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 friend's 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？〃
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 one's master and bee a renegade； one cannot say exactly when the chance will occur？ If one binds one's 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 Cao's 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 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 Gai's 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 Ze's 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 General's 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。〃
Jiang Gan tried to say something； but Zhou Yu would not listen。 He turned his back and went into the recesses of his tent。 The attendants led the visitor off； set him on a horse； and took him away over the hills to the small hut； leaving two soldiers to look after him。
When Jiang Gan found himself in the lonely hut； he was very depressed and had no desire to eat or sleep。 But one night； when the stars were very brilliant； he strolled out to enjoy them。 Presently he came to the rear of his lonely habitation and heard； near by； someone crooning over a book。 Approaching with stealthy steps； he saw a tiny cabin half hidden in a cliff whence a slender beam or two of light stole out between the rafters。 He went nearer and peeping in； saw a man reading by the light of a lamp near which hung a sword。 And the book was Sun Zi's classic 〃The Art of War。〃
〃This is no mo