第一小说网

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第141部分（第2页）

〃What　now？　Cao　Cao　has　crossed　to　the　south　of　the　river；　and　we　can　be　attacked　in　the　rear；〃　said　Ma　Chao。

mander　Li　Kan　said；　〃Then　you　had　better　e　to　an　agreement；　sacrifice　some　territory；　and　make　peace。　Then　both　can　repose　through　the　winter　and　await　the　changes　and　chances　that　may　e　with　the　spring　warmth。〃

〃He　is　wise；〃　said　Han　Sui；　〃and　I　advise　the　same。〃

But　Ma　Chao　hesitated。　Others　exhorted　him　to　make　peace；　and　at　length　he　agreed。　So　Yang　Qiu　and　Hou　Xuan　were　sent　as　messengers　of　peace　to　the　camp　of　Cao　Cao。

〃You　may　return。　I　will　send　my　reply；〃　said　Cao　Cao　when　they　had　declared　the　purport　of　their　mission。　And　they　left。

Then　Jia　Xu　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃What　is　your　opinion；　O　Prime　Minister？〃

〃What　is　yours？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃War　allows　deceit；　therefore　pretend　to　agree。　Then　we　can　try　some　means　of　sowing　suspicions　between　Han　Sui　and　Ma　Chao　so　that　we　may　thereby　destroy　both。〃

Cao　Cao　clapped　his　hands　for　very　joy；　saying；　〃That　is　the　best　idea　of　all！　Most　suitable！　You　and　I　agree　in　our　ideas。　I　was　just　thinking　of　that。〃

So　an　answer　was　returned：

〃Let　me　gradually　withdraw　my　soldiers；　and　I　will　give　back　the　land　belonging　to　you　on　the　west　of　Yellow　River。〃

And　at　the　same　time　Cao　Cao　ordered　the　construction　of　a　floating　bridge　to　help　in　the　withdrawal　to　the　east　side。

When　the　reply　arrived；　Ma　Chao　said　to　Han　Sui；　〃Although　he　agrees　to　peace；　yet　he　is　evil　and　crafty。　We　must　remain　prepared　against　his　machinations。　Uncle；　you　and　I　will　take　turns　in　watching　Cao　Cao　and　Xu　Huang　on　alternate　days。　So　shall　we　be　safe　against　his　treachery。〃

They　agreed　and　began　the　regular　alternate　watch。　Soon　Cao　Cao　got　to　know　what　they　were　doing；　and　he　turned　to　Jia　Xu；　saying；　〃I　am　succeeding。〃

〃Who　keeps　the　look…out　on　the　north　bank　tomorrow？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃Han　Sui；〃　replied　someone。

Next　day　Cao　Cao　at　the　head　of　a　large　party　of　his　generals　rode　out　of　the　camp；　and　the　officers　presently　spread　out　right　and　left；　he　himself　remaining　a　solitary　rider　visible　in　the　center。　Han　Sui　did　not　know　that　Cao　Cao　had　e　out。

Presently　Cao　Cao　called　out；　〃Do　any　of　you　soldiers　want　to　see　Cao　Cao？　Here　I　am　quite　alone。　I　have　not　four　eyes　nor　a　couple　of　mouths；　but　I　am　very　knowing。〃

The　soldiers　turned　pale　with　fright。　Then　Cao　Cao　called　up　a　man　and　told　him　to　go　and　see　Han　Sui　and　say；　〃Sir；　the　Prime　Minister　humbly　asks　you　to　e　and　confer　with　him。〃

Thereupon　Han　Sui　went　out；　and　seeing　Cao　Cao　wore　no　armor；　Han　Sui　also　threw　off　his　and　rode　out　clad　in　a　light　robe。　Each　rode　up　to　the　other　till　their　horses　heads　nearly　touched；　and　there　they　stood　talking。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃Your　father　and　I　were　granted　filial　degrees　at　the　same　time；　and　I　used　to　treat　him　as　an　uncle。　Moreover；　you　and　I　set　out　to　serve　the　court　at　the　same　time；　too；　and　yet　we　have　not　met　for　years。　How　old　may　you　be　now；　General？〃

〃I　am　forty；〃　replied　Han　Sui。

〃In　those　old　days　in　the　capital；　we　were　both　very　young　and　never　thought　about　middle　age。　If　we　could　only　restore　tranquillity　to　the　state；　that　would　be　a　matter　of　rejoicing。〃

After　that　they　chatted　long　about　old　times；　but　neither　said　a　word　on　military　matters。　They　gossiped　for　a　couple　of　hours　before　they　took　leave　of　each　other。

It　was　not　long　before　someone　told　Ma　Chao　of　this　meeting；　and　he　went　over　to　his　ally　to　ask　about　it。

〃What　was　it　Cao　Cao　came　out　to　discuss　today　？〃　said　Ma　Chao。

〃He　just　recalled　the　old　days　when　we　were　together　in　the　capital。〃

〃Did　he　say　nothing　about　military　matters？〃

〃Not　a　word；　and　I　could　not　talk　about　them　alone。〃

Ma　Chao　went　out　without　a　word；　but　he　felt　suspicious。

When　Cao　Cao　returned　to　his　camp；　he　said　to　Jia　Xu；　〃Do　you　know　why　I　talked　with　him　thus　publicly？〃

〃It　may　be　an　excellent　idea；〃　said　Jia　Xu；　〃but　it　is　not　sufficient　simply　to　estrange　two　people。　I　can　improve　on　it；　and　we　will　make　them　quarrel　and　even　kill　each　other。〃

〃What　is　your　scheme？〃

〃Ma　Chao　is　brave　but　not　very　astute。　You　write　a　letter　with　your　own　hand　to　Han　Sui　himself　and　put　in　it　some　rambling　statements　about　some　harm　that　is　going　to　happen。　Then　blot　it　out　and　write　something　else。　Afterwards　you　will　send　it　to　Han　Sui；　taking　care　that　Ma　Chao　shall　know　all　about　it。　Ma　Chao　will　demand　to　read　the　letter；　and　when　he　sees　that　the　important　part　of　the　letter　has　been　changed；　he　will　think　that　Han　Sui　has　made　the　changes　lest　his　secrets　should　leak　out。　This　will　fit　into　the　private　talk　you　had　with　Han　Sui　the　other　day；　and　the　suspicion　will　grow　until　it　has　brought　about　trouble。　I　can　also　secretly　corrupt　some　of　Han　Suis　subordinates；　and　get　them　to　widen　the　breach。　Then　we　can　settle　Ma　Chao。〃

〃The　scheme　looks　excellent；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　wrote　the　letter　as　suggested；　and　then　erased　and　changed　it；　after　which　he　sealed　it　securely　and　sent　it