Chapter 149 Chapter Twenty-Three

"Cao Ren, am I getting old?" He knew that this was not the first time he had asked this question. "The prime minister shows no signs of aging, and the prime minister is still in good spirits." Cao Ren also remembered that this was not the first time he answered like this. People, old is old, old is irresistible.It's just that some people's aging is manifested in their appearance, their old temples, and their shambling steps.Some people show it spiritually: they don't think about making progress, do nothing, and don't compete with the world.The former is aggressive, while the latter is lingering.This is Cao Mengde's interpretation of the connotation of life.

At this time, a burst of singing came from the river. "The sun floats in the river, the stars are still in the water, fishing nets are cast in the smog in the morning, and the cool wind blows in front of you..." The singing is so deep, revealing a kind of sadness and desolation. In the fisherman's song, the fishing boat drifts slowly towards the land camp where Cao Mengde is located. "Be careful!" Cao Ren said.The Tigers and Leopards are in their positions. "Please report to Prime Minister, I am from Soochow, and send the letter of surrender to Prime Minister Cao!" The man on the fishing boat shouted at the throat.

"Fake surrender again!" Cao Mengde sneered.He ordered: "In the future, lead people to my account!" At this time, Cao Mengde had straightened his clothes and sat in the tent, surrounded by civil servants and generals. "I am Kan Ze, General Staff of the Eastern Wu, and I am named Derun. I am here to send you a letter of surrender from General Huang." After paying his respects, Kan Ze reported the reason for his name. "Huang Gongfu is a veteran of the third generation of Eastern Wu. Why did he come to vote for Cao Mengde at this time, not sooner or later? This is just a dream." Cao Mengde laughed after saying that.

Kan Ze said: "Old General Huang was sent by Zhou Gongjin the day before yesterday to join forces with Cao Gonggong, but he was beaten badly, and his shoulder was injured by an arrow. Humiliation. I have a very good friendship with Gongfu, so Gongfu sent me a secret letter of surrender, I wonder if the prime minister will accept it?" Cao Mengde knew that there was something strange about it, but his thirst for talents still drove him to find out slowly. "Submit the secret letter!" Cao Mengde said. Kan Ze unhurriedly took off the padded jacket, tore a hole in the interlayer, and took out a confidential letter, with some blood on the envelope.

Cao Mengde looked at the ball of blood on it, and sneered in his heart: "This time, Zhou Gongjin's plan is perfect." Cao Mengde opened the letter. The letter wrote: "I, Huang Gai III, served the Lord Wu. I didn't dare to have two minds. But Zhou Yu's son was conceited of his ability, domineering, and used his power to bully others at every turn. Victory and defeat are commonplace in military affairs. Fighting is like beating eggs against rocks, but I just took advantage of my defeat to punish me. I have pity on me, an old minister, who was beaten to pieces in the public. Thinking of my former prestige, but today I am in such a mess. I feel sad and sad. I am helpless, and I plan to vote for the prime minister. On the other hand In the northern situation, the prime minister recruits talents, his mind can accommodate hundreds of rivers, and his capacity is comparable to that of sea water. Millions of soldiers traverse the world, and their momentum is like the autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves. The unification of the world can be said to be just around the corner. Food, grass and military battles are offered with the ship. Weeping blood and worshiping white, don't be suspicious."

Since he came and returned, he did not specify the date of his arrival.Now that he was beaten to pieces, the text was written so vigorously and calmly.Neither early nor late, when the two armies were in love with each other, Huang Gai clearly came to investigate the military situation that day, and was beaten by our army and fled in embarrassment.And let me see how this man reacts? "Brave fisherman, dare to deceive me. This is clearly Zhou Yu's bitter trick. Push it down and cut me off!" Kan Ze is embraced by the left and right. Kan Ze looked up to the sky and laughed without changing his face.

Cao Mengde said: "Wait a minute! I have seen through your tricks, why are you laughing so loudly?" Chan Ze said, "I'm not laughing at you, but at Huang Gongfu for being too ignorant of people." Cao Mengde asked, "Why do you think Huang Gongfu doesn't understand people?" Kan Ze raised his head and said, "If you want to kill, kill it, why bother to ask!" Cao Mengde didn't want to kill people right away, but wanted to find out what was wrong, so he said: "I have been familiar with military books since I was a child, and I know the way of treachery and hypocrisy. You can only hide this trick from those incompetent people. In front of me, it is simply It was Lu Ban who was playing with a big ax in front of the gate."

Kan Ze also grasped Cao Mengde's psychology and said, "Which things in the secret letter do you say are treacherous schemes?" Cao Mengde said: "It's okay for me to say it, so that you can understand it to death. Since you said you would turn your back on me, why didn't you write the date?" Kan Ze laughed loudly, and said, "It's a shame that you said you were familiar with military books. You might as well withdraw your troops as soon as possible. If there is a battle, you will be captured alive by Zhou Yu. I am an ignorant person, but it is a pity that I died at your hands."

Cao Mengde said: "As long as what you say is reasonable, I will naturally respect you." Kan Ze said: "Don't you hear that you voted for someone else without your master's back, and you can't agree on a time limit. If you leak the secret, you will harm others and yourself. You can only play by ear. , do not distinguish loyalty and traitors, it is really a fatuous and incompetent person." This remark made Cao Mengde doubt his inference.He thought, since Kan Ze is already in my hands, it doesn't matter if he kills him early or late, and he will make a conclusion after the truth is clarified.

So Cao Mengde smiled all over his face, walked down from the table, took Kan Ze's hand, and said regretfully, "I almost killed a man of insight in vain. It's really rare that you and General Huang can understand the general situation. In the future, if Sun Quan and Liu Bei are defeated, I will add officials and confer titles." Chan Ze said nonchalantly: "Kan Ze doesn't dare to expect the Prime Minister to be appointed as a nobleman, as long as he doesn't kill us in vain, he will be grateful." Cao Mengde ordered to buy wine to wait for Kan Ze. After a while, another person entered the account and whispered in Cao Mengde's ear.

Cao Mengde said: "Bring the letter!" The man presented the letter to Cao Mengde. Seeing Cao Mengde's happy face, Chanze thought, "The Cai brothers must have secretly reported Huang Gai's torture. In this way, Cao Mengde will trust me even more." Cao Mengde turned his head and said to Kan Ze: "Mr. Lawton will return to Jiangdong again, and make an appointment with Gong Fu on the specific date of defection, and then send someone to contact me." The reason why Cao Mengde wanted to do this was because he was wary of Kan Ze. Sending him back to Dongguan before Kan Ze had time to figure out the layout of the warships in Shuizhai was actually the best of both worlds. Avoid military leaks. Kan Ze said: "I have been out for a long time. I am afraid that Zhou Yu will become suspicious. I will go back immediately and tell General Huang about Cao Gong's sincerity in accepting the surrender, so I can come here as soon as possible." Cao Mengde offered gold, silver and silk, but Kan Ze did not accept it. He bid farewell to Cao Mengde, boarded a light boat, and floated down into the night. Yu Huanggai was very happy to see Kan Ze return safely in the first four weeks. Kan Ze said: "Most of the success has been achieved, and Cao Cao firmly believes in it." Huang Gai said: "I used a light boat to approach Cao Cao's water village, loaded it with fire materials, and then set it on fire. It will be a great success." Kan Ze said: "The key question is how to contact Cao Cao?" Zhou Yu said, "You can borrow the words of the Cai brothers." Kan Ze said very easily: "I will visit the Cai brothers today and ask them to inform Cao Cao of their contact information." Zhou Yu followed Kan Ze's advice.