小说园

第114部分（第3页）

Kan　Ze　waited　to　the　end　and　then　laughed　louder　than　ever；　saying；　〃I　am　so　glad　you　are　not　frightened　but　can　still　boast　of　your　knowledge　of　the　books　of　war。　Now　you　will　not　lead　away　your　soldiers。　If　you　fight；　Zhou　Yu　will　certainly　capture　you。　But　how　sad　to　think　I　die　at　the　hand　of　such　an　ignorant　fellow！〃

〃What　mean　you？　I；　ignorant？〃

〃You　are　ignorant　of　any　strategy　and　a　victim　of　unreason。　Is　not　that　sufficient？〃

〃Well　then；　tell　me　where　is　any　fault。〃

〃You　treat　wise　people　too　badly　for　me　to　talk　to　you。　You　can　finish　me　and　let　there　be　an　end　of　it。〃

〃If　you　can　speak　with　any　show　of　reason；　I　will　treat　you　differently。〃

〃Do　you　not　know　that　when　one　is　going　to　desert　ones　master　and　bee　a　renegade；　one　cannot　say　exactly　when　the　chance　will　occur？　If　one　binds　ones　self　to　a　fixed　moment　and　the　thing　cannot　be　done　just　then；　the　secret　will　be　discovered。　One　must　watch　for　an　opportunity　and　take　it　when　it　es。　Think：　Is　it　possible　to　know　exactly　when？　But　you　know　nothing　of　mon　sense。　All　you　know　is　how　to　put　good　people　to　death。　So　you　really　are　an　ignorant　fellow！〃

At　this　Cao　Cao　changed　his　manner；　got　up；　and　came　over　to　the　prisoner　bowing；　〃I　did　not　see　clearly。　That　is　quite　true。　I　offended　you；　and　I　hope　you　will　forget　it。〃

〃The　fact　is　that　Huang　Gai　and　I　are　both　inclined　to　desert　to　you。　We　even　yearn　for　it　as　a　child　desires　its　parents。　Is　it　possible　that　we　should　play　you　false？〃

〃If　you　two　could　render　me　so　great　a　service；　you　shall　certainly　be　richly　rewarded。〃

〃We　do　not　desire　rank　or　riches。　We　e　because　it　is　the　will　of　Heaven　and　the　plain　way　of　duty。〃

Then　wine　was　set　out；　and　Kan　Ze　was　treated　as　an　honored　guest。　While　they　were　drinking；　someone　came　in　and　whispered　in　Cao　Caos　ear。

He　replied；　〃Let　me　see　the　letter。〃

Whereupon　the　man　pulled　out　and　gave　him　a　letter；　which　evidently　pleased　him。

〃That　is　from　the　two　Cai　brothers；〃　thought　Kan　Ze。　〃They　are　reporting　the　punishment　of　my　friend；　and　that　will　be　a　proof　of　the　sincerity　of　his　letter。〃

Turning　toward　Kan　Ze；　Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　must　ask　you　to　return　to　settle　the　date　with　your　friend。　As　soon　as　I　know；　I　will　have　a　force　waiting。〃

〃I　cannot　return。　Pray；　Sir；　send　some　other　one　you　can　trust。〃

〃If　someone　else　should　go；　the　secret　would　be　discovered。〃

Kan　Ze　refused　again　and　again　but　at　last　gave　way；　saying；　〃If　I　am　to　go；　I　must　not　wait　here。　I　must　be　off　at　once。〃

Cao　Cao　offered　him　gold　and　silks；　which　were　refused。　Kan　Ze　started；　left　the　camp；　and　reembarked　for　the　south　bank；　where　he　related　all　that　had　happened　to　Huang　Gai。

〃If　it　had　not　been　for　your　persuasive　tongue；　then　had　I　undergone　this　suffering　in　vain；〃　said　Huang　Gai。

〃I　will　now　go　to　get　news　of　the　two　Cai　brothers；〃　said　Kan　Ze。

〃Excellent；〃　said　Huang　Gai。

Kan　Ze　went　to　the　camp　manded　by　Gan　Ning。

When　they　were　seated；　Kan　Ze　said　to　his　host；　〃I　was　much　distressed　when　I　saw　how　disgracefully　you　were　treated　for　your　intercession　on　behalf　of　Huang　Gai。〃

Gan　Ning　smiled。　Just　then　the　two　Cai　brothers　came；　and　host　and　guest　exchanged　glances。

Gan　Ning　said；　〃The　truth　is　Zhou　Yu　is　over　confident；　and　he　reckons　us　as　nobody。　We　count　for　nothing。　Everyone　is　talking　of　the　way　I　was　insulted。〃

And　he　shouted　and　gritted　his　teeth　and　smacked　the　table　in　his　wrath。

Kan　Ze　lean