are　to　keep　my　absence　perfectly　secret；　for　Sima　Yi　will　certainly　attack　if　he　hears。〃

Zhuge　Liang　issued　orders　to　break　up　the　camp　that　night；　and　the　army　retired　into　Hanzhong　forthwith。　Sima　Yi　only　heard　of　it　five　days　later；　and　he　knew　that　again　he　had　been　outwitted。

〃The　man　appears　like　a　god　and　disappears　like　a　demon。　He　is　too　much　for　me；〃　sighed　Sima　Yi。

Sima　Yi　set　certain　generals　over　the　camp　and　placed　others　to　guard　the　manding　positions；　and　he　also　marched　homeward。

As　soon　as　the　Shu　army　was　settled　in　Hanzhong；　Zhuge　Liang　went　to　Chengdu　for　treatment。　The　officials　of　all　ranks　came　to　greet　him　and　escort　him　to　his　palace。　The　Latter　Ruler　also　came　to　inquire　after　his　condition　and　sent　his　own　physicians　to　treat　him。　So　gradually　he　recovered。

In　Beginning　Prosperity；　eighth　year　and　seventh　month　（AD　230）；　Cao　Zhen；　the　Grand　mander　in　Wei；　had　recovered；　and　he　sent　a　memorial　to　his　master；　saying；

〃Shu　has　invaded　more　than　once　and　threatened　Changan。　If　this　state　be　not　destroyed；　it　will　ultimately　be　our　ruin。　The　autumn　coolness　is　now　here。　The　army　is　in　good　form；　and　it　is　the　time　most　favorable　for　an　attack　on　Shu。　I　desire　to　take　Sima　Yi　as　colleague　and　march　into　Hanzhong　to　exterminate　this　wretched　horde　and　free　the　borders　from　trouble。〃

Personally；　the　Ruler　of　Wei　approved；　but　he　consulted　Liu　Ye；　saying；　〃Cao　Zhen　proposes　an　attack　on　Shu。　How　about　that？〃

Liu　Ye　replied；　〃The　Grand　mander　speaks　well。　If　that　state　be　not　destroyed；　it　will　be　to　our　hurt。　Your　Majesty　should　give　effect　to　his　desire。〃

The　Ruler　of　Wei　nodded。

When　Liu　Ye　went　home；　a　crowd　of　officers　flocked　to　inquire；　saying；　〃We　heard　the　Emperor　has　consu