nt　of　stones。〃

〃I　am　not　afraid　of　the　stones；　and　it　is　not　on　their　account　that　I　retire。　But　I　fear　Cao　Pi。　He　is　no　less　resourceful　than　his　father；　and　when　he　hears　I　am　marching　into　Shu；　he　will　certainly　attack　us。　How　could　I　return　then？〃

The　homeward　march　began。

On　the　second　day　the　scouts　brought　a　report：　〃Three　Wei　generals　with　three　armies　are　debouching　at　three　different　points　and　moving　toward　the　borders　of　Wu………Cao　Ren　to　Ruxu；　Cao　Xiu　to　Dongkou；　and　Cao　Zhen　to　Nanjun。　Their　intentions　are　unclear。〃

〃Just　as　I　thought；〃　said　Lu　Xun。　〃But　I　am　ready　for　them。〃

〃And　now　the　west　is　mine；〃　the　victor　thought；

But　danger　from　the　north　discretion　taught。

The　story　of　the　retreat　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　85　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　85

Chapter　85

The　First　Ruler　Confides　His　Son　To　The　Guardian's　Care；

Zhuge　Liang　Calmly　Settles　The　Five　Attacks。

In　summer；　the　sixth　month　of　the　second　year　of　Manifest　Might　（AD　221）　Lu　Xun　destroyed　the　army　of　Shu　at　Yiling。　The　First　Ruler　sought　refuge　in　Baidicheng；　of　which　Zhao　Yun　then　undertook　the　defense。　When　Ma　Liang　returned　only　to　find　his　lord　defeated；　he　was　more　distressed　than　he　could　say。　He　announced　what　Zhuge　Liang　had　said　concerning　the　plans。

The　First　Ruler　sighed；　saying；　〃If　I　had　listened　to　the　Prime　Minister's　advice；　the　defeat　would　not　have　happened。　Now　how　can　I　face　the　officials　if　I　return　to　my　capital？〃

So　he　promulgated　a　mand　to　change　the　guest…house　into　the　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace。　He　was　deeply　grieved　when　they　told　him　Feng　Xi；　Cheng　Jin；　Fu　Tong；　Zhang　Nan；　King　Shamo　Ke；　and　many　of　his　general