第114部分(第1/7 页)

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　and　said；　〃Though　the　other　officers　have　been　cowed　into　silence；　I　think　thought　you；　Sir；　might　have　interceded。　You　are　a　guest　and　not　under　Zhou　Yu's　orders。　Why　did　you　stand　by　with　your　hands　up　your　sleeves　and　say　never　a　word？〃

〃You　insult　me；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　smiling。

〃Why　do　you　say　that？　I　have　never　insulted　you：　Never　since　the　day　we　came　here　together。〃

〃Do　you　not　know　that　terrible　beating　was　but　a　ruse？　How　could　I　try　to　dissuade　Zhou　Yu？〃

Then　Lu　Su　began　to　perceive；　and　Zhuge　Liang　continued；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　would　not　be　taken　in　unless　there　was　some　real　bodily　suffering。　Zhou　Yu　is　going　to　send　Huang　Gai　over　as　a　deserter；　and　Zhou　Yu　will　see　to　it　that　the　two　Cao　Cao's　spies　duly　tell　the　tale。　But　when　you　see　the　General；　you　must　not　tell　him　that　I　saw　through　the　ruse。　You　say　that　I　am　very　angry　like　the　others。〃

Lu　Su　went　to　see　Zhou　Yu　and　asked；　〃Why　have　you　so　cruelly　beaten　a　proved　and　trusty　officer？〃

〃Do　the　officers　resent　it？〃　asked　Zhou　Yu。

〃They　are　all　upset　about　it。〃

〃And　what　does　your　friend　think？〃

〃Zhuge　Liang　also　resents　it　in　his　heart；　and　he　thinks　you　have　made　a　mistake。〃

〃Then　I　have　deceived　him　for　once；〃　said　Zhou　Yu　gleefully。

〃What　mean　you？〃　cried　Lu　Su。

〃That　beating　that　Huang　Gai　got　is　part　of　my　ruse。　I　am　sending　him　to　Cao　Cao　as　a　deserter；　and　so　I　have　supplied　a　reason　for　desertion。　Then　I　am　going　to　use　fire　against　the　enemy。〃

Lu　Su　kept　silence；　but　he　recognized　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　again　right。

Meanwhile　Huang　Gai　lay　in　his　tent；　whither　all　his