小说园

第115部分（第1页）

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

Kan　Ze　leaned　over　toward　his　host　and　said　something　in　a　very　low　voice；　at　which　Gan　Ning　bent　his　head　and　sighed。

Cai　He　and　Cai　Zhong　gathered　from　this　scene　that　both　Gan　Ning　and　Kan　Ze　were　ripe　for　desertion　and　determined　to　probe　them。

〃Why；　Sir；　do　you　anger　him？　Why　not　be　silent　about　your　injuries？〃　said　they。

〃What　know　you　of　our　bitterness？〃　said　Kan　Ze。

〃We　think　you　seem　much　inclined　to　go　over　to　Cao　Cao；〃　said　they。

Kan　Ze　at　this　lost　color。　Gan　Ning　started　up　and　drew　his　sword；　crying；　〃They　have　found　out。　They　must　die　to　keep　their　mouths　shut！〃

〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　two　in　a　flurry。　〃Let　us　tell　you　something　quite　secret！〃

〃Quick；　then！〃　cried　Gan　Ning。

So　Cai　He　said；　〃The　truth　is　that　we　are　only　pretended　deserters；　and　if　you　two　gentlemen　are　of　our　way　of　thinking；　we　can　manage　things　for　you。〃

〃But　are　you　speaking　the　truth？〃　said　Gan　Ning。

〃Is　it　likely　we　should　say　such　a　thing　if　it　were　untrue？〃　cried　both　at　the　same　moment。

Gan　Ning　put　on　a　pleased　look　and　said；　〃Then　this　is　the　very　heaven…given　chance。〃

〃You　know　we　have　already　told　Cao　Cao　of　the　Huang　Gai　affair　and　how　you　were　insulted。〃

〃The　fact　is　I　have　given　the　Prime　Minister　a　letter　on　behalf　of　Huang　Gai；　and　he　sent　me　back　again　to　settle　the　date　of　Huang　Gais　desertion；〃　said　Kan　Ze。

〃When　an　honest　person　happens　upon　an　enlightened　master；　his　heart　will　always　be　drawn　toward　him；〃　said　Gan　Ning。

The　four　then　drank　together　and　opened　their　hearts　to　each　other。　The　two　Cai　Zhong　and　Cai　He　wrote　a　private　letter　to　their　master　saying　Gan　Ning　has　agreed　to　join　in　our　plot　and　play　the　traitor；　and　Kan　Ze　also　wrote；　and　they　sent　the　letters　secretly　to　Cao　Cao。

Kan　Zes　letter　said：

〃Huang　Gai　has　found　no　opportunity　so　far。　However；　when　he　es；　his　boat　can　be　recognized　by　a　black；　indented　flag。　That　shall　mean　he　is　on　board。〃

However；　when　Cao　Cao　got　these　two　letters；　he　was　still　doubtful　and　called　together　his　advisers　to　talk　over　the　matter。

Said　he；　〃On　the　other　side　Gan　Ning　has　been　put　to　shame　by　the　mander…in…Chief　whom　he　is　prepared　to　betray　for　the　sake　of　revenge。　Huang　Gai　has　been　punished　and　sent　Kan　Ze　to　propose　that　he　should　e　over　to　our　side。　Only　I　still　distrust　the　whole　thing。　Who　will　go　over　to　the　camp　to　find　out　the　real　truth？〃

Then　Jiang　Gan　spoke　up；　saying；　〃I　failed　in　my　mission　the　other　day　and　am　greatly　mortified。　I　will　risk　my　life　again　and；　this　time；　I　shall　surely　bring　good　news。〃

Cao　Cao　approved　of　him　as　messenger　and　bade　him　start。　Jiang　Gan　set　out　in　a　small　craft　and　speedily　arrived　in　the　Three　Gorges；　landing　near　the　naval　camp。　Then　he　sent　to　inform　Zhou　Yu。

Hearing　who　it　was；　Zhou　Yu　chuckled；　saying；　〃Success　depends　upon　this　man。〃

Then　Zhou　Yu　called　Lu　Su　and　told　him　to　call　Pang　Tong　to　e　and　do　certain　things　for　him。

This　Pang　Tong　was　from　Xiangyang。　And　he　had　gone　to　the　east　of　the　river　to　get　away　from　the　strife。　Lu　Su　had　remended　him　to　Zhou　Yu；　but　he　had　not　yet　presented　himself。

When　Zhou　Yu　sent　Lu　Su　to　ask　what　scheme　of　attack　he　would　remend　against　Cao　Cao；　Pang　Tong　had　said　to　Lu　Su；　〃You　must　use　fire　against　him。　But　the　river　is　wide　and　if　one　ship　is　set　on　fire；　the　others　will　scatter　unless　they　are　fastened　together　so　that　they　must　remain　in　one　place。　That　is　the　one　road　to　success。〃

Lu　Su　took　this　message　to　the　General；　who　pondered　over　it　and　then　said；　〃The　only　person　who　can　manage　this　is　Pang　Tong　himself。〃

〃Cao　Cao　is　very　wily；〃　said　Lu　Su。　〃How　can　Pang　Tong　go？〃

So　Zhou　Yu　was　sad　and　undecided。　He　could　think　of　no　method　till　suddenly　the　means　presented　itself　in　the　arrival　of　Jiang　Gan。

Zhou　Yu　at　once　sent　instructions　to　Pang　Tong　how　to　act；　and　then　sat　himself　in　his　tent　to　await　his　visitor　Jiang　Gan。

But　the　visitor　became　ill　at　ease　and　suspicious　when　he　saw　that　his　old　student　friend　did　not　e　to　wele　him；　and　he　took　the　precaution　of　sending　his　boat　into　a　retired　spot　to　be　made　fast　before　he　went　to　the　Generals　tent。

When　Zhou　Yu　saw　Jiang　Gan；　Zhou　Yu　put　on　an　angry　face　and　said；　〃My　friend；　why　did　you　treat　me　so　badly？〃

Jiang　Gan　laughed　and　said；　〃I　remembered　the　old　days　when　we　were　as　brothers；　and　I　came　expressly　to　pour　out　my　heart　to　you。　Why　do　you　say　I　treated　you　badly？〃

〃You　came　to　persuade　me　to　betray　my　master；　which　I　would　never　do　unless　the　sea　dried　up　and　the　rocks　perished。　Remembering　the　old　times；　I　filled　you　with　wine　and　kept　you　to　sleep　with　me。　And　you；　you　plundered　my　private　letters　and　stole　away　with　never　a　word　of　farewell。　You　betrayed　me　to　Cao　Cao　and　caused　the　death　of　my　two　friends　on　the　other　side　and　so　caused　all　my　plans　to　miscarry。　Now　what　have　you　e　for？　Certainly；　it　is　not　out　of　kindness　to　me。　I　would　cut　you　in　two；　but　I　still　care　for　our　old　friendship。　I　would　send　you　back　again；　but　within　a　day　or　two　I　shall　attack　that　rebel。　If　I　let　you　stay　in　my　camp；　my　plans　will　leak　out。　So　I　am　going　to　tell　my　attendants　to　conduct　you　to　a　certain　retired　hut　in　the　Western　Hills；　and　keep　you　there　till　I　shall　have　won　the　victory。　Then　I　will　send　you　back　again。〃