三国演义英文版-第125部分

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〃Kill　me。　I　do　not　mind；〃　repeated　Huang　Gai　as　he　took　his　leave。
Next　day　the　drums　called　all　the　officers　together　to　the　General's　tent；　and　Zhuge　Liang　came　with　the　others。
Zhou　Yu　said；　〃The　enemy's　camps　extend　about　one　hundred　miles　so　that　the　campaign　will　be　a　long　one。　Each　leader　is　to　prepare　supplies　for　three　months。〃
Scarcely　had　he　spoken　when　Huang　Gai　started　up；　crying；　〃Say　not　three　months。　Be　ready　for　thirty　months；　and　even　then　it　will　not　be　ended。　If　you　can　destroy　them　this　month；　then　all　is　well。　If　you　cannot；　then　it　were　better　to　take　Zhang　Zhao's　advice；　throw　down　your　weapons；　turn　to　the　north；　and　surrender。〃
Zhou　Yu's　anger　flared　up；　and　he　flushed；　crying；　〃Our　lord's　orders　were　to　destroy　Cao　Cao；　and　whoever　mentioned　the　word　surrender　should　be　put　to　death！　Now；　the　very　moment　when　the　two　armies　are　to　engage；　you　dare　talk　of　surrender　and　damp　the　ardor　of　my　army！　If　I　do　not　slay　you；　how　can　I　support　the　others？〃
He　ordered　the　lictors　to　remove　Huang　Gai　and　execute　him　without　delay。
Huang　Gai　then　flamed　up　in　turn；　saying；　〃This　is　the　third　generation　since　I　went　with　General　Sun　Jian；　and　we　overran　the　southeast。　Whence　have　you　sprung　up？〃
This　made　Zhou　Yu　perfectly　furious；　and　Huang　Gai　was　ordered　to　instant　death。　But　Gan　Ning　interfered。
Said　he；　〃He　is　a　veteran　officer　of　the　South　Land。　Pray　pardon　him！〃
〃What　are　you　prating　about？〃　cried　Zhou　Yu。　〃Dare　you　e　between　me　and　my　duty？〃
Turning　to　the　lictors；　Zhou　Yu　ordered　them　to　drive　Gan　Ning　forth　with　blows。
The　other　officials　fell　on　their　knees　entreating　pity　for　Huang　Gai。
〃He　is　indeed　most　worthy　of　death；　but　it　would　be　a　loss　to　the　army。　We　pray　you　forgive　him。　Record　his　fault　for　the　moment；　and　after　the　enemy　shall　have　been　defeated；　then　put　him　to　death。〃
But　Zhou　Yu　was　implacable。　The　officers　pleaded　with　tears。
At　length　he　seemed　moved；　saying；　〃Had　you　not　interceded；　he　should　certainly　have　suffered　death。　But　now　I　will　mitigate　the　punishment　to　a　beating。　He　shall　not　die。〃
Zhou　Yu　turned　to　the　lictors　and　bade　them　deal　the　culprit　one　hundred　blows。　Again　his　colleagues　prayed　for　remission；　but　Zhou　Yu　angrily　pushed　over　the　table　in　front　of　him　and　roared　to　the　officers　to　get　out　of　the　way　and　let　the　sentence　be　executed。
So　Huang　Gai　was　stripped；　thrown　to　the　ground；　and　fifty　blows　were　given。　At　this　point　the　officers　again　prayed　that　he　be　let　off。
Zhou　Yu　sprang　from　his　chair　and　pointing　his　finger　at　Huang　Gai　said；　〃If　you　dare　flout　me　again；　you　shall　have　the　other　fifty。　If　you　are　guilty　of　any　disrespect；　you　shall　be　punished　for　both　faults！〃
With　this　he　turned　into　the　inner　part　of　the　tent；　growling　as　he　went；　while　the　officers　helped　their　beaten　colleague　to　his　feet。　He　was　in　a　deplorable　state。　His　back　was　cut　in　many　places；　and　the　blood　was　flowing　in　streams。　They　led　him　to　his　own　quarters　and　on　the　way　he　swooned　several　times。　His　case　seemed　most　pitiable。
Lu　Su　went　to　see　the　suffering　officer　and　then　called　on　Zhuge　Liang　in　his　boat。
Lu　Su　related　the　story　of　the　beating　and　said；　〃Though　the　other　officers　have　been　cowed　into　silence；　I　think　thought　you；　Sir；　might　have　interceded。　You　are　a　guest　and　not　under　Zhou　Yu's　orders。　Why　did　you　stand　by　with　your　hands　up　your　sleeves　and　say　never　a　word？〃
〃You　insult　me；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　smiling。
〃Why　do　you　say　that？　I　have　never　insulted　you：　Never　since　the　day　we　came　here　together。〃
〃Do　you　not　know　that　terrible　beating　was　but　a　ruse？　How　could　I　try　to　dissuade　Zhou　Yu？〃
Then　Lu　Su　began　to　perceive；　and　Zhuge　Liang　continued；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　would　not　be　taken　in　unless　there　was　some　real　bodily　suffering。　Zhou　Yu　is　going　to　send　Huang　Gai　over　as　a　deserter；　and　Zhou　Yu　will　see　to　it　that　the　two　Cao　Cao's　spies　duly　tell　the　tale。　But　when　you　see　the　General；　you　must　not　tell　him　that　I　saw　through　the　ruse。　You　say　that　I　am　very　angry　like　the　others。〃
Lu　Su　went　to　see　Zhou　Yu　and　asked；　〃Why　have　you　so　cruelly　beaten　a　proved　and　trusty　officer？〃
〃Do　the　officers　resent　it？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。
〃They　are　all　upset　about　it。〃
〃And　what　does　your　friend　think？〃
〃Zhuge　Liang　also　resents　it　in　his　heart；　and　he　thinks　you　have　made　a　mistake。〃
〃Then　I　have　deceived　him　for　once；〃　said　Zhou　Yu　gleefully。
〃What　mean　you？〃　cried　Lu　Su。
〃That　beating　that　Huang　Gai　got　is　part　of　my　ruse。　I　am　sending　him　to　Cao　Cao　as　a　deserter；　and　so　I　have　supplied　a　reason　for　desertion。　Then　I　am　going　to　use　fire　against　the　enemy。〃
Lu　Su　kept　silence；　but　he　recognized　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　again　right。
Meanwhile　Huang　Gai　lay　in　his　tent；　whither　all　his　colleague　officers　went　to　condole　with　him　and　inquire　after　his　health。　But　Huang　Gai　would　say　never　a　word。　He　only　lay　sighing　deeply　from　time　to　time。
But　when　the　Strategist　Kan　Ze　came；　Huang　Gai　told　them　to　bring　him　to　the　room　where　he　lay。　Then　he　bade　the　servants　go　away。
Kan　Ze　said；　〃Surely　you　must　have　some　serious　quarrel　with　the　General。〃
〃I　have　none；〃　said　Huang　Gai。
〃Then　this　beating　is　just　part　of　a　ruse？〃
〃How　did　you　guess？〃　said　Huang　Gai。
〃Because　I　watched　the　General；　and　I　guessed　about　nine　tenths　of　the　truth。〃
Huang　Gai　said；　〃You　see　I　have　been　very　generously　treated　by　the　Sun　family；　all　three　of　them；　and　have　no　means　of　showing　my　gratitude　except　by　offering　to　help　in　this　ruse。　True　I　suffer；　but　I　do　not　regret　that。　Among　all　those　I　know　in　the　army；　there　is　not　one　I　am　intimate　with　except　yourself。　You　are　true；　and　I　can　talk　with　you　as　a　friend。〃
〃I　suppose　you　wish　me　to　present　your　surrender　letter　to　Cao　Cao。　Is　that　it？〃
〃Just　that；　will　you　do　it？〃　said　Huang　Gai。
Kan　Ze　consented　joyfully。

Even　the　warrior's　body　is　but　a　stake　in　the　game；
The　friend　so　ready　to　help　him　proves　that　their　hearts　are　the　same。

Kan　Ze's　reply　will　be　read　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　47　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　47
　Chapter　47
Kan　Ze　Presents　The　Treacherous　Letter；
Pang　Tong　Suggests　Chaining　The　Ships　Together。
Kan　Ze　was　from　Shanyin；　a　son　of　a　humble　family。　He　loved　books；　but　as　he　was　too　poor　to　buy；　he　used　to　borrow。　He　had　a　wonderfully　tenacious　memory；　was　very　eloquent　and　no　coward。　Sun　Quan　had　employed　him　among　his　advisers；　and　he　and　Huang　Gai　were　excellent　friends。
Now　Huang　Gai　had　thought　of　Kan　Ze　to　present　the　treacherous　letter　to　Cao　Cao；　as　Kan　Ze's　gifts　made　him　most　suitable。
Kan　Ze　accepted　with　enthusiasm；　saying；　〃When　you；　my　friend；　have　suffered　so　much　for　our　lord；　could　I　spare　myself？　No；　while　a　person　lives；　he　must　go　on　fulfilling　his　mission；　or　he　is　no　better　than　the　herbs　that　rot　in　the　field。〃
Huang　Gai　slipped　off　the　couch　and　came　over　to　salute　him。
〃However；　this　matter　must　speed；〃　continued　Kan　Ze。　〃There　is　no　time　to　lose。〃
〃The　letter　is　already　written；〃　said　Huang　Gai。
Kan　Ze　received　it　and　left。　That　night　he　disguised　himself　as　an　old　fisherman　and　started　in　a　small　punt　for　the　north　shore；　under　the　cold；　glittering　light　of　the　stars。　Soon　he　drew　near　the　enemy's　camp　and　was　captured　by　the　patrol。
Without　waiting　for　day；　they　informed　Cao　Cao；　who　said　at　once；　〃Is　he　not　just　a　spy？〃
〃No；〃　said　they；　〃he　is　alone；　just　an　old　fisherman。　And　he　says　he　is　an　adviser　in　the　service　of　the　South　Land　named　Kan　Ze；　and　he　has　e　on　secret　business。〃
〃Bring　him；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　and　Kan　Ze　was　led　in。
Cao　Cao　was　seated　in　a　brilliantly　lighted　tent。　He　was　leaning　on　a　small　table；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　the　prisoner；　he　said　harshly；　〃You　are　an　adviser　of　East　Wu。　What　then　are　you　doing　here？〃
〃People　say　that　you　greedily　wele　people　of　ability。　I　do　not　think　your　question　a　very　proper　one。　O　friend　Huang　Gai；　you　made　a　mistake；〃　said　Kan　Ze。
〃You　know　I　am　fighting　against　East　Wu；　and　you　e　here　privately。　Why　should　I　not　question　you？〃
〃Huang　Gai　is　an　old　servant　of　Wu；　one　who　has　served　three　successive　rulers。　Now　he　has　been　cruelly　beaten；　for　no　fault；　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？