the　enemy。　But　it　was　not　to　be。　Presently　they　heard　the　roar　of　bombs　and　the　beating　of　drums；　and　then　flags　and　banners　appeared；　all　of　Wei。　And　among　them　fluttered　the　leader's　standard；　bearing　two　words　Deng　Ai　。

This　was　a　sad　disappointment。　The　army　of　Shu　halted；　and　veteran　soldiers　of　Wei　came　rushing　down　from　various　points　on　the　hill；　too　many　for　the　troops　of　Shu　to　drive　back。　So　the　advance　guard　was　defeated。　Jiang　Wei　went　to　their　help　with　his　central　body；　but　when　he　got　near；　the　soldiers　of　Wei　had　retreated　up　to　the　hill。

Jiang　Wei　went　on　to　the　foot　of　the　hill　and　challenged；　but　no　one　came　out　to　accept。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　began　to　shout　abuse；　and　kept　it　up　till　late　in　the　day；　but　they　failed　to　provoke　a　fight。　As　the　army　of　Shu　began　to　retire；　the　Wei　drums　beat　furiously；　yet　no　one　appeared。　Jiang　Wei　turned　about　to　ascend　the　hill；　but　its　defenders　prevented　that　by　stones　thrown　from　above。　He　hung　on　till　the　third　watch；　when　he　tried　again。　But　he　failed。　Thereupon　he　went　down　the　hill　and　halted；　bidding　his　soldiers　build　a　barricade　of　wood　and　boulders。　The　troops　of　Wei　came　on　again；　and　the　Shu　troops　scrambled　to　run　to　the　old　camp。

Next　day　Jiang　Wei　brought　up　many　transport　wagons　and　placed　them　on　the　slope　as　the　nucleus　of　a　camp。　But　in　the　night　a　number　of　Wei　troops　came　down　with　torches　and　set　fire　to　them。　A　fight　ensued；　which　lasted　till　dawn。

Seeing　that　a　camp　could　not　be　made　there；　Jiang　Wei　retired　to　consider　new　plans　with　Xiahou　Ba。

〃Since　we　cannot　take　Nanan；　our　next　best　plan　is　to　try　for　Shanggui；　which　is　the　storehouse　of　Nanan。〃

Leaving　Xiahou　Ba　on　the　hill；　Jiang　Wei　led　a　force　of　veteran　soldiers　and　bold　officers　along　the