第一小说网

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第114部分（第1页）

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　Yus　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　Caos　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　warriors　body　is　but　a　stake　in　the　game；

The　friend　so　ready　to　help　him　proves　that　their　hearts　are　the　same。

Kan　Zes　reply　will　be　read　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　47　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　47