protection。　The　other　soldiers　had　short　ladders　and　ropes；　and；　at　the　beat　of　the　drum；　they　attempted　to　scale　the　walls。

But　when　Hao　Zhao　saw　the　ladders　being　brought　up；　he　made　his　soldiers　shoot　fire…arrows　at　them。　Zhuge　Liang　did　not　expect　this。　He　knew　the　city　was　not　well　prepared　for　defense；　and　he　had　had　the　great　ladders　brought　up　and　bade　the　soldiers　take　the　wall　with　a　rush。　He　was　greatly　chagrined　when　the　fire　arrows　set　his　ladders　on　fire　and　so　many　of　his　soldiers　were　burned。　And　as　the　arrows　and　stones　rained　down　from　the　wall；　the　soldiers　of　Shu　were　forced　to　retire。

Zhuge　Liang　angrily　said；　〃So　you　burn　my　ladders！　Then　I　will　use　battering　rams。〃

So　the　rams　were　brought　and　placed　against　the　walls　and　again　the　signal　given　for　assault。　But　the　defenders　brought　up　great　stones　suspended　by　ropes；　which　they　swung　down　at　the　battering　rams　and　so　broke　them　to　pieces。

Next　the　besiegers　set　to　work　to　bring　up　earth　and　fill　the　moat；　and　Liao　Hua　led　three　thousand　soldiers　to　excavate　a　tunnel　under　the　ramparts。　But　Hao　Zhao　cut　a　counter…trench　within　the　city　and　turned　that　device。

So　the　struggle　went　on　for　near　a　month；　and　still　the　city　was　not　taken。　Zhuge　Liang　was　very　depressed。

That　was　not　all。　The　scouts　reported：　〃From　the　east　there　is　ing　a　relief　force　of　Wei；　the　flags　of　which　bears　the　name　Wei　Van　Leader；　General　Wang　Shuang　。〃

Zhuge　Liang　asked；　〃Who　wants　to　go　out　and　oppose　this　force？〃

Wei　Yan　offered　himself。

〃No；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃you　are　too　valuable　as　Leader　of　the　Van。〃

General　Xie　Xiong　offered　his　services。　They　were　accepted；　and　Xie　Xiong　was　given　three　thousand　troops。　After　he　had　gone；　Zhuge　Liang　decided　to　s