ui；　has　put　in　motion　all　western　forces　under　Xiahou　Mao。〃

Then　Wei　Yan　went　in　to　offer　a　plan；　saying；　〃Xiahou　Mao　is　a　child　of　a　wealthy　family；　soft　and　stupid。　Give　me　five　thousand　troops；　and　I　will　go　out　by　Baozhong；　follow　the　line　of　the　Qinling　Mountains　east　to　the　Ziwu　Valley　and　then　turn　north。　In　ten　days　I　can　be　at　Changan。　Hearing　of　my　rush；　Xiahou　Mao　will　hasten　to　vacate　the　city。　Then　he　must　flee　by　way　of　Royal　Gate。　I　will　e　in　by　the　east；　and　you；　Sir；　can　advance　by　the　Xie　Valley　with　the　main　army。　In　this　way　all　west　of　Changan　will　be　ours　in　just　one　move。〃

Zhuge　Liang　smiled　at　the　suggestion。

〃I　do　not　think　the　plan　quite　perfect；〃　said　he。　〃You　are　gambling　by　thinking　there　is　no　northerner　worth　considering　guarding　Changan。　If　anyone　suggests　sending　a　force　across　to　block　the　exit　of　the　mountains；　I　am　afraid　we　should　lose　five　thousand　troops；　to　say　nothing　of　the　check　to　our　elan。　The　plan　will　not　work。〃

〃If　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　march　by　the　high　road；　they　will　bring　against　you　the　whole　host　Within　the　Passes　and　will　thus　hold　you　indefinitely。　You　will　never　get　to　the　Middle　Land。〃

〃But　I　shall　go　along　the　level　road　on　the　right　of　Longyou。　I　cannot　fail　if　I　keep　to　the　fixed　rules　of　war。〃

Wei　Yan　withdrew；　gloomy　and　dissatisfied。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　sent　Zhao　Yun　orders　for　the　advanced　guard　to　move。

Xiahou　Mao　was　at　Changan　preparing　his　force。　There　came　to　him　a　general　from　Xiliang；　named　Han　De；　a　man　of　great　valor；　whose　weapon　was　a　mighty　battle…ax　called　〃Mountain　Splitter〃。　He　brought　with　him　eighty　thousand　of　the　Qiang　tribesmen　and　offered　his　services。　They　were　gladly　accepted；　and　his　army　was　made　the　van　of　the　attack。

Th