said　he　would　go。　The　speaker　was　Zhang　Wen　of　Wucheng；　who　held　th