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d　off　his　head。
Jiang　Wei　ran　to　and　fro　slaying　all　he　met　till　another　heart　spasm　seized　him。
〃Failed！〃　he　shrieked；　〃But　it　is　the　will　of　Heaven！〃
He　put　an　end　to　his　own　life。　He　was　fifty…nine。
Many　hundreds　were　slain　within　the　Forbidden　City。　Wei　Guan　presently　ordered　that　the　soldiers　were　to　be　led　back　to　their　various　camps　to　await　the　orders　of　the　Duke　of　Jin。
The　soldiers　of　Wei；　burning　for　revenge　of　his　many　invasions；　hacked　the　dead　body　of　Jiang　Wei　to　pieces。　They　found　his　gall　bladder　extraordinarily　large；　as　large　as　a　hen's　egg。　They　also　seized　and　slew　all　the　family　of　the　dead　leader。
Seeing　that　Deng　Ai's　two　enemies　on　the　spot　were　both　dead；　his　old　soldiers　bethought　themselves　of　trying　to　rescue　him。　When　Wei　Guan；　who　had　actually　arrested　Deng　Ai；　heard　this；　he　feared　for　his　life。
〃If　Deng　Ai　lives；　I　will　die　in　his　hand！〃　said　Wei　Guan。
Furthermore；　General　Tian　Xu　said；　〃When　Deng　Ai　took　Jiangyou；　he　wished　to　put　me　to　death。　It　was　only　at　the　prayer　of　my　friends　that　he　let　me　off。　May　I　not　have　my　revenge　now？〃
So　Wei　Guan　gave　order。　At　the　head　of　five　hundred　cavalry；　Tian　Xu　went　in　pursuit　of　the　cage…carts。　He　came　up　with　them　at　Mianzhu　and　found　that　the　two　prisoners　had　just　been　released　from　the　carts　in　which　they　were　being　carried　to　Luoyang。　When　Deng　Ai　saw　that　those　ing　up　were　soldiers　of　his　own　late　mand；　he　took　no　thought　for　defense。　Nor　did　Tian　Xu　waste　time　in　preliminaries。　He　went　up　to　where　Deng　Ai　was　standing　and　cut　him　down。　His　soldiers　fell　upon　the　son；　Deng　Zhong；　and　slew　him　also；　and　thus　father　and　son　met　death　in　the　same　place。
A　poem；　pitying　Deng　Ai；　was　written：

While　yet　a　boy；　Deng　Ai　loved　to　sketch　and　plan；
He　was　an　able　leader　as　a　man。
The　earth　could　hide　no　secrets　from　his　eye；
With　equal　skill　he　read　the　starry　sky。
Past　every　obstacle　his　way　he　won；
And　onward　pressed　until　his　task　was　done。
But　foulest　murder　closed　a　great　career；
His　spirit　ranges　now　a　larger　sphere。

A　poem　was　also　posed　in　pity　for　Zhong　Hui：

Of　mother　wit　Zhong　Hui　had　no　scanty　share；
And　in　due　time　at　court　did　office　bear。
His　subtle　plans　shook　Sima　Zhao's　hold　on　power；
He　was　well　named　the　Zhang　Liang　of　the　hour。
Shouchun　and　Saber　Pass　ramparts　straight　fell　down；
When　he　attacked；　and　he　won　great　renown。
Ambition　beckoned；　he　would　forward　press
His　spirit　homeward　wandered；　bodiless。

Another　poem；　in　pity　of　Jiang　Wei；　runs：

Tianshui　boasts　of　a　hero；
Talent　came　forth　from　Xizhou；
Lu　Wang　fathered　his　spirit；
Zhuge　Liang　tutored　his　mind；
Valiant　he　ever　pressed　forward；
Nor　had　a　thought　of　returning；
Grieved　were　the　soldiers　of　Han
When　death　rapt　his　soul　from　his　body。

And　thus　died　all　three　leaders。　Many　other　generals　also　perished　in　the　fighting；　and　with　them　died　Zhang　Yi　and　other　officers。　Liu　Rui；　the　heir…apparent；　and　Guan　Yi；　Lord　of　Hanshou　and　grandson　of　Guan　Yu；　were　also　killed　by　the　Wei　soldiers。　Then　followed　a　time　of　great　confusion　and　bloodshed；　which　endured　till　Jia　Chong　arrived　and　restored　confidence　and　order。

＇e＇　Matt；　a　reader：　〃Shu's　Demise………I　Am　Pissed：　I　found　it　disheartening　that　the　Shu　Kingdom　was　overturned　by　Deng　Ai。　In　all；　all　the　three　kingdoms　were　united　by　the　Jins。　Man；　Shu　Kingdom　were　the　most　righteous；　honorable　kingdom　which　actually　tried　to　upheld　the　Han　Dynasty。　In　the　end；　Cao　Cao's　decendants　and　Sima　Yi's　heirs　managed　to　destroy　Shu　and　Wu。　This　is　not　right！！　The　Emperor　was　never　avenged；　and　the　kingdom　which　was　actually　trying　to　restore　the　Hans　were　destroyed。　If　they　were　so　righteous；　why　were　they　defeated　by　the　rebel！！　Man；　where　there　is　a　great　warrior　like　Zhou　Yu；　there　is　Zhuge　Liang　that　defeated　him。　Where　there　is　great　Prime　Minister　Zhuge　Liang；　there　is　great　strategist　Sima　Yi　that　out…witted　him。　Where　there　is　Jiang　Wei；　there　is　Deng　Ai。　Rebels　remains　victor　and　the　righteous　are　defeated。〃　。。。。。
＇e＇　Sephiroth；　a　reader：　〃I　tend　to　agree　with　you。　The　ones　who　actually　tried　to　restore　the　Hans　were　defeated　and　the　rebels　remains　victorous。　This　sucks　but　this　is　based　on　facts。　So；　can't　we　argue　with　it　any　more。　What　does　it　tell　ya；　man？　The　good　guys　don't　always　win。。。in　fact；　in　life；　the　bad　guys　often　have　a　winning　hand。　For　example；　look　at　＇modern　politics　and　how　bullies　have　their　way。＇　So；　relax。。。life　is　like　that。。。〃　。。。。。
＇e＇　Justin；　a　reader：　〃Yea；　the　ending　is　very　sad；　but　you　got　to　rememember　that　this　is　true　histroy；　so　they　can't　alter　the　storyline　of　the　story。　If　you　follow　the　story　carefully；　some　scenes　foreshadow　the　ending。　For　example；　Ma　Su's　disobedience　is　one　of　them。　Zhuge　Liang　mented　after　the　defeat　that　there　would　be　no　more　golden　opportunity　to　capture　Changan。　Another　scene　is　when　Zhuge　Liang　ingeniously　lured　Sima　Yi　into　a　small　valley　to　burn　him。　Sima　Yi　would　have　perished　but　luckily　he　was　saved　by　a　sudden　rainstorm。　Zhuge　Liang　knew　at　that　moment　that　Heaven　had　destined　Sima　Yi　to　reunite　the　land；　not　Shu…Han。　To　me；　Shu　had　the　most　talents　but　it　was　pre…destined　to　lose　to　Jins。　Others　can　be　blamed　for　the　downfall　of　Shu。　Shu　kingdom　was　really　small　pared　to　the　vast　kingdom　of　Wei。　Of　all　the　people　I　hate　the　most；　it　would　be　Liu　Chan。　His　lack　of　knowledge　and　his　apathy　for　the　kingdom　was　one　of　the　causes　of　the　downfall。　Beside　this；　If　some　generals　would　listen　and　heed　Zhuge　Liang's　advice；　major　strategic　locations　wouldn't　be　lost。　This　is　another　factor　that　caused　the　demise。　It　is　sad　for　me　to　read　the　ending　of　Zhuge　Liang'　life。　The　man　worked　his　butt　off　for　his　land；　but　Heaven　had　to　betray　him。　This　can　be　seen　clearly　in　the　scene　when　he　invokes　the　stars。〃　。。。。。
＇e＇　#　44；　a　reader：　〃Zhuge　Liang　was　never　effectively　outmanuvered　by　Sima　Yi。　If　he　had　been　allowed　to　live　ten　more　years；　he　might　have　been　able　to　make　it。　But　good　doesn't　always　win　over　evil　in　the　real　world。　And　virtue　is　rarely　a　guarantee　of　anything　but　being　virtuous。　The　world　should　follow　good　and　honorable　humans；　but　more　often　they　follow　power　out　of　fear　or　opulence　out　of　desire。　At　least　Shu　was　there　to　make　sure　Cao　Cao　never　saw　a　plete　empire　in　his　lifetime。　The　most　cathartic　part；　to　me　at　least；　was　that　the　Sima　family　had　their　empire　taken　away　for　the　most　part　by　＇northern＇　tribespeople；　and　where　did　they　run　to　to　hide？　Shu。〃　。。。。。
＇e＇　Sai；　a　reader：　〃I　also　sympathized　with　the　Han　dynasty。　But　like　the　other　Latter　Han　empeperors。。。　Liu　Chan　was　just　too　typical。　They　were　weak。。。　and　they　sold　out　to　the　enunches。　I'm　not　familiar　enough　with　ancient　Chinese　culture　to　understand　whats　so　great　about　these　enunches。　They　never　seemed　very　cool　to　me　just　from　reading　the　novel。　Wei　just　knew　how　to　play　the　game　better　than　Shu。　After　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　went。。。　I　could　tell　Shu　was　in　for　it。。。　I　knew　Liu　Bei　didn't　have　much　longer　to　live。　After　Zhunge　Liang　went。。。　I　knew　Shu　had　died　with　him。　But　no　matter　who　wins　or　loses。。。　only　the　heroes　live　on　forever。〃　。。。。。
＇e＇　Khang；　the　coordinator：　〃Eunuchs　are　your　servants；　and　they　are　closer　to　you　than　any　other　officials。　In　a　court　where　officials　are　greedy　and　ambitious；　you　can　always　rely　on　the　eunuchs　for　their　loyalty。　But　some　eunuchs　are　foolish　and　corrupt；　and　relying　on　them　would　ruin　your　kingdom。　I　guess　a　kingdom　should　rely　on　able　officials………mandarins　or　eunuchs………and　at　the　same　time　must　be　able　to　check　their　power。　Zhuge　Liang；　as　an　official；　never　gives　us　anxiety；　because　he　checks　himself。　The　First　Emperor　of　Qin；　Cao　Cao　of　Wei；　and　many　other　men　built　huge　tombs　for　themselves；　where　they　hid　treasures　for　their　next　lives。　Zhuge　Liang　missioned　a　simple　grave　among　wild　hills；　where　he　could　continue　guarding　Shu。〃
Jia　Chong　set　Wei　Guan　over　the　city　of　Chengdu　and　sent　the　captive　Latter　Ruler　to　Luoyang。　A　few　officers………Fan　Jian；　Zhang　Shao；　Qiao　Zhou；　and　Xi　Zheng………acpanied　the　deposed　emperor　on　this　degrading　journey。　Liao　Hua　and　Dong　Jue　made　illness　an　excuse　not　to　go。　They　died　of　grief　soon　after。*
At　this　time　the　year…style　of　Wei　was　changed　from　Wonderful　Beginning；　the　fifth　year；　to　Great　Glory；　the　first　year　（AD　264）。　In　the　third　month　of　this　year；　since　nothing　could　be　done　to　assist　Shu　to　recover　its　independence；　the　troops　of　Wu　under　Ding　Feng　were　withdrawn　and　returned　to　their　own　land。
Now　Secretary　Hua　Jiao　sent　up　a　memorial　to　Sun　Xiu；　the　Ruler　of　Wu；　saying；　〃Wu　and　Shu　were　as　close　as　are　one's　lips　to　one's　teeth；　and　when　the　lips　are　gone　the　teeth　are　cold。　Without　doubt　Sima　Zhao　will　now　turn　his　thoughts　to　attacking　us；　and　Your　Majesty　must　realize　the　danger　and　prepare　to　meet　it。〃
Sun　Xiu　knew　that　he　spoke　truly；　so　he　set　Lu　Kang；　son　of　the　late　leader　Lu　Xun；　over　the　army　of　Jingzhou　and　the　river　ports　with　the　title　General　Who　Guards　the　East；　Sun　Yin　was　sent　to　Nanxu；　and　Ding　Feng　was　ordered　to　set　up　several　hundred　garrisons　along　the　river　banks。
In　Shu　when　Huo　Yi；　Governor　of　Jianning；　heard　that　Chengdu　had　been　taken；　he　dressed　himself　in　white　and　wailed　during　three　days；　facing　west　toward　the　capital。
〃Now　that　the　capital　has　fallen　and　the　Ruler　of　Shu　is　a　captive；　it　would　be　well　to　surrender；〃　said　his　officers。
Huo　Yi　replied；　〃There　is　a　hindrance。　I　know　not　how　fares　our　lord；　whether　he　is　in　fort　or　in　misery。　If　his　captors　treat　him　generously；　then　will　I　yield。　But　perhaps　they　will　put　him　to　shame；　and　when　the　prince　is　shamed；　the　minister　dies。〃
So　certain　persons　were　sent　to　Luoyang　to　find　out　how　fared　the　Latter　Ruler。
Soon　after　the　Latter　Ruler　reached　the　capital　of　Wei；　Sima　Zhao　returned。
Seeing　the　Latter　Ruler　at　court；　Sima　Zhao　upbraided　him；　saying；　〃You　deserved　death　for　your　vicious　courses………corrupt　morality；　unchecked　self…indulgence；　contempt　of　good　people；　and　misgovernment………；　which　had　brought　misfortune　upon　yourself！〃
Hearing　this；　the　face　of　the　Latter　Ruler　turned　to　the　color　of　clay　with　fear；　and　he　was　speechless。
But　the　courtiers　said；　〃He　has　lost　his　kingdom；　he　has　surrendered　without　a　struggle；　and　he　now　deserves　pardon。〃
Thus　the　Latter　Ruler　suffered　no　injury；　but　was　created　Duke　of　Anle。　Moreover；　he　was　assigned　a　residence　and　a　revenue；　and　he　received　presents　of　silk；　and　servants　were　sent　to　wait　upon　him；　males　and　females　in　total　one　hundred。　His　son　Liu　Dao　and　the　officers　of　Shu………Fan　Jian；　Qiao　Zhou；　Xi　Zheng；　and　others………were　given　ranks　of　nobility。　The　Latter　Ruler　expressed　his　thanks　and　left。
Huang　Hao；　whose　evil　influence　had　brought　the　kingdom　to　nought；　and　who　had　oppressed　the　people；　was　put　to　death　with　ignominy　in　the　public　place。
When　Huo　Yi　heard　all　these　things；　he　came　with　his　officers　and　yielded　submission。
Next　day　the　Latter　Ruler　went　to　the　residence　of　Sima　Zhao　to　thank　him　for　his　bounty；　and　a　banquet　was　prepared。　At　the　banquet　they　performed　the　music　of　Wei；　with　the　dances；　and　the　hearts　of　the　officers　of　Shu　were　sad。　Only　the　Latter　Ruler　appeared　merry。
Half　way　through　the　feast；　Sima　Zhao　said　to　Jia　Chong；　〃The　man　lacks　feeling。　That　is　what　has　ruined　him。　Even　if　Zhuge　Liang　had　lived；　he　could　not　have　maintained　such　a　man。　It　is　no　wonder　that　Jiang　Wei　failed。〃
Turning　to　his　guest；　Sima　Zhao　said；　〃Do　you　never　think　of　Shu？〃
〃With　such　music　as　this；　I　forget　Shu；〃　replied　the　Latter　Ruler。
Presently　the　Latter　Ruler　rose　and　left　the　table　to　change　dress。
Xi　Zheng　went　over　to　him　and　said；　〃Why　did　Your　Majesty　not　say　you　missed　Shu？　If　Your　Majesty　are　questioned　again；　weep　and　say　that　in　Shu　are　the　tombs　of　your　forefathers　and　no　day　passes　that　Your　Majesty　do　not　grieve　to　be　so　far　away。　The　Duke　of　Jin　may　let　Your　Majesty　return。〃
The　Latter　Ruler　promised　he　would。
When　the　wine　had　gone　round　several　more　times；　Sima　Zhao　put　the　same　question　a　second　time：　〃Do　you　never　think　of　Shu？〃
The　Latter　Ruler　replied　as　he　had　been　told。　He　also　tried　to　weep；　but　failed　to　shed　a　tear。　So　he　shut　his　eyes。
〃Is　not　that　just　what　Xi　Zheng　told　you　to　say？〃　asked　Sima　Zhao。
〃It　is　just　as　you　say；〃　was　the　reply。
They　all　laughed。　But　really　Sima　Zhao　was