第一小说网

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第111部分（第2页）

〃The　wine　is　too　much　for　me；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。

His　host　bade　them　clear　the　table。

As　all　the　others　left；　Zhou　Yu　said；　〃It　has　been　many　a　day　since　I　shared　a　couch　with　my　friend；　but　we　will　do　so　tonight。〃

Putting　on　the　appearance　of　irresponsible　intoxication；　he　led　Jiang　Gan　into　the　tent　and　they　went　to　bed。　Zhou　Yu　simply　fell；　all　dressed　as　he　was；　and　lay　there　emitting　uncouth　grunts　and　groans；　so　that　to　the　guest　sleep　was　impossible。

Jiang　Gan　lay　and　listened　to　the　various　camp　noises　without　and　his　hosts　thunderous　snores　within。　About　the　second　watch　he　rose　and　looked　at　his　friend　by　the　dim　light　of　the　small　lamp。　He　also　saw　on　the　table　a　heap　of　papers；　and　ing　out　and　looking　at　them　furtively；　he　saw　they　were　letters。　Among　them　he　saw　one　marked　as　ing　from　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　Cao　Caos　Supreme　Admiral　and　Vice…Admiral。　He　read　it　and　this　is　what　it　said：

〃We　surrendered　to　Cao　Cao；　not　for　the　sake　of　pay　but　under　stress　of　circumstances。　Now　we　have　been　able　to　hold　these　northern　soldiers　into　this　naval　camp　but；　as　soon　as　occasion　offers；　we　mean　to　have　the　rebels　head　to　offer　as　a　sacrifice　to　your　banner。　From　time　to　time　there　will　be　reports　as　occasions　serve；　but　you　may　trust　us。　This　is　our　humble　reply　to　your　letter。〃

〃Those　two　were　connected　with　the　South　Land　in　the　beginning；〃　thought　Jiang　Gan；　so　he　secreted　the　letter　in　his　dress　and　began　to　examine　the　others。　But　at　that　moment　Zhou　Yu　turned　over；　and　so　Jiang　Gan　hastily　blew　out　the　light　and　went　to　his　couch。

Zhou　Yu　was　muttering　as　he　lay　there　as　if　dreaming；　saying；　〃Friend；　I　am　going　to　let　you　see　Cao　Caos　head　in　a　day　or　two。〃

Jiang　Gan　hastily　made　some　reply　to　load　on　his　host　to　say　more。　Then　came；　〃Wait　a　few　days；　you　will　see　Cao　Caos　head。　The　old　wretch！〃

Jiang　Gan　tried　to　question　him　as　to　what　he　meant；　but　Zhou　Yu　was　fast　asleep　and　seemed　to　hear　nothing。　Jiang　Gan　lay　there　on　his　couch　wide　awake　till　the　fourth　watch　was　beating。

Then　someone　came　in；　saying；　〃General；　are　you　awake？〃

At　that　moment　as　if　suddenly　awakened　from　the　deepest　slumber；　Zhou　Yu　started　up　and　said；　〃Who　is　this　on　the　couch？〃

The　voice　replied；　〃Do　you　not　remember；　General？　You　asked　your　old　friend　to　stay　the　night　with　you。　It　is　he；　of　course。〃

〃I　drank　too　much　last　night；〃　said　Zhou　Yu　in　a　regretful　tone；　〃and　I　forgot。　I　seldom　indulge　to　excess　and　am　not　used　to　it。　Perhaps　I　said　many　things　I　ought　not。〃

The　voice　went　on；　〃A　man　has　arrived　from　the　north。〃

〃Speak　lower；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　and　turning　toward　the　sleeper；　he　called　him　by　name。　But　Jiang　Gan　affected　to　be　sound　asleep　and　made　no　sign。

Zhou　Yu　crept　out　of　the　tent；　while　Jiang　Gan　listened　with　all　his　ears。　He　heard　the　man　say；　〃Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　the　two　manders；　have　e。〃

But　listening　as　he　did　with　straining　ears；　he　could　not　make　out　what　followed。　Soon　after　Zhou　Yu　reentered　and　again　called　out　his　panions　name。　But　no　reply　came；　for　Jiang　Gan　was　pretending　to　be　in　the　deepest　slumber　and　to　hear　nothing。　Then　Zhou　Yu　undressed　and　went　to　bed。

As　Jiang　Gan　lay　awake；　he　remembered　that　Zhou　Yu　was　known　to　be　meticulously　careful　in　affairs；　and　if　in　the　morning　Zhou　Yu　found　that　a　letter　had　disappeared；　he　would　certainly　slay　the　offender。　So　Jiang　Gan　lay　there　till　near　daylight　and　then　called　out　to　his　host。　Getting　no　reply；　he　rose；　dressed；　and　stole　out　of　the　tent。　Then　he　called　his　servant　and　made　for　the　camp　gate。

〃Whither　are　you　going；　Sir？〃　said　the　watchmen　at　the　gate。

〃I　fear　I　am　in　the　way　here；〃　replied　Jiang　Gan；　〃and　so　I　have　taken　leave　of　the　mander…in…Chief　for　a　time。　So　do　not　stop　me。〃

He　found　his　way　to　the　river　bank　and　reembarked。　Then；　with　flying　oars；　he　hastened　back　to　Cao　Caos　camp。　When　he　arrived；　Cao　Cao　asked　at　once　how　he　had　sped；　and　he　had　to　acknowledge　failure。

〃Zhou　Yu　is　very　clever　and　perfectly　high…minded；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。　〃Nothing　that　I　could　say　moved　him　in　the　least。〃

〃Your　failure　makes　me　look　ridiculous；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Well；　if　I　did　not　win　over　Zhou　Yu；　I　found　out　something　for　you。　Send　away　these　people；　and　I　will　tell　you；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。

The　servants　were　dismissed；　and　then　Jiang　Gan　produced　the　letter　he　had　stolen　from　Zhou　Yus　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