小说园

第114部分（第2页）

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　Zes　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　enemys　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　Yus　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？〃

〃I　was　not　laughing　at　you。　I　was　laughing　at　my　friends　simplicity。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　his　simplicity？〃

〃If　you　want　to　slay；　slay。　Do　not　trouble　me　with　a　multitude　of　questions。〃

〃I　have　read　all　the　books　on　the　art　of　war；　and　I　am　well　versed　in　all　ways　of　misleading　the　enemy。　This　ruse　of　yours　might　have　succeeded　with　many；　but　it　will　not　do　for　me。〃

〃And　so　you　say　that　the　letter　is　a　vicious　trick？〃　said　Kan　Ze。

〃What　I　say　is　that　your　little　slip　has　sent　you　to　the　death　you　risked。　If　the　thing　was　real　and　you　were　sincere；　why　does　not　the　letter　name　a　time　of　ing　over？　What　have　you　to　say　to　that？〃