第一小说网

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第210部分（第2页）

〃We　all　really　belong　to　Gao　Dings　mand；〃　said　they。

In　like　manner　they　were　pardoned　and　refreshed　with　wine　and　food。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　addressed　them；　saying；　〃Yong　Kai　has　just　sent　a　messenger　to　ask　that　he　may　surrender；　and　he　offers　to　bring　with　him　the　heads　of　Gao　Ding　and　Zhu　Bao　as　a　proof　of　merit。　But　I　will　not　receive　him；　and　you；　since　you　are　Gao　Dings　soldiers；　shall　be　released　and　allowed　to　return　to　him。　But　let　there　be　no　ingratitude　and　fighting　again；　for　if　there　is；　I　certainly　will　not　pardon　you　next　time。〃

So　they　thanked　their　liberator　and　went　away。　As　soon　as　they　reached　their　own　camp；　they　told　the　whole　story。　Then　Gao　Ding　sent　a　spy　to　the　camp　of　Yong　Kai　to　find　out　what　was　doing。　There　the　spy　met　those　who　had　been　released；　and　they　were　all　talking　about　Zhuge　Liangs　kindness；　and　many　of　them　were　inclined　to　desert　their　own　camp　for　the　other。

Although　this　seemed　very　satisfactory；　yet　Gao　Ding　did　not　feel　convinced；　and　he　sent　another　man　to　Zhuge　Liangs　camp　to　try　to　verify　the　rumor。　But　this　man　was　captured　and　taken　before　the　mander…in…Chief；　who　pretended　that　he　thought　the　spy　belonged　to　Yong　Kai。

Zhuge　Liang　said　to　him；　〃Why　has　your　leader　failed　to　send　me　the　heads　of　Gao　Ding　and　Zhu　Bao　as　he　promised？　You　lot　are　not　very　clever；　and　what　are　you　e　to　spy　out？〃

The　soldier　muttered　and　mumbled　in　confusion。

But　Zhuge　Liang　gave　the　man　wine　and　food；　and　then　wrote　a　letter　which　he　handed　to　the　spy；　saying；　〃You　give　this　letter　to　your　mander；　Yong　Kai；　and　tell　him　to　get　the　job　done　quickly。〃

The　spy　took　the　letter　and　got　away。　As　soon　as　he　reached　camp；　he　gave　the　letter　to　Gao　Ding　and　also　the　message。

Gao　Ding　read　the　missive　and　became　very　angry。

〃I　have　ever　been　true　to　him；　and　yet　he　wants　to　kill　me。　It　is　hard　to　be　either　friendly　or　reasonable。〃

Then　he　decided　to　take　E　Huan　into　his　confidence；　and　called　him。

E　Huan　was　much　prejudiced　in　favor　of　Zhuge　Liang；　and　said；　〃Zhuge　Liang　is　a　most　benevolent　man；　and　it　would　be　ill　to　turn　our　backs　upon　him。　It　is　Yong　Kais　fault　that　we　are　now　rebels；　and　our　best　course　would　be　to　slay　him　and　betake　ourselves　to　Zhuge　Liang。〃

〃How　could　it　be　done？〃　asked　Gao　Ding。

〃Invite　him　to　a　banquet。　If　he　refuses；　it　means　he　is　a　traitor；　and　then　you　can　attack　him　in　front　while　I　will　lie　in　wait　behind　his　camp　to　capture　him　as　he　runs　away。〃

They　agreed　to　try　this　plan。　The　banquet　was　prepared；　and　Yong　Kai　invited。　But　as　Yong　Kais　mind　was　full　of　suspicion　from　what　his　returned　soldiers　had　said；　he　would　not　e。　That　night；　as　soon　as　darkness　fell；　Gao　Ding　attacked　his　camp。

Now　the　soldiers　who　had　been　released　were　imbued　with　the　goodness　of　Gao　Ding　all　quite　ready　to　help　him　fight。　On　the　other　hand；　Yong　Kais　troops　mutinied　against　him；　and　so　Yong　Kai　mounted　his　steed　and　fled。　Before　he　had　gone　far；　he　found　his　road　blocked　by　the　cohort　under　E　Huan；　who　galloped　out　with　his　halberd　and　confronted　the　fugitive。　Yong　Kai　could　not　defend　himself；　and　was　struck　down。　E　Huan　decapitated　him。　As　soon　as　they　knew　he　was　dead；　his　troops　joined　themselves　to　Gao　Ding；　who　then　went　and　surrendered　to　Zhuge　Liang。

Zhuge　Liang　received　Gao　Ding　sitting　in　state　in　his　tent；　but　at　once　ordered　the　lictors　to　decapitate　Gao　Ding。

But　Gao　Ding　said；　〃Influenced　by　your　kindness；　Sir；　I　have　brought　the　head　of　my　colleague　as　a　proof　of　the　sincerity　of　my　surrender。　Why　should　I　die？〃

〃You　e　with　false　intent。　Do　you　think　you　can　hoodwink　me？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　laughing。

〃What　proof　have　you　that　I　am　false？〃

Zhuge　Liang　drew　a　letter　from　his　box；　and　said；　〃Zhu　Bao　sent　this　secretly　to　say　he　wished　to　surrender；　and　he　said　you　and　Yong　Kai　were　sworn　friends　to　death。　How　could　you　suddenly　change　your　feelings　and　slay　him？　That　is　how　I　know　your　treachery。〃

〃Zhu　Bao　only　tried　to　make　trouble；〃　cried　Gao　Ding；　kneeling。

Zhuge　Liang　still　refused　to　believe　him；　and　said；　〃I　cannot　believe　you　without　more　solid　proof。　If　you　would　slay　Zhu　Bao；　I　could　take　that　as　proving　you　were　sincere　in　your　surrender。〃

〃Do　not　doubt　me。　What　if　I　go　and　capture　this　man？〃

〃If　you　did　that；　my　doubts　would　be　set　at　rest。〃

Thereupon　Gao　Ding　and　his　subordinate；　E　Huan；　led　away　their　troops　to　the　camp　of　Zhu　Bao。　When　they　were　about　three　miles　from　his　camp；　Zhu　Bao　appeared　with　a　cohort。　As　soon　as　they　recognized　each　other；　Zhu　Bao　hastily　came　forward　to　parley。

But　Gao　Ding　cried　out　to　him；　〃Why　did　you　write　a　letter　to　the　Prime　Minister　and　so　intrigue　with　him　to　get　me　killed？〃

Zhu　Bao　stared　open　mouthed　and　could　not　reply。　Then　E　Huan　rode　out　from　behind　his　chief　and　struck　Zhu　Bao　with　his　halberd　so　that　he　fell　to　the　ground。

Thereupon　Gao　Ding　shouted；　〃The　soldiers　should　either　yield　or　be　slain！〃

And　they　yielded　in　a　body。

Gao　Ding　then　went　back　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　offered　the　head　of