第一小说网

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第113部分（第2页）

Gan　Ning　went　away。

Then　Lu　Su　came　to　tell　Zhou　Yu；　saying；　〃Everyone　agrees　in　thinking　the　surrender　of　Cai　Zhong　and　Cai　He　feigned　and　they　should　be　rejected。〃

〃But　they　wish　to　revenge　the　death　of　their　brother；〃　said　the　General。　〃Where　is　the　pretense？　If　you　are　so　suspicious；　you　will　receive　nobody　at　all。〃

Lu　Su　left　much　piqued　and　went　to　see　Zhuge　Liang　to　whom　he　told　the　story。　Zhuge　Liang　only　smiled。

〃Why　do　you　smile？〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃I　smile　at　your　simplicity。　The　General　is　playing　a　game。　Spies　cannot　easily　e　and　go；　so　these　two　have　been　sent　to　feign　desertion　that　they　may　act　as　spies。　The　General　is　meeting　one　ruse　with　another。　He　wants　them　to　give　false　information。　Deceit　is　not　to　be　despised　in　war；　and　his　scheme　is　the　correct　one　to　employ。〃

Then　Lu　Su　understood。

That　night　as　Zhou　Yu　was　sitting　in　his　tent；　Huang　Gai　came　to　see　him　privately。

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃You　have　surely　some　wise　plan　to　propose　that　you　e　at　night　like　this。〃

Huang　Gai　replied；　〃The　enemy　are　more　numerous　than　we；　and　it　is　wrong　to　delay。　Why　not　burn　them　out？〃

〃Who　suggested　that　to　you？〃

〃I　thought　of　it　myself。　Nobody　suggested　it；〃　replied　Huang　Gai。

〃I　just　wanted　something　like　this；　and　that　is　why　I　kept　those　two　pretended　deserters。　I　want　them　to　give　some　false　news。　The　pity　is　that　I　have　no　one　to　feign　desertion　to　the　other　side　and　work　my　plan。〃

〃But　I　will　carry　out　your　plan；〃　said　Huang　Gai。

〃But　if　you　cannot　show　some　injury；　you　will　not　be　believed；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃The　Sun　family　have　been　very　generous　to　me；　and　I　would　not　resent　being　crushed　to　death　to　repay　them；〃　said　Huang　Gai。

The　General　bowed　and　thanked　him；　saying；　〃If　you　would　not　object　to　some　bodily　suffering；　then　the　South　Land　would　indeed　be　happy。〃

〃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　Generals　tent；　and　Zhuge　Liang　came　with　the　others。

Zhou　Yu　said；　〃The　enemys　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　Zhaos　advice；　throw　down　your　weapons；　turn　to　the　north；　and　surrender。〃

Zhou　Yus　anger　flared　up；　and　he　flushed；　crying；　〃Our　lords　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