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t　to　take　place　the　next　day。　Deng　Ai　openly　accepted。　But　when　morning　came　and　Jiang　Wei　had　arrayed　his　troops；　his　enemy　had　not　appeared　on　the　field。　Nor　was　there　any　sign　of　giving　battle；　no　display　of　flags　or　rolling　of　drums　all　day。

At　nightfall　the　army　of　Shu　returned　to　camp；　and　Jiang　Wei　sent　a　letter　reproaching　his　opponent　with　his　failure　to　keep　his　word。

Deng　Ai　treated　the　bearer　of　the　letter　with　great　courtesy　and　explained；　saying；　〃I　have　been　indisposed　today；　but　will　certainly　fight　on　the　morrow。〃

But　the　next　day　passed　also　without　any　move　on　the　part　of　Wei；　and　the　same　thing　went　on　for　five　days。

Then　said　Fu　Qian　to　his　chief；　〃There　is　some　knavery　afoot；　and　we　must　be　on　our　guard。〃

〃They　must　be　waiting　for　reinforcements　from　Within　the　Passes　that　they　may　attack　on　three　sides；〃　said　Jiang　Wei。　〃But　now　will　I　send　into　Wu　and　get　Sun　Chen　to　strike　at　the　same　time　as　I。〃

Just　then　scouts　came　to　give　the　news　of　the　rout　of　the　army　of　Wu：　〃Sima　Zhao　has　defeated　Shouchun　and　killed　Zhuge　Dan。　Many　in　the　Wu　army　have　gone　over　to　Wei。　Sima　Zhao　has　gone　to　Luoyang　and　is　planning　to　march　an　army　to　attack　Changcheng。〃

〃So　our　attack　on　Wei　is　but　a　sham！〃　said　Jiang　Wei；　bitterly。　〃It　is　only　a　picture　of　a　cake。〃

Four　times　he　missed！　He　hailed

The　fifth　occasion　joyfully；　and　failed。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　the　story　of　the　retreat。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　113　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　113

Chapter　113

Ding　Feng　Makes　A　Plan　To　Slay　Sun　Chen；

Jiang　Wei　Arrays　A　Battle　To　Defeat　Deng　Ai。

Fearing　lest　reinforcements　would　strengthen　his　enemy　beyond　his　own　power　of　resistance；