lted　you　about　an　expedition　against　Shu：　What　think　you？〃

〃No　such　thing；〃　said　Liu　Ye。　〃Shu　is　too　difficult　a　country　to　invade。　It　would　be　a　mere　waste　of　humans　and　weapons。〃

They　left　him。　Then　Yang　Jin　went　into　the　Emperor　and　said；　〃It　is　said　that　yesterday　Liu　Ye　advised　Your　Majesty　to　fall　upon　Shu。　Today　when　we　talked　with　him；　he　said　Shu　could　not　be　attacked。　This　is　treating　Your　Majesty　with　indignity；　and　you　should　issue　a　mand　to　punish　him。〃

Wherefore　Cao　Rui　called　in　Liu　Ye　and　asked　him　to　explain。

Liu　Ye　replied；　〃I　have　studied　the　details。　Shu　cannot　be　attacked。〃

Cao　Rui　laughed。

In　a　short　time　Yang　Jin　left。

Then　Liu　Ye　said；　〃Yesterday　I　advised　Your　Majesty　to　attack　Shu。　That　being　a　matter　of　state　policy　should　be　divulged　to　no　person。　The　essential　of　a　military　move　is　secrecy。〃

Then　Cao　Rui　understood；　and　thereafter　Liu　Ye　was　held　in　greater　consideration。

Ten　days　later　Sima　Yi　came　to　court；　and　Cao　Zhen's　memorial　was　shown　him。

Sima　Yi　replied；　〃The　moment　is　opportune。　I　do　not　think　there　is　any　danger　from　Wu。〃

Cao　Zhen　was　created　Minister　of　War；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　and　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Western　Expedition；　Sima　Yi　was　made　Grand　mander；　General　Who　Conquers　the　West；　and　was　second　in　mand；　and　Liu　Ye　was　made　Instructor　of　the　Army。　These　three　then　left　the　court；　and　the　army　of　four　hundred　thousand　troops　marched　to　Changan；　intending　to　dash　to　Saber　Pass　and　attack　Hanzhong。　The　army　was　joined　by　Guo　Huai　and　Sun　Li。

The　defenders　of　Hanzhong　brought　the　news　to　Zhuge　Liang；　then　quite　recovered　and　engaged　in　training　his　army　and　elaborating　the　〃Eight　Arrays〃。　All　was　in　an　efficient　state　and　ready　for　an