nd　even　then　it　will　not　be　ended。　If　you　can　destroy　them　this　month；　then　all　is　well。　If　you　cannot；　then　it　were　better　to　take　Zhang　Zhao's　advice；　throw　down　your　weapons；　turn　to　the　north；　and　surrender。〃

Zhou　Yu's　anger　flared　up；　and　he　flushed；　crying；　〃Our　lord's　orders　were　to　destroy　Cao　Cao；　and　whoever　mentioned　the　word　surrender　should　be　put　to　death！　Now；　the　very　moment　when　the　two　armies　are　to　engage；　you　dare　talk　of　surrender　and　damp　the　ardor　of　my　army！　If　I　do　not　slay　you；　how　can　I　support　the　others？〃

He　ordered　the　lictors　to　remove　Huang　Gai　and　execute　him　without　delay。

Huang　Gai　then　flamed　up　in　turn；　saying；　〃This　is　the　third　generation　since　I　went　with　General　Sun　Jian；　and　we　overran　the　southeast。　Whence　have　you　sprung　up？〃

This　made　Zhou　Yu　perfectly　furious；　and　Huang　Gai　was　ordered　to　instant　death。　But　Gan　Ning　interfered。

Said　he；　〃He　is　a　veteran　officer　of　the　South　Land。　Pray　pardon　him！〃

〃What　are　you　prating　about？〃　cried　Zhou　Yu。　〃Dare　you　e　between　me　and　my　duty？〃

Turning　to　the　lictors；　Zhou　Yu　ordered　them　to　drive　Gan　Ning　forth　with　blows。

The　other　officials　fell　on　their　knees　entreating　pity　for　Huang　Gai。

〃He　is　indeed　most　worthy　of　death；　but　it　would　be　a　loss　to　the　army。　We　pray　you　forgive　him。　Record　his　fault　for　the　moment；　and　after　the　enemy　shall　have　been　defeated；　then　put　him　to　death。〃

But　Zhou　Yu　was　implacable。　The　officers　pleaded　with　tears。

At　length　he　seemed　moved；　saying；　〃Had　you　not　interceded；　he　should　certainly　have　suffered　death。　But　now　I　will　mitigate　the　punishment　to　a　beating。　He　shall　not　die。〃

Zhou　Yu　turned　to　the　lictors　and　bade　them　deal　the　culprit　one　hundred　blows。　Again　his　c