三国演义英文版-第157章

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before　the　face　of　all　the　officers　in　Zhou　Yu's　camp。　He　is　grievously　angry　about　this　and　wishes　to　desert　to　your　side　that　he　may　be　revenged。　He　discussed　it　with　me；　and　as　we　are　inseparable；　I　have　e　to　give　you　his　letter　asking　whether　you　would　receive　him。〃
〃Where　is　the　letter？　said　Cao　Cao。
The　missive　was　produced　and　presented。　Cao　Cao　opened　it　and　read：
〃I；　Huang　Gai；　have　been　generously　treated　by　the　Sun　family　and　have　served　them　single…heartedly。　Lately　they　have　been　discussing　an　attack　with　our　forces　on　the　enormous　army　of　the　central　government。　Everyone　knows　our　few　are　no　match　for　such　a　multitude；　and　every　officer　of　the　South　Land；　wise　or　foolish；　recognizes　that　quite　well。　However；　Zhou　Yu　who；　after　all；　is　but　a　youth　and　a　shallow　minded　simpleton；　maintains　that　success　is　possible　and　rashly　desires　to　smash　stones　with　an　egg。　Beside；　he　is　arbitrary　and　tyrannical；　punishing　for　no　crime；　and　leaving　meritorious　service　unrewarded。　I　am　an　old　servant　and　for　no　reason　have　been　shamed　in　the　sight　of　people。　Wherefore　I　hate　him　in　my　heart。
〃You；　O　Prime　Minister；　treat　people　with　sincerity　and　are　ready　to　wele　ability　and　so　I；　and　those　under　my　leadership；　desire　to　enter　your　service　whereby　to　acquire　reputation　and　remove　the　shameful　stigma。　The　missariat；　weapons；　and　the　supply　ships　that　I　am　manding　will　also　e　over　to　you。　In　perfect　sincerity　I　state　these　matters。　I　pray　you　not　to　doubt　me。〃
Leaning　there　on　the　low　table　by　his　side；　Cao　Cao　turned　this　letter　over　and　over　and　read　it　again　and　again。
Then　he　smacked　the　table；　opened　his　eyes　wide　with　anger；　saying；　〃Huang　Gai　is　trying　to　play　the　personal　injury　trick　on　me；　is　he？　And　you　are　in　it　as　the　intermediary　to　present　the　letter。　How　dare　you　e　to　sport　with　me？〃
Cao　Cao　ordered　the　lictors　to　thrust　forth　the　messenger　and　take　off　his　head。　Kan　Ze　was　hustled　out；　his　face　untroubled。　On　the　contrary；　he　laughed　aloud。
At　this　Cao　Cao　told　them　to　bring　him　back　and　harshly　said　to　him；　〃What　do　you　find　to　laugh　at　now　that　I　have　foiled　you　and　your　ruse　has　failed？〃
〃I　was　not　laughing　at　you。　I　was　laughing　at　my　friend's　simplicity。〃
〃What　do　you　mean　by　his　simplicity？〃
〃If　you　want　to　slay；　slay。　Do　not　trouble　me　with　a　multitude　of　questions。〃
〃I　have　read　all　the　books　on　the　art　of　war；　and　I　am　well　versed　in　all　ways　of　misleading　the　enemy。　This　ruse　of　yours　might　have　succeeded　with　many；　but　it　will　not　do　for　me。〃
〃And　so　you　say　that　the　letter　is　a　vicious　trick？〃　said　Kan　Ze。
〃What　I　say　is　that　your　little　slip　has　sent　you　to　the　death　you　risked。　If　the　thing　was　real　and　you　were　sincere；　why　does　not　the　letter　name　a　time　of　ing　over？　What　have　you　to　say　to　that？〃
Kan　Ze　waited　to　the　end　and　then　laughed　louder　than　ever；　saying；　〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　not　frightened　but　can　still　boast　of　your　knowledge　of　the　books　of　war。　Now　you　will　not　lead　away　your　soldiers。　If　you　fight；　Zhou　Yu　will　certainly　capture　you。　But　how　sad　to　think　I　die　at　the　hand　of　such　an　ignorant　fellow！〃
〃What　mean　you？　I；　ignorant？〃
〃You　are　ignorant　of　any　strategy　and　a　victim　of　unreason。　Is　not　that　sufficient？〃
〃Well　then；　tell　me　where　is　any　fault。〃
〃You　treat　wise　people　too　badly　for　me　to　talk　to　you。　You　can　finish　me　and　let　there　be　an　end　of　it。〃
〃If　you　can　speak　with　any　show　of　reason；　I　will　treat　you　differently。〃
〃Do　you　not　know　that　when　one　is　going　to　desert　one's　master　and　bee　a　renegade；　one　cannot　say　exactly　when　the　chance　will　occur？　If　one　binds　one's　self　to　a　fixed　moment　and　the　thing　cannot　be　done　just　then；　the　secret　will　be　discovered。　One　must　watch　for　an　opportunity　and　take　it　when　it　es。　Think：　Is　it　possible　to　know　exactly　when？　But　you　know　nothing　of　mon　sense。　All　you　know　is　how　to　put　good　people　to　death。　So　you　really　are　an　ignorant　fellow！〃
At　this　Cao　Cao　changed　his　manner；　got　up；　and　came　over　to　the　prisoner　bowing；　〃I　did　not　see　clearly。　That　is　quite　true。　I　offended　you；　and　I　hope　you　will　forget　it。〃
〃The　fact　is　that　Huang　Gai　and　I　are　both　inclined　to　desert　to　you。　We　even　yearn　for　it　as　a　child　desires　its　parents。　Is　it　possible　that　we　should　play　you　false？〃
〃If　you　two　could　render　me　so　great　a　service；　you　shall　certainly　be　richly　rewarded。〃
〃We　do　not　desire　rank　or　riches。　We　e　because　it　is　the　will　of　Heaven　and　the　plain　way　of　duty。〃
Then　wine　was　set　out；　and　Kan　Ze　was　treated　as　an　honored　guest。　While　they　were　drinking；　someone　came　in　and　whispered　in　Cao　Cao's　ear。
He　replied；　〃Let　me　see　the　letter。〃
Whereupon　the　man　pulled　out　and　gave　him　a　letter；　which　evidently　pleased　him。
〃That　is　from　the　two　Cai　brothers；〃　thought　Kan　Ze。　〃They　are　reporting　the　punishment　of　my　friend；　and　that　will　be　a　proof　of　the　sincerity　of　his　letter。〃
Turning　toward　Kan　Ze；　Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　must　ask　you　to　return　to　settle　the　date　with　your　friend。　As　soon　as　I　know；　I　will　have　a　force　waiting。〃
〃I　cannot　return。　Pray；　Sir；　send　some　other　one　you　can　trust。〃
〃If　someone　else　should　go；　the　secret　would　be　discovered。〃
Kan　Ze　refused　again　and　again　but　at　last　gave　way；　saying；　〃If　I　am　to　go；　I　must　not　wait　here。　I　must　be　off　at　once。〃
Cao　Cao　offered　him　gold　and　silks；　which　were　refused。　Kan　Ze　started；　left　the　camp；　and　reembarked　for　the　south　bank；　where　he　related　all　that　had　happened　to　Huang　Gai。
〃If　it　had　not　been　for　your　persuasive　tongue；　then　had　I　undergone　this　suffering　in　vain；〃　said　Huang　Gai。
〃I　will　now　go　to　get　news　of　the　two　Cai　brothers；〃　said　Kan　Ze。
〃Excellent；〃　said　Huang　Gai。
Kan　Ze　went　to　the　camp　manded　by　Gan　Ning。
When　they　were　seated；　Kan　Ze　said　to　his　host；　〃I　was　much　distressed　when　I　saw　how　disgracefully　you　were　treated　for　your　intercession　on　behalf　of　Huang　Gai。〃
Gan　Ning　smiled。　Just　then　the　two　Cai　brothers　came；　and　host　and　guest　exchanged　glances。
Gan　Ning　said；　〃The　truth　is　Zhou　Yu　is　over　confident；　and　he　reckons　us　as　nobody。　We　count　for　nothing。　Everyone　is　talking　of　the　way　I　was　insulted。〃
And　he　shouted　and　gritted　his　teeth　and　smacked　the　table　in　his　wrath。
Kan　Ze　leaned　over　toward　his　host　and　said　something　in　a　very　low　voice；　at　which　Gan　Ning　bent　his　head　and　sighed。
Cai　He　and　Cai　Zhong　gathered　from　this　scene　that　both　Gan　Ning　and　Kan　Ze　were　ripe　for　desertion　and　determined　to　probe　them。
〃Why；　Sir；　do　you　anger　him？　Why　not　be　silent　about　your　injuries？〃　said　they。
〃What　know　you　of　our　bitterness？〃　said　Kan　Ze。
〃We　think　you　seem　much　inclined　to　go　over　to　Cao　Cao；〃　said　they。
Kan　Ze　at　this　lost　color。　Gan　Ning　started　up　and　drew　his　sword；　crying；　〃They　have　found　out。　They　must　die　to　keep　their　mouths　shut！〃
〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　two　in　a　flurry。　〃Let　us　tell　you　something　quite　secret！〃
〃Quick；　then！〃　cried　Gan　Ning。
So　Cai　He　said；　〃The　truth　is　that　we　are　only　pretended　deserters；　and　if　you　two　gentlemen　are　of　our　way　of　thinking；　we　can　manage　things　for　you。〃
〃But　are　you　speaking　the　truth？〃　said　Gan　Ning。
〃Is　it　likely　we　should　say　such　a　thing　if　it　were　untrue？〃　cried　both　at　the　same　moment。
Gan　Ning　put　on　a　pleased　look　and　said；　〃Then　this　is　the　very　heaven…given　chance。〃
〃You　know　we　have　already　told　Cao　Cao　of　the　Huang　Gai　affair　and　how　you　were　insulted。〃
〃The　fact　is　I　have　given　the　Prime　Minister　a　letter　on　behalf　of　Huang　Gai；　and　he　sent　me　back　again　to　settle　the　date　of　Huang　Gai's　desertion；〃　said　Kan　Ze。
〃When　an　honest　person　happens　upon　an　enlightened　master；　his　heart　will　always　be　drawn　toward　him；〃　said　Gan　Ning。
The　four　then　drank　together　and　opened　their　hearts　to　each　other。　The　two　Cai　Zhong　and　Cai　He　wrote　a　private　letter　to　their　master　saying　Gan　Ning　has　agreed　to　join　in　our　plot　and　play　the　traitor；　and　Kan　Ze　also　wrote；　and　they　sent　the　letters　secretly　to　Cao　Cao。
Kan　Ze's　letter　said：
〃Huang　Gai　has　found　no　opportunity　so　far。　However；　when　he　es；　his　boat　can　be　recognized　by　a　black；　indented　flag。　That　shall　mean　he　is　on　board。〃
However；　when　Cao　Cao　got　these　two　letters；　he　was　still　doubtful　and　called　together　his　advisers　to　talk　over　the　matter。
Said　he；　〃On　the　other　side　Gan　Ning　has　bee