are　in　it　as　the　intermediary　to　present　the　letter。　How　dare　you　e　to　sport　with　me？〃

Cao　Cao　ordered　the　lictors　to　thrust　forth　the　messenger　and　take　off　his　head。　Kan　Ze　was　hustled　out；　his　face　untroubled。　On　the　contrary；　he　laughed　aloud。

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。〃