三国演义英文版-第123部分

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ou；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。
The　servants　were　dismissed；　and　then　Jiang　Gan　produced　the　letter　he　had　stolen　from　Zhou　Yu's　tent。　He　gave　it　to　Cao　Cao。　Cao　Cao　was　very　angry　and　sent　for　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　at　once。
As　soon　as　they　appeared；　he　said；　〃I　want　you　two　to　attack。〃
Cai　Mao　replied；　〃But　the　soldiers　are　not　yet　sufficiently　trained。〃
〃The　soldiers　will　be　well　enough　trained　when　you　have　sent　my　head　to　Zhou　Yu；　eh？〃
Both　manders　were　dumb…founded；　having　not　the　least　idea　what　this　meant。　They　remained　silent　for　they　had　nothing　to　say。　Cao　Cao　bade　the　executioners　lead　them　away　to　instant　death。　In　a　short　time　their　heads　were　produced。
By　this　time　Cao　Cao　had　thought　over　the　matter；　and　it　dawned　upon　him　that　he　had　been　tricked。　A　poem　says：

No　one　could　stand　against　Cao　Cao；
Of　sin　he　had　full　share；
But　Zhou　Yu　was　more　treacherous；
And　caught　him　in　a　snare。
Two　manders　to　save　their　lives；
Betrayed　a　former　lord；
Soon　after；　as　was　very　met。
Both　fell　beneath　the　sword。

The　death　of　these　two　naval　manders　caused　much　consternation　in　the　camp；　and　all　their　colleagues　asked　the　reason　for　their　sudden　execution。　Though　Cao　Cao　knew　they　had　been　victimized；　he　would　not　acknowledge　it。
So　he　said；　〃These　two　had　been　remiss；　and　so　had　been　put　to　death。〃
The　others　were　aghast；　but　nothing　could　be　done。　Two　other　officers；　Mao　Jie　and　Yu　Jin；　were　put　in　mand　of　the　naval　camp。
Spies　took　the　news　to　Zhou　Yu；　who　was　delighted　at　the　success　of　his　ruse。
〃Those　two　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　were　my　only　source　of　anxiety；〃　said　he。　〃Now　they　are　gone：　I　am　quite　happy。〃
Lu　Su　said；　〃General；　if　you　can　continue　like　this；　you　need　not　fear　Cao　Cao。〃
〃I　do　not　think　any　of　them　saw　my　game；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　〃except　Zhuge　Liang。　He　beats　me；　and　I　do　not　think　this　ruse　was　hidden　from　him。　You　go　and　sound　him。　See　if　he　knew。〃

Zhou　Yu's　treacherous　plot　succeeded　well；
Dissension　sown；　his　rivals　fell。
Drunk　with　success　was　he；　but　sought
To　know　what　cynic　Zhuge　Liang　thought。

What　passed　between　Lu　Su　and　Zhuge　Liang　will　next　be　related。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　46　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　46
　Chapter　46
Using　Strategy；　Zhuge　Liang　Borrows　Arrows；
Joining　A　Ruse；　Huang　Gai　Accepts　Punishment。
Lu　Su　departed　on　his　mission　and　found　Zhuge　Liang　seated　in　his　little　craft。
〃There　has　been　so　much　to　do　that　I　have　not　been　able　to　e　to　listen　to　your　instructions；〃　said　Lu　Su。
〃That　is　truly　so；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃and　I　have　not　yet　congratulated　the　mander…in…Chief。〃
〃What　have　you　wished　to　congratulate　him　upon？〃
〃Why　Sir；　the　matter　upon　which　he　sent　you　to　find　out　whether　I　knew　about　it　or　not。　Indeed　I　can　congratulate　him　on　that。〃
Lu　Su　turned　pale　and　gasped；　saying；　〃But　how　did　you　know；　Master？〃
〃The　ruse　succeeded　well　thus　played　off　on　Jiang　Gan。　Cao　Cao　has　been　taken　in　this　once；　but　he　will　soon　rise　to　it。　Only　he　will　not　confess　his　mistake。　However；　the　two　men　are　gone；　and　the　South　Land　is　freed　from　a　grave　anxiety。　Do　you　not　think　that　is　a　matter　for　congratulation？　I　hear　Mao　Jie　and　Yu　Jin　are　the　new　admirals；　and　in　their　hands　lie　both　good　and　evil　for　the　fate　of　the　northern　fleet。〃
Lu　Su　was　quite　dumbfounded。　He　stayed　a　little　time　longer　passing　the　time　in　making　empty　remarks；　and　then　took　his　leave。
As　he　was　going　away；　Zhuge　Liang　cautioned　him；　saying；　〃Do　not　let　Zhou　Yu　know　that　I　know　his　ruse。　If　you　let　him　know；　he　will　seek　some　chance　to　do　me　harm。〃
Lu　Su　promised。　Nevertheless　he　went　straight　to　his　chief　and　related　the　whole　thing　just　as　it　happened。
〃Really　he　must　be　got　rid　of；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃I　have　quite　decided　to　put　the　man　out　of　the　way。〃
〃If　you　slay　him；　will　not　Cao　Cao　laugh　at　you？〃
〃Oh；　no；　I　will　find　a　legitimate　way　of　getting　rid　of　him　so　that　he　shall　go　to　his　death　without　resentment。〃
〃But　how　can　you　find　a　legitimate　way　of　assassinating　him？〃
〃Do　not　ask　too　much。　You　will　see　presently。〃
Soon　after　all　the　officers　were　summoned　to　the　main　tent；　and　Zhuge　Liang's　presence　was　desired。　He　went　contentedly　enough。
When　all　were　seated；　Zhou　Yu　suddenly　addressed　Zhuge　Liang；　saying；　〃I　am　going　to　fight　a　battle　with　the　enemy　soon　on　the　water。　What　weapons　are　the　best？〃
〃On　a　great　river　arrows　are　the　best；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
〃Your　opinion　and　mine　agree。　But　at　the　moment　we　are　short　of　them。　I　wish　you　would　undertake　to　supply　about　a　hundred　thousand　arrows　for　the　naval　fight。　As　it　is　for　the　public　service；　you　will　not　decline；　I　hope。〃
〃Whatever　task　the　mander…in…Chief　lays　upon　me；　I　must　certainly　try　to　perform；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。　〃May　I　inquire　by　what　date　you　require　the　hundred　thousand　arrows？〃
〃Could　you　have　them　ready　in　ten　days？〃
〃The　enemy　will　be　here　very　soon。　Ten　days　will　be　too　late；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。
〃In　how　many　days　do　you　estimate　the　arrows　can　be　ready？〃
〃Let　me　have　three　days。　Then　you　may　send　for　your　hundred　thousand。〃
〃No　joking；　remember！〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃There　is　no　joking　in　war　time。〃
〃Dare　I　joke　with　the　mander…in…Chief？　Give　me　a　formal　military　order。　If　I　have　not　pleted　the　task　in　three　days；　I　will　take　my　punishment。〃
Zhou　Yu；　secretly　delighted；　sent　for　the　secretaries　and　prepared　the　mission　then　and　there。
Then　he　drank　to　the　success　of　the　undertaking　and　said；　〃I　shall　have　to　congratulate　you　most　heartily　when　this　is　acplished。〃
〃This　day　is　too　late　to　count；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃On　the　third　from　tomorrow　morning　send　five　hundred　small　boats　to　the　river　side　to　convey　the　arrows。〃
They　drank　a　few　more　cups　together；　and　then　Zhuge　Liang　took　his　leave。
After　he　had　gone；　Lu　Su　said；　〃Do　you　not　think　there　is　some　deceit　about　this？〃
〃Clearly　it　is　not　I！　It　is　he　who　has　signed　his　own　death　warrant；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。　〃Without　being　pressed　in　the　least；　he　asked　for　a　formal　order　in　the　face　of　the　whole　assembly。　Even　if　he　grew　a　pair　of　wings；　he　could　not　escape。　Only　I　will　just　order　the　workers　to　delay　him　as　much　as　they　can；　and　not　supply　him　with　materials；　so　that　he　is　sure　to　fail。　And　then；　when　the　certain　penalty　is　incurred；　who　can　criticize？　You　can　go　and　inquire　about　it　all　and　keep　me　informed。〃
So　off　went　Lu　Su　to　seek　Zhuge　Liang；　who　at　once　reproached　him　with　having　blabbed　about　the　former　business。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃He　wants　to　hurt　me；　as　you　know；　and　I　did　not　think　you　could　not　keep　my　secret。　And　now　there　is　what　you　saw　today；　and　how　do　you　think　I　can　get　a　hundred　thousand　arrows　made　in　three　days？　You　will　simply　have　to　rescue　me。〃
〃You　brought　the　misfortune　on　yourself；　and　how　can　I　rescue　you？〃　said　Lu　Su。
〃I　look　to　you　for　the　loan　of　twenty　vessels；　manned　each　by　thirty　people。　I　want　blue　cotton　screens　and　bundles　of　straw　lashed　to　the　sides　of　the　boats。　I　have　good　use　for　them。　On　the　third　day；　I　shall　undertake　to　deliver　the　fixed　number　of　arrows。　But　on　no　account　must　you　let　Zhou　Yu　know；　or　my　scheme　will　be　wrecked。〃
Lu　Su　consented；　and　this　time　he　kept　his　word。　He　went　to　report　to　his　chief　as　usual；　but　he　said　nothing　about　the　boats。
He　only　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　not　using　bamboo　or　feathers　or　glue　or　varnish；　but　has　some　other　way　of　getting　arrows。〃
〃Let　us　await　the　three　days'　limit；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　puzzled　though　confident。
On　his　side　Lu　Su　quietly　prepared　a　score　of　light　swift　boats；　each　with　its　crew　and　the　blue　screens　and　bundles　of　grass　plete　and；　when　these　were　ready；　he　placed　them　at　Zhuge　Liang's　disposal。
Zhuge　Liang　did　nothing　on　the　first　day；　nor　on　the　second。　On　the　third　day　at　the　middle　of　the　fourth　watch；　Zhuge　Liang　sent　a　private　message　asking　Lu　Su　to　e　to　his　boat。
〃Why　have　you　sent　for　me；　Sir？〃　asked　Lu　Su。
〃I　want　you　to　go　with　me　to　get　those　arrows。〃
〃Whither　are　you　going？〃
〃Do　not　ask。　You　will　see。〃
Then　the　twenty　boats　were　fastened　together　by　long　ropes　and　moved　over　to　the　north　bank。　The　night　proved　very　foggy　and　the　mist　was　very　dense　along　the　river；　so　that　one　person　could　scarcely　see　another。　In　spite　of　the　fog；　Zhuge　Liang　urged　the　boats　forward　as　if　into　the　vast　fairy　kingdom。
There　is　a　poem　on　these　river　fogs：

Mighty　indeed　is　the　Great　River！
Rising　far　in　the　west；　in　the　Emei　and　Min　Mountains；
Plowing　its　way　through　Wu；　east　flowing；　resistless；
Swelled　by　its　nine　tributary　streams；　rolling　down　from　the　far　north；
Aided　and　helped　by　a　hundred　rivulets　swirling　and　foaming；
Ocean　receives　it　at　last　weling；　joyful；　its　waters。
Therein　abide　sea　nymphs　and　water　gods；
Enormous　whales　a　thousand　fathoms　long；
Nine…headed　monstrous　beasts；　reptiles　and　octopi；
Demons　and　uncouth　creatures　wondrous　strange。
In　faith　it　is　the　home　and　safe　retreat
Of　devils　and　sprites；　and　wondrous　growths；
And　eke　the　battle　ground　of　valiant　humans。
At　times　occur　strange　strife　of　elements；
When　darkness　strives　on　light's　domains　that　encroach；
Whereat　arises　in　the　vaulted　dome　of　blue
White　wreaths　of　fog　that　toward　the　center　roll。
Then　darkness　falls；　too　dense　for　any　torch
Illumine；　only　clanging　sounds　can　pass。
The　fog　at　first　appears；　a　vaporous　wreath
Scarce　visible。　But　thickening　fast；　it　veils
The　Southern　Hills；　the　painted　leopard's　home。
And　spreads　afar；　until　the　northern　sea
Leviathans　are　amazed　and　lose　their　course。
And　denser　yet　it　touches　on　the　sky。
And　spreads　a　heavy　mantle　over　the　earth。
Then；　wide　as　is　the　high　pitched　arch　of　heaven；
Therein　appears　no　single　rift　of　blue。
Now　mighty　whales　lead　up　their　spouses　to　sport
Upon　the　waves；　the　sinuous　dragons　dive
Deep　down　and；　breathing；　swell　the　heaving　sea；
The　earth　is　moist　as　with　the　early　rains；
And　spring's　creative　energy　is　chilled。
Both　far　and　wide　and　high　the　damp　fog　spreads；
Great　cities　on　the　eastern　bank　are　hid；
Wide　ports　and　mountains　in　the　south　are　lost；
Whole　fleets　of　battle　ships；　a　thousand　keels；
Hide　in　the　misty　depths；　frail　fishing　boats
High　riding　on　a　wave　are　seen………and　lost。
The　gloom　increases　and　the　domed　sky
Grows　dark　and　darker　as　the　sun's　light　fails。
The　daylight　dies；　dim　twilight's　reign　begins；
The　ruddy　h