amp；　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　Liang's　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　Liang's　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　Kai's　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　atta