vice and chose Eunuch Cen Hun as his confidant and favorite。 When Prime Minister Puyang Xing and General Zhang Bu ventured upon remonstrance； both； with all their family； were put to death。 Thereafter none dared to speak； the mouth of every courtier was shut tight。
Another year…style； Treasured Paramount； was adopted the next year （266）； and the responsibility of the Prime Minister's office was shared by two officers； Lu Kuai the Left and Wan Yu the Right。
At this time the imperial residence was in Wuchang。 The people of Yangzhou shouldered heavy tribute and suffered exceedingly。 There was no limit to the Ruler's extravagance。 The treasury was swept clean； and the ine of the royal domain exhausted。
At length Lu Kuai； Left Prime Minister； ventured a memorial； saying：
〃No natural calamity has fallen upon the people； yet they starve； no public work is in progress； yet the treasury is empty。 I am distressed。 The country under the Hans has fallen apart and three states have arisen therefrom。 Those ruled by the Caos and the Lius； as the result of their own folly； have been lost in Jin。 Foolish I may be； but I would protect the state for Your Majesty against the evils we have seen in the other divisions。 This city of Wuchang is not safe as a royal residence。 There is a rhyme concerning it； the gist of which is that it is better to drink the water of Jianye than eat the fish of Wuchang； better to die in Jianye than to live in Wuchang。 This shows the regard of the people as well as the will of Heaven。 Now the public storehouses are nearly empty； they contain insufficient for a year's use。 The officers of all grades vex and distress the people and none pity them。
〃In former times the Palace women numbered less than a hundred； for years past they have exceeded a thousand。 This is an extravagant waste of treasure。 The courtiers render no disinterested service； but are split into cliques and cabals。 The honest are injured； and the good driven away。 All these things undermine the state and weaken the people。 I beg Your Majesty to reduce the number of officers and remove grievances； to dismiss the Palace women and select honest officers； to the joy of the people and the tranquillity of the state。〃
But the Ruler of Wu was displeased； threw the memorial away； and showed his contempt for the Minister's remonstrance by beginning to collect material for the building of a new palace plex to be called the Reflected Light Palace。 He even made the officers of the court go into the forest to fell trees for the work。
The Ruler of Wu called in the soothsayer Shang Guang and bade him take the cast and inquire as to the attainment of empire。
Shang Guang cast a lot and replied； 〃All is propitious； and in the year of the 'mouse' your blue umbrella will enter Luoyang！〃
And Sun Hao was pleased。
He said to Minister Hua Jiao； 〃The former Rulers listened to your words and sent generals to various points and placed defensive camps along the rivers。 And over all these was set Ding Feng。 Now my desire is to conquer Han and avenge the wrongs of my brother； the Ruler of Shu。 What place should be first conquered？〃
Hua Jiao replied； 〃Now that Chengdu has fallen and the Throne there been overturned； Sima Yan will assuredly desire to absorb this southern land。 Your Majesty should display virtue and restore confidence to your people。 That would be the best plan。 If you engage in war； it will be like throwing on hemp to put out a fire………the hemp only adds to the blaze。 This is worthy of careful consideration。〃
But Sun Hao grew angry and said； 〃I desire to take this opportunity to return to my real heritage。 Why do you employ this ill…omened language？ Were it not for your long service； now would I slay you and expose your head as a warning。〃
He bade the lictors hustle Minister Hua Jiao from his presence； and Hua Jiao left the court。
〃It is pitiful；〃 said Hua Jiao。 〃Ere long our silky； beautiful country will pass to another！〃
So Hua Jiao retired。
And the Ruler of Wu ordered Lu Kang； General Who Guards the East； to camp his army at Jiangkou in order to attack Xiangyang。
Spies reported this in Luoyang； and it was told the Ruler of Jin。 When Sima Yan heard that the army of Wu threatened to invade Xiangyang； he called a council。
Jia Chong stood forth； saying； 〃I hear the government of Wu； under its present ruler； Sun Hao； is devoid of virtue； and the Ruler of Wu has turned aside out of the road。 Your Majesty should send mander Yang Hu to oppose this army。 When internal trouble shall arise； let him attack； and victory will then be easy。〃
The Ruler of Jin issued an edict ordering Yang Hu to prepare； and so he mustered his troops and set himself to guard the county。
Yang Hu became very popular in Xiangyang。 Any of the soldiers of Wu who desired to desert to the other side were allowed to e over。 He employed only the fewest possible troops on patrol duty。 Instead he set his soldiers to till the soil； and they cultivated an extensive area； whereby the hundred days supplies with which they set out were soon increased to enough for ten years。
Yang Hu maintained great simplicity； wearing the lightest of garments and no armor。 His personal escort and servants numbered only about ten。
One day his officers came to his tent and said； 〃The spies reported great laxity in the enemy's camp。 It is time to make an attack！〃
But Yang Hu replied； 〃You must not despise Lu Kang； for he is able and crafty。 Formerly his master sent him to attack Xiling； and he slew Bu Chan and many of his generals； before I could save that city。 So long as Lu Kang remains in mand； I shall remain on the defensive。 I shall not attack till there be trouble and confusion among our enemies。 To be rash and not await the proper moment to attack is to invite defeat。〃
They found him wise and said no more。 They only kept the boundaries。
One day Yang Hu and his officers went out to hunt； and it happened that Lu Kang had chosen the same day to hunt。 Yang Hu gave strict orders not to cross the boundary； and so each hunted only on his own side。
Lu Kang was astonished at the enemy's scrupulous propriety。
He sighed； 〃The soldiers of Yang Hu have so high a discipline that I may not make any invasion now。〃
In the evening； after both parties had returned； Yang Hu ordered an inspection of the slaughtered game and sent over to the other side any that seemed to have been first struck by the soldiers of Wu。
Lu Kang was greatly pleased and sent for the bearers of the game。
〃Does your leader drink wine？〃 asked he。
They replied； 〃Only fine wines does he drink。〃
〃I have some very old wine；〃 replied Lu Kang； smiling； 〃and I will give of it to you to bear to your general as a gift。 It is the wine I myself brew and drink on ceremonial occasions； and he shall have half in return for today's courtesy。〃
They took the wine and left。
〃Why do you give him wine？〃 asked Lu Kang's officers。
〃Because he has shown kindness； and I must return courtesy for courtesy。〃
When the gift of wine arrived and the bearers told Yang Hu the story of their reception； he laughed。
〃So he knows I can drink；〃 said Yang Hu。
He had the jar opened； and the wine was poured out。 One of his generals； Chen Yuan； begged him to drink moderately lest there should be some harm e of it。
〃Lu Kang is no poisoner；〃 replied Yang Hu。
And he drank。 The friendly intercourse thus continued； and messengers frequently passed from one camp to the other。
One day the messengers said that Lu Kang was unwell and had been ailing for several days。
〃I think he suffers from the same plaint as I；〃 said Yang Hu。 〃I have some remedies ready prepared and will send him some。〃
The drugs were taken over to the Wu camp。
But the sick man's officers were suspicious and said； 〃This medicine is surely harmful： It es from the enemy。〃
However； Lu Kang said； 〃No； old Uncle Yang Hu would not poison a person。 Do not doubt。〃
He drank the decoction。 Next day he was much better。
When his staff came to congratulate him； he said； 〃If our opponents take their stand upon virtue and we take ours upon violence； they will drag us after them without fighting。 See to it that the boundaries be well kept and that we seek not to gain any unfair advantage。〃
Soon after came a special envoy from the Ruler of Wu to urge upon Lu Kang prompt activity。
〃Our Emperor sends orders for you to press forward；〃 said the envoy。 〃You are not to await a Jin invasion。〃
〃You may return； and I will send up a memorial；〃 replied Lu Kang。
So a memorial was written and soon followed the envoy to the capital； which by this time was Jianye。 When the Ruler of Wu； Sun Hao； read it； he found therein many arguments against attacking Jin and exhortations to exercise a virtuous rule instead of engaging in hostilities。 It angered him。
〃They say Lu Kang has e to an understanding with the enemy； and now I believe it！〃 said the Ruler of Wu。
Thereupon he deprived Lu Kang of his mand and took away his mission and degraded him into Marching General。 Sun Ji； General of the Left Army； was sent to supersede Lu Kang。 And none dared to intervene。
Sun Hao became still more arbitrary and of his own will changed the year…style once more to the Phoenix （AD 269）。 Day by day his life became more wanton and vicious。 The soldiers in every camp murmured with anger and resentment； and at last three high officers………Prime Minister Wan Yu； General Liu Ping； and Minister of Agriculture Lou Xuan………boldly and earnestly remonstrated with the Emperor for his many irregularities。 They suffered death。 Within ten years more than forty ministers were put to death for doing their duty。
Sun Hao maintained an extravagantly large guard of fifty thousand heavy cavalry； and these soldiers were the terror of everyone。
Now when Yang Hu； on the Jin side of the frontier； heard that his opponent Lu Kang had been removed from his mand and that the conduct of the Ruler of Wu had bee wholly unreasonable； he knew that the time was near for him to conquer Wu。 Wherefore he presented a memorial：
〃Although fate is superior to human； yet success depends upon human effort。 Now as the geographic difficulties of the South Land are not as those of the River Lands； while the ferocity of Sun Hao exceeds that of Liu Shan； the misery of the people of Wu exceeds that of the dwellers in Shu。 Our armies are stronger than ever before； and if we miss this opportunity to bring the whole land under one rule； but continue to weary our army with continual watching and cause the world to groan under the burden of militarism； then our efficiency will decline and we shall not endure。〃
When Sima Yan read this； he gave orders for the army to move。 But three officers………Jia Chong； Xun Xu； and Feng Dan………opposed it； and the orders were withdrawn。
Yang Hu was disappointed at the news and said； 〃What a pity it is that of ten affairs in the world； one always meets with eight or nine vexations！〃
In the fourth year of Universal Tranquillity； in Jin calendar （AD 278）； Yang Hu went to court and asked leave to retire on account of ill health。
Before granting him leave to go； Sima Yan asked； 〃Do you have plans to propose to settle the empire？〃
Yang Hu replied； 〃Sun Hao is a very cruel ruler and could be conquered without fighting。 If he were to die and a wise successor sat upon his throne； Your Majesty would never b