So　Ma　Liang　went；　while　the　First　Ruler　busied　himself　with　getting　his　army　into　shelter　from　the　fierce　heat　of　summer。

His　move　was　no　secret；　and　the　scouts　soon　told　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai；　who　rejoiced　at　the　news　and　soon　went　to　tell　Lu　Xun。

〃All　the　enemies'　forty　camps　had　been　moved　into　the　shade。　Now；　Sir；　you　can　attack！〃　said　they。

That　was　not　a　bad　plan；　an　ambush　to　set；

Thus　thought　he　his　chiefest　opponent　to　get。

Whether　Lu　Xun　acted　upon　the　suggestion　of　his　subordinates　will　be　seen　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　84　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　84

Chapter　84

Lu　Xun　Burns　All　Consecutive　Camps；

Zhuge　Liang　Plans　The　Eight…Array　Maze。

The　last　chapter　closed　with　the　report　that　the　First　Ruler　had　shifted　camp　in　search　of　cool　shade；　and　the　news　was　very　wele　to　Lu　Xun。　He　went　forthwith　to　assure　himself　of　the　truth　of　the　report　and　observe　the　new　position。　A　level　plain　lay　at　his　feet；　whereon　he　saw　something　short　of　ten　thousand　Shu　troops；　the　greater　part　of　whom　appeared　invalids。　On　the　banner　of　their　leader　he　read　the　name　Van　Leader　Hu　Ban　。

〃We　consider　these　troops　children；〃　said　Zhou　Tai。　〃Let　me　and　General　Han　Dang　go　out　and　smite　them。　I　will　give　the　formal　guarantee　of　victory。〃

The　mander…in…Chief　made　no　reply；　but　remained　gazing　out　before　him。

Presently　he　said；　〃It　seems　to　me　that　an　air　of　slaughter　is　rising　over　there　from　that　valley。　Surely　there　is　an　ambush　there。　These　poor　troops　in　the　foreground　are　nothing　but　a　bait。　No；　Gentlemen；　do　not　leave　your　positions。〃

Those　who　heard　this　took　it　only　as　another　proof　of　the　imbecility　of　their　pedant　mander。